	Being Worried
	Aim To help children learn that prayer to God can help when we are worried. Preparation You will need for the Focus table Focus a pencil case a clock some 'praying hands'... carved wooden ones are available in most Christian book shops, or a picture of them. Story - The Pencil Case Maria was upset. She'd lost her pencil case. Well, she hadn't really lost it because she knew where she'd left it! At school - in the cloakroom, on the floor. She was cross because she couldn't blame anyone except herself. The pencil case had been a present and Maria had bought the crayons herself. They were better than the school ones and had cost loads of money. When it was home time, she had gone to the cloakroom, started talking and put her pencil case on the floor. The new teacher said "Hurry up!" and Maria had quickly put on her coat, grabbed her lunch - box and completely forgotten the pencil case. It wasn't until she was going to bed that night that she remembered it. She couldn't get to sleep, so she went down to Mum and told her about it. "Well you need to look in the morning and if you can't find it, tell your teacher." said Mum. Maria made all sorts of excuses. 'Yes, but it won't be there...' and 'It will have been taken...' and 'I'm scared of the new teacher...' but she knew there was something else bothering her and she didn't want to tell Mum. She hadn't put her name on the pencil case! She just couldn't be bothered. 'Oh, I'll do it later', she thought each time she used her crayons (show) - but she never did! Maria was like that. She always put important things off and did something else instead. She didn't fold her clothes up either, or put them away. She left books on the floor. She didn't clean her teeth either unless Mum reminded her each time. 'You'll learn the hard way,' Mum used to say - and Maria never knew what she meant. Now she did! It would be hard tomorrow, trying to find an un-named pencil case, and she might get into trouble too. Next morning, Harry woke her up. He was singing and Maria opened her eyes. It was only just getting light. With a rush, that horrid feeling came into her tummy as she remembered the pencil case. "Please make it still be there," she whispered, "Please don't let me have to tell the teacher. She'll ask if my name was on it and I'll have to say No." "Who are you talking to?" asked Harry. Harry wasn't at school yet. He wouldn't understand thought Maria. "No one," she said. "Well you said, 'Please', so you must have been asking someone something," persisted Harry. "I suppose it was a prayer" said Maria, "so I suppose I was talking to God". "Why?" said Harry. Maria thought. She didn't say prayers at home but they did at school. (Show praying hands.) She often wondered about God. Did he listen? Did he care? Where was he? She told Harry to mind his own business and put her head under the duvet. Harry went on singing. It annoyed Maria. In fact everything annoyed Maria that morning. She couldn't find any socks, she spilt Rice Crispies all over the floor and got told off, and Harry just seemed to be Mum's favourite today. But something had changed. She did clean her teeth without being told and she tried to make her own bed for once. Waiting in the playground for the bell to go was awful. Maria got in the front of the line early. When the bell rang her teacher didn't come out - but the Headteacher did! "Mrs Sutton is away today, so I'm taking you this morning," he said. Poor Maria! She really didn't want to have to tell the Head about forgetting the pencil case. He would only say, 'Was your name on it?' Maria walked in, eyes down and went to her peg. She took her coat off, put her lunch box on the trolley and looked under the shoe shelves. No sign of the pen... "Hello Maria, this is yours isn't it?" came a voice. "I found it near your peg last night." It was Mrs. Marshall the teaching assistant. "Oh thank you," said Maria with a feeling of great relief. "Get your name on it Maria won't you," whispered Mrs. Marshall with a smile. Suddenly it felt as if all her worries had been silly. Maria felt as if a great load had fallen off her shoulders. She felt a different person. In fact Maria did become a different person after that.. She labelled the case with her name straight after Assembly. She worked hard all day. When she met Mum at home time she didn't dump her school back onto Mum but carried it herself. She even gave Harry a kiss! "Any luck?" asked Mum "Yes! Mrs. Marshall had found it!" smiled Maria. "Someone's looking after you!", said Mum. "I know!" said Maria, and she also whispered a 'Thank You' to God in her head. Harry ran on ahead and Maria slipped her hand into Mum's. She even decided that Harry wasn't such a bad brother after all! Reflection Ask the children to think about the people who made Maria feel better. Ask them to think about someone who makes them feel good. Bible Verse In the Bible (1 Peter chapter 5 verse 7) we read these words which were written by Jesus's friend Peter. "Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you." Prayer Thank you God for people who help us when we are worried. Help us not to blame other people if we are in trouble and it is our own fault. Amen Songs God knows my name Children's Praise No. 40 Marshall & Pickering I can talk to God Children's Praise No. 74 Marshall & Pickering
	A Primary Vision resource provided by the Stockport Christians in Schools Trust

Being Worried

Aim

To help children learn that prayer to God can help when we are worried.

Preparation

You will need for the Focus table

Focus

a pencil case
a clock
some 'praying hands'... carved wooden ones are available in most Christian book shops, or a picture of them.

Story - The Pencil Case

Maria was upset.

She'd lost her pencil case. Well, she hadn't really lost it because she knew where she'd left it! At school - in the cloakroom, on the floor. She was cross because she couldn't blame anyone except herself. The pencil case had been a present and Maria had bought the crayons herself. They were better than the school ones and had cost loads of money. When it was home time, she had gone to the cloakroom, started talking and put her pencil case on the floor. The new teacher said "Hurry up!" and Maria had quickly put on her coat, grabbed her lunch - box and completely forgotten the pencil case.

It wasn't until she was going to bed that night that she remembered it. She couldn't get to sleep, so she went down to Mum and told her about it.

"Well you need to look in the morning and if you can't find it, tell your teacher." said Mum.

Maria made all sorts of excuses. 'Yes, but it won't be there...' and 'It will have been taken...' and 'I'm scared of the new teacher...' but she knew there was something else bothering her and she didn't want to tell Mum. She hadn't put her name on the pencil case! She just couldn't be bothered.

'Oh, I'll do it later', she thought each time she used her crayons (show) - but she never did! Maria was like that. She always put important things off and did something else instead. She didn't fold her clothes up either, or put them away. She left books on the floor. She didn't clean her teeth either unless Mum reminded her each time.

'You'll learn the hard way,' Mum used to say - and Maria never knew what she meant. Now she did! It would be hard tomorrow, trying to find an un-named pencil case, and she might get into trouble too.

Next morning, Harry woke her up. He was singing and Maria opened her eyes. It was only just getting light. With a rush, that horrid feeling came into her tummy as she remembered the pencil case.

"Please make it still be there," she whispered, "Please don't let me have to tell the teacher. She'll ask if my name was on it and I'll have to say No."

"Who are you talking to?" asked Harry. Harry wasn't at school yet. He wouldn't understand thought Maria.

"No one," she said.

"Well you said, 'Please', so you must have been asking someone something," persisted Harry.

"I suppose it was a prayer" said Maria, "so I suppose I was talking to God".

"Why?" said Harry.

Maria thought. She didn't say prayers at home but they did at school. (Show praying hands.) She often wondered about God. Did he listen? Did he care? Where was he? She told Harry to mind his own business and put her head under the duvet. Harry went on singing. It annoyed Maria. In fact everything annoyed Maria that morning. She couldn't find any socks, she spilt Rice Crispies all over the floor and got told off, and Harry just seemed to be Mum's favourite today.

But something had changed. She did clean her teeth without being told and she tried to make her own bed for once.

Waiting in the playground for the bell to go was awful. Maria got in the front of the line early. When the bell rang her teacher didn't come out - but the Headteacher did!

"Mrs Sutton is away today, so I'm taking you this morning," he said.

Poor Maria! She really didn't want to have to tell the Head about forgetting the pencil case. He would only say, 'Was your name on it?' Maria walked in, eyes down and went to her peg. She took her coat off, put her lunch box on the trolley and looked under the shoe shelves. No sign of the pen... "Hello Maria, this is yours isn't it?" came a voice. "I found it near your peg last night." It was Mrs. Marshall the teaching assistant.

"Oh thank you," said Maria with a feeling of great relief.

"Get your name on it Maria won't you," whispered Mrs. Marshall with a smile.

Suddenly it felt as if all her worries had been silly. Maria felt as if a great load had fallen off her shoulders. She felt a different person. In fact Maria did become a different person after that.. She labelled the case with her name straight after Assembly. She worked hard all day. When she met Mum at home time she didn't dump her school back onto Mum but carried it herself. She even gave Harry a kiss!

"Any luck?" asked Mum

"Yes! Mrs. Marshall had found it!" smiled Maria.

"Someone's looking after you!", said Mum.

"I know!" said Maria, and she also whispered a 'Thank You' to God in her head.

Harry ran on ahead and Maria slipped her hand into Mum's. She even decided that Harry wasn't such a bad brother after all!

Reflection

Ask the children to think about the people who made Maria feel better.

Ask them to think about someone who makes them feel good.

Bible Verse

In the Bible (1 Peter chapter 5 verse 7) we read these words which were written by Jesus's friend Peter.

"Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you."

Prayer

Thank you God for people who help us when we are worried.
Help us not to blame other people if we are in trouble and it is our own fault.
Amen

Songs

God knows my name Children's Praise No. 40 Marshall & Pickering
I can talk to God Children's Praise No. 74 Marshall & Pickering