Don’t be Scared

by Kay Partridge

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To encourage us to not be scared of taking on challenges.

Preparation and materials

• Note that food is involved in this assembly, so please check carefully regarding allergies.
• You will need some bread, plus three types of food, one in each of three pots. These could be yeast extract, chocolate, jam, jelly (but never include nuts). You will also need three blindfolds and three spreading knives or spoons.
• Have available the DVD The Prince of Egypt (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2006) and the means to show a clip from it of the burning bush part of the story during the assembly.

Assembly

1. Our topic today is 'don't be scared'. What kinds of things are you scared of?
   
   Is it spiders, the dark, creepy crawlies of all sorts? Well, I have a challenge that I would like some volunteers to help with. It is a game and I need three people.
   
   Check with your volunteers to see if any of them have allergies.
   
   
2. This is a food-testing game.
   
   Gather the blindfolds and the three pots of different types of food. Blindfold the three children, then give one of them some bread with some of one of your chosen foods spread or spooned on to it.
   
   Ask the child to identify the food on the bread. Repeat, putting the second food on some bread for the second child and the third food for the third child.
   
   
3. What was the scariest bit for you? Was it eating what was in your mouth, not knowing what it was? Maybe it was waiting and not knowing if it was going to be a good experience or not, based on the others' reactions?
   
   
4. We are going to watch a bit of a film now about somebody called Moses. Who has heard of Moses? 
   
   Play the clip from the DVD The Prince of Egypt of the burning bush part of the story.
   
   
5. Moses was scared because God had asked him to set the Israelites free. It was also because there were things he did in his past that weren't good, so he thought he wasn't good enough to lead his people and make a change.
   
   
6. Maybe you can think of something you want to achieve, but you are too scared. Are you scared because of the unknown? Perhaps you're scared you will fail.
   
   Ultimately, we need to make the decision to take a step forward when we are scared. Moses didn't just get up, walk off and set his people free, totally confident. Even though he was scared, he got up and picked up his staff as God told him to.

Time for reflection

What's the first step you need to take to stop being scared? Is it to ask about a football trial? Is it to ask for more help in class? What's the first step you can take to get past your fear?

I'm going to pray. If you would like to join me, you can end with 'Amen', which means 'I agree'.

Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for giving me the strength to tackle new things and not be scared.
Please help me to take the next step with what is important to me.
Thank you that you never leave us.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Can you be sure that the rain will fall?’ (Come and Praise, 31)