Remembering Is Important
An assembly for Remembrance Day
by Alison Thurlow
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To consider the impact of memories on our lives.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Remembering Is Important) and the means to display them.
- Have available the YouTube video ‘The Last Post at the Menin Gate Memorial (360)’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 2.46 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/aO0XzauTgms
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Explain that the theme of this assembly is ‘remembering’. - Show Slide 2.
Ask the students to spend a moment considering one of their happiest memories. It could be a recent memory, such as something they enjoyed doing during the school holidays, or a memory from further back.
Listen to a range of responses. - Comment that although it is special to hear so many happy memories, all of us will also have some sad memories. Point out that we can have a mixture of happy and sad memories. Memories are a link from the past that can influence our future.
- Show Slide 3.
Point out that students who enjoy walking will probably know what this pile of stones means.
It is a cairn, a man-made pile of stones that marks a particular spot. For example, a cairn could indicate the summit of a mountain or the location of a specific event. When people climb to the top of a mountain, they may add their own stone to the cairn there. - There is a story in the Bible about a time when the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, following their escape from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Now led by Joshua, they approached the land in which they would eventually live. However, in front of them was the River Jordan, which they would need to cross before moving forward. In the story, priests carried a special, sacred box called the Ark of the Covenant into the river. This caused the water upstream to stop flowing, enabling the people to cross the river on dry ground. After everyone had crossed, Joshua gave the people an order.
Read or retell the story that is found in Joshua 4.4-8.
Joshua chose 12 men. He called them together and told them, ‘Go to the middle of the riverbed where the sacred chest is and pick up a large rock. Carry it on your shoulder to our camp. There are 12 of you, so there will be one rock for each tribe. Some day, your children will ask, “Why are these rocks here?” Then, you can tell them how the water stopped flowing when the chest was being carried across the river. These rocks will always remind our people of what happened here today.’ The men followed the instructions that God had given Joshua. They picked up 12 rocks, one for each tribe, and carried them to the camp, where they put them down.
Joshua wanted the people to remember this moment, so he told them to take the 12 stones from the river and put them in their camp as a reminder of everything that God had done for them. Stones were something strong and permanent that would remind future generations of what had happened. - Show Slide 4.
Explain that November is a good time to talk about memories because 11 November is Remembrance Day, when we remember all the people who fought in the First and Second World Wars, and in more recent wars and conflicts. Many people died or were injured, or lived with the consequences of war. Many still live in war-stricken areas today. - Show Slide 5.
Remind the students that each year, there are many special services of remembrance that are held around the country on Remembrance Sunday. If appropriate, remind the students about the Poppy Appeal that will be happening in school. - Show Slide 6.
Alongside yearly events, some places have a daily reminder of those who have been involved in wars. One of these commemorations is at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium. The Menin Gate is a war memorial that is dedicated to British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of the First World War and whose graves are unknown. At 8 p.m. every evening, traffic through the gate is stopped and people stand in silence. The Last Post is played on bugles while those watching remember all those who have died in battle.
Show the YouTube video ‘The Last Post at the Menin Gate Memorial (360)’ up to 2.10 minutes.
Time for reflection
Show Slide 7.
Remind the students that we all have good and bad memories. Many people have bad memories of wars and battles that have been fought. However, alongside sad memories are the happy memories that brave soldiers’ actions helped to bring an end to the First and Second World Wars. Their bravery led to us being able to live safely.
John Maxwell Edmonds was a poet who was alive at the time of the First World War. He is most famous as the author of the words that appear on many war memorials, which are as follows.
When you go home, tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow, we gave our today.
Pause to allow time for thought.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for all the positive memories that we have talked about today.
At this time of year, help us to remember with gratitude all those who have given their lives so that we can live in peace and safety.
We pray today for all those caught in war-torn areas of the world.
We pray for peace and safety.
Amen.
Song/music
Reflective music. An example is available at: https://youtu.be/cxuAic3vNNQ (1 hour 54 minutes long)
