Toby Hears The Call
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
When Jesus saw the people he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless. Is he calling you today to become a shepherd for his sheep?
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, I wonder why you don't call me to work for you?
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, I'm happy to work for you as long as I don't have to change anything in my life.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, help me to tune into your voice so that I may hear your call, and then to respond.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Matthew 9:35-10:8 (NRSV)
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [37] Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; [38] therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
[10:1] Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. [2] These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; [3] Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; [4] Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
[5] These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, [6] but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [7] As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.
Story:
Sometimes we feel that God has not called us to anything special and that can feel as though we aren't worthy to be called. But actually God calls all of us. If we really want to respond to God's call, we need to learn to hear and identify his voice.
In this story, Toby isn't sure whether he has heard his master calling, or whether it's his own imagination and yearning.
Toby Hears The Call
Toby pricked up his ears. He stood stock still, only his nose quivering as he listened intently for the call. He couldn't remember how long he had lived in the forest. He could only just remember Mr Digby, who had been his master. But he could remember very well that fateful day when Mr Digby had put him into the car and taken him for a ride.
Toby had been so excited. He loved the car and would sit with his nose pressed against the window as they sped along roads, up and down hills, round corners, through woods, past fields and at last into the forest. As soon as Mr Digby had opened the back of the car, Toby had shot out like a bullet from a gun and had sped into the forest. He had capered and played and jumped and rolled until he was so tired he could hardly stand. Then he had looked around for Mr Digby, but Mr Digby was nowhere to be seen.
Toby had trotted around for a while with his nose snuffling the ground, trying to sniff for Mr Digby. But he was unable to detect any of Mr Digby's scent. Then he had started to howl as loudly as he could, until some of the forest deer chased him away and a fox bared its teeth at him. Then he had slunk into some undergrowth and fallen asleep.
Each day since then he had hunted for Mr Digby, but without success. Toby knew he had been in the forest for a long time, because he was aware that he had grown. But he didn't know whether that had been weeks, months or years.
He had learned a lot, being on his own. He had learned to hunt for his own food, he had learned to keep clear of the bog in the centre of the forest (having once fallen in and smelt terrible for days), and he had learned to be wary of some animals and humans. Most of the time he was content, especially now that the weather was warm and sunny.
But he still yearned for Mr Digby, even though deep in his heart Toby suspected that Mr Digby was far away by now and unlikely to return. And there was another problem too. It had been Toby's own fault that he was lost, so perhaps Mr Digby was so angry with him that he would never want him back. Toby felt cold whenever this thought occurred to him.
Today Toby wandered further away from the part of the forest he had come to look upon as "home". And now he had heard a sound. At least, he thought it was a sound, but he wasn't sure. He so longed for it to be Mr Digby's call, but it was so very faint and quiet that he had to strain to hear anything. Then again, perhaps it was nothing, just Toby's imagination running riot.
He was rather afraid to move in the direction from which he thought perhaps the call had come. If he went too far that way, he might become lost again and never find his way back to his forest home. And he might very well have been wrong. Why should Mr Digby come back for him after all this time?
But Toby couldn't help himself. He found himself trotting down a strange path going far away from his forest home, just in case it had been Mr Digby's call. After a while he thought perhaps he heard the call again, but it was still very faint and he still wasn't sure. Nonetheless it heartened him and he set off faster.
Toby ran and ran until he was nearly too tired to go another step. But then he heard a familiar whistle and the words, "Come on, Toby! Here boy!" Toby raced into the forest car park and leapt at Mr Digby, who was so thrilled that tears began to trickle down his cheeks.
"Well, well, now! After all this time! I've been here every day for two years calling for you. I began to think you'd never hear me. Let me look at you -- you've grown into a fine dog!" And Mr Digby hugged and cuddled Toby. Then he said seriously, "Do you want to come home with me, boy? After all, you've been on your own for a long time now. You may prefer to stay in the forest."
But Toby licked Mr Digby's face until he had no licks left, then he jumped into the car. He settled down with his head on his paws, full of the most supreme joy he had ever known. At last he had heard and heeded his master's call and now he was going home where he belonged.
Activity:
You need:
An empty baked bean can for each child
A length of string between every two children
A skewer
Mobile phones (the children may have their own)
With the skewer, make a hole in the bottom of each baked bean can. Thread one end of the string through the hole and knot to keep securely in place. Then thread the other end through another can, and knot. With the children in pairs, give a message to one child out of each pair and get them to tell their partner through the "telephone". Let the children have a few goes at this.
Ask them how easy it was to hear the message? What got in the way of hearing the message? (Other people's voices, poor equipment, unclear message). Now try the same idea but using mobile phones. Give the children a message and get them to text each other with the message. How easy was that? Was it clearer? Why was it clearer? (No distractions from other people, clear message, good equipment.)
Ask how they would expect to hear a message from God? (Through the Bible, Sunday School teacher, priest, parents, in their hearts, in their heads, through coincidences, through dreams, through advertising hoardings etc.)
Ask how they could hear the message more clearly? (By focusing on God, by spending time with God in prayer, by spending time alone, by learning more from the Bible and reading the Bible, by expecting to hear God and looking out for his message, by following their instincts even though they might be wrong.)
Prayers:
Loving God, help our church to listen for your voice and then to make ourselves ready to be labourers in the harvest. May we hear your call and follow your guidance as we seek to bring others to Jesus.
Loving God, open the hearts and minds of those in authority in every walk of life. May they respond to your call and give of their best as they determine the plight of those who are subject to them.
Loving God, take away all distractions from our lives as we try to listen for your voice. Help us to identify your message and then to follow you wherever you may lead.
Loving God, we pray for those who are sick, naming them before you and asking for your healing touch upon them ....
Blessing:
May you focus on God,
learn to identify his voice
and respond to his call.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
When Jesus saw the people he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless. Is he calling you today to become a shepherd for his sheep?
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, I wonder why you don't call me to work for you?
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, I'm happy to work for you as long as I don't have to change anything in my life.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, help me to tune into your voice so that I may hear your call, and then to respond.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Matthew 9:35-10:8 (NRSV)
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [37] Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; [38] therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
[10:1] Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. [2] These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; [3] Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; [4] Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
[5] These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, [6] but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [7] As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.
Story:
Sometimes we feel that God has not called us to anything special and that can feel as though we aren't worthy to be called. But actually God calls all of us. If we really want to respond to God's call, we need to learn to hear and identify his voice.
In this story, Toby isn't sure whether he has heard his master calling, or whether it's his own imagination and yearning.
Toby Hears The Call
Toby pricked up his ears. He stood stock still, only his nose quivering as he listened intently for the call. He couldn't remember how long he had lived in the forest. He could only just remember Mr Digby, who had been his master. But he could remember very well that fateful day when Mr Digby had put him into the car and taken him for a ride.
Toby had been so excited. He loved the car and would sit with his nose pressed against the window as they sped along roads, up and down hills, round corners, through woods, past fields and at last into the forest. As soon as Mr Digby had opened the back of the car, Toby had shot out like a bullet from a gun and had sped into the forest. He had capered and played and jumped and rolled until he was so tired he could hardly stand. Then he had looked around for Mr Digby, but Mr Digby was nowhere to be seen.
Toby had trotted around for a while with his nose snuffling the ground, trying to sniff for Mr Digby. But he was unable to detect any of Mr Digby's scent. Then he had started to howl as loudly as he could, until some of the forest deer chased him away and a fox bared its teeth at him. Then he had slunk into some undergrowth and fallen asleep.
Each day since then he had hunted for Mr Digby, but without success. Toby knew he had been in the forest for a long time, because he was aware that he had grown. But he didn't know whether that had been weeks, months or years.
He had learned a lot, being on his own. He had learned to hunt for his own food, he had learned to keep clear of the bog in the centre of the forest (having once fallen in and smelt terrible for days), and he had learned to be wary of some animals and humans. Most of the time he was content, especially now that the weather was warm and sunny.
But he still yearned for Mr Digby, even though deep in his heart Toby suspected that Mr Digby was far away by now and unlikely to return. And there was another problem too. It had been Toby's own fault that he was lost, so perhaps Mr Digby was so angry with him that he would never want him back. Toby felt cold whenever this thought occurred to him.
Today Toby wandered further away from the part of the forest he had come to look upon as "home". And now he had heard a sound. At least, he thought it was a sound, but he wasn't sure. He so longed for it to be Mr Digby's call, but it was so very faint and quiet that he had to strain to hear anything. Then again, perhaps it was nothing, just Toby's imagination running riot.
He was rather afraid to move in the direction from which he thought perhaps the call had come. If he went too far that way, he might become lost again and never find his way back to his forest home. And he might very well have been wrong. Why should Mr Digby come back for him after all this time?
But Toby couldn't help himself. He found himself trotting down a strange path going far away from his forest home, just in case it had been Mr Digby's call. After a while he thought perhaps he heard the call again, but it was still very faint and he still wasn't sure. Nonetheless it heartened him and he set off faster.
Toby ran and ran until he was nearly too tired to go another step. But then he heard a familiar whistle and the words, "Come on, Toby! Here boy!" Toby raced into the forest car park and leapt at Mr Digby, who was so thrilled that tears began to trickle down his cheeks.
"Well, well, now! After all this time! I've been here every day for two years calling for you. I began to think you'd never hear me. Let me look at you -- you've grown into a fine dog!" And Mr Digby hugged and cuddled Toby. Then he said seriously, "Do you want to come home with me, boy? After all, you've been on your own for a long time now. You may prefer to stay in the forest."
But Toby licked Mr Digby's face until he had no licks left, then he jumped into the car. He settled down with his head on his paws, full of the most supreme joy he had ever known. At last he had heard and heeded his master's call and now he was going home where he belonged.
Activity:
You need:
An empty baked bean can for each child
A length of string between every two children
A skewer
Mobile phones (the children may have their own)
With the skewer, make a hole in the bottom of each baked bean can. Thread one end of the string through the hole and knot to keep securely in place. Then thread the other end through another can, and knot. With the children in pairs, give a message to one child out of each pair and get them to tell their partner through the "telephone". Let the children have a few goes at this.
Ask them how easy it was to hear the message? What got in the way of hearing the message? (Other people's voices, poor equipment, unclear message). Now try the same idea but using mobile phones. Give the children a message and get them to text each other with the message. How easy was that? Was it clearer? Why was it clearer? (No distractions from other people, clear message, good equipment.)
Ask how they would expect to hear a message from God? (Through the Bible, Sunday School teacher, priest, parents, in their hearts, in their heads, through coincidences, through dreams, through advertising hoardings etc.)
Ask how they could hear the message more clearly? (By focusing on God, by spending time with God in prayer, by spending time alone, by learning more from the Bible and reading the Bible, by expecting to hear God and looking out for his message, by following their instincts even though they might be wrong.)
Prayers:
Loving God, help our church to listen for your voice and then to make ourselves ready to be labourers in the harvest. May we hear your call and follow your guidance as we seek to bring others to Jesus.
Loving God, open the hearts and minds of those in authority in every walk of life. May they respond to your call and give of their best as they determine the plight of those who are subject to them.
Loving God, take away all distractions from our lives as we try to listen for your voice. Help us to identify your message and then to follow you wherever you may lead.
Loving God, we pray for those who are sick, naming them before you and asking for your healing touch upon them ....
Blessing:
May you focus on God,
learn to identify his voice
and respond to his call.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
