Collective Worship Ideas
Taking collective worship? Read our 14 top tips for taking an effective assembly then check out the assembly ideas below.
Ethos Education publishes free resources for teachers to help students explore spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues through contemporary media. Their assembly ideas help pupils to reflect on life issues such as identity, purpose, family, respecting those with different traditions and facing difficult choices. 'But, crucially, each assembly also provides two additional important features with a well-considered rationale,' explained Ethos founder Nick Pollard. 'First, by using extracts from popular feature films the assembly grounds those life issues in the pupil’s contemporary culture. Secondly, by including at the heart of each assembly a relevant passage from the Bible, pupils are enabled to reflect for themselves on what it teaches about the life issue.'
Open the Book (part of Bible Society) have video assemblies for teachers wanting to use ready made assemblies. A document with links to all of the videos can be viewed or downloaded by clicking the title or image. Most of the videos feature Bob Hartman, author of The Lion Storyteller Bible, telling the story part of a session but there are also two OtB teams re-telling a story on a video call.
Use the PowerPoint presentation: Ask what the various acronyms mean.
WWJD - Ask for suggestions of how Jesus behaved.
Possible Bible verses to use: 'Love your neighbour as yourself' Matthew 19:19, 'The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.' Galatians 5:22-23
If you have time you could add the story of The Parable of the Good Samaritan, ending with the words 'Go and do the same'. Luke 10:25–37.
Thank you to Chris Burch, Headteacher at Birkdale School, Sheffield for sharing his PowerPoint presentation.