1. Generosity will be rewarded.
Tom’s Special Apple
Generosity will be rewarded.
Festivals
Hello,
Todays story is about how being generous is often rewarded. It is called “Tom’s Special Apple”
Tom lived in a small house with a big garden at the edge of a town. It used to be his great grandparents house and although Tom had moved in nearly a year ago with his parents and little sister Ella there were still things to explore as the garden kept changing with the season.
In one corner were 4 trees with fruit on them,
* two had apples,
* one had a very few pears, but the leaves were a bit shrivelled and
one had had lots of juicy plums, that were delicious, but the wasps also thought they were delicious so Tom and Ellie had to be very careful not to get stung.
Dad and mum had picked most of the plums but the ones on the ground Tom and Ella were told not to touch unless mum or dad was with them to check for the wasps.
Today Tom is sitting looking at one of the apple trees. It had a really big apple towards the top of the tree. Tom had been watching this apple grow for several days.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014

2. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014
Festivals
“That’s my apple thought Tom, “it will be the juiciest I have ever tasted”. Later that day Dad came into the garden with a big box to put the apples in. He picked a complete boxful, but couldn’t reach Tom’s special apple. Tom was disappointed. Dad tried to reach the apple from the step ladder, but it was no good. He tried standing on a high stool by the main trunk, - again no good. Dad said, “I’m too heavy to climb this tree and that apple is just out of my reach so we will have to wait until it falls down.”
Tom was crestfallen*. ( pause to check understanding) If the apple fell it would be bruised and the wasps might get to it first. Then it would no longer be his “special apple”.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014

3. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014
Festivals
Dad looked at Tom and could see tears welling up in his eyes. “Well” said dad “there is one more thing we could try. If I shake the branches do you think you would be able to catch the apple as it falls?”
Tom nodded. Dad began shaking the branch and a tiny apple fell off. Tom missed it as he was concentrating on the special apple. Tom kept his eye on his apple. Dad shook and swayed the branch. Down came the apple. Tom dived and caught it! Dad was impressed! To Tom it seemed even larger and rosier now that he was close up to it.
Dad said “That’s a lovely apple we will take it and a few others to church for the Harvest Festival on Sunday.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014

4. How do you think Tom was feeling now?
Festivals
How do you think Tom was feeling now?
Happy to have his apple?
Disappointed that he couldn’t eat his apple right now?
Upset?
Sad?
Crestfallen?
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014

5. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014
Festivals
On Sunday Tom and Ella went to the church with their decorated box of apples and carefully carried it to the front of the church before the service and gave it to a lady who was making all the gifts look like a display. “oh what lovely apples!” she said. “they look lovely”. Tom was not able to smile, but Ella beamed at the lady and said “ they grew in our garden”.
When Tom got back to where Mum and Dad were sitting he leaned against his dad. He could see his special big apple still on top of his decorated box. It was shining beautifully as they had used a cloth to polish all the apples.
The vicar, Reverend Perry, began the service and they all sang “All things Bright and Beautiful”. Then Reverend Perry began his talk.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014

6. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014
Festivals
“I am looking for something bright and beautiful.” he said as he walked along the display of vegetables and fruit. There were marrows, carrots, potatoes, a small pumpkin, grapes in boxes from the supermarket, a big cabbage and some lettuces and a big box of red tomatoes, along with some tins of fruit and beans. “Just the thing” said the vicar reaching out for Tom’s apple.
“This is a very special apple.” he said, holding it up for everyone to see. “It needed a lot of sunshine to make it as bright and red as this. … I wonder who sent the sunshine?”
“God did” said a girl in a blue top. Reverend Perry nodded and then said “ I wonder who sent the rain to make it so juicy?” “God” called out Ella, Tom’s sister
“And who gave us trees and fruit to enjoy?” Lots of hands went up this time. “God” said Tom’s friend Paul.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014

7. © Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014
Festivals
“Well done all of you!” said Reverend Perry. “I have one last question. Who would you say this apple really belongs to?” Tom put up his hand and wanted to say “me” but all the other children called out “God.”
Reverend Perry looked around the congregation*. He spotted Mrs Spencer wo was an elderly lady who was pushed to church in a wheel chair as she found it difficult to walk far.
“I know Mrs Spencer loves apples,” said Reverend Perry, “and when she had to move out of her house she had to give up her garden and apple trees. I think we should give this apple to her. Who would like to do that?”
Many hands went up. Tom was still feeling upset, but he too put up his hand. Reverend Perry spotted Tom’s hand up and said, “Tom, will you be our delivery boy.”
Tom moved forward and carefully took the special apple from Reverend Perry. He walked towards Mrs Spencer and put the apple gently in her thin crooked hands.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014

8. How do you think Tom was feeling now?
Festivals
“Oh! It really is a special apple.” murmured Mrs Spencer. “Yes I know it is !” whispered Tom and, for the first time that morning, Tom smiled and Mrs Spencer’s smile matched his own.
Tom had a warm glow inside him and walked proudly back to his parents – no sign of tears now!
How do you think Tom is feeling now?
Is there anyone here who has had a similar experience, firstly wanting something for themselves but then realising how much more it meant to someone else? (Pause to accept responses)
Let us see if we can become more like Tom and understand that even if we really really want something for ourselves sometimes it can give us even more pleasure to see someone else really valuing it.
Thank you for Listening and responding to today’s assembly.
© Mirror Assemblies - Carolyn Booth Sept 2014