Autumn 2 - Week 6
Monday 7th December
Good Morning Cathedral School,
I hope you all had a good weekend. Did you do anything to prepare for Christmas?
This week is the second week of Advent. Please make another purple candle. For Christians this candle is a reminder of the belief that Jesus came with a message of peace. He wanted Christians to work for peace in the world.
Can you name these cartoon characters? They are always fighting. They never get on. Can you think of any other animal pairings who don't traditionally get on?
Unfortunately, it is not just animals and cartoon characters who fight. People fight. Nations fight and go to war. During the second week of Advent we think about peace and remember those places that do not know peace.
The dove is a symbol of peace. That is why you often see doves on Christmas cards.
Peace in The Bible
"One day a special king will come...he will be called 'The Prince of Peace'."
Isaiah 9:6
"God's special king will be just and fair. He will defend the weak and the por. In that day it will be so peaceful that the wolf will be able to lie down with the lamb, leopards and goats will lie down together, cows and lions will feed together in peace and no one will be harmed."
Isaiah 11:1 - 9
"They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks."
Isaiah 2:4
Reflection
Listen to this peaceful and very beautiful carol.
As you listen to Silent Night think about what you can do to make sure today is peaceful and calm.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us your son Jesus, Prince of Peace, to bring harmony and unity to the world.
Please help us to bring peace to our friends and family through our thoughts and actions today.
Amen
I hope you have a wonderful day.
Tuesday 8th December
Good Morning Cathedral School. Today and tomorrow our Collective Worship will focus on meaning behind some of the decorations we put up at Christmas time.
Tinsel
This is one of my favourite Christmas stories. Here is the legend which explains why tinsel is used at Christmas.
When King Herod heard that a new baby king had been born he was very worried, he thought the new king would grow up and take over his kingdom. The more Herod thought about it the more angry he became. He decided that he could not allow this baby to live so he sent his soldiers to Bethlehem to kill every child who was 2 years old or under. Joseph had already been warned by God to escape with Mary and Jesus, so they were not in Bethlehem when the soldiers arrived, they were hiding in a cave in a hill nearby.
Inside the cave it was bitterly cold. A spider saw the family and decided to help. Carefully the spider wove his best web over the mouth of the cave to help keep out the wind. Round and round the spider went until the cave mouth was completely covered in a fine web of silk. As the night drew on, it got colder and colder and the web became covered with sparkling frost.
Herod's soldiers had done their awful work in Bethlehem and now started to scour the hillsides for anyone who had escaped. They walked by the cave entrance which was closed in a thick web covered in frost. Inside Mary and Joseph could hear the soldiers and they held their breath in fear.
"They can't be in there," said one of the soldiers. "Look at this spider's web, it hasn't been disturbed."
The soldiers moved on, leaving the baby Jesus unharmed. Not only had the spider tried to keep them warm, but it had saved their lives as well.
This legend tells why tinsel is used at Christmas. This not a true story but there is some truth in it...though there were people like Herod who wanted to get rid of Jesus, there were also those like the shepherds, the wise men and, in this story, a humble spider who welcomed and protected Jesus.
Reflection Time
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
As you enjoy this beautiful carol, look around your classroom, can you see any tinsel?
More Information
If you would like to know more about the history of tinsel and how it is made please visit the Newsround website for more information and videos.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the story of the spider who did the only thing it could to help save Jesus from the soldier.
Amen
Wednesday 9th December
Good Morning Cathedral School,
Today we are thinking about 2 types of Christmas decoration.
What are the differences between these two pictures?
Answer
Picture 1 is an angel. Picture 2 is a fary. A fairy is a fictional character and an angel is a messenger from God.
The angel on top of the tree reminds us of the angels in the Christmas story. What message does the Angel Gabriel bring? When do angels appear in the Christmas story?
Stars
Have you got a star decoration in your home or classroom? I can think of a few classes who made some wonderful stars last week.
Why are star decorations so popular at Christmas time?
Stars are hung on the Christmas tree to remind us of the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem. There are millions of stars in the sky, but to Christians this is a very special one and in pictures it is often drawn bigger than all the rest.
Reflection Time
Gabriel’s Message
This carol describes when the Angel Gabriel told Mary she would have the baby Jesus. How do you think she felt at that moment?
Prayer
Dear God,
May we remember this Christmas the angels in the story and the message they proclaimed of peace on earth and good will to everyone.
Thank you for the star that led the wise men and for the many stars that God created.
Thursday 10th December
Good Morning Cathedral School. It's Canon Jay here with you today. I hope you are all well.
There are lots of saints that we have heard of, some that we haven’t. Who has heard of Saint Nicholas? What do you know about him?
PastedGraphic-1.pdfSaint Nicholas was born in the year 270AD in the village of Patara in what is now the southern coast of Turkey. (That’s a long, long time ago!) His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was eventually made a Bishop. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships. He died on the 6th December 343AD.
PastedGraphic-2.pdfOne story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. (It’s different today though!!) In the old days, without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold were tossed through an open window and found in the morning by the poor father – his daughters were saved from slavery.
PastedGraphic-3.pdfOther stories tell of Nicholas saving his people from famine sparing the lives of those innocently accused, protecting children and much more. He did many kind and generous deeds in secret, expecting nothing in return.
It was Nicholas’s faith in Jesus that was his inspiration. It was his desire to want to follow Christ’s teaching. Here is our Bible story from Luke 10. 1-9
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two
After this the Lord chose another seventy-two men and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was about to go.He said to them, “There is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest. Go! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Don't take a purse or a beggar's bag or shoes; don't stop to greet anyone on the road. Whenever you go into a house, first say, ‘Peace be with this house.’ If someone who is peace-loving lives there, let your greeting of peace remain on that person; if not, take back your greeting of peace. Stay in that same house, eating and drinking whatever they offer you, for workers should be given their pay. Don't move around from one house to another. Whenever you go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you, heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near you.’
Generosity
Jesus calls us to be generous to others, and Nicholas took that teaching to heart. That is one reason why St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus is connected to Christmas.
At Christmas time we give and receive presents. We show generosity. We remember that God was generous in sending his son at Christmas. In John’s gospel it says:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
We can be generous! Nicholas was generous and God is generous, giving us Jesus- as we remember this Christmastide
Reflection Time
I hope you enjoy O Little Town of Bethlehem, performed by the Southwark Cathedral Choir.
Prayer
PastedGraphic-4.pdf
Friday 11th December
Good Morning Cathedral School. It is Mrs Scott here with you this morning.
Celebration Assembly
Congratulations to everyone who has been named in celebration assembly this week. Thank you for singing your Christmas carols so beautifully this week, It has been a joy to hear you all.
Congratulations to everyone who has been named in celebration assembly this week. Thank you for singing your Christmas carols so beautifully this week, It has been a joy to hear you all practising.
Cathedral School Celebrations
Please look at the Class Blogs to find out who we are celebrating this week.
Reflection Time
Thank you Miss Dace for choosing such a beautiful carol for us today, In Dulci Jubilo.
Prayers
Please choose a prayer from the class prayer box.