Love Matters
Love spreads around the world
by Hilary Karen
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To explore the idea of sharing our love around the world.
Preparation and materials
- You will need to display a sign saying ‘>300’ (more than 300), a picture of the local area, a map of the UK and a globe.
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You will also need to display the following vocabulary lists.
- List 1: adoration, very strong liking, affection, devotion, fondness, passion, tenderness, kindness
- List 2: hate, dislike, ill will, unpleasantness, unkindness
Assembly
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Hold up the sign saying ‘>300’ and ask the children what they think the sign might relate to.
Listen to a range of responses.
Explain that it is the number of times that the word ‘love’ is used in the Bible – more than 300! The word ‘love’ can be found somewhere in all religious texts.
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Ask the children to mention some of the people who show love to them.
Listen to a range of responses.
The children will probably talk about friends, family, pets, teachers and so on. Explain that we love people in different ways and that is important. How our parents love each other is different from how we love them; how we love our parents is different from how we love our friends. -
Show the picture of the local area and ask the children how many of those they love live nearby.
Show the map of the UK and ask how many of those they love live in the UK.
Show the globe and ask the children if there are any people they love who live in other parts of the world. -
Point out that, among all the people in the room, there is a lot of love that is spread out all over the world.
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Show List 1 and explain that all of these words have a similar meaning to love.
Show List 2 and read it out. Ask how these words make the children feel. Which list do they prefer? -
Bring the children’s attention back to the globe and ask them the following questions.
- Which list of words do you think most people around the world would choose?
- Which list would Jesus choose?
- Which list does God want us to use?
Remind the children that the word ‘love’ is used so many times in the Bible because it is important for the whole world.
Time for reflection
We can all help the world to have more love. Each day, we have the opportunity to show love to those around us.
Christians believe that God loves everyone very much. They believe that God wants this love to spread out to the world through our words and our actions.
Ask the children what they can do today to show love to others. Examples could be to give someone a hug, help someone at home or play with someone different in the playground. Often, our smallest actions have a big effect when they are carried out in love.
Ask the children to sit quietly and think about what they are going to do today to show love to others.
Prayer
Dear God,
We thank you for your love.
We thank you for all the people who show love to us.
Please help us to spread more love in the world by behaving in loving ways.
Please help us to do something every day to show people that we care.
Amen.
Song/music
‘I’m special’ (Make Way Music, 1986)
