27/11/11   Advent 1 (Advent Sunday)

Theme: Why are we Waiting?

Bible Reading

Mark chapter 13 verses 32-36

Preparation

This assembly needs two leaders, one must be the headteacher (or someone who regularly leads collective worship in the school), the other should be someone whom the pupils have not seen take collective worship before, perhaps an LSA or the school secretary might like to take this on!

Introduction

At the beginning of the assembly the "other" adult should be standing at the front of the hall as the children come in. She should be clearly clutching a sheet of instructions on what to do (something with "Assembly Instructions" on it in large letters). Once everyone has settled she should explain that the head has been called away and has asked her to stand-in and take assembly. However she is not at all sure what she should be doing and needs some advice from the children about what to do next. Take suggestions from the pupils as to the best way to proceed. The inexperienced leader should block any suggestions made "I haven't got a storybook…", "I'm not very good at singing, do we have to sing" , "I can't read the writing in the instructions…". Any other adults present who normally lead worship must be prepared to refuse help or perhaps give unhelpful advice.

Once the point has been made that the stand-in leader is not coping very well (and before the assembly deteriorates into anarchy!) it is time for the head to make a sudden entrance. As this is supposed to be unexpected, the more dramatic this can be the better!

The head should ask some of the pupils how much of the assembly has already taken place, and whether the substitute is doing well. Once the head "realises" things have gone wrong, they should express their disappointment to the other leader and ask why they didn't follow the instructions and do their job properly. The substitute leader should look suitably ashamed and apologise.

The Message

This is probably the point at which to explain that all which has gone before has been acting, and give the substitute leader a round of applause, before their credibility is totally destroyed!

The head then carries on with the assembly.

What was acted out is similar to a story Jesus told. The story is about a man who went away on a very long journey. He was a rich man and had a lot of servants, and before he went away he spoke to each of the servants and told them exactly what he wanted them to do while he was away. The servants had no idea which day, or what time of day, their master would be coming back - so what do you think would be the best thing they could do?

The answer must be to follow the instructions they had been given and behave all the time as if they were expecting the master to walk through the door and ask what they were doing. This is what the other worship leader should have done today - she had been given clear instructions and had them explained to her, and should have been able to cope very well.

We remember this story of Jesus at this time of the year, because it is really a story about Jesus coming back; Jesus is the rich man in the story, and the servants are us. Christians believe that Jesus will return to earth at the end of time, but they have no idea when this will be, so this is why they try to live their lives as if Jesus was going to appear at any minute and ask them what they have been doing.

Sunday was the first Sunday in Advent. The word Advent means a time of looking forward to the coming of Jesus. What special day happens at the end of Advent when Jesus' coming as a baby is remembered? (Christmas - you may like to talk with the children here about some of the things the school will be doing to celebrate this coming, such as carol services& nativity plays.) So right now Christians are looking forward to celebrating the coming of Jesus as a baby, but also thinking about his coming back again.

Prayer

Pray that as we look forward to Christmas, we may remember that we are celebrating the coming of Jesus, not just looking forward to presents for ourselves

Also in Advent: Why not base acts of worship around a Jesse Tree rather tha a Christmas tree - Bath & Wells Diocese have one on line at http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=children.content&cmid=590 (these are the 2010 dates, so watch out!