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Friendship

An assembly from the Culham St Gabriel archive

Suitable for Key Stage 4/5

Aims

To explore the qualities that make someone a good friend.

Preparation and materials

  • You will need a leader and four readers. These students will need time to rehearse prior to the assembly.

  • Decide whether to have a short period of silence in the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly or play some quiet music, such as gentle classical or meditational music, which can also be left to play as the students leave the room.

Assembly

Leader: This conversation was overheard between two Year 7 girls who were walking down the corridor.

Reader 1: When I’m in Year 11, my mum says . . .

Leader (cutting in quickly): At that point, the girls went into a room and the person overhearing their chat couldn’t catch the end of the sentence. What do you think it is most likely to have been? Discuss this quickly with the person next to you (or, if you prefer, ask the students to think quietly about it for a moment). Remember, these were Year 7 girls. This is what they said again.

Reader 1: When I’m in Year 11, my mum says . . .

Pause to allow time for thought. Then, the Leader invites some volunteers to offer their answers and perhaps takes some comments on their suggestions.

Leader: What’s the most likely thing we can predict about those two Year 7 girls by the time they are in Year 11?

Again, the Leader invites some volunteers to offer their answers and perhaps takes some comments on their suggestions.

Leader: 
Perhaps the most likely thing is that they’ll still be friends. Good friendships often stick through primary and secondary school days and beyond. Some people in this room will have already enjoyed good friendships, but many will also have had to face quarrels or a breakdown in a friendship, drifting apart and so on. Think again in pairs (or, if you prefer, ask the students to think quietly about it for a moment). What makes a good friendship? What’s the recipe for success?

Once more, the Leader invites some volunteers to offer their answers and perhaps takes some comments on their suggestions.

Reader 2:
Here’s some Buddhist advice about friendship: ‘A true friend will always stick closely to the right way, worry secretly about their friends’ welfare, console them in their bad times, offer help when they need it and will always give good advice. It is very hard to find a friend like this and therefore one should try very hard to be a friend like this.’

Pause to allow time for thought.

Reader 3:
 Here’s some Jewish advice about friendship (Proverbs 16.28 and 18.24, New International Version): ‘A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends . . . One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.’

Pause to allow time for thought.

Reader 4:
Here’s some advice, adapted from the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in its book of faith and practice. It starts in the form of a question about friendship. Do you work at your friendships, so that they grow in depth and understanding and mutual respect? In close friendships, we risk pain as well as finding joy. When experiencing great happiness or great hurt, we may be more open to the working of the Spirit.

Time for reflection

Spend a short time in silence or play the relaxing music that you have chosen.

Song/music

Relaxing music of your choice.

Publication date: August 2022   (Vol.24 No.8)    Published by SPCK, London, UK.
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