Giving
Theme
How to Worship God.
Aim
To help children understand that giving involves a sacrifice.
Preparation
You will need:
- Read beforehand the Bible story of the ten lepers in Luke 17 verses 11-19 in a modern version
- A teacher to put on shawl and spectacles and read the Bible story, (pretending to be Bear)
- Items for the focus table, and a box to put them in at the end
- The words 'they', 'that', 'this', 'thank you' on flash cards
Focus
- a fruit loaf
- a jar of jam, home made!
- a bag of crisps.
Story - William and the Spelling Test
William got 1/10 for his spellings.
He was disappointed but he knew it was his own fault. He had forgotten to take the list home with him for the week-end. The words to learn had been 'th' words like 'they', 'that' and 'this'.
'Thank' was the only one he got right. That was because he'd just written lots of thank you notes after his birthday.
"It reminds me of something that happened to Jesus", Gran remarked when he told her. "He only got one out of ten!"
"What d'you mean?" asked William. He was glad that Gran hadn't sounded cross with him!
"Well, we'll find it in Bear's Big Bible later. We are going to have tea with her."
"Great, brill, cool, wicked!" shouted William as he rushed upstairs to change.
Later that evening with her glasses on the end of her nose, Bear read to them both from her big Bible.
(Get a teacher to read Luke 17 verses 11-19)
"This is a 'thank you' story," she began.
When she had finished, Gran looked at William.
"You see? One out of ten!" she said.
"Why didn't the others bother to say thank you?" asked William.
"People don't think it's important I'm afraid!" said Bear.
"How do you spell 'think'" whispered Gran with a grin. William groaned!
"Well, if I'd had that awful disease I'd say thank you for being made better," said William.
Bear went into the kitchen and came out with a large fruit loaf and a jar of home made jam.
"These are for you to take to school for Harvest" she said, "my way of saying thank you to God for all the things I have to eat and to cook with."
"Oh Bear! I wish you wouldn't give away the things you make that I like best to eat!" William gasped.
"What are you giving for Harvest, William?" asked Bear as she got William's coat down.
"I expect Gran will give me tins to take as usual" he said, taking his coat. Bear didn't let go. William tugged, then stopped and smiled. "Thank you" he said, looking at Bear. She let go, let him put it on and hugged him 'good-bye'.
"What are you giving, William," Bear asked again.
"William thought for a minute.
"I never give anything," he said
"I see" said Bear.
On the way home, William did wonder what he could give to Harvest. He certainly wasn't going to part with his pocket money. No way!
That night he dreamt it was raining. But the raindrops kept getting heavier and heavier. He put up Gran's big umbrella. Then each drop turned into tins and bottles and cakes and biscuits and bananas. He turned the umbrella upside-down and tried to catch them all. People stopped in the street to stare at him and they all asked him to give them some food from his umbrella.
And he heard himself saying, 'I don't give anything' over and over again.
Next day, William carried a box into school.
In it were (fill your box as you talk) Bear's gifts of fruit loaf and jam and tins from Gran.
As William put it on the table with the other Harvest boxes, he hesitated.
Then he put his hand in his coat pocket and pulled out his crisp packet. He quietly left it in the box, and then went to hang up his coat.
Later, in the Harvest Assembly, the teacher asked William to read this prayer. Shall we close our eyes and listen?
Prayer
Dear God
You have given us so many good things.
Good food, our homes, clean water and warm clothes.
Help us remember to say thank you to God and to learn to share
what we can.
Amen
Songs
(Children's Praise, Marshall Pickering)
Thank you for the world so sweet No.156 (tune two)
Thank you for giving us this day No.157
Thank you lord for this fine day No.160
There were one, two, three lepers No.168
