by Elaine Winterbottom
Two volumes which together provide themes and material for nine terms of Collective Worship. See review and example material below.
Volume one:
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Volume two:
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£15.00 each including post and packaging
All proceeds from the sale of these books are
donated to the National Meningitis Trust.
1: God Provides for our Needs
2: Creation, Choice and Diversity
In offering a short review of this book I need to declare my own interest and bias! Elaine Winterbottom is a regular member of St Mary's Church, Temple Balsall and the Chairman of our School Governors. She is a recently retired Head Teacher with many years experience working in a Church School. I have had the privilege and pleasure of using many of the resource materials contained in this excellent book and know from first-hand experience how they work. It is one of the greatest delights and privileges of ministry to have the opportunity to nurture children in worship and learn from them.
The two volumes cover nine terms over 3 school years. Material is designed to be use with Primary age children, but there are many resources here that can be used for family and all-age worship. Themes can be utilised on a termly basis, or as a source material for individual assemblies. Elaine provides a varied format which all enable children to actively participate in a variety of ways. There is a wealth of wonderful visual material which seeks to deepen, enrich and enlarge our faith.
The themes covered in the second volume include: homes; families and friends; people who help us; God provides for our needs and creations, choice and diversity.
I warmly recommend this publication to you. I am convinced that it will be a resource that you will find to be an invaluable tool in your work.
Below are a couple of sample assemblies to give you a flavour of what delights are in store for you. And, just a reminder - the proceeds of this book will go to support the Meningitis Trust. A good cause and two very good books.
James Woodward
God Listens to our Prayers
Resources: Mobile Phone - Flip Chart
Leader
If you want to communicate, to tell someone something, what do you do?
You may well use a telephone or even a mobile phone,
Can you always reach the person you want to?
speak to immediately?
Why is there sometimes a delay?
If you want to talk with God you don't need any special equipment or a special language, you can talk at anytime and the line is never engaged!
Here are some words from the Bible, from the Old Testament about talking to God.
"God is always watching over us and listening to our cries for help."
"We can trust God at all times and tell him all our troubles, for He is like a safe hiding place that we can run to when we are upset."
"God is ready to answer our prayers before we have even opened our mouths."
Do you think that God always says "Yes" to our requests?
(Leader to draw a traffic light on the flip chart)
Which colour goes at the top of the Traffic light?
Which colour goes at the Middle of the Traffic light?
Which colour goes at the Bottom of the Traffic light?What do the colours mean?
When a little girl called Amy Carmichael was very young, she longed to have blue eyes like her mother's. So Amy prayed to God and asked God to give her blue eyes.
When she looked in the mirror next day, her eyes were still a dark, deep brown. Although Amy was disappointed she didn't think that God had failed to answer her prayers. God had simply said "NO!" Rather like the traffic light on red!
When Amy grew up she worked with children in India... Amy always wore Indian dress, and her dark hair and dark eyes helped the children to feel at home with her.
Amy spent her life caring for children in India, and the community she founded at Donhnavaer still looks after children today. Amy and many children had good reason to be glad that God had answered "NO!" to her prayer for blue eyes...
Prayer
Lord help us to understand that sometimes it is not good for us to get everything which we ask for. We thank you for listening to our prayers and for guiding us. Amen
Hymn
He gave me eyes so I could see.
2: Creation, Choice and Diversity
Children of Courage
Resources: Flip Chart - Newspaper Cuttings
Leader
Today, we will think about children who are brave, children who are courageous.
No-one is brave all the time!
Sometimes we care not brave enough to take action which is needed. We can see the brave actions of others e.g. when a man pulls a boy out of the path of an oncoming care and saves him.
Have you seen a brave person helping others?
Sometimes we are afraid to speak out against injustice. Perhaps our friends are being unkind to someone in the playground and we feel afraid to disagree because we don't want to lose out friends.
Can you think of a time when you were not brave?
Times when we have lacked courage!(Leader to record response on chart)
At times we are afraid to tell the truth.
At these times we need to ask God to give us the courage to speak the truth.
Telling the truth when you have done something wrong needs real courage.
What did you feel like when you told the truth?
You will have seen pictures in the newspapers and on television which show children in many countries where war is raging.
Why have these children to be brave?
Perhaps you have moved to a different town, or a new home or even a new school.
Can you tell us what it was like and how you felt?
There are many different kinds of bravery. We thought about the bravery of St George who was not afraid to fight the fierce dragon to rescue the people from danger and terror.
In the Old Testament we read about the shepherd boy who was not afraid to face the mighty giant.
Do you remember their names?
Why was David so courageous?
Every day men and women who are doing their jobs, risk their lives for others.
Can you think of any?
e.g. firemen, life-boatmen, bomb-disposal experts.
Sometimes just being brave enough to say "NO!" is important.
This can be difficult when you friends are encouraging you to do something which you know is wrong!
Have you ever had to be brave and say "NO!"?
Who has seen the television programme Children of Courage?
Why were the children so brave?
Christians believe that whenever they are afraid God is always ready to listen to their fears and to give them strength. All they need to do is to talk to God about their problems and to say sorry for the things which they have done wrong.
Prayer
For the things that I've done wrong, things which I remember long, hurting friends and those I love, I am very sorry God. Amen
Hymn
One more step along the world I go. Come and Praise
© Elaine Winterbottom
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The Foundation of Lady Katherine Leveson
Registered
Charity no. 213618
Temple Balsall, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands B93 0AN