Gathering song: Option 1

➜Song: ‘Look how much Jesus loves me!’ © Sharon Moughtin-Mumby

➜Tune: ‘Here we go Looby Loo’ (traditional).

If you’re using imaginative aids, ask 2-3 children to give them out.
Let’s show how much Jesus loves us with our bodies!

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Let’s stretch up as high as we can to the stars …

‘Higher than the sky!’

Now down as low, low, low as we can …

‘Deeper than the sea!’

And now let’s stretch out as wide as we can…

‘Wider than the sky!’
Let’s make a big shape with our body!

Bigger! Even bigger!

‘look how much Jesus loves me!’

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Let’s sing our song about how much Jesus loves us.
Higher than the stars!

Stretch up on tiptoes and reach high with ‘twinkle’ hands.

Deeper than the sea!

Crouch down and reach low, rippling fingers like water.

Wider than the sky!

Stand and stretch arms out

You may find it helpful to pause at this point each time to remind the children to make a ‘big shape’ with their body: ‘Big Shape!’

Look how much Jesus loves me! Big shape.

Jesus doesn’t just love us

when we’re calm and well behaved!

Jesus loves us all the time!

Let's all be cross! Can you show me cross?

Lead the children in singing along while making their chosen facial expression and action.

 

Example:

When I’m feeling cross! Cross face and action

When I’m feeling cross! Cross face and action

When I’m feeling cross! Cross face and action

Spoken: Big shape!

look how much Jesus loves me! Big shape

Repeat for different feelings, inviting the children to explore a range of positive and negative emotions. For instance:

When I’m feeling happy. . .

When I’m feeling sad. . .

When I’m feeling surprised. . .

When I’m feeling scared. . .

When I’m feeling excited. . .

When I’m feeling lonely. . .

When I'm feeling poorly...

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So many different feelings!

Yawn. I’m feeling tired after all that. Are you?

Can you show me tired?

Let’s all go to sleep and sing again.

This time at the end we won’t make our big shape.

Let’s fall fast asleep instead. . .

When I’m feeling tired,

When I’m feeling tired,

When I’m feeling tired,

look how much Jesus loves me! Yawn

Sing more reflectively while still miming falling asleep. Slow down towards the end as if going to sleep at night.

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Higher than the stars!

Deeper than the sea!

Wider than the sky!

Look how much Jesus loves me... 

End with a moment of sleepy silence.

Gathering song: Option 2

➜Song: ‘Jesus’ love is so wonderful!’ © Sharon Moughtin-Mumby

➜Tune: ‘The banana boat song (Day-O)’ (traditional). For the music see left.

Begin by encouraging the group to whisper quietly.

Jesus’ love is so wonderful. . .

Jesus’ love is so wonderful. . .

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If you’re using imaginative aids, ask 2–3 children to give them out. Encourage the children to warm up their imaginations by exploring making different shapes with their aids. Invite some children, one at a time, to lead the group in making a shape or action. See Book 1, p.220 for examples of actions for scarves or ribbons, but don’t limit the children’s imagination to these:
What else could these be?

Once the children have finished warming up. . .

We need an action for our song!

What action could show Jesus’s wonderful love?

Choose an action.

Let’s sing our song together. 

Add the tune to the words (the same as for the words ‘Daylight come and me want to go home’)

Jesus’ love is so wonderful. . . Children’s action

Jesus’ love is so wonderful. . . Children’s action

When you’re ready, start with the verses. The children may join in with the whole song, or just sing the repeated ‘Jesus’s love is so wonderful!’)

With the tune going down. . . (as for the words ‘Come Mr Tally Man, tally me banana)

Deeper than the deep, de-ep, deep sea! Move down slowly swaying.

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

Deeper than the deep, de-ep, deep sea! Move down slowly swaying.

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

Love! Jesus lo-o-ves me! Fireworks (wave scarves or ribbons above your head quickly) or similar.

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

Love! Jesus lo-o-ves me! Fireworks or similar

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

With the tune going up. . . (as for the words ‘Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch’. . .)

Higher than the stars above me! Reach up, swaying.

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

Higher than the stars above me! Reach up, swaying.

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

Love! Jesus lo-o-ves me! Fireworks or similar

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

Love! Jesus lo-o-ves me! Fireworks or similar

Jesus’ love is so wonderful! Children’s action.

Repeat the verses as you like. You can even mix the verses together, aiming for the tune to go downwards for the ‘deep sea’ and upwards for the ‘stars up above me’.

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