Flookburgh School

This morning I went down to Flookburgh School for the assembly.  To start with I asked the children which song they would like to sing - one little boy picked God Can Do Anything, so I asked him to help me with the actions as we sang it.  After the song I took out of my bag a glove and a mitten I explained that both of them would keep my fingers warm however the glove would warm my fingers individually and the mitten the fingers would help to warm each other up.  I did say that both worked very well at finger warming.  I then showed a brief video clip of penguins as they move together for the long winter wait.  I used the clip to explain that the penguins help each other to keep warm and those on the outside will slowly be moved into the middle as they move about working together to keep each other warm.  I did point out that it is good for us all to be individuals but there are times when we do need to work together.  I mentioned a few places were we could do that too.  I used a verse from Philippians 2:4-5 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.  I explained what the verse means which then led to singing Shine. After the song I finished with a prayer.

Lindale School

Today Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Lindale School.  We started with So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  I then decided to put my coat, hat and gloves on while Sarah asked if I was going home - no I am cold I said my hands are really cold.  I had gloves on and told the children I couldn't decide if I was going to be warmer with mittens on or gloves - so I had one of each on.  This led Sarah to talk about the merits of gloves and mittens for keeping our fingers warm, she discussed this with the children who answered questions about it- telling us what they would do.  The point was that gloves do keep us warm and the fingers work individually to warm up but in a mitten they work together.  We then showed a video clip of penguins in the wild standing together working together to keep warm.  This was the whole idea working together - by now I was very warm so had to take them off.  We used a bible verse from Philippians to emphasise the point further -  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:4-5).  Sarah explained what the verse meant and we linked it to the song Shine.  After the song we closed with a prayer.

Croftlands Infant School

On Tuesday Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Croftlands Infant School.  We started with So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  I then decided to put my coat, hat and gloves on while Sarah asked if I was going home - no I am cold I said my hands are really cold.  I had gloves on and told the children I couldn't decide if I was going to be warmer with mittens on or gloves - so I had one of each on.  This led Sarah to talk about the merits of gloves and mittens for keeping our fingers warm, she discussed this with the children who answered questions about it- telling us what they would do.  The point was that gloves do keep us warm and the fingers work individually to warm up but in a mitten they work together.  We then showed a video clip of penguins in the wild standing together working together to keep warm.  This was the whole idea working together - by now I was very warm so had to take them off.  We used a bible verse from Philippians to emphasise the point further -  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:4-5).  Sarah explained what the verse meant and we linked it to the song Shine.  After the song we closed with a prayer.

Croftlands Junior School

On Monday Sarah and I went to do the assembly at Croftlands Junior School.  We started with So Many Ways to Praise the Lord.  I then decided to put my coat, hat and gloves on while Sarah asked if I was going home - no I am cold I said my hands are really cold.  I had gloves on and told the children I couldn't decide if I was going to be warmer with mittens on or gloves - so I had one of each on.  This led Sarah to talk about the merits of gloves and mittens for keeping our fingers warm, she discussed this with the children who answered questions about it- telling us what they would do.  The point was that gloves do keep us warm and the fingers work individually to warm up but in a mitten they work together.  This was the whole idea working together - by now I was very warm so had to take them off.  We used a bible verse from Philippians to emphasise the point further -  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:4-5).  Sarah explained what the verse meant and we linked it to the song Shine.  After the song we closed with a prayer.

St Marys RC Ulverston

This morning I went to do the assembly at St Mary's RC in Ulverston.  After singing Be Happy I told the children a modern day version of the Good Samaritan story.  I used 4 children to help me and they dressed up for their parts.  I then explained afterwards why Jesus told the story and went on to explain the difficulty the people of Jesus' day had with the Samaritan people.  The point was Jesus told the story when someone asked him who their neighbour was.  So I asked the children who their neighbour was and someone said everyone - great response.  I encouraged the children to think about everyone as their neighbour and therefore do what ever they can to help them when they need it.  I linked into the filling of shoe boxes as that was the focus of our previous assembly.  This story fitted well with the song Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I closed with a prayer.

Burlington School

This morning I went to do the assembly at Burlington School.  To start off we sang Be Happy then I showed the children the Minion Mini Movie Clip 'Banana'  which the children found very funny.  After the clip I asked the children what it was the Minions hadn't done - share the banana.  I explained that if they had perhaps shared it between the two or three at the start of the clip then they might not have had all the other Minions chasing after them and loosing the banana.  I talked about how good it is to share what we have and pointed to the children's pile of shoe boxes they had collected saying that they had shared their love when they filled their box.  I encouraged them to think about what else they might share either at school or at home or in the wider community.  I linked back to our other assemblies this year which have all been about compassion and looking around to see what we can do to help others - cue Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus.  After the song I closed with a prayer.

St Peters School

This morning I went to do the assembly at St Peters School.  I didn't sing a song at the start but went straight into the story.  It was a modern day telling of the Good Samaritan story Jesus told. In my version of the story we had a businessman on a train from London to Birmingham and he became ill - very ill, we also had a nurse and a police officer in place of the Priest and Levite - and they walked on by just like in the Good Samaritan story.  Then instead of a Samaritan person I had a rapper who came along a bit loud but was the one who called for help and gave money to see the man who was ill home.  Although I had 4 children dressed up in costumes the rest of the children took part as the sound of the train.  I split the children into two halves one half said London the other Birmingham and when said fast enough it sounds like a train going over the tracks.  At the end I told the children where they could find the story and explained why Jesus told it in the first place and I also pointed out why a Samaritan person was included in the story - they weren't like by the people of Jesus' day.  I then talked about who our neighbours are saying it is not only the person that lives next door to us, one child said it was everyone - great answer!  I linked this to anyone who is in need and further linked it into the shoe boxes which I was taking away after the assembly.  All of what I had said linked very nicely into Help Me Be Your Eyes Lord Jesus after the song I said a short prayer and prayed for the children who would be receiving one of the shoe boxes.