Assemblies Online Primary

 We are delighted that this assembly has been written with the help of one of our partner organisations, Samaritan's Purse UK.

Samaritan's Purse is an international Christian relief organisation and UK registered charity. It provides church and community support, emergency relief and development assistance to people in need around the world in the name of Jesus Christ.  Projects include: 

• Operation Christmas Child (Over 8 million gift-filled shoe boxes worldwide in 2006)
• Turn on the Tap (providing safe water, mainly in Africa)
• Prescription for Hope (working with HIV and AIDS victims in Africa and Eastern Europe?
• Emergency Response (providing food, water, medicine, shelter)

Samaritan's Purse works with schools and churches in the UK on one of its best known projects, Operation Christmas Child, to send shoe boxes filled with gifts to children in Eastern Europe and Africa. Last year Samaritan's Purse UK sent over 1.24 million shoeboxes to children, many of whom would otherwise have no gifts at Christmas.This assembly is written to be used when a school is launching a Shoebox project with its pupils. To order a pack containing free resources to help you run a successful OCC campaign, follow the link to their website, http://www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/occ/index.asp. The resource pack includes posters, videos and leaflets to distribute during or after the assembly. The website is also a useful source of information about the project. 

[PPT slide 1]

Welcome to our assembly, everyone. Today we are going to be thinking about a special project which we will be working on together as a school. First of all, though, I'd like you to think carefully about something that everyone enjoys - presents! I'd like you to think about the best present you have ever received. Once you have thought of it, put up your hand and we'll hear some of our favourite gifts.

Take suggestions.

Wow! We've had some amazing presents in our school. We're very lucky, aren't we?

You may wish to give a personal example here of a present you have received.

When we receive a gift, it is very precious to us and we want to look after it and use it carefully.

I've brought a lovely present with me to our assembly. Shall we open it together and see what's inside? I wonder who it could be for.

As you unpack the box, draw out the purpose of each of the objects. To do this, you could explain that it contains something to wear, something to do, something to play with, something to share etc.

[PPT slide 2]

I'd like you to imagine that one morning you woke up and found a beautifully wrapped shoebox just like this one on your doorstep. Imagine that you didn't know who it was from but it was addressed to you. How would you feel?

[PPT slide 2 - click]

Take suggestions - happy, surprised, shocked, glad, confused.

Now imagine that you opened up the shoebox and discovered that it was full of presents just like this one - there might be something nice to wear like a new hat, a packet of sweets, a ball to play with, a puzzle, a doll or a cuddly toy, some crayons or pencils. I think you'd still be a bit surprised, but I wonder how you'd feel about the person who gave it to you.
Take suggestions - grateful, special, pleased that someone had made the effort.

And how do you think the giver would feel?
Pleased that you liked it, happy

[PPT slide 3]

Now I'd like you to imagine that someone sent you a present like this one and you looked at it. And you opened it. And you looked at it again. And then you decided to put it on a shelf and keep it there. The present was so precious and special that you didn't want to ruin it by playing with it. How do you think that would make the giver feel?
Sad, upset, as though you didn't appreciate it.

Why might they feel sad?
Because they might think that you didn't appreciate the gift. Also because toys are meant to be played with, clothes to be worn and sweets to be eaten!

We're going to watch a clip from Toy Story 2 now. Woody is a cowboy toy belonging to a boy called Andy. Whilst Andy is at summer camp, Woody is accidentally sold to a toy collector who plans to sell him to a museum in Japan. Andy's other toys set out to rescue Woody from the collector and we're about to watch what happens next.

Show the clip

Toy Story 2 (Disney/Pixar, 1999)
Chapter 27 (01:01:34 'Woody, you're in danger here.') - (01:05:15 'Come on, Jessie, this is what it's all about - to make a child happy and you know it.')
[3 minutes 41 seconds]

Buzz Lightyear (a space toy) is trying to persuade Woody that he is in danger. Woody laughs and tells them that he has made new friends and that he wants to go to the museum in Japan. Buzz tells him that he is not a collector's item, but a child's plaything. He reminds him that life is only worth living if you're being loved by a child. Woody tells him that he's wasting his time and that he has no choice - this is his only chance. Buzz tells him that 'that's some life'.  The other toys leave Woody and head back home to see Andy. Meanwhile, Woody hears his 'theme song', You've Got A Friend In Me, playing and he sits down sadly. He lifts up his foot and scratches the new paint from his sole, revealing Andy's signature. He leaps up and runs after the other toys, then stops and invites the cowgirl, Jessie, to join him telling her that this is what it's all about - making a child happy.

Well, I wonder what you thought about Woody's decision to go back home with the others. Do you think he made the right choice? Why?

There were a few things that made Woody change his mind, weren't there? There was Buzz. He told Woody that toys were made to be played with, not kept in museums. He reminded him that his life was only worth living if he was being loved by a child. The second thing that made him change his mind was the song that he heard. The song reminded him that Andy loved him and that that was more important than being famous. The third reminder was when he looked at his foot. Did you see what was written on it? Andy's name. Seeing Andy's name reminded Woody that he belonged to Andy.

Woody was made to be played with. That was the most important thing for him. That was his purpose.

[PPT slide 4]
The toys and gifts in my shoebox present were made to be played with too. A gift is made to be given [click]. That's its purpose.

A present can be very valuable even though it is very simple. There's a story in the Bible about a lady who was very poor and wanted to give something to God. We're going to read it together.

Read Luke 21:1-4 [PPT slides 5, 6 & 7]

Did you notice what the lady gave? Two small coins. They weren't worth very much, but Jesus said that they were very valuable! Why did Jesus say that the widow gave more than anyone else? Take suggestions. Everyone else had given a little bit of their money, but this lady gave everything she owned. The gift cost a lot to give so it meant  much more than the gifts the rich people gave.

Over the next few weeks, we're going to be working together on a project to send some simple presents to boys and girls in other parts of the world.

[PPT slide 8]

Operation Christmas Child is a charity which was started in 1990 when someone had a good idea. There are lots of boys and girls all over the world who don't receive presents at Christmas time. For many of them, life is really hard, and Operation Christmas Child thought that it would be a good idea to give some of them a shoebox full of gifts just like the one I've brought with me today. Every year, Operation Christmas Child collects millions of shoeboxes and sends them to children in Eastern Europe and Africa. Last year Operation Christmas Child sent over 1.24 million shoeboxes to children!

We thought it would be a good idea for our school to join in with Operation Christmas Child this year.

[PPT slides 9-13]

Encourage the children to choose items that they think someone of their age will appreciate. Explain how it will be organised within your school (e.g. each child brings a filled shoebox, or children bring items and make up boxes as a class).

It is not difficult for us to fill shoeboxes. The gifts we are giving are very simple - toys, hats and scarves, toothpaste, crayons. They are not very expensive. But they can have a powerful effect on the people who receive them. If we put a lot of thought and care into what we pack, these presents will be very valuable to the children who receive them. For boys and girls who have very little, a shoebox is a sign that someone in another part of the world cares about them and wants to help them.

Reflection

Introduce Operation Christmas Child 2006 DVD

We're going to watch a film of boys and girls who received shoeboxes last year. As you watch it, think about the sort of things you might like to give this year. Think about the difference these simple gifts have made to the children. Once we've watched the DVD, I'm going to say a prayer and if you like, you can join in by saying 'Amen' at the end. Saying 'Amen' means that you are saying that you agree with what I've said.

Play the Operation Christmas Child DVD

Prayer

Father God
Thank you for all the lovely presents we have ever received.
Thank you, too, that you noticed the lady with two small coins.
Thank you that her gift was valuable because it meant so much to her.
We want to pray for the boys and girls who will receive the shoeboxes we make.
Please use our simple gifts in a powerful way.
In Jesus' name.
Amen

Song suggestions:

God Loves You And I Love You (80 Kidsource Combined)
Nobody's A Nobody (664 Kidsource Combined)
Great Big God (from the CD Great Big God)

As the children are entering the room, give them each a small gift (e.g. a sweet or sticker). Once everyone is sitting down, ask the children how they felt to receive a gift as they came into assembly - were they surprised? Do they usually receive gifts in assembly?
Play You've Got A Friend In Me from the soundtrack to Toy Story.

Bring a beautifully wrapped gift to the assembly to give to another member of staff. The gift should be something inexpensive, but completely appropriate for that person (e.g. a jam doughnut for a teacher who is known to have a sweet tooth, a football poster for a football-mad janitor or a new plectrum for someone who plays the guitar). You may want to prime the recipient in advance to react as though this is the best gift they have ever been given.
Make the point that a gift doesn't have to be expensive or fancy to make the person who receives it happy.
 

Bring a selection of objects to give to a selection of people. Ask the children to match the objects to the person who would use them (e.g. Royal Mail sack for a postman, a chef's hat for a chef etc.). Make the point that part of the fun of choosing a gift for someone is finding something that fits the sort of person they are.

Toy Story 2 (Disney/Pixar, 1999)
Chapter 27 (01:01:34 'Woody, you're in danger here.') - (01:05:15 'Come on, Jessie, this is what it's all about - to make a child happy and you know it.')
[3 minutes 41 seconds]

Background

Woody is the much loved cowboy toy belonging to a boy called Andy. Whilst Andy is at summer camp, Woody is accidentally sold to a toy collector who restores him to pristine condition and plans to sell him to a museum in Japan. Andy's other toys set out to rescue Woody from the collector but in this scene they discover that Woody is not as keen to be rescued as they had hoped.

Summary

The clip starts with Buzz Lightyear (a space toy) trying to persuade Woody that he is in danger. He laughs and tells them that he has made new friends and that he wants to go to the museum in Japan. Buzz tells him that he is not a collector's item, but a child's plaything. He reminds him that life is only worth living if you're being loved by a child. Woody tells him that he's wasting his time and that he has no choice - this is his only chance. Buzz tells him that it's some life.  The other toys leave Woody and head back home to see Andy. Meanwhile, Woody hears his 'theme song' You've Got A Friend In Me playing and he sits down sadly. He lifts up his foot and scratches the new paint from his sole, revealing Andy's signature. He runs after the other toys, then pauses to invite the cowgirl, Jessie, to join him. He tells her that this is what it's all about - making a child happy.

[PPT slide 1]
Today we are going to be thinking about a special project which we will be working on together as a school. First of all, though, I'd like you to think carefully about something that everyone enjoys - presents! I'd like you to think about the best present you have ever received. Once you have thought of it, put up your hand and we'll hear some of our favourite gifts.

Take suggestions.

Wow! We've had some amazing presents in our school. We're very lucky, aren't we?

You may wish to give a personal example here of a present you have received.

When we receive a gift, it is very precious to us and we want to look after it and use it carefully.

I've brought a lovely present with me to our assembly. Shall we open it together and see what's inside? I wonder who it could be for.

As you unpack the box, draw out the purpose of each of the objects. To do this, you could explain that it contains something to wear, something to do, something to play with, something to share etc.

[PPT slide 2]

I'd like you to imagine that one morning you woke up and found a beautifully wrapped shoebox just like this one on your doorstep. Imagine that you didn't know who it was from but it was addressed to you. How would you feel?

[PPT slide 2 - click]

Take suggestions - happy, surprised, shocked, glad, confused.

Now imagine that you opened up the shoebox and discovered that it was full of presents just like this one - there might be something nice to wear like a new hat, a packet of sweets, a ball to play with, a puzzle, a doll or a cuddly toy, some crayons or pencils. I think you'd still be a bit surprised, but I wonder how you'd feel about the person who gave it to you.
Take suggestions - grateful, special, pleased that someone had made the effort.

And how do you think the giver would feel?
Pleased that you liked it, happy

[PPT slide 3]

Now I'd like you to imagine that someone sent you a present like this one and you looked at it. And you opened it. And you looked at it again. And then you decided to put it on a shelf and keep it there. The present was so precious and special that you didn't want to ruin it by playing with it. How do you think that would make the giver feel?
Sad, upset, as though you didn't appreciate it.

Why might they feel sad?
Because they might think that you didn't appreciate the gift. Also because toys are meant to be played with, clothes to be worn and sweets to be eaten!

We're going to watch a clip from Toy Story 2 now. Woody is a cowboy toy belonging to a boy called Andy. Whilst Andy is at summer camp, Woody is accidentally sold to a toy collector who plans to sell him to a museum in Japan. Andy's other toys set out to rescue Woody from the collector and we're about to watch what happens next.

Show the clip

Toy Story 2 (Disney/Pixar, 1999)

Chapter 27 (01:01:34 'Woody, you're in danger here.') - (01:05:15 'Come on, Jessie, this is what it's all about - to make a child happy and you know it.')[3 minutes 41 seconds]

Well, I wonder what you thought about Woody's decision to go back home with the others. Do you think he made the right choice? Why?

There were a few things that made Woody change his mind, weren't there? There was Buzz. He told Woody that toys were made to be played with, not kept in museums. He reminded him that his life was only worth living if he was being loved by a child. The second thing that made him change his mind was the song that he heard. The song reminded him that Andy loved him and that that was more important than being famous. The third reminder was when he looked at his foot. Did you see what was written on it? Andy's name. Seeing Andy's name reminded Woody that he belonged to Andy.

Woody was made to be played with. That was the most important thing for him. That was his purpose.

[PPT slide 4]
The toys and gifts in my shoebox present were made to be played with too. A gift is made to be given [click]. That's its purpose.

A present can be very valuable even though it is very simple. There's a story in the Bible about a lady who was very poor and wanted to give something to God. We're going to read it together.

Read Luke 21:1-4 [PPT slides 5, 6 & 7]

Did you notice what the lady gave? Two small coins. They weren't worth very much, but Jesus said that they were very valuable! Why did Jesus say that the widow gave more than anyone else? Take suggestions. Everyone else had given a little bit of their money, but this lady gave everything she owned. The gift cost a lot to give so it meant  much more than the gifts the rich people gave.

Over the next few weeks, we're going to be working together on a project to send some simple presents to boys and girls in other parts of the world.

[PPT slide 8]

Operation Christmas Child is a charity which was started in 1990 when someone had a good idea. There are lots of boys and girls all over the world who don't receive presents at Christmas time. For many of them, life is really hard, and Operation Christmas Child thought that it would be a good idea to give some of them a shoebox full of gifts just like the one I've brought with me today. Every year, Operation Christmas Child collects millions of shoeboxes and sends them to children in Eastern Europe and Africa. Last year Operation Christmas Child sent over 1.24 million shoeboxes to children!

We thought it would be a good idea for our school to join in with Operation Christmas Child this year.

[PPT slides 9-13]

Encourage the children to choose items that they think someone of their age will appreciate. Explain how it will be organised within your school (e.g. each child brings a filled shoebox, or children bring items and make up boxes as a class).

It is not difficult for us to fill shoeboxes. The gifts we are giving are very simple - toys, hats and scarves, toothpaste, crayons. They are not very expensive. But they can have a powerful effect on the people who receive them. If we put a lot of thought and care into what we pack, these presents will be very valuable to the children who receive them. For boys and girls who have very little, a shoebox is a sign that someone in another part of the world cares about them and wants to help them.

[PPT slide 1]

Think about the best present you have ever received

• When we receive a gift, it is very precious to us and we want to look after it and use it carefully

Introduce shoebox

• Explain the contents
  

Imagine that you received a mystery gift [PPT slide 2]

• How would you feel? [click]
• How  would you feel about the person who gave it to you?
• And how do you think the giver would feel?
• How would they feel if you chose not to open it? [PPT slide 3]
  

Introduce film clip

• Woody is accidentally sold to a toy collector who plans to sell him to a museum in Japan. Andy's other toys set out to rescue Woody from the collector and we're about to watch what happens next.

Show the clip

Toy Story 2 (Disney/Pixar, 1999)
Chapter 27 (01:01:34 'Woody, you're in danger here.') - (01:05:15 'Come on, Jessie, this is what it's all about - to make a child happy and you know it.')
[3 minutes 41 seconds]

Discuss film clip

• Did Woody make the right choice?
• Why?
• What made Woody change his mind?
• Toys are made to be played with. That was Woody's purpose.
• Toys and gifts in the shoebox present were made to be played with too. [PPT slide 4]
• A gift is made to be given. [click] That's its purpose.
  

Introduce Bible passage

• A present can be very valuable even though it is very simple
• There's a story in the Bible about a lady who was very poor and wanted to give something to God
  

Read Luke 21:1-4 [PPT slides 5, 6 & 7]

Discuss the Bible passage

• Jesus said that the lady's coins were very valuable. Why?
• Everyone else had given a little bit of their money, but this lady gave everything she owned
• The gift cost a lot to give and it meant so much more than the gifts the rich people gave
  

Introduce Operation Christmas Child [PPT slide 8]

• Charity which arranges gifts for children in Eastern Europe and Africa who wouldn't otherwise receive Christmas presents
• Last year Operation Christmas Child sent over 1.24 million shoeboxes to children!
  

Introduce how the project will work in your school [PPT slides 9-13]

• Shoebox is not difficult to fill and not expensive, but very valuable to a boy or girl who has nothing.

We're going to watch a film of boys and girls who received shoeboxes last year. As you watch it, think about the sort of things you might like to give this year. Think about the difference these simple gifts have made to the children. Once we've watched the DVD, I'm going to say a prayer and if you like, you can join in by saying 'Amen' at the end. Saying 'Amen' means that you are saying that you agree with what I've said.

Play the Operation Christmas Child DVD

Alternatively, show slides 9-13 of the PowerPoint presentation again, perhaps playing some music as you scroll through.

Father God
Thank you for all the lovely presents we have ever received.
Thank you, too, that you noticed the lady with two small coins.
Thank you that her gift was valuable because it meant so much to her.
We want to pray for the boys and girls who will receive the shoeboxes we make.
Please use our simple gifts in a powerful way.
In Jesus' name.
Amen 

God Loves You And I Love You (80 Kidsource Combined)

Nobody's A Nobody (664 Kidsource Combined)

Great Big God (from the CD Great Big God)  

More details on how to send shoeboxes through Operation Christmas Child can be found on their website (http://www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/occ). From the website you can order the resource pack with information about collection in your area, labels for individual boxes and further teaching resources.

There is also a PowerPoint presentation in the Download section to help you demonstrate what to pack in a shoebox.

OCC has also produced a set of all-age church resources for Shoebox Sunday (November 2007). Your local church may be planning to use this resource, and may be interested in inviting pupils to take part in the activities they are organising.

Encourage pupils to find out more about the children who will receive their shoebox. To do this, they will have to find out about the various countries OCC works with. More information is available on the OCC website (http://www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/occ) where you will also find stories of real children who have received boxes through the scheme.

Ask pupils to imagine how they would feel if someone gave them a surprise gift. Ask them to write a story from the point of view of a child. The story could be about the day the shoebox arrived and what it contained.