Collective Worship
Title: Hands
Theme: Different pairs of hands and the story behind each one
School: Secondary
Term: Spring Term (close to Easter)
Summary
Looking at different pairs of hands – one bringing enjoyment to people, one sacrificing and another avoiding responsibility.
Teachers’ Notes
Occasion: Around Easter time
Instructions:
The pictures should be shown on PowerPoint as the story is told. The ( ) shows when the slide should be changed. To attract the pupils’ attention, we recommend the first slide is already on display as they enter.
The Main Text
(Picture 1)
On 22 April 1916, Yehudi Menuhin was born.
Yehudi’s parents were Russians living in New York. They then moved to San Francisco where he was brought up. When he was 4 years old, he began to play the violin and by the time he was 7 years old, he surprised everyone by playing with the San Francisco Orchestra.
He became known as one of the best violin players of the 20th century, travelling the world to host concerts.
All the success he had could have gone to his head and turned him into a selfish man, but Yehudi insisted that his music would give enjoyment to as many people as he could, and he contributed a vast amount of his earnings to help people in need. He died at 82 years of age in March 1999.
His hands were the hands of a master on the violin and those hands brought enjoyment to thousands of people during his life.
(Picture 2)
The title of the picture you see now is The Praying Hands. The artist was Albrecht Durer and the picture has an interesting story. Albrecht was born in Nuremberg in Germany. He was from a poor family but a family who had a wealth of talent.
(Picture 3)
Albrecht had an older brother and both showed great promise as artists. But there wasn’t enough money for the two to have an education and so the eldest brother agreed to go out to work to pay for Albrecht’s education. It was hoped that he would then have an opportunity later on. Albrecht received his education but when it was time for his brother to have his chance, his hands had gone too big and clumsy to draw, because of his hard work. But, Albrecht decided that his brother’s sacrifice would not be forgotten; what he did was draw the hands of his brother praying. And that is what’s in the picture – the hands that sacrificed so that another person could have an opportunity.
(Picture 4)
When the author T. Rowland Hughes saw this picture, he wrote a hymn, which begins:
Dwy law yn erfyn sydd yn y darlun (In the picture are two hands praying)
Wrth ymyl fy ngwely i; (At my bedside)
Bob bore a nos mae’u gweddi’n un dlos (Every morning and night their prayer is beautiful)
Mi wn er na chlywaf hi. (I know although I can’t hear it)
(Picture 5)
What about the hands of Pontius Pilate? You may remember his story in the New Testament. We know very little about him – not even who his parents were or where he was born. And yet, Pilate is one of history’s most recognized figures – even though he only appeared on the platform of history very briefly.
Pilate was the man who thought he could not save Jesus Christ even though he wished to do so. As a symbolic gesture that he had nothing to do with crucifying Jesus, he washed his hands in front of the people. This symbolic action has become used time and again in literature throughout the ages. For example, Lady Macbeth, who washed her hands continuously after the murder of King Duncan, and asked “What, will these hands ne’er be clean?”
Pilate’s hands – hands avoiding responsibility.
(Picture 6)
The hands of Yehudi Menuhin, the hands of the brother of the artist -Albrecht Durer -and the hands of Pilate. Very different pairs of hands.
The hands that were so prepared to bring joy and support to others, the hands that were so prepared to sacrifice, and the hands that were so prepared to avoid responsibility.
What about our hands? Are our hands ones that are prepared to reach out and help? Are our hands prepared to sacrifice, or are they hands that always want to avoid responsibility?
(Picture 7)
As we approach Easter, we turn our thoughts to another pair of hands: the hands of Jesus, crucified on the Cross, and the nails that were driven through them. The hands that were a sign that He sacrificed His life for others.