Love

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Teachers and school support staff will be hailed as ‘unsung heroes’ in today’s online service from the Church of England, with the theme of Love in Action marking the start of the academic year.

Watch the sneak preview below, to see the children from St Thomas Church of England Academy read from 1 Corinthians 13.

The service will be broadcast on YouTube at 10am (Swiss time) and can be found, along with Paul’s weekly podcast, via the links to worship at the top of the Prayer and Worship page.

I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy clanging bell. 
I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have the knowledge and understanding of all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing. 
I may give away everything I have, and even give up my own body to be burned—but if I have no love, this does me no good.
Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not brag. Love is not proud. Love is not rude. Love is not selfish. Love does not become angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. Love always trusts. Love always hopes and continues strong.
Love is hope.

1 Corinthians 13 (1-8)
As read by staff and pupils at St Thomas Church of England Academy, part of the All Saints Multi Academy Trust, Birmingham

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What Love means to 4-8 year old kids …

Slow down for three minutes to read this. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds:

‘What does love mean?’
The answers they got were broader, deeper, and more profound than anyone could have ever imagined!
See what you think:

‘When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’
Rebecca- age 8

‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’
Billy – age 4

‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.’
Karl – age 5

‘Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.’
Chrissy – age 6

‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’
Terri – age 4

‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.’
Danny – age 8

‘Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.’
Bobby – age 7
(Wow!)

‘If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.”
Nikka – age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

‘Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.’
Noelle – age 7

‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.’
Tommy – age 6

‘During my piano recital , I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.’
Cindy – age 8

‘My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.’
Clare – age 6

‘Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.’
Elaine-age 5

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.’
Chris – age 7

‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him
alone all day.’
Mary Ann – age 4

‘I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.’
Lauren – age 4

‘When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.’ (what an image)
Karen – age 7

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross..’
Mark – age 6

‘You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.’
Jessica – age 8

And the final one:

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘Nothing, I just helped him cry’