Category Archives: Key Stage 1

Carmel Competition – Elijah

Aim:

To help the children understand that God is the only God, the greatest, and he’s real!

Bible base:

1 Kings 18:1-40

You will need:

  • Some items which the children are likely to choose between, for example, an apple and an orange, a football and a book, some Smarties and a tube of fruit pastilles.
  • A few simple props for the story, for example, a crown for Ahab, a cloak for Elijah, a bucket etc.

Preparation

Familiarise yourself with the story from 1 Kings 19 and look carefully at the script so as to know how to use your volunteers.

Presentation

Introduction

  1. Discuss with the children times they have made decisions. Are there times when it’s difficult to make up your mind?
  2. Show the children your items which they may have had to choose between.

Background

  1. Explain to the children that God’s people the Israelites had many bad kings. Probably the worst king was King Ahab, and his wife Jezebel was even hastier than him!
  2. Ahab did not care about God. Jezebel worshipped a false god called Baal and soon the people were so confused that they could not make up their minds about God at all.
  3. God had already sent one message by his special messenger Elijah to try and make Ahab listen. There had been no rain for three years, Ahab was in a foul mood and God sent Elijah to Ahab again.

Story

Choose some volunteers to help you tell the story:

a king Ahab, an Elijah, a few prophets of Baal, all the other children in the assembly will be the crowd watching the competition which takes place.

Story script:

When Ahab and Elijah met, Ahab was so angry he could hardly keep still. (Have Ahab and Elijah standing facing one another, Ahab shaking with rage!)

He was twitching and shaking with anger.

‘You have caused this trouble!’ Ahab shrieked, his voice shrill and squeaking.

‘No, it’s not me,’ said Elijah. ‘You have forgotten to take any notice of God. Now he is going to show you something more about himself.

Get all the people to Mount Carmel.

Get all the prophets of Baal together.

Collect everyone in one big crowd.

There’s going to be a competition.’

Soon, a huge crowd of people were gathered and 450 prophets of Baal, all ready for a big competition.

(Elijah faces the rest of the children.)

‘Listen,’ said Elijah to the people. ‘You’ve got to make up your minds who you think is real. You can’t be on God’s side and Baal’s side. You’ve got to choose.’

But the people said nothing.

They had heard there was a competition coming and they wanted to see it.

‘OK’, said Elijah, ‘bring out two bulls.’ The people obeyed. Normally bulls were burned as a sacrifice to God to show respect and honour, like a kind of present.

(Ask a volunteer to mime bringing out the sacrifice.)

‘The competition will be to see which god brings down fire to burn the sacrifice,’ said Elijah. ‘Do you agree?’

The prophets of Baal stamped and shouted and whooped and made a great noise.

(Prophets of Baal stamp, shout, whoop, etc.)

‘Is that a yes?’ said Elijah.

‘Yes!’ they roared.

(Prophets and Elijah mime appropriately as the story continues.)

The prophets put the large piece of meat on a pile of stones and started to pray.

‘Baal, hear us! Baal hear us! Bring fire – and make it hot!’ (Prophets could say this after you.) But nothing happened.

So they yelled, ‘Baal hear us! Baal hear us! Bring fire and make it snappy!’

But nothing happened. ‘Perhaps he’s out with a friend? Or shopping? Or on the loo? Suggested Elijah, smiling.

The prophets of Baal went crazy: dancing and leaping and screaming.

But nothing happened.

Hours passed.

Elijah said very quietly to the people, ‘Gather round.’ And they did. He built a pile of twelve stones, put on the wood and put the meat on top. Then he asked for a spade. He dug a deep ditch round the stones and asked for a bucket of water.

‘Water?’ said the people. ‘He’s definitely crazy.’

Elijah poured water over the meat. Splash!

‘Doesn’t he realise?’ said a little old woman, ‘It’ll never cook like that.’

Elijah poured on water a second time. Splash.

And a third time. Swoosh.

Water trickled down into the deep ditch. ‘When God wins this competition,’ said Elijah, ‘it will NOT be by chance.’

‘Now God,’ he said, ‘show these people that you are alive, that you are the greatest, that you are the only God, that you are the REAL THING.’

Then God sent fire – it licked up the water like a hungry beast. Flames roared round the stones, the wood, the meat and leapt red and yellow into the sky. When all the people saw this they jumped up in surprise.

‘Wow!’ they yelled. ‘It’s amazing.’

Then they knelt down.

‘It’s true. God is the only God, the real thing. God is the greatest.’

Time to reflect

Ask the children to think about the story they have just heard and seen.

Ask them to think about what they will decide or have decided about God.

Prayer

Invite the children to join in the following prayer (or similar) by saying ‘Amen’ if they wish to:

Dear God, help us to know that you are real and with us even though we can’t see you with our eyes, hear you with our ears or touch you with our hands. Thank you that you are the one true God, the greatest, the real thing. Amen.

New Year, New Beginnings

Aim:

To show that, with God, a new start is always possible.

Bible base:

Luke 15:11-24. The Lost Son

You will need:

  • A large sheet of paper
  • Poster paints
  • A paint brush
  • Something to protect the floor etc
  • An easel would be helpful

Preparation

None essential (but you could draw a faint outline for the painting, to make it easier!).

Presentation

Introduction

1. You do not need to be a good artist for this! Paint a picture; it looks good to begin with, but as you get carried away using colours you forget to wash the brush and the colours begin to run together. Don’t spend too long on it. Hold it up to show people; as you do so, the paint will run and the picture will be spoiled some more.

2. Start again, asking someone to help and advise you. Perhaps use a staff member who is artistic.

3. Some things can never be started again. But some can. You were able to start the picture again, and the person you asked to help stopped you from making the same mistakes again.

4. This is the start of a new year. It’s fresh and new, like a clean sheet of paper. Just as you asked for help to get the painting right, we can ask God, who makes each day new, to help us to get things right. And he will. But even when we get things wrong, God can help us to start again.

The assembly could end after this, or go on to tell the story of the lost son if you want to take the subject further. If you are very artistic, the second picture could be of a dad and his son!

Story

Tell the story of the dad and the son. You might want to have some words for the children to join in every time you mention the two characters – eg ‘Dad…’ said in pleading voice, for the son; ‘Yes, son’ for the dad.

There was once a dad who had two sons. One was older, so, of course the other one was younger. One day the younger son went to his dad and said ‘DAD…’ ‘YES, SON,’ said the father. ‘DAD…could I have my share of your money now please?’

His dad thought about it for a while, and then, even though he didn’t want to see his son leave home, he said, ‘YES, SON’ because he loved him.

The son set off for a country far away and quickly spent the money on parties, food, and all sorts of other things that he’d always wanted for himself. But it didn’t last for ever, and finally he ran out of money.

He got himself a job; not a very good job, just feeding pigs. But then there was no food in the country and he began to get very, very hungry.

At last he realised what a mess he’d made of everything. And then he started to get things right.

He decided to go home and say ‘sorry’ to his dad, and ask his dad to let him work as a servant. So he set off for home.

Even before he got home, while he was still practising what he would say to his dad, his father saw him coming and ran to meet him. ‘DAD…’ began the boy, wanting to go on to say all the things about being a servant. But his dad was so pleased to see him that he interrupted. ‘YES, SON,’ he said, ‘It’s great to see you and I’m so glad that you’re back. Let’s have a party everybody!’

So they did. Even though the boy had wasted all the money, his dad welcomed him back because he loved the boy so much.

What was it that the boy needed to say to his father? Sorry.

Why did the dad welcome his son home and let him start again? Because he loved him.

Application

Jesus told that story to help people to understand that God is like the father in the story. When we have done things wrong and made a mess of things, we can go to him and say ‘sorry’ – and because he loves us he will forgive us and give us a new beginning.

Prayer

It may be appropriate to end with a ‘sorry’ prayer, but include with it a ‘thank you’ that God does forgive and help us to start again, and perhaps a ‘please’ that he will help us to get things right.

Happy Birthday, Dear Church – Pentecost

Aim:

To explain about the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ present to those who follow him.

Bible base:

Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-14. The coming of the Holy Spirit.

You will need:

  • A cake with birthday candles on it
  • Signs saying ‘Holy Spirit’ and ‘Power’

Preparation

Wrap the signs in gift wrap, preferably some that is clearly marked ‘birthday’.

Presentation

Introduction

1. Enquire if it is anyone’s birthday today…or this week.

2. Talk about birthdays and what we receive ie cards, presents, cake etc.

3. Show the birthday cake and light the candles. Begin to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ but stop as you begin the line ‘Happy Birthday dear…’

(Sing it through first for any who have had a birthday that week, and then ask the children to sing it once again, stopping as above.)

4. Christians call the special time of year known as ‘Pentecost’ the birthday of the church. Explain how ‘the church’ is not just the building where people meet on a Sunday (mention a local church by name) but is a name given to everyone in the world who follows Jesus.

Story

Tell the story from Acts 1 and 2, in particular how:

1. Jesus was leaving his special friends and going back to be with God.

2. He promised to send the Holy Spirit, his helper, to be with them.

3. All of Jesus’ followers were in a room together in Jerusalem. There was a sound like a strong wind blowing, that seemed to fill the house, and they saw what looked like little flames dancing around on each person.

4. The Holy Spirit had come, just as Jesus promised. Unwrap the ‘Holy Spirit’ sign. Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit came, he would give them a special present. Unwrap the ‘Power’ sign and go on to tell what happened next.

5. Jesus’ friends began to talk in foreign languages, even though they had never learned to speak them. (You may want to say a few suitable phrases in some foreign languages eg ‘Lobe den Herrn’ – ‘Praise to the Lord’ in German or ‘Clod i Dduw’ – Welsh for ‘Praise to God’ – pronounced ‘clowd’, to rhyme with ‘crow’, ‘ee’, ‘thew’, to rhyme with ‘dew’, with a hard ‘th’ as in ‘the’.)

6. People from lots of foreign countries, who were in Jerusalem and were outside the house, could hear them talking, and understood them!

7. Peter was very brave and bold: he stood up in front of thousands of people and told them all about Jesus.

Application

1. Jesus had already told his disciples about the Holy Spirit, how he was like the wind – you can’t see it, but you can see what it does. Ask the children if they can see your breath as you blow into the air. They can’t. Ask them to watch what happens as you blow on the candles.

2. We can’t see the Holy Spirit, but he is Jesus’ special present to those who follow him, to be with them and to make them brave to do what is right, just as he made Peter brave.

3. Re-light the candles and sing ‘Happy Birthday, dear Church’.

Prayer

Ask the children to join in with the words ‘Thank you, God’ at the end of each line.

For birthdays and parties Thank you, God.

For fun and enjoyment Thank you, God.

For presents and happiness Thank you, God.

For your Holy Spirit Thank you, God.

Song suggestion

Jesus, send me the Helper, 409, Junior Praise

Light – Hallowe’en

This assembly has been included to be used where a positive alternative to Hallowe’en is wanted. It focusses on Jesus the light who has overcome the darkness.

Aim:

To explain that Jesus is like a light, and that his light never goes out.

Bible base:

John 1:5 and 8:12

You will need:

  • Lots of different sources of light – torch, lamp, match and candle, bicycle light, etc
  • A scarf as a blindfold

Presentation

1. Set up a simple – and safe! – assault course, eg under a chair and over a low table.

Ask for a volunteer to go through it. When they have done this successfully, ask them to do it again, but blindfold. If they do, guide them carefully and ask at the end how it felt, and which was easier. If they won’t try it blindfold, simply make the point that it can be frightening to have to do things when we can’t see.

2. Talk about how scared people can get in the dark – grown-ups too! – and how even a bit of light helps. Somehow all the things that seem scary at night go away when there is a light on or when it is morning.

People are not frightened of the light. Show the different sorts of lights and talk about where and how they might be used.

Application

1. Jesus said ‘I am the light of the world’.

2. Christians believe that Jesus can help us when we are frightened. The Bible says, ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out’. Jesus is that light which can never be put out.

Prayer

Ask the children to join in the prayer by saying ‘Help me, please, Jesus’ after you have said ‘Jesus, you’re the Light, so…’

Sometimes it’s dark and I feel alone. But Jesus, you’re the Light, so ‘Help me, please, Jesus.’

Sometimes it’s dark and I feel scared. But Jesus, you’re the Light, so ‘Help me, please, Jesus.’

Sometimes it’s dark and I am frightened by strange noises in the night or by how quiet the house is. But Jesus, you’re the Light, so ‘Help me, please, Jesus.’

Dogger – Easter

Note: As well as telling the facts of what happened when Jesus died on the cross the Bible also explains why Jesus died – what god achieved through his death. The theological word is ‘redemption’ – God ‘buying back’ people who were lost to him. It’s a word that was used to describe the process by which people were freed from slavery. When applied to God and humankind it makes clear how precious we are to God – that he would give up his only son to help us.

Jesus often told stories to explain truths about God. The story ‘Dogger’, which is probably well known to infants, is a lovely illustration of this: a child giving up a teddy to get back her brother’s lost precious toy dog. It falls short of what God did for us: Bella didn’t really like the teddy, whereas it cost God dearly to give up Jesus. This assembly attempts to explain what Jesus’ death means, and how precious we are to God.

Bible base:

Ephesians 2:13

You will need:

  • Dogger by Shirley Hughes, published by Picture Lions/Collins
  • You may also want to use a toy dog to illustrate the story

Preparation

Edit the story to a manageable length.

Presentation

Most children will be familiar with the story, but tell your edited version, showing the pictures as appropriate. The key points to include are:

  • Dogger was very precious to Dave.
  • Dave was devastated when Dogger was lost and searched long and hard for him.
  • Dave wanted to buy back Dogger as soon as he saw him on the stall.
  • By giving up something special Bella was able to reunite Dave with Dogger.

Because Dogger was so precious to Dave, Bella was prepared to give up the teddy bear she had won so that Dave and Dogger could be together.

The Bible says that people were made to have a friendship with God. But the wrong things we do spoil it, and make it as if we are lost.

Application

People who didn’t like Jesus killed him and he died on a cross. But God did something very special. Because we are so precious to God, he used what they did to get us back, like Bella got back Dogger for Dave. So we can be with God for ever.

Actually, Bella didn’t like the teddy all that much, so it wasn’t too hard for her.

The Bible says that God loved Jesus very much, and it must have been very hard for him to let him die. But we are so special that he was willing to do it to get back our friendship.

That’s what Easter is all about: remembering Jesus dying on the cross and how, because of that, we can be with God for ever.

Prayer

Thank you, God, that we are precious to you. And thank you for Jesus, who shows us just how much you love us.

Song suggestions

I’m worth it – Easter

Aim:

To help the children see that God thinks we are special – so special he sent Jesus to die and rise again for us.

Bible base:

Mark 14-16. The Easter story.

You will need:

  • A chocolate egg
  • Atoy baby animal (a lamb, a chick etc)
  • A sticky bun (a hot cross bun if possible)
  • The shape of the cross (cut from paper or a wooden one)
  • The words ‘Empty’ and ‘Risen’ written out on large flashcards
  • Six cards with the letters E A S T E R written on them.
  • ‘God think I’m worth it’ on acetate or paper
  • OHP if using acetate

Presentation

1. Choose six children to come and stand at the front to help you. Ask the children what they look forward to at Easter time.

Is it the Easter eggs? (Give one of the volunteers the egg to hold up and so on with the following items.)

Or maybe the signs of new life around them, the lambs and chicks? Eating hot cross buns?

2. But Easter for Christians is all about Jesus. They remember how Jesus died on a cross. (Reveal your paper cross and pass it to one of your volunteers.)

3. Jesus was so special that he didn’t stay dead; when his friends went to the cave where they had buried him it was empty. (Child to hold up ‘Empty’ card.)

4. God’s power had brought Jesus back to life, he had risen! (Last child to hold ‘Risen’ card.)

5. Go to each volunteer in turn and replace their item or word with a letter card explaining as you go through:

E – for Easter Egg

A – for animal

S – for sticky bun

T – stands for the shape of the cross

E – for ‘empty’

R – for ‘risen’

Application

1. Talk to the children about how much God must love us if he was prepared to send his son Jesus to die for us.

2. We are worth so much to God – we are all precious to him.

Time to reflect

1. Put up the words ‘God thinks I’m worth it’ on a slide on the OHP or on some paper. Make the three ‘t’s cross shapes.

2. Read the words with the children and ask them to think about them quietly for a few moments.

3. Draw their attention to the crosses and remind the children that they are so special Jesus died for them.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you that your love for us is so big. Thank you that you never stop loving us. Amen