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Jesus said, "Follow me and I will help you to connect with people." Let us follow him, but also learn from him how to relate to others.

Jesus, sometimes I'm content simply to follow you from afar.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm reluctant to share my inner being with others.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid that I shall put people off, that I fail to reveal my life-giving faith.
Lord, have mercy.

Mark 1:14-20

14. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15. and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." 16. As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen. 17. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." 18. And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

We don't all hear Jesus' call quite as clearly as Simon and Andrew, James and John. And we don't always know what will result from responding to God's call. This is a story in which Andrew unknowingly responded to God's call and inadvertently saved Joe from taking his own life.

Joe's mother was very worried about her son. The family had moved house a while ago, and Joe had been at his new school for three weeks. But his mother knew that he wasn't very happy. He didn't say much, but his face was long and his eyes had lost their sparkle and seemed so very lonely.

"Is everything all right?" Joe's mother asked.

Joe grunted and escaped to his room. The last thing he wanted was to have to answer his mother's questions.

After a further month when things seemed no better, Joe's mother said to him, "Look, would you like me to go to the school and have a word with one of your teachers?"

Joe was aghast. He shouted at his mother to leave him alone, but he let slip that he was so lonely and unhappy that he was seriously considering ending it all. His mother was horrified. She didn't know what to do, so she prayed hard for Joe.

********

Andrew noticed the strange new boy at school. Andrew was a bit of a loner, but he had a small group of friends which was all he needed. When they all set up a role play game, something made Andrew think of the new boy. "Hey!" he called to Joe. "Wanna join in?"

Joe shyly nodded. He didn't say or do much in that first game, but he did discover that he really enjoyed role-play games. He began to talk a bit to Andrew, and found that Andrew listened. They began to make tentative moves towards friendship.

When Joe asked his mother if he could have a friend for tea, she was very relieved. She realised that Joe's crisis of loneliness was over.

Joe and Andrew became firm friends and it was a friendship which lasted for the whole of their lives.

Andrew never knew that by responding to that inner call to invite Joe to join in a game he had probably saved Joe's life. He didn't really know that he had responded to God at all. He'd just done what seemed natural and right, but by doing that he had made himself a life-long friend and had become a fisher of men too.

He didn't know that either, but Joe's' mum knew and she thanked God for responding to her prayers.

You need:
A hoop-la game
A fishing game
A darts board with darts

If you don't have these games readily available, they can be easily made. A fishing game can be made using small fridge magnets as the fish, and a length of string with a paperclip at the end as the fishing line. A hoop-la game can be made with small plastic rings from a toy shop and suitable prizes, such as small bags of sweets, or small toys. The darts game can be either real darts (be careful!) or magnet darts.

Divide the children into three teams. Let each team spend five minutes at one of the games, then move everyone onto the next game, so that everyone experiences all three games. Keep scores and give out any prizes.

Then ask which game was easiest? Which was most difficult? It was probably easier to throw darts than to fish, and probably easier to fish than to land a hoop accurately. Point out that it's easier in life to throw darts at people than it is to capture them for Christ or to draw them into Christianity. Ask why people were drawn to Jesus? Ask what he meant when he told the disciples that they would fish for people? Ask whether we still fish for people today and how we should do that? Ask how easy that might be?

Diary Time: For details, click here.

Ask the children who introduced them to Christianity. It may well have been their parents, but might have been a friend. Ask them what persuades them to keep coming to church - friendship is usually very important here, as well as interest and fun. Let them write about or draw the person(s) who introduced them to Christ, and to add how they themselves might become "fishers of people".

Jesus our friend, loosen our lips so that those of us in the church can begin to chat to other people about you. Save us from threatening others in any way, but give us genuine friendship towards them, so that they too may be drawn into the love and friendship which you offer them.

Jesus our friend, may we begin to see others with your eyes. Help us to ignore skin colour or different customs or odd appearances or irritating habits, but to discover the real person underneath the outer layer.

Jesus our friend, may we help to build our community as a place of strength and love. Enable us to be Christian in our community and to avoid compromising our beliefs, no matter what the social pressure.

Jesus our friend, we ask your friendship especially today for those who are sick. Place your arms around them and pour your loving care into them, that they may know you for themselves and become well and strong.

May you go out into the world
with your eyes shining,
your hearts blazing
and your lips full of the word of God.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and for whom you pray,
now and always.
Amen.