Submitted by
S. Daly

Age Group
7-11

Aim
To appreciate our talents

Faith Group
Christian

Resources
Some pieces of work that shows a talent could be displayed

Other Details
The Hand Prayer (in the Ideas section) could be used at the end of this assembly
Children with performing talents could use them in this assembly e.g. dancing, playing music etc.

Script
1. Good morning. Today we are going to think about our talents.

2. I am a success. I passed my exams.

3. I am a success. I passed my exams with credit.

4. I am a success. I passed my exams and got top marks.

5. I failed my exams. I am their success.

6. There is a saying, "He is a Jack of all trades, but a master of none."
This means that you might be able to do everything, but you can't be good at everything.

7. The gift that enables us to do things is called a talent. It is given to us by God.

8. You can have a talent for: writing, running, singing, swimming, sewing, Maths, making people happy, helping, smiling and so on.

9. Some people have many talents. Some have only a few. Some may have only one.
Nobody has none.

10. It doesn't matter how many you have. What does matter is whether you use your talents or not.
If someone gave you a valuable gift, for example a new bicycle and you never used it at all, and you left it out to rust, how would the giver feel?

11. In the same way, God wants us to use the talents he has given us. He gave us talents to enjoy ourselves and to make the world a better place.
There is a story in the Bible that tells us this.
(Read Matthew 25. 14-26)

12. The third servant wasted what was given to him, like some of us waste our talents. The other two servants did a lot with what they were given, even though they were given different amounts.
It is the same with talents. God has made everyone in this world for a good reason. Everyone is needed and everyone, even those people who think they are not very clever, has a part to play in building God's kingdom. And everyone has been given one or more talents to do this.

13. But God has also given us free will, so we can decide whether to use our talents or not, and whether to use them for ourselves or to serve God.
For no matter how many talents we have, we shall do nothing worthwhile unless we do work with Jesus and serve God.

14. When Saint Paul was known as Saul, he was a very strong man, who used to catch and kill Christians.
On the road to a place called Damascus, God spoke to him and he realised he could use his talents better by helping the Christians.

15. He used his talents so well that, towards the end of his life, he was able to say,

PAUL: I'm proud of what I've been able to do, to make God's way known throughout the world. But it's only through Jesus that I've been able to do what I've done. There is one thing - and one thing only - I care to talk about, how Jesus has used me to help people of many lands to live in God's way.

16. Lord, we pray that those people, who do not yet know what their particular talents are, are helped by you to find out - and that they use them as you would wish them to. Amen.

17. We also pray that those people who do know what their talents are use them to serve God and others. Amen.

18. Lord Jesus, show us something to do for you, something loving to say, something kind to do, somebody to comfort, something lovely to make.
Help us to watch for chances to do your work, because we love you. Amen.

19. Lord, thank you for the joy that comes when we have done a good piece of work, even if it means doing it over and over again, as Jesus did in the carpenter's shop. Amen.

20. Lord Jesus, take me this day and use me. Take my lips and speak through them. Take my hands and work through them. Take my mind and think through it. Take my will and act through it. Amen.
We will now sing "All that I am" by Sebastian Temple (Celebration Hymnal for Everyone number 23).