	Listening
	Theme How to Worship God Aim To encourage respect for the Bible as a special book. Preparation You will need: A Bible Story book version of the child Samuel in the Temple (1 Samuel 2 verses 1-10) If possible - an old Family Bible as large as possible A children's Bible, for example, Lion's First Bible A picture of Samuel in the Temple A cardboard box of books, all jumbled up, some tatty and old, some in good condition Include, if possible, an old, well-worn Bible Focus table The picture of Samuel The large Family Bible The children's Bible Introduction Take books one by one from the cardboard box. Tell the children how you need to sort out your book case. Get a child to help you decide which are 'good' and which to throw away. Take out the old Bible, but put it (after some thought) on the 'good' pile. Tell the children that this is a very special book, and although it looks as if it needs throwing out you are going to keep it! It is full of stories and writings about God and Jesus. Story - William and Samuel One day at Bear's house he and Bear were sorting out her books. Most of them had hard dark covers so William didn't open them and one was enormous and too heavy to lift out. "What's this?" William asked. "That's my grandfather's Bible" said Bear "Can we look at it Bear please?" pleaded William. "I'll help!" William wasn't much help but Bear let him think he was as together they got the heavy book off the deep, low shelf. The edges of all the pages were gold, and the pages were very thick. They carefully turned them over and... guess what! There were pictures! They weren't coloured, like the ones in the Bible that Mrs Murray used, but the drawings were very detailed and good to look at. One was of a little girl in a nightie, sitting up the floor with a blanket over her. "This is Samuel" said Bear, "and God spoke to him in the night". "Samuel?" cried William, "but that looks like a girl!" "Well they had longer hair in those days and in Samuel's country they wore tunics, not pyjamas!" "What did God say?" Bear began to read. William could tell she was making some of the words easier so he could understand, but it was a good story. Read from your Bible story book. (Bible reference, for preparation only, is 1 Samuel 3 verses 1-10) "There are lots of children in Bible stories, William" said Bear, "because they are just as important to God as grown ups." "God seems to know everything that's going on, doesn't he" remarked William," I would have been very scared if I'd been Samuel. Was God's voice sort of in Samuel's head, Bear?" "I don't really know," said Bear closing the Bible," but old Eli knew it was God." "What happened next?" "Well God had some bad news for Eli because his sons were doing something wrong, and it was Samuel's job to tell the old man. Samuel needed to learn to listen carefully to God for himself. One day, when he was grown up, he would need to hear God tell him who to choose to be a King! When William got home Gran said "Guess who's just phoned? Samuel's Mum. He's coming to play tomorrow after school, and he'll stay for tea!" "Cool!" shouted William. "Hey Gran, I have just heard about a Samuel in the Bible! Bear read it to me. It was really cool." "I expect it was," smiled Gran, "they didn't have central heating in those days!" Reflection and Prayer Ask the children to close their eyes and picture the dark church-like Temple in Jerusalem where Samuel lived as a boy. Then ask them to think of a place they know that is very quiet. (This may be difficult for most of them!) Suggest somewhere near your locality that would be appropriate. Prayer O God, You are so great and we are small. You love us all and want us to hear of your love. Help us to listen and to learn more about You. Amen Follow Up For follow up work in class or RE lesson, you may like to tell the story of Samuel listening to God when he had to choose David to be king, out of all the sons of Jesse. The Bible reference for preparation is 1 Samuel 16 verses 1-13 Song How do I know that God loves me (Children's Praise No.68, Marshall Pickering.)
	A Primary Vision resource provided by the Stockport Christians in Schools Trust

Listening

Theme

How to Worship God

Aim

To encourage respect for the Bible as a special book.

Preparation

You will need:

A Bible Story book version of the child Samuel in the Temple (1 Samuel 2 verses 1-10)
If possible - an old Family Bible as large as possible
A children's Bible, for example, Lion's First Bible
A picture of Samuel in the Temple
A cardboard box of books, all jumbled up, some tatty and old, some in good condition
Include, if possible, an old, well-worn Bible

Focus table

The picture of Samuel
The large Family Bible
The children's Bible

Introduction

Take books one by one from the cardboard box.

Tell the children how you need to sort out your book case.

Get a child to help you decide which are 'good' and which to throw away.

Take out the old Bible, but put it (after some thought) on the 'good' pile.

Tell the children that this is a very special book, and although it looks as if it needs throwing out you are going to keep it! It is full of stories and writings about God and Jesus.

Story - William and Samuel

One day at Bear's house he and Bear were sorting out her books. Most of them had hard dark covers so William didn't open them and one was enormous and too heavy to lift out.

"What's this?" William asked.

"That's my grandfather's Bible" said Bear

"Can we look at it Bear please?" pleaded William. "I'll help!"

William wasn't much help but Bear let him think he was as together they got the heavy book off the deep, low shelf. The edges of all the pages were gold, and the pages were very thick. They carefully turned them over and... guess what! There were pictures! They weren't coloured, like the ones in the Bible that Mrs Murray used, but the drawings were very detailed and good to look at. One was of a little girl in a nightie, sitting up the floor with a blanket over her.

"This is Samuel" said Bear, "and God spoke to him in the night".

"Samuel?" cried William, "but that looks like a girl!"

"Well they had longer hair in those days and in Samuel's country they wore tunics, not pyjamas!"

"What did God say?"

Bear began to read. William could tell she was making some of the words easier so he could understand, but it was a good story.

Read from your Bible story book. (Bible reference, for preparation only, is 1 Samuel 3 verses 1-10)

"There are lots of children in Bible stories, William" said Bear, "because they are just as important to God as grown ups."

"God seems to know everything that's going on, doesn't he" remarked William," I would have been very scared if I'd been Samuel. Was God's voice sort of in Samuel's head, Bear?"

"I don't really know," said Bear closing the Bible," but old Eli knew it was God."

"What happened next?"

"Well God had some bad news for Eli because his sons were doing something wrong, and it was Samuel's job to tell the old man. Samuel needed to learn to listen carefully to God for himself.

One day, when he was grown up, he would need to hear God tell him who to choose to be a King!

When William got home Gran said "Guess who's just phoned? Samuel's Mum. He's coming to play tomorrow after school, and he'll stay for tea!"

"Cool!" shouted William. "Hey Gran, I have just heard about a Samuel in the Bible! Bear read it to me. It was really cool."

"I expect it was," smiled Gran, "they didn't have central heating in those days!"

Reflection and Prayer

Ask the children to close their eyes and picture the dark church-like Temple in Jerusalem where Samuel lived as a boy. Then ask them to think of a place they know that is very quiet. (This may be difficult for most of them!) Suggest somewhere near your locality that would be appropriate.

Prayer

O God, You are so great and we are small.
You love us all and want us to hear of your love.
Help us to listen and to learn more about You.
Amen

Follow Up

For follow up work in class or RE lesson, you may like to tell the story of Samuel listening to God when he had to choose David to be king, out of all the sons of Jesse. The Bible reference for preparation is 1 Samuel 16 verses 1-13

Song

How do I know that God loves me (Children's Praise No.68, Marshall Pickering.)