Before coming here, I knew some of what TVYFC was doing but came in with no expectations of what I’d be doing. During our staff training they taught us ways to do assemblies and had us practice leading several examples.
Once I got to York and started getting involved in the schools here, I found that my team mate (Bella Cones) and I were going to help a woman in the primary school do weekly assemblies so that the students would know basic Bible stories.
So going in, I thought ‘great, since I have seen and done examples of assemblies in training it should not be that different.’ It turned out to be far from what I expected. Each assembly I have done for the past 8 weeks has been different from the last. We’ve acted out stories ourselves, had the students dress up, read the stories to them, and also used puppets.
Yes, you read me correctly, puppets. If you were to tell me before getting to England that I would be doing ministry through puppets, I would have laughed at you and thought how could that even be done. But to my surprise, it can be done and has been one of (if not) the most popular assemblies we’ve done thus far.
The assembly we did with puppets involved one of us talking with a puppet about a story in the Old Testament. After that four of us ‘sang’ a song from a popular tune to words about Jesus. At first you think that doing puppets is a breeze, but you are most definitely mistaken. Having to hold your hands straight up, while mouthing correctly so that the puppet is believable, making sure the heads of the puppets are looking down so that they are looking at the students the whole time, as well as stepping from side to side keeping beat. Put that all together and it is tiring and difficult.
Before coming here and even in staff training, I thought there was a system or way of doing assemblies that would be most effective, but I have learned that it is the creative and ‘out there’ assemblies that the students enjoy and remember. This week I’m doing a monologue as Moses recounting him killing the Egyptian and the burning bush account. Never would have thought my childhood acting would pay off in such unexpected ways.
About the Author
DANIEL HEBERT
Sherman, TX | 23
PROJECT: York
Daneil attended Baylor University and studied religion. Between undergrad and graduate school, Daniel had the desire to spend some time serving abroad. He is excited for the year to come!
