We Are Part of God’s Creation!
The wonder of the world
by Keith Griffin
Suitable for Key Stage 1
Aims
To celebrate creation and the part that we play in it.
Preparation and materials
- Have available some items from the natural world, such as fruit, vegetables, plants and seeds.
- You will need to consider the setting of the school, including whether it is in a rural or urban setting, the landscape that surrounds it and what can be seen through the windows in the room where the assembly takes place.
Assembly
- Ask the children to think about the time of year, the weather, what the surrounding area looks like at the moment, seasonal change and what they enjoy about the outdoors and nature at this time of year.
Listen to a range of responses. - Remind the children that Christians and many other religions believe that God created the world. Explain that you would have liked to have brought in a tree, a cloud or the moon and stars to show the children the wonder of the world. However, that isn’t possible, so you’ve brought in some more manageable aspects of God’s creation.
Show the children the fruit, vegetables, plants and seeds.
Ask some children to come forward to hold the items. - Ask the children to identify the first item and talk briefly about it. Think about why the item is good for us and why God might have made that particular item. For example, onions are useful in many recipes because they make the food tastier, potatoes fill us up and can be cooked in many different ways, bananas are good for us and great for packed lunches, plants make special homes for insects and so on.
- Next, in a jokey manner, explain to the children that you think we should remind the different parts of creation that they belong to God. As you hold up the first item, invite them to say after you count to three: ‘You are part of God’s creation!’ Continue doing the same with the rest of the items.
- Ask the children whether they have ever been for a walk and listened to the noises around them.
Listen to a range of responses. - Describe to the children a walk that you’ve taken and the sights and sounds that you have enjoyed most. For example, you may have climbed a mountain and listened to the sheep on the hillside or walked along a beach and listened to the waves.
Optional: you may wish to ask the children to describe a walk that they have been on.
If this assembly is used for a smaller group of children, it may be appropriate to take the children outside to listen to local sounds. - Explain that another sound that you like to hear is that of children playing in the playground or on the sports field – it is lovely to hear the laughter and the fun!
- Point out that we are all part of God’s creation. In the same way that we can be amazed by the wonder of the stars and the beauty of the flowers, we are all amazing, too!
Time for reflection
Christians believe that although the whole of creation and nature are wonderful, God considers people to be the best part of his creation. He considers us all to be very special. Christians believe that God loves us to enjoy all that he has given us. He wants us to make the most of the fresh air and the outdoors, to use our bodies and to look after each other.
Finish by emphasizing that we are all part of God’s creation, just like the stars, trees, hills, fruit, animals and plants.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for all that you give us;
For all of nature and creation,
And for the food that we grow, eat and enjoy.
Help us to know our place as part of creation,
And to look after each other
And all that you have entrusted to our care.
Amen.
Song/music
‘All things bright and beautiful’ (Come and Praise, 3)
