Uniquely me

by Alison Thurlow

Suitable for Whole School (Pri) - Church Schools

Aims

To explore Christian teaching that God views each of us as unique and special (SEAL theme: Good to be me).

Preparation and materials

• Familiarize yourself with the story of the feeding of the five thousand (Luke 9.10–17).
• Choose a version of the above story that would be good to read aloud and tell in an interactive way (see Step 5 below), including movements, such as ‘A bread story’ in Bob Hartman’s Telling the Gospel (Monarch, 2010).
• Get to know the words, and practise the actions, to John Hardwick’s song ‘Nobody’s a nobody’.

Assembly

1. Introduce the assembly by explaining that you’re all going to be thinking about what makes us unique and why being unique might be important.
   
   
2. Ask the children to turn to the person next to them and, in their pairs, quietly tell each other about something they have done recently that they feel proud of. Ask a few children to share their answers.
   
   
3. Now ask them to tell each other some things about themselves that are completely unique, then listen to a few of these answers, too.
   
   
4. Summarize that they are all unique and Christians would say that God has a special plan for each of us. Continue by saying that they are going to hear a story from the Bible about the unique actions of one little boy.
   
   
5. Tell the story of the feeding of the five thousand in an interactive way that requires the children to join in with some actions (such as the example mentioned under ‘Preparation and materials’ above).
   
   
6. Point out that when the little boy left home in the morning, he didn’t think his packed lunch would be used to feed five thousand people, but Jesus made that happen! Similarly, we don’t know what is ahead for us and there will be some things that only we can do.

Time for reflection

Ask the children to sit quietly and think about these two things: 

– remember that it is good to be you – you are completely unique and there are some things that only you can do
– could you keep your eyes and ears open this week to see if you can find something useful you can do that will help someone else, but something only you can do?

Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you that I am unique.
Please help me to be happy with who I am.
Help me to use my unique gifts and talents to help others.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Nobody’s a nobody’ by John Hardwick (34 Songs for All Occasions, Mission Computers, 1999)
‘Colours of day dawn into the mind’ (Come and Praise, 55)