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No Need to Worry!

An assembly from the Culham St Gabriel archive

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider that worrying doesn’t achieve anything.

Preparation and materials

  • You will need a selection of images of things that some people are afraid of and the means to display them during the assembly. Examples could include:

    - a spider, available at: http://tinyurl.com/cl62qt7
    - a snake, available at: http://tinyurl.com/hyoovrr
    - worms, available at: http://tinyurl.com/gsy8rfo

  • You will also need to be familiar with the Bible story of Jesus walking on the water, which is found in Matthew 14.22-33. This story can be retold or read.

  • Optional: you may wish to have a dictionary available for the children to consider the definitions of ‘afraid’ and ‘worried’.

Assembly

  1. Ask the children if they have ever felt afraid.

    Listen to a range of responses.

  2. Show the children the images and ask them to think of other things that might scare people.

    Listen to a range of responses.

  3. Ask the children, ‘Is being scared useful?

    Point out that humans often feel scared for a reason. If we saw a dangerous snake, we would be sensible to feel concerned. Our concern would make us move away from the snake so that it couldn’t harm us. Ask the children for other examples that illustrate this point.

    Listen to a range of responses.

  4. Ask the children if they have ever felt worried. Ask them if they can define the difference between being ‘afraid’ and being ‘worried’. Are they the same thing?

  5. If a dictionary is available, ask a volunteer to look up the definitions of ‘afraid’ and ‘worried’. Is there a difference?

  6. Explain that everyone feels afraid at some point. The Bible tells us that even Jesus closest friends, the disciples, were sometimes frightened.

  7. Read or retell the story of Jesus walking on the water, which is found in Matthew 14.22-33.

  8. Explain that, in this story, the disciples were scared when they saw Jesus walking on the lake. However, a special part of this story is that, from where Jesus was resting on the land, he noticed that his disciples were in trouble. When Jesus saw this, he didn’t stay where he was – instead, he went to help them. The disciples were special in Jesus eyes and he really cared for them. Simon Peter asked if he could also walk on the lake, but he soon became afraid when he took his eyes away from Jesus and focused instead on the massive waves around him.

  9. Christians believe that God is always there to help them in any situation. They believe that if they are frightened, lonely, worried or sad, they can ask God for help and he will never turn them away.

Time for reflection

Ask the children, Are you worried about anything today?

Explain that all of us feel worried sometimes; it is a natural part of life. However, if we feel very worried or we are afraid of something, it is always good to talk to someone we trust about it. Sometimes, talking can make what seems to be a huge problem become a lot smaller.

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for stories that show us that being worried and afraid are common feelings.
Thank you for people who care for us and are always willing to listen.
Thank you that you promise to be there for us whenever we need you.
Amen.

Song/music

‘The Lord’s my shepherd’ (Come and Praise, 56)

Publication date: April 2020   (Vol.22 No.4)    Published by SPCK, London, UK.
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