1. Paddington for Mothering Sunday
Why Paddington?
Surely he was an orphan?
MA110 Festivals
a time to reflect
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019

2. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019
Who has ever been on a journey? Who did you travel with? What did you take with you? Where were you going? Did you speak the same language as people there?
Who has ever been on a journey?
Who did you travel with? What did you take with you? Where were you going? Did you speak the same language as people there?
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019

3. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019
Aunt Lucy
This is a story you may know. Who has heard of Paddington Bear? Paddington was a young bear who lived with his elderly aunt. When she could no longer take care of him (she went to live in a home for retired bears), she felt the best thing for Paddington would be to journey across the world from his home in Peru, to England, where he could have a better life. So Paddington leaves Peru in a large ship, with a suitcase full of marmalade sandwiches (who has tried marmalade sandwiches?), which were his absolute favourite food, his duffle coat and his hat. And one other thing…
Who can tell me what the one other thing Paddington had on his journey was? (some discussion about tickets, passports, money etc may arise).
All good things for a journey. But the thing that we know for sure was the extra item that Paddington Bear had was a luggage label, tied to his coat.
Ask: Who knows what it said? That’s right ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you!’
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019

4. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019
Aunt Lucy couldn’t look after Paddington, but she hoped and prayed that someone would look after Paddington when he arrived in London.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019
© Carolyn Booth Nov 2010

5. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019
MA110 Festivals
Paddington was very lucky. The Brown Family happened to find him in Paddington Station in London, and they took him home with them and he became part of their family.
Some families care for children who cant live with their own parent. These can be foster parents or parents who choose to adopt a child to join their family.
We all need to belong to a family and to have people who care for us in the way that traditionally mothers have cared for children throughout history.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019

6. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Jan 2019
Please look after this child.
I am: ………………………..(name)
I live with: ………………… (who cares for me)
I love playing with: ………………………..
I like to eat: ………………………
Today I am looking for 2 children from the same family to help me.
(choose 2 or 3 pairs of children. Invite one of each pair to complete the label on this slide for their sibling, Check with each sibling who is undertaking this “journey” that the information suggested for the label is correct).
(Choose an extrovert child and someone totally unknown to them, possible a member of staff. Invite the child to complete a label for the unknown person.)
(Compare the answers the siblings gave to those given by the extrovert about someone relatively unknown. Did the extrovert get anything right other than their name?)
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Jan 2019

7. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019
When we belong to a family, we know a great deal of information about them. This creates a real sense of belonging.
Now I want you to really think about your mum or mother figure.
What is the one thing that they would love you to do for them or give them? It is not very sensitive to give flowers to someone who sneezes every time they enter a room with flowers. It is not very sensitive to organise a BIG party for someone who likes to be just with one or two people.
We can all care so see if you can think of something that is special for your own mum.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019

8. What will you do for Mothering Sunday?
We are thinking about Mothering Sunday. Today we can thank God for our mothers, and for those people who care for us. And we can show we love them by asking God to take care of them for us.
Thank you for making me part of a family, for giving me people to care for me and love me. Please look after children who are journeying to find safe places where people will care for them.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019

9. What will go on your label for your mum?
Please look after my mum.
Her name is: ………………………..
She enjoys: …………………
She loves: ………………………..
She likes to eat: ………………………
She is special because ……………..
If you were to write a “Paddington” style label for your mum, what would you put on it?
What would be on your label that is unlikely to be on anyone else's?
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019

10. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019
MA103 Say NO to Bullying
Today we have been thinking about how everyone including an orphan like Paddington, needs a mother figure who knows special things about us.
Who thinks that they are beginning to understand how important it is to belong to a family?
Who knows some things that make their mum special?
Let’s see if we can make this Mothering Sunday special for all our mothers.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Jan 2019