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Choose from the following children's sermons:

• More Than One Way to Fish, Mark 1:14-20
  by Rev. Randy L Quinn  (see below)
   
• Fishers of People, Mark 1:14-20, by Latino in Wyoming
  and F. Schaefer (please scroll down)

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More Than One Way to Fish
a children's sermon based on Mark 1:14-20
by Rev. Randy L Quinn

I don’t know if any of you know it or not, but my father used to run a Charter Fishing Boat. He used to take people fishing every day. It was something he enjoyed, but it was also his job.

Do you know what he took in his boat when he went fishing? (I’ll let them answer. I suspect I’ll get answers such as: fishing poles, bait, nets, charts. I may not hear people suggest he also brought coffee and donuts and Dramamine as well as one-day salmon punch cards. And what about a radio and flares and life-jackets?)

He brought everything he needed for someone to go fishing. All they needed to do was show up. He would take them to a good fishing place and show them how to fish. But how do you think he knew where to fish? (He had been there before, he had a fish-finder, and he asked other fishermen.)

Sometimes he had to try different bait and sometimes he had to try different trolling speeds and sometimes he had to try different depths.

In our story today, Jesus meets some fishermen. I’m sure they knew all about fishing, too. I’m sure they tried different parts of the Sea and different kinds of nets.

So when Jesus invites them to help him “fish for people,” they already know there will not be just one way to invite people. That’s true for us, today, too. We all come to church for different reasons. Some people come to eat food. Some people come to hear music. Some people come to listen to ideas. Some people come to be healed.

Depending upon the particular needs of a person, our invitation to them will be different. But it’s important for each of us and for all of us to invite people. And when they get here, we will need to learn from my dad and have everything here they will need to participate – so we give them hymnals and bulletins and help them find a place to sit. But probably the most important thing we can do is to share our smile.

Let’s pray:

God, thank you for inviting us here today. Help us to invite other people to join us in the future. And when we see people we don’t know, help us make them feel welcome so they will want to come here again. Amen.

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Fishers of People
Children's Sermon Idea based on the gospel lesson
idea by Latino in Wyoming, developed further by F. Schaefer
Props: a small net or net-like material (perhaps an afghan).

Use your own words to re-tell the story of Jesus calling his first disciples. When you get to the Jesus' job description, "I will make you fishers of men (persons)..."GENTLY throw the net on top of some of the children and yell: "I got some, I got some."

Tell them: "I'm just doing what Jesus said his disciples should do."  Ask: "do you think this is what Jesus meant?" What did he mean by fishing for people?"  That's right, you're absolutely right!  Fishing for people doesn't mean to use fishing rods or nets to catch them--how silly of me.

But what does it look like to fish for people?

• to invite them to church

• to make connections with people, be their friend and helper

• to share about our faith with others in such a way that they may start praying and believing too.

Prayer: "Dear God, please help us to be good fishers of people.    We want to be good examples of your love and your care to our classmates, neighbor kids and friends.  Thank your for sending Jesus like a light into this dark world.   We pray for all those who are suffering hunger and hard times and ask you to bring peace and love to them.  Amen."