🧠 WHOLESOME MIND: CAUGHT AND RENEWED
The story of the Miraculous Catch (Luke 5:1–11)
👉 Objective
Children will learn that trusting Jesus and being flexible when things don’t go as planned can lead to wonderful surprises and chances to help others.
🟦 Introduction (5 minutes)
Good morning, everyone! Today, we’re going on an adventure to hear a super cool story about a fisherman named Simon Peter and how his life changed when he met Jesus! Sometimes, things happen that we don’t expect, like when your playtime gets interrupted, or your favourite toy breaks. It might feel a little bit sad when our plans change. But guess what? Just like Simon Peter, we can learn to trust Jesus and be flexible, and amazing things can happen! Let’s make the Sign of the Cross together and then take a quiet moment to get our minds ready for our story.
📖 Storytelling and discussion: Jesus Calls Peter (15 minutes)
Watch the video of the story together. After ask the students to quickly say the story in their own words. You can also animate the story yourself using the PowerPoint and following the adapted story provided.
“Wow, what an amazing story! Can anyone tell me in their own words what happened in the video? What did Simon Peter do? What did Jesus do?”
(Encourage children to share parts of the story. Guide them with simple prompts if needed.)
🟦 Short Discussion
Now, let’s think talk about some important points in the story:
- What did Jesus ask Simon Peter to do with his boat?
- Jesus asked Simon Peter if He could get into his boat and use it to teach the people from the water.
- What happened when Simon Peter listened to Jesus and put his nets in the water again?
- They caught so many fish that the nets started to break, and both boats were filled with fish! It was a big miracle!
- What did Jesus tell Simon Peter he would do after catching all those fish?
- Jesus told Simon Peter that from now on, he would be “fishing for people,” meaning he would help others learn about Jesus and follow Him.
👐 Reflective Activity – Worry Boats Prayer Activity (15 minutes)
Objective: Children will learn to trust Jesus just like Peter did, with their worries and their questions.
Materials
- A small paper boat for each child (you can pre-fold them or have a simple template for them to cut out).
- A bowl of water.
- Crayons or markers.
Activity – Instructions
- Give everyone a special paper boat. Ask them to think about anything that worries them. Maybe it’s a new school, changing homes or a friend who is sad. It could be anything that feels a little nervous right now.
- On the paper boat, ask them to draw a picture or write a word about that worry.
- Remind them how Simon Peter trusted Jesus even when things were hard. We can trust Jesus too! Even when we have worries, Jesus can help us and make good things better.
- Now, explain that they will take their worry boats and gently place them in the water. As they put their boat in the water, tell them to imagine that they are giving their worry to Jesus. They are trusting Him to help them with it, just like Simon Peter trusted Jesus with his fishing.
(Allow children to place their boats in the water. You can have a quiet moment of reflection as they do this.)
🟦 Conclusion (5 minutes)
Summary: Just like Simon Peter, we all have times when things don’t go as planned, or we feel a little worried. But when we trust in Jesus and are ready to try new things, He can use our situations to do amazing things! He can help us find new talents, be brave when we’re scared, and become ‘fishers of people’ – sharing His love with everyone around us. Let’s always remember to listen to Jesus, even when it’s hard, and trust that He has a wonderful plan for each of us!
🙏 Prayer: Dear Jesus, Help us trust you even when things are difficult or unexpected. Please help us to be brave and to use what we are good at to help others and share your love. Amen.
🧠 Wholesome Mind – Caught and Empowered
The Miraculous Catch (Luke 5: 1-11)
👉 Objective
The students will be able to identify how trusting in Jesus and adapting to life’s interruptions can lead to unexpected blessings and opportunities to serve others.
🟦 Introduction (5 minutes)
Good morning, everyone! Today, we are going to explore a fascinating story about a fisherman named Simon Peter and how his life changed when he met Jesus. Sometimes, things happen that we don’t expect, and it might feel like our plans are interrupted. But, like Peter, we can learn to trust and adapt, and amazing things can happen! Let’s make the sign of the cross before we watch the video and spend a moment of silence to calm down and get ready to start.
📖 Storytelling: Jesus Calls Peter (15min)
Watch the video of the story together. After ask the students to quickly say the story in their own words. You can also animate the story yourself using the PowerPoint and following the adapted story provided.
After you can use an interactive activity so that students become more engaged with the story before briefly discussing some important points.
👐 Reflective Activity – Worry Boats Prayer Activity (15 min)
- Objective: The students will be able to identify areas in their lives where they feel helpless or lack confidence and express an act of trust in God by symbolically surrendering these concerns to Him.
- Materials: a paper boat for each student (or a template of a boat where the students can cut around it) and a bowl of water
- Activity – Instructions
- Give each student a small paper boat.
- Ask them to think about any inconveniences or challenges they are currently facing in their lives.
- Have them write or draw these inconveniences on their paper boats.
- Explain that, like Simon, they can trust that even in these challenges, God can bring about good.
- Invite them to place their paper boats in the water as an act of trust in God, symbolizing that they are giving their worries and lack of confidence to Him.
🟦 Brief Discussion of the story (5 minutes) – use the PowerPoint
- How did Simon Peter’s plans change when Jesus got into his boat?
- Simon was washing his nets, probably planning to go home after a long night of fishing, but Jesus interrupted his plans by asking to use his boat. This shows that sometimes our life is interrupted by incidences that just happen whether we like it or not.
- Why did Simon agree to let down his nets again even though he was tired and hadn’t caught any fish all night?
- Simon trusted Jesus. Even though it seemed very unlikely they would catch anything since they had stayed up all night and caught nothing, he listened to Jesus’ request. This highlights that sometimes our reasoning arrives at a point of becoming reasonable enough to have faith, not in ourselves, but in another- in Jesus!
- What happened when Simon trusted Jesus and followed his instructions?
- They caught so many fish that their nets began to break, and both boats were filled! This demonstrates that now that Simon trusted Jesus and obeyed His commands, he and his friends could witness an astonishing miracle.
- How did Simon feel after the miraculous catch?
- Simon was amazed and felt unworthy, saying, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”. This shows that Simon felt unworthy of such a great help: he has finally caught a great number of fish, and his low self-esteem was gone.
- What did Jesus ask Simon to do at the end?
- Jesus told Simon that he would now be “fishing for people,” meaning he would help bring others to know and follow Jesus. This captures Simon’s imagination—his sense of what life could be, of what he could become, of what really matters.
🟦 Conclusion (5 min)
Summary: Just like Simon Peter, we all face interruptions and challenges in our lives. But when we trust in Jesus and are willing to adapt, He can use our situations to do amazing things. He can help us discover new talents, overcome our fears, and become “fishers of people,” sharing His love with everyone around us. Let’s remember to listen to Jesus, even when it’s hard, and trust that He has a plan for each of us.
🙏 Prayer: Dear Jesus, Help us to trust in you, even when things are difficult or unexpected. Show us how to use our talents and experiences to help others and share your love. Amen.
🧠 WHOLESOME MIND: CAUGHT AND RENEWED
The story of the Miraculous Catch (Luke 5:1–11)
🟦 INTRODUCTION (5 mins)
`1. Engaging Opener
- The animator begins by asking:
- 👉 “What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘wholesome’?”
- Invite a few responses and affirm all contributions.
2. Link to the Series
- Explain that wholesome means “full, complete, and well-integrated.”
- The Wholesome Storytelling Series helps us explore how to become whole in:
💓 Heart
🧠 Mind
💪🏼 Body (Strength)
🔥Soul
3. Set the Scene
- “Today’s story is about the mind and its capabilities.” What do you think about this?
- Through the story of the Miraculous catch, we are going to hear about how despite all its strength, our mind can be caught in moments of discouragement and unworthiness. However, there is always hope for renewal and empowerment! We’re calling it: “Wholesome Mind: Caught and Renewed.”
📖 FIRST READING (Luke 5:1–11) – Optional Full Reading (5 mins).
- Animator leads the Sign of the Cross and reads the passage from the Bible or screen.
- Then asks:
- “Have you heard this story before?”
- “What stood out to you?”
- Listen openly and without correcting — this moment is about encounter.
Introduce the 3 Core Points:
- Nudged toward meaningful engagement – Moving from mental comfort to life-changing encounters
- Beyond the Depths of Our Disappointments – Finding reason to embark on a journey of trust in God
- Our Mind is Renewed and Made Whole – Allowing ourselves to be caught and empowered
🟪 PART 1 (2 mins) – Reading verses 1–3:
NUDGED TOWARD MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT – MOVING FROM MENTAL COMFORT TO LIFE-CHANGING ENCOUNTERS
Animator’s Talking Points + Questions:
- Simon was absentmindedly washing his nets when Jesus came in the scene.
👉 We heard the story. When do we zone out or go into ‘nothing mode’? After failure? When tired?
- Jesus interrupts Simon and asks him to move his boat so that he could use it.
👉 How do we react when someone or something disrupts our rest or mental break to ask something – even gently – from us?
- Simon makes space for Jesus — a subtle, reluctant “yes” – and had to hear him teach from his boat.
👉 What can we learn when God or someone or life demands something from us at inconvenient times?
🛶 Activity: Boats of Inconvenience (3 mins):
- Give students a small paper boat or show them how to fold them.
- Invite them to write one or more “inconveniences” or interruptions they are dealing with currently.
- These will be used later in the water reflection.
🟨 PART 2 (2 mins) – Reading verses 4–5:
BEYOND THE DEPTHS OF OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS – FINDING REASON TO EMBARK ON A JOURNEY OF TRUST
- Simon is now asked to act. He resists, saying it’s pointless — but adds, “But at your word…”
👉 Have you ever been so tired or defeated that you thought, “Might as well try one more time”?
- Jesus isn’t a fisherman, yet Simon risks trusting Him.
👉 Is there an area in your life where trusting someone else or God might be wiser than doing it all yourself?
🕊️ Activity: The Act of Trust (3 mins):
- Invite students to reflect on a situation where they feel helpless or unsuccessful.
- Ask them to place their paper boat into a bowl or container of water, symbolizing an act of trust in God – if you have no container and water, they can always come out to put them on a specially dedicated table.
🟩 PART 3 (2 mins) – Reading verses 6–11:
OUR MIND IS RENEWED AND MADE WHOLE – ALLOWING OURSELVES TO BE CAUGHT AND EMPOWERED
Animator’s Talking Points + Questions:
- The catch happens — and Simon is overwhelmed.
👉 Have you ever experienced something good that made you feel unworthy?
- Simon says “Depart from me…” — a response to encountering holiness while feeling small.
👉 Sometimes, being shaken up helps us grow — when has this happened in your life?
- Jesus doesn’t leave — He invites.
👉 What does it mean to be “caught” like that? Encouraged? Save? Loved despite our failings?
🤝 Activity: Fisher of Men (3 mins):
- Invite students to turn to someone nearby.
- Each person should:
- Bless the other by naming a talent or strength they see in them.
- Encourage them to use it for good — for others, and for God.
🙏 CLOSING
- A short prayer of trust and renewal:
“Lord, even when we are tired, empty, or unsure, help us trust You.
Step into our boats, interrupt our nothingness, and fill us with purpose.
Renew our minds, that we may live whole and empowered lives. Amen.”
