I’m H-A-P-P-Y

by Trish Tazzini-Lloyd

Suitable for Key Stage 1 - Church Schools

Aims

To explore what makes us happy and how we can share our happiness with others.

Preparation and materials

• Familiarize yourself with the passage Luke 14.12–14 on which the story in the ‘Assembly’, Step 4 is based.
• Have available various Mr Men and Little Miss books.
• Gather some images of emoticons and have the means to display them.

Assembly

1. I wonder if any of you have seen these books before.
   
   Show some of the Mr Men and Little Miss books.
   
   
2. I thought today we would start with a game. If I say the name of the different Mr Men and Little Miss characters, can you do an action for each one? 
   
   For example, for Mr Strong the children could pretend to show you their arm muscles, for Mr Tall they could raise their arms up high, for Mr Grumpy they could cross their arms, for Mr Happy they could put on a smiley face and so on.  Each time, get faster with the calling out.  End with Mr Happy.
   
   
3. I wonder if we are happy today or perhaps we are like one of these pictures.
   
   Show the images of the emoticons.
   
   Maybe one of these describes how you really feel. 
   
   Talk a little about each of the emoticons. For example:
   
   –  happy: lots of things can make us happy – sunshine, our football team winning, being invited to a party  . . .
   – crying/sad face: there are times when we feel like this – if we have been left out, if we have fallen over, friends have been unkind, if we are poorly.
   
   
4. The book that Christians read called the Bible has lots of stories that we could use these different pictures for. There are some sad stories, some happy ones, some exciting stories, some adventurous and brave stories.  
   
   Today, our story is about a party that Jesus went to. I wonder if we need a happy or sad picture to go with the story.
   
   Jesus goes to a party at an important man’s house
   
   One day, a man invited Jesus to his party, so Jesus went along. When he was at the party, Jesus said to the man, ‘Why have you invited all the wrong people?’  
   
   The man was a bit confused and said, ‘I don’t understand. I haven’t invited all the wrong people.’ Jesus said, ‘Well, you have invited all of your rich friends, the important people and your favourite family members. I guess you have invited them so that when they have a party you will be invited back.’  
   
   ‘Well, yes’, the man said.  
   
   Jesus said, ‘Well, how about next time you have a party, don’t invite any of those people, but, instead, go out into the streets and invite the person who is lonely, the person who is homeless, the people who are begging for food – invite all the people who never get a chance to go to parties.’  
   
   ‘Why should I do that?’ the man said. 
   
   ‘Well, because these people will never ever be able to invite you back because they are not rich enough to hold their own parties, but, even if they can’t invite you to a party, it doesn’t matter. God will be so happy with you because of the kindness that you have shown’, Jesus replied.
   
   
5. I wonder how we can show kindness to others today. I wonder if we know people who are being left out. What can we do to make them feel happy?

Time for reflection

As we pray, think about all the things that make you happy and how you can bring happiness to others.

Prayer
Lord,
We thank you for this wonderful world you have made.  
Help us to take time to share smiles and acts of kindness that will bring happiness to those we meet.
Amen.

Song/music

I’m gonna jump up and down (be happy!) by Doug Horley on CD Lovely Jubbly (Integrity Music, 2002)

‘If I were a butterfly’ (Hymns Old and New (Kevin Mayhew), 342, 2008 edition)