Updated 24 October, 2003

3rd Sunday before Advent - 8/11/09

Remembrance Sunday ideas are available here

There is a moving presentation designed as a secondary school assembly on the Commonwealth War Graves website. It could be used with upper Primary pupils. The Royal British Legion also offers a downloadable Schools pack.

Theme: Get Ready to Get Ready

Bible Readings

Mark 1.14-20

Preparation

To find a picture for this assembly go to www.textweek.com/art/calling_disciples.htm

There are many well known paintings of Jesus calling the fisherman and you can find a number of them through this website. You may like to choose one which reflects a style of art which pupils are currently studying.

Half term is over, the leaves have left the trees, the nights are dark and midwinter suddenly seems to be approaching fast. And with midwinter comes Jesus, as the Christchild, born in Bethlehem. We start to get ready for Christmas and in the Church we enter the Kingdom season, the time when we prepare to prepare, for if Advent is the time when we prepare for the coming of Christ, in the Kingdom season we get ready for Advent.

It begins with All Saints Day on 1st November and All Souls Day on 2nd, when we remember those who have gone before us, then the church colour changes to red as we reflect on what the Kingdom of God, where Jesus comes as king, might require of us. And one of those things may be Repentance, confronting the fact that we need to give up our addiction to what is selfish or bad, and be prepared to change. The short Bible readings set for this week is about this.

The Story

I wonder if anyone can think of a way that they have changed recently? Just think on your own for a minute: is there a way in which you have changed recently?
Would anyone like to share what they have thought of with everyone else. You don't have to share what you have thought of, but if you would like to share we shall be interested. (Accept and celebrate all offerings: lost teeth, haircuts, new family members, bigger shoes etc. whatever is offered.)

We are going to hear a little story from the Bible in which people change. Listen carefully to the story from St Mark's Gospel in the New Testament and see if you can hear in what way the people changed. If you listen really hard, you might notice what it is. Let's listen very carefully together.

Read from the New Testament, from St Mark's Gospel Chapter 1, verses 14-20.

After the reading discuss what you heard. There were six people in the story. Can we work out who they were? (You may want to note down the names on a board.) Four of them did the same thing which involved a big change - what was it?

And at the beginning of the story, we hear about Jesus telling people who were listening to him speaking, to do something. Can anyone remember what it was? (If no one can remember, or even if they can, it may be helpful to re-read the few words at the beginning of the Gospel passage: 'Jesus proclaimed the Gospel from God saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and believe the Gospel."') I wonder what the word 'Repent' could mean? Would anyone like to try and explain for us.

Repent means to be sorry about bad things we have done; to regret having done something; to want to do things better. I wonder if there are things that you might want to repent of, things that you are sorry about? Sit quietly for a moment and see if you can think of anything. You don't need to share this with anyone else - it is just your own private thought. You may like to think, as well, how you might do this.

At this time of the year, as we being to think about Christmas getting closer, and remember about Jesus coming into the world, Christians start to prepare for the coming of Jesus as a baby. And one of the things they try to do to get ready, is to do what Jesus told people when he grew up, they try to repent. To think what they have done wrong, to say sorry, repent and follow Jesus a bit more closely. The four fishermen changed their life completely: they left their jobs and went to follow Jesus as his closest friends. But we can all change a bit, and try to be better people.

Prayer

You may like to turn out the lights before you light four candles to remind you of the four fishermen, Simon and Andrew, James and John.

Be still, look at the candles and let them remind you that Jesus came into the world like a light to show us the way. Listen to the words of the prayer and say Amen if you would like to, to make it your prayer.

Loving God,
you care dearly for each of us.
Be close to us,
help us to know what is right,
and to turn away from what is wrong
so that we, too, can shine as your lights in the world. Amen