A New Beginning

A new school year - a new start!

by Rachael Crisp

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To reflect upon the fact that we all have the opportunity to change or start something new.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (A New Beginning) and the means to display them. Alternatively, the images could be printed for the children to hold.

• Optional: you may wish to light a candle during the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly.

Assembly

1. Explain that you are going to show a series of images and that you want the children to look at them carefully and try to spot the connection between them.

   Show the slides.

2. As the images appear, have a short discussion about what each image represents. Try not to use words that would give a clue to the idea of a new start or a new beginning.

3. After discussing the last image, ask the children what they think all of the images have in common.

   Explain that all of the images show a new start or new beginning of some sort.
   
   Show the slides again, making the following explanations.
   
   - In a race, the athletes all begin at the start line.
   - The new chicks are starting their lives as they hatch from the eggs.
   - The kittens have just been born.
   - The bird is starting to learn to fly.
   - The baby has just made its appearance in the world.
   - The caterpillar goes through lots of different ‘new’ stages in its life.
   - Many people celebrate the start of a new year.

4. Explain that at the start of the school year, we all have an opportunity to have a new beginning. It is a new year, a new term. Many children have new classes or new teachers, and there are new children beginning school for the first time. You may wish to introduce some of the new children in school.

5. Explain that a new school year gives everyone the opportunity to start again. We might want to change our behaviour, maybe by trying harder, joining new clubs, making new friends or setting ourselves new goals. We might want to show more kindness, be friendlier and help out more.
   
   If possible, share your own example of something that you hope to achieve this year.

6. Point out that Christians believe that God wants people to have a new start. They believe that God wants to forgive them for the wrong things that they have done. They believe that God has the power to help people to change.

Time for reflection

Optional: light a candle as you say the following words.

As we light this candle, let’s think about what we have heard and how it affects us.

Let’s think of one thing that we would like to have a fresh start for this year. It could be taking up a new hobby, helping a friend in need, speaking kind words, trying hard at spellings, being more patient, reading more - the list is endless!

If you want to, you could join in with this prayer.

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for new beginnings.
Thank you that we can start afresh this year.
Help us to achieve the things that we hope for in this coming year.
Thank you.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Thank you, Lord’ (Come and Praise, 32)