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It’s All Good!

We are made in God’s image

by Bob Hartman

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To explore what it means for us to be made in God’s image.

Preparation and materials

Assembly

  1. Explain to the children that you are going to read out a poem about God creating the world. Ask them to consider, as they listen to the poem, what they think is the most special thing that God created.

    Read the following poem, which is taken from Bob Hartman’s Rhyming Bible.

    Creation

    There was nothing, at first, there was nothing but God.
    No planets, no mountains, no chickens, no cod.
    Then God said the word, and like that, there was light!
    The light he called Day and the dark he called Night.

    And then God said, ‘Water’, and water there was,
    The waters below, and the waters above.
    And just like a canopy, way up on high,
    The bright baby blue and the white cloudy sky.

    And when God said, ‘Gather’, the waters below
    Washed into seas with a tumbling flow,
    And left behind dry land, the dark fertile earth,
    Where flowers and trees and fruit came to birth.

    God spoke into being the sun, stars and moon,
    For morning and evening and nighttime and noon.
    Light for the darkness and light for the day
    To mark off the seasons as years pass away.

    ‘Now fill up the oceans,’ said God, gurgling, ‘Fish!’
    And fin, tail and tentacle answered his wish.
    And when He cried, ‘Bird!’ a sky full replied,
    With a squawk and a swoop and a duck and a dive.

    When God roared their names, the wild beasts appeared.
    ‘Now, cattle,’ said God. ‘Now sheep to be sheared.
    Now animals big. Now animals small.
    Now creatures who slither and skitter and crawl.’

    And then, with a smile, God said, ‘Women and men.
    Made in my image, made to be friends.
    Made to make babies, sweet boys and girls.
    Made to take care of my beautiful world.’

    And when he had finished, as most artists should,
    God looked at his work, and he said, ‘It’s all good!’
    And when he had finished, as most artists do,
    He rested. And then blessed that day of rest, too.

  2. Ask the question, ‘What do you think is the most special thing that God made?’

    Listen to a range of responses.

  3. Explain that the Bible says that people are the most special thing that God made, because people are made in God’s image.

    Ask the children what they think being ‘made in God’s image’ means.

    Listen to a range of responses.

    Explain that part of it has to do with creativity - with making, imagining and loving, like God did when he made the world.

  4. Explain that there are many ways to be creative. Explain that you are going to read some short poems. You want the children to listen carefully and then be creative and think of the final word for each of the poems.

    After each short poem, you might ask for a show of hands from those to whom that verse applies.

    Poem 1

    God makes us in his image
    Down lots of different paths.
    We love to play with numbers
    ’Cause we are good at . . . maths!

    Poem 2

    God makes us in his image.
    We move at every chance.
    We jump and twirl and swing our arms
    Cause we are good at . . . dance!

    Poem 3

    God makes us in his image.
    We knew right from the start
    That we could paint and we could draw
    Cause we are good at . . . art!

    Poem 4

    God makes us in his image.
    We’re funny sort of folks.
    We’re good at making classmates laugh
    By telling lots of . . . jokes!

    Poem 5

    God makes us in his image.
    There’re lots of different sorts:
    Chasing, catching, kicking balls,
    We’re all just good at . . . sports!

Time for reflection

Ask the children to think about the things that they are good at. Encourage them to think about the fact that God has made them in his image and given them many skills and gifts in creativity.

Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for making us in your image.
Thank you for the talents and abilities that you have given to each of us.
Help us to use those talents creatively and lovingly so that they bring joy to ourselves and to the people around us.
Amen.

Publication date: April 2019   (Vol.21 No.4)    Published by SPCK, London, UK.
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