Outline for a children's address for Education Sunday 2004: Putting out into the deep

Education Sunday will be celebrated on 8 February 2004. The theme is 'Putting out into the deep', referring to Luke 5.1-11. The resource material below is provided to supplement and complement the leaflet (PDF, 105 KB).

The following outline for a children's address has been written by Glenis Ruston. Meditations on Luke 5.1-11 and Isaiah 6.1-8 are also available.

Launching into the deep

I wonder if you like taking risks. I wonder what kind of risks you would take?

• Crossing the road while the red man is showing?
• Taking an exam without revising?
• Crossing the Channel in a rowing boat?
• Standing up to a bully who is picking on a friend?
• Bungee jumping?
• Trying a new food?

You could ask for ideas, have a vote on who would do what, include pictures of the activities, and even offer an unusual kind of food such as sushi to see how many children will try it.

There are different kinds of risks:

• Some risks are foolish or dangerous.
• Some need courage to act for another person.
• Some are exciting.
• Some introduce us to something new that we might find we enjoy.

Ask the children to decide which kind of risk is which. You could hold up pictures or cards with written labels displaying various 'risks'.

Next, using a children's version of the Bible or a Bible story book, tell the story found in Luke 5.1-11.

You, could include a mime, pictures or objects as illustrations, use different voices for the different characters, or play the story from the Faith Comes By Hearing series.

In this story Simon (Peter) takes a small risk and a big one. What was the small risk?

Fishing where Jesus told him to. Jesus wasn't a fisherman, so how would he know where the fish were? But because Jesus said so, Peter did it.

They caught an enormous number of fish. Peter was so amazed that he fell on his knees in front of Jesus. Doing what Jesus said had been a risk worth taking.

The next thing Jesus asked was a much bigger risk. What was it?

'Don't be afraid from now on you will catch men.' It doesn't say that he asked them to leave everything but that was just what they did. They left everything to follow Jesus. That really was a risk, but what kind of a risk? Was it foolish, dangerous, exciting, would it mean having to be brave, would it show them new things?

If there is time you could ask the children what they think.

Following Jesus can seem like a risk. He never said it would be easy and sometimes it will be difficult or frightening.

What kind of risks might we need to take?

At this point you could talk about what some of the risks miqht be or interview someone, young if possible, who has taken a risk for God.

Whatever the risks, it will be the best, most exciting, challenging, brilliant thing you con ever do.

All of my heart.
I reach up high.
I will dance I will sing.