Collective Worships: Introduction | Themes | Primary | Secondary | Search | Help

Making a Difference

Key Stage

3 and 4

Theme

Making a Difference
This collective worship is designed to follow on from the one on 'Responsibility lies with us'

Preparation

Have five pupils ready to take the spoken parts in the two stories, which illustrate the theme.

Prepare OHTs with the words THEY OUGHT TO DO SOMETHING crossed out, and replaced with I / WE OUGHT TO DO SOMETHING.

Development

  1. Refer back to the theme of the previous act of worship. Ask the pupils to recall the situation they have been thinking about during the week and the solutions they have arrived at.
  2. Recall a situation of your choice. It should be one of overwhelming proportions.
  3. Point out the feeling of total helplessness that this can induce in us.
  4. Show the OHTs and recall the theme of last week's worship.
  5. Emphasise the point that we can all do something.
  6. Tell the following stories.

STORY ONE (three speakers + leader)

Leader: Dr Jonathon Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, tells this story.

Narrator: An old man was walking along the seashore at dawn. Ahead of him he noticed a young man who was stooping down and picking up starfish from the beach, where they had been stranded by the receding tide, and throwing them back into the water.

Old Man: Why are you doing that?

Young Man: If I don't, they will be stranded and the heat of the sun will kill them.

Old Man: But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish. What difference does it make?

Narrator: The young man stooped and picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea.

Young Man: Well, it makes a difference to that one.

STORY TWO (two speakers + narrator)

Narrator: This is a Russian folk story. Two mice were sitting watching the snow fall and settle on the branch of a tree.

First Mouse: How much does a snowflake weigh?

Second Mouse: A little less than nothing.

Narrator: They continued to watch the snow falling, eventually the snowflakes lessened and then they stopped. A final snowflake fell on to the branch of the tree. The branch creaked and snapped, and fell to the ground.

First Mouse: So a little less than nothing can make a big difference!

Narrator: The lessons are clear:

  • Do what you can to help.
  • Little things can make a big difference.

Reflection

Here students could be asked to contribute ideas e.g.

  1. Give a small contribution to the next charity collection.
  2. Organise a tutor group 'sale' to raise funds for a chosen charity.
  3. Write a letter to someone who can make a difference to a situation. This could be your local MP or councillor.
  4. Listen to someone who has a problem.
  5. Talk to someone who is lonely.
  6. Pray.

And many others. Remind students that for some of these activities it will be best to ask a teacher or parent before starting.

Prayer

Lord, you have made us all to be different
and given us to each other;
for friendship and support,
for sharing and enjoyment.
May we always value each other
and always be looking for opportunities to
improve the lives of those around us.
Amen.

Music

Repeat last week's song.
'When I needed a neighbour, were you there?' (Hymns Ancient and Modern New Standard 433)