Also in the News...

Albert Einstein's letter on Nazis sold for $14,000

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15278482

Well, there’s lots to be drawn out of this one: whether you want to address the challenging issue of the Jewish Holocaust or simply talk about the value of things (What’s the most valuable thing to you? Can it be sold? How much is it worth? Think about the parable of the rich man (Luke 12:13-21) or Jesus instruction to the rich young man to go and sell everything he owned and distribute it to the poor (Mark 10:17-22). There is also an assembly here on the importance of letters, correspondence and communication (think about the letters of St Paul and others in the New Testament, the good news of the Gospel, etc). Would St Paul use email today?! How do we use the areas of communication available to us? Do we use them for good or bad? What about cyber bullying? How do we responsibly use ‘facebook’ or ‘twitter’ or text?

But back to the harsh content of Einstein’s letter where he warned of the calamitous peril to the Jews posed by the Nazis. How do we react to awful things that happen in the world today? Do we turn a blind eye or just hope that things aren’t as bad as they are? Or do we take action and try to do all we can to stop awful things happening? In what ways can letter writing or petitions actually accomplish anything today? Think about how Amnesty International and others organise such things to exert pressure on leaders and governments to bring justice and peace to the world. Einstein managed to escape Nazi Germany in 1933...what of the millions of Jews and others throughout Europe who didn’t?

Some useful old and well worn sayings that can be slipped into some of these assemblies: ‘The road to hell is paved with good intentions’ and ‘It’s better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.’

Zombies hurt in Resident Evil film set accident
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15268321

What’s with our fascination with horror films?! Why do we like to get scared, and what are we scared of anyway? This storyline of collapsed staging on a film set of a horror movie with injured actors, and surprised (horrified?) Emergency Services is also well timed for Halloween, just a few weeks away. What is Halloween anyway? What do we think about evil in the world? What about heaven and hell and life after death? What do we really believe? And, more to the point, what does the Church teach? Or what about an assembly on the different ways we put up a front or wear a mask? How easily is it to drive fear into others, and is what we see always what we get? The paramedics who arrived at the scene thought, at first, that things were worse than they were—until they realised the blood and grisly scenes were mainly stage make up. Do we always fear or see the worst first?

Meerkats recognise others' voices
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/15255085

Made popular by the well known TV adverts and a spin off of merchandise and games, this news about real life Meerkats, lends itself well to exploring how we recognise others: who do we trust, and who do we really know? What does it mean to be part of a community? Do we really listen to people? Do we really value other people’s voices? Do we allow people a voice? Or are there certain people in our society and in the world who are silenced? And why are they silenced? What are people around us saying to us? Are they saying one thing but actually mean something else?

And, of course, this story automatically brings to mind the words of Jesus who describes himself as ‘The Good Shepherd,’ and how his sheep follow because they know his voice! (John 10: 1– 18). An assembly about belonging could more than easily be drawn from this story: who do we ultimately belong to?! What are our responsibilities toward one another? Before you know it you can be on to Baptism, the Church, and what it means to be created by God in the first place!

Stephen Sondheim to receive New York arts honour
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15253744

For certain young people musicals may not exactly be cool but, in fact, musicals are as popular as ever and there seems to be something for everyone! Music certainly does form a soundtrack to our lives. Just think of how many people these days request popular songs at funerals and how so many young people are lost without the obligatory earphones throwing music into their ears!

So you could easily explore the beauty of storytelling through song (what about Mary’s song, the Magnificat, or Zechariah’s Benedictus (Luke 1) or even the ways in which people can’t stop from singing in the Bible: just think how the People of God sang when they arrived safely through the Red Sea in Exodus 15 or how David danced in front of the Ark of the Covenant as it made its way to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6).

Alternatively, there is a whole assembly here on the importance of awards and accolade and recognition for work done. To whom would you give an award—and why?! What kind of award or reward are we promised by God? Look at St Paul’s passage on ‘the crown of life’ (2 Timothy 4:8) or how he rejects everything as rubbish in the light of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:8ff). Or what about the parable words of Jesus, ‘Well done good and faithful servant’ of Matthew 25:23? ‘Come and share your master’s joy.’ What would we like to be recognised for? Do we have plans or ambitions? And what is the driving force behind those ambitions?

How do we use music in our daily lives? Do we use certain songs to express how we feel? What about singing and chanting on the terraces, or giving a resounding display of our National Anthem at Sports events? Just think how certain factual programmes (sport, news, nature programmes, etc) use music to accompany images. Talk about the gift of music. Explore the Psalms: Psalm 150 is an obviously rich psalm when it comes to music making and worship. How do we participate in worship? Do we sing the hymns or mumble away or pretend not to be interested at all!

Woman gives birth hours after running Chicago Marathon
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15251624

Well, there are the obvious running images in the scriptures (‘I have run the race’ of 2 Timothy 4:7 or ‘I press towards the finishing line, to win the heavenly prize…’ of Philippians 3:14 or similarly in 2:16) but also what about looking at some pregnant women in the bible? Sarah and Hannah in the Old Testament, for example. Mary mainly comes to mind, of course, and her marathon trek from Nazareth to the hill country in Judah to see her also pregnant cousin Elizabeth. Or the difficult journey of the pregnant Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem often commemorated by the now ever popular Advent ‘Posada’ celebrations and how her trek is fulfilled in the birth of her son and Saviour. How significant is the birth of Jesus for us and the world? Look at the different ways in which the birth of Jesus is announced: to Mary, Joseph, shepherds etc).

So, there we are…. Just a quick journey through those random stories presented before me on the website this morning and from which you can prise a score of assemblies! It’s not particularly clever. They’re just there, waiting to be used!