Low Furness School

This Morning Sarah and I went to do our last assembly for this year at Low Furness School.  We started by asking the children what song they would like to sing to start us off and they picked My Lighthouse.  After the song Sarah reminded the children about the assembly we had done two weeks ago and how we had talked about getting ready for Christmas.  Today we showed them a video about the Christmas story - it was a poem that had pictures with it and a line that kept on repeating "...to turn what was sad into glad once again..."  After the video clip I talked about what they had seen and I also repeated the words of the poem.  I explained that we live in a world that is a times sad and people do things that made it that way.  I asked the children for some thoughts - a number said fighting or war or fallings out (they had the idea) but as the video explained God set Jesus into the world to turn that sad into glad once again and that is why we celebrate at Christmas.  I mentioned that with out Jesus there would be no Christmas, I also said that last week when we said that in another school it shocked the children.  So we should be glad at Christmas time and be happy and joyful one of my all time favourite carols is Joy to the World and I told the children that I love to sing it.  Sarah then introduced our Christmas song Rejoice with us this Christmas and after she reminded the children about turning the sad into glad part of the poem before she closed the assembly with a prayer.

Penny Bridge Academy

This morning Sarah and I were at Penny Bridge doing our Christmas assembly.  We didn't start with a song as we wanted to show a video and to finish sing our Christmas song.  We first asked the children what time of year it was - we got the usual answers of Christmas, December - but then we got the answer we were looking for - Advent.  I explained that Advent is the time of year before Christmas when we wait and prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  I then asked who in the Christmas story needed to prepare to go and see Jesus, the children suggested a few people like Mary and the shepherds then we got the answer - the wise men.  I tried to explain just how far they had to travel in order to see Jesus and then asked what we needed to do to prepare for such a long journey, children offered suggestions like Ipad, food, drink, clothes - Sarah said SatNav as she couldn't navigate with just the stars.  Sarah then told the Babushka story which we pointed out wasn't in the Bible and was just a folk tale.  She wanted to see Jesus but was far to busy then she missed out.  I then played a video that I made a few years ago which starts with the nativity scene but then soon gets covered with all the other things to do with Christmas like, sellotape, turkey and other food, long cues and decorated house's finally ending with a baby crying and a return to the nativity scene once again.  I explained that all that the children had seen is to do with Christmas but the real reason we celebrate is because of the birth of Jesus, and we can so easily forget that as we rush around getting ready for Christmas.  We then sang Rejoice with Us before Sarah closed the assembly with a prayer.

Croftlands Infants School

This afternoon Sarah and I went to do our Christmas assembly at Croftlands Infants.  We didn't start with a song as we wanted to sing Rejoice With Us this Christmas to end.  I asked the children what time of year it was - some said December, winter, Christmas - one girl said it was Advent.  I then asked who in the Christmas story made a very long journey to see Jesus.  One person said the three wise men which was the answer I was looking for.  I then talked a little bit about long journeys and how we need to be ready.  The wise men made good plans to see Jesus.  Sarah then told the story of Babushka and how she missed the point and couldn't see Jesus.  I explained that as we rush about before Christmas we can sometimes miss the point of Christmas - I said that if it wasn't for Jesus there would be no Christmas - this shocked the children a bit.  So I encouraged the children to take a moment to think about why we celebrate Christmas.  We then sang our song.  Sarah closed the assembly with a prayer.

Pennington School

This afternoon Sarah and I visited Pennington School for our last assembly of the year with them.  We started by asking them what the time of year was - it is Advent but some said December, Christmas, winter which are all correct but it was Advent we wanted to talk about.  I explained that Advent is the time of year that comes before Christmas and is when we start to get ready and prepare for the birthday celebration of Jesus.  In Matthew chapter 2 some other people got ready and got prepared to celebrate this time it was the birth day of Jesus.  They travelled a long way to see him, I asked if they knew who I was talking about - the wise men.  I talked about what we need to do when we go on long journeys and how we need to get things ready.  Sarah then told the Babushka story and about how she missed seeing Jesus as she was too busy doing stuff.  I explained that we can be like that too as I showed them a video clip.  The video started with a nativity scene that was soon taken out by loads of other pictures all to do with Christmas.  I pointed out that all what the children had seen was about Christmas but they sometimes get in the way of the real reason we have Christmas because without Jesus there would be no Christmas the cue is in the name Christ - mas.  The wise men got ready to meet Jesus for the first time and they prepared well, so during the next few weeks we should stop and remember what it is we are doing.  To finish we sang Rejoice with Us.  Then Sarah closed with a prayer.

Croftlands Junior School

This morning Sarah and I went along to Croftlands Junior School for the assembly.  We didn't start with a song but went straight in and asked the children what time of year it was, we got winter, December, Christmas as well as Advent - which is the answer we were looking for.  I then explained that Advent means a time of waiting, of preparing, as well as the time that leads to Christmas.  Next I asked questions about some of the characters that featured in the first Christmas story, a group of people who needed to prepare well and travel a long way to meet Jesus - I did ask the children who they thought I was talking about - it was of course the wise men.  I talked about what we might need to do to go on a long journey today like what we would need to take.  Sarah then told a story which is not in the bible it is in fact a myth - Babushka.  She missed out on seeing Jesus as she was far too busy doing other things.  I then played a video clip which I put  together years ago about how the real meaning of Christmas can get taken over by other things.  After the video I explained that without Jesus there would be no Christmas - the cue is in the name Christ - mas.  So in the run up to Christmas and the busy, busy way we seem to run around like headless chickens (or turkeys!) stop and press pause for a moment or two and remember why it is we are celebrating - the birth of Jesus.  After the talk we sang Rejoice with us this Christmas before we closed the assembly with a prayer.

St Mary's RC Ulverston

This morning I went to do our Christmas assembly at St Mary's in Ulverston.  Christmas had well and truly arrived at the school with all the children dressed in their Christmas jumpers.  After singing So Many Ways to Praise the Lord I talked about the time of year - I did ask the children about it first some said winter which is correct as December marks the start of winter.  I got the answer Advent from someone, I did point out to the children that I had been looking on their wall at a calendar of all the Christian holidays, Holy Days and festivals before the assembly started.  I explained that Advent is a time of getting ready and time of preparing for - Christmas.  I then asked about who in the Christmas story needed to get ready and prepare - straight away the answer the 3 wise men came back.  I went on to talk about the journey they needed to make in order to see Jesus, a journey that would have taken months and months as they lived so far away.  I asked if any of them had ever been on a long journey and what they needed to take for it.  This led me to tell the story of Baboushka which is a folk tale.  She missed out on the chance to see Jesus as she was far too busy doing stuff.  We can be like that too on the run up to Christmas and forget what it is all about.  So I encouraged the children to take time and stop and think about the things they are doing for Christmas and to remember why it is we celebrate in the first place.  To close we sang Rejoice with us and then said a short prayer.

BX OT5 Penny Bridge Academy

On Wednesday afternoon I did the final lesson of Bible Explorer at Penny Bridge.  The children all listened as I explained how the kingdom was split up and how some people got carried away and mixed up and the problems that caused later on in the Bible.  Then we heard how Judah was taken away into exile for 70 years.  Along the way I filled in the story with some of the characters out of the BIble like Daniel and Esther.  We ended with the return of the people and the rebuilding of Jerusalem from the Temple to the people then finally the walls and then - 400 of ..... nothing before Jesus entered on to the stage.  The children really got behind the stories and asked questions took part in all the hand signs too.