Secondary: Current Assemblies
WHAT IS LENT?
By the Revd Sophie Jelley
 Suitable for Key Stage 3
Aim
To explain the idea of Lent as a period of self-examination for Christians.
Preparation and materials
- A few chairs pushed together to make a bed.
- A white coat borrowed from the Science Department.
Assembly
- Ask the children what day comes after Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday: Ash Wednesday - that is the first day of Lent which is a period of 40 days plus six when Christians remember the 40 days when God's Son, Jesus, went off into the wilderness to spend time alone with his Father, God.
- It is one of the two seasons in the year (the other one is Advent - before Christmas) when Christians think especially about how their lives match up to the way God wants them to live. It is a bit like having a spiritual medical.
- Explain that you have set up a makeshift doctor's surgery in school today (put on your white coat). Ask for a volunteer to be the patient (quietly assure them that you will not embarrass them in any way and that they will not be required to remove any item of clothing).
- Work from the top down:
In each case speak to the patient first and then to the audience. Patient - any pain? any shortness of breath? etc. Declare that part of the body to be healthy, then ask the following of the children:
Head - we may be well in the head but how are our thoughts? The Bible says whatever is good, wholesome and lovely we should think of such things. Are there thoughts we might want to say sorry to God about?
Eyes - how is our seeing? Do we look at people judgmentally or as objects of desire rather than as children of God made in God's image?
Ears - how is our hearing? Are we deaf to the needs of others around us? Christians spend time listening to God especially through the Bible. How is our listening?
Mouth - in the letter of James in the Bible he says the tongue is small but it can do a lot of harm. How is our speaking? Paul says in the letter to the Ephesians 'let nothing unwholesome come out of your mouth but only what is good for building others up' - do we need to say sorry for something we have said?
Heart - how are our hearts? Do we have any heart problems? Are we loving and kind to those around us? Do we need to have a look at our hearts over Lent?
Hands - can get us into all sorts of trouble. We have a choice as to how to use our hands: we can use them to help or to fight, to show care or to abuse, to work hard or to be idle. What about us - have we used our hands as we should?
Feet - our feet take us where we want to go. It may be that we need to think about whether we have been going in the right direction - following the crowd or going the right way?
(You don't have to cover all of these body parts - you may want to focus on one or two).
- Congratulate the patient - s/he has passed the medical. Over the rest of Lent, think about these parts of our bodies and see whether they are as healthy on the inside as they look on the outside.
Time For Reflection
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you designed us perfectly to be created in the image of God.
We are sorry that so often we have failed to use our bodies in the way that you want us to.
Help us in this season of Lent to value ourselves and each other so that we demonstrate your love
In all that we say, in all that we are and in all that we do.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Song
'God knows me' (Come and Praise, 15)
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