	Being Still
	Theme How to worship God. Aim To help children understand reverence in worship. Preparation You will need: CD or tape of the song Be still for the Presence of the Lord (Mission Praise No.50) Flash card Be still a picture of a kingfisher a pair of binoculars Focus Table A picture of a kingfisher a pair of binoculars Introduction As the children take their places play the CD or tape of Be still for the presence of the Lord. Encourage the children to sit quietly throughout the song following the words on an overhead projector screen. Ask someone to come and hold up the card Be still and get suggestions from the children as to why you wanted them to be still. (Answers may include 'to concentrate, to listen properly, so we don't fidget'.) Explain that its not like 'musical statues' but more like letting everything be quiet in your head... and we need to make our body still to help this happen. Suggest that this is what we call 'respect', and it is important to show respect for God. Explain that 'reverence' means being very very respectful... when someone is 'awesome'! Story - William was a Fidget! "Sit still, William" Gran said at meal times. "Sit still, William" said his teacher at carpet time. "William, I need you to sit still" said the dentist when he went for a check up. Bear listened as William told her about his last trip to the dentist. (You may remember that) William lived with his Granny and Bear was her mother - so she was William's Great Granny. Her name was Mrs Brown, but William called her Bear! "Its impossible, Bear!" William complained. "I can't stop my legs wanting to move. It's not fair!" "When don't you move?" asked Bear stopping peeling the potatoes for a moment and looking at William. William thought. "When I'm asleep, I suppose... and when I watch TV and when I'm hiding!" "Right!" said Bear as she dried her hands and went to get her coat and binoculars. "Come on 'Double You', get your coat, I want to show you something." William followed Bear through her cottage gate tugging his coat on as he went. They went through the small wood just down the road until they came to the canal. Bear whispered, "Yesterday I saw some kingfishers here. If we wait and are very still we might see them today." William knew how to use Bear's binoculars and when he held them still against his eyes the trees looked very big and the canal seemed near enough to touch! He didn't see any birds though. Bear leant on a tree and told William to sit on the knobbly roots and be very still and not talk at all. They waited for what seemed ages, and William began to notice things. The leaves made a gentle rustling sound overhead. A blackbird sang a beautiful song. A worm slithered up through the dried leaves at his feet. Then a rabbit popped out of a hole near the edge of the canal, and sat absolutely still looking at William. William was so excited he nearly shouted out, but stopped himself just in time. Then, he saw a flash of bright blue on the other side of the water. William held his breath. A small bird with a long beak landed on a low branch over the canal. It waited a minute then dived in and came out with a small fish in its beak. Back onto the branch. Then it was gone. William didn't have time for the binoculars! "Wow Bear! Did you see that!" "Well done, Will" she said. "You passed the test!" "What d'you mean?" asked William. "Well, I'd like to take you on a badger watch in the school holidays, but I thought you might spoil it for everyone because you can't keep still. Now I know you can... and you know you can too!" Next day in Assembly, William pretended he was on a badger watch. He made his hands still and his legs still and looked at the teacher at the front. And he found that making his eyes still, watching the pictures she was showing meant everything else was still too. He could listen, and think and watch and learn. When it was time for the Prayer, he joined in, and in his head William thought of the kingfisher. Prayer Dear God, thank you for the world you made and everything that lives. Help us to find out more about you by being still, listening and noticing things. Amen. Song Teach the first verse of Be still for the Presence of the Lord (Mission Praise No.50) or All things Bright and Beautiful.
	A Primary Vision resource provided by the Stockport Christians in Schools Trust

Being Still

Theme

How to worship God.

Aim

To help children understand reverence in worship.

Preparation

You will need:

CD or tape of the song Be still for the Presence of the Lord (Mission Praise No.50)
Flash card Be still
a picture of a kingfisher
a pair of binoculars

Focus Table

A picture of a kingfisher
a pair of binoculars

Introduction

As the children take their places play the CD or tape of Be still for the presence of the Lord.

Encourage the children to sit quietly throughout the song following the words on an overhead projector screen.
Ask someone to come and hold up the card Be still and get suggestions from the children as to why you wanted them to be still. (Answers may include 'to concentrate, to listen properly, so we don't fidget'.)
Explain that its not like 'musical statues' but more like letting everything be quiet in your head... and we need to make our body still to help this happen. Suggest that this is what we call 'respect', and it is important to show respect for God. Explain that 'reverence' means being very very respectful... when someone is 'awesome'!

Story - William was a Fidget!

"Sit still, William" Gran said at meal times.

"Sit still, William" said his teacher at carpet time.

"William, I need you to sit still" said the dentist when he went for a check up.

Bear listened as William told her about his last trip to the dentist.

(You may remember that) William lived with his Granny and Bear was her mother - so she was William's Great Granny. Her name was Mrs Brown, but William called her Bear!

"Its impossible, Bear!" William complained. "I can't stop my legs wanting to move. It's not fair!"

"When don't you move?" asked Bear stopping peeling the potatoes for a moment and looking at William.

William thought. "When I'm asleep, I suppose... and when I watch TV and when I'm hiding!"

"Right!" said Bear as she dried her hands and went to get her coat and binoculars. "Come on 'Double You', get your coat, I want to show you something."

William followed Bear through her cottage gate tugging his coat on as he went. They went through the small wood just down the road until they came to the canal.

Bear whispered, "Yesterday I saw some kingfishers here. If we wait and are very still we might see them today."

William knew how to use Bear's binoculars and when he held them still against his eyes the trees looked very big and the canal seemed near enough to touch!

He didn't see any birds though. Bear leant on a tree and told William to sit on the knobbly roots and be very still and not talk at all.

They waited for what seemed ages, and William began to notice things.

The leaves made a gentle rustling sound overhead.

A blackbird sang a beautiful song.

A worm slithered up through the dried leaves at his feet.

Then a rabbit popped out of a hole near the edge of the canal, and sat absolutely still looking at William.

William was so excited he nearly shouted out, but stopped himself just in time.

Then, he saw a flash of bright blue on the other side of the water.

William held his breath. A small bird with a long beak landed on a low branch over the canal. It waited a minute then dived in and came out with a small fish in its beak. Back onto the branch. Then it was gone.

William didn't have time for the binoculars!

"Wow Bear! Did you see that!"

"Well done, Will" she said. "You passed the test!"

"What d'you mean?" asked William.

"Well, I'd like to take you on a badger watch in the school holidays, but I thought you might spoil it for everyone because you can't keep still. Now I know you can... and you know you can too!"

Next day in Assembly, William pretended he was on a badger watch. He made his hands still and his legs still and looked at the teacher at the front. And he found that making his eyes still, watching the pictures she was showing meant everything else was still too. He could listen, and think and watch and learn.

When it was time for the Prayer, he joined in, and in his head William thought of the kingfisher.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the world you made and everything that lives. Help us to find out more about you by being still, listening and noticing things.

Amen.

Song

Teach the first verse of Be still for the Presence of the Lord (Mission Praise No.50) or All things Bright and Beautiful.