Added on 03 Mar 2008
Aim
Friendly is the value being covered by the school.
Drama
(Person 1 – wearing black/white scarf)
Person 1: Hey everyone, I reckon Newcastle is THE BEST football team! I'm a real fan of Kevin Keagan, of course. Look what a marvellous team he put together last time he was manager. He's gonna bring back the 'good times' for the 'Magpies'!
Person 2: Why do you want to support them? They're useless! They've been no good since Alan Shearer left! Kevin Keagan will have to perform a MIRACLE to get them back into their winning ways … and who have they signed? … Have you ever heard of them?! Now if you want to support a northern team, how about Middlesborough? (hands red/white sweatshirt and scarf to Person 1). They've got a lot of good young English players. Good looking ones too!
Person 1: Really? Mmm … (changes scarves and holds up sweatshirt) Nice scarf … and red is my favourite colour!
(Person 1 – holding blue scarf)
Person 3: No you don't want to follow Middlesborough … they always let you down! Now … here's a GREAT team … EVERTON … 'the toffees'. Wayne Rooney used to play for them AND they won the FA cup a few times too.
(Person 1 – looking very impressed)
Person 1: Oh really? Wow … When was that then? (taking and putting on the blue scarf)
Person 3: Oh that was 20 years ago … I shouldn't bother with them. They are really struggling now! They can't seem to hold onto their best players at all, and they aren't even the best team in Liverpool!
(Person 1 – taking off scarf and throwing to one side and picking up golf club)
Person 1: As I was saying … I'm really into golf …!
Title needed
Does this seem familiar to you? Person 1 was persuaded to change his football team because of the influence of his so called friends. He did not show really team loyalty. Do you know that word? It means that you remain true to your beliefs and also to your friends; you can be a football supporter even when the team is going through a bad time. Have you ever felt you had to change your mind because of the pressure that the people around you have put on you? It might not be your football team. You might have been persuaded to be unkind to someone because you were being egged on by the gang and although you didn't want to be unkind, you went ahead anyway. There are all sorts of situations when in order to be accepted, to be in with the in crowd, you act in a way that you wouldn't normally consider.
Holy week highlights important issues of loyalty.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He was surrounded by his friends and welcomed by crowds of supporters. They waved palm branches, cheered and chanted: Hosanna! Welcome to the one who comes in the name of the Lord! It must have been a fantastic atmosphere!
But what happened just a few days later? The crowd shouted for Jesus to die! Jesus had been arrested and his friends and supporters had run away!
Reading
They arrested Jesus and took him away into the house of the High Priest; and Peter followed at a distance. A fire had been lit in the centre of the courtyard, and Peter joined those who were sitting around it. When one of the servant women saw him sitting there at the fire, she looked straight at him and said:
This man too was with Jesus!
But Peter denied it:
Woman, I don't even know him!
After a little while a man noticed Peter and said:
You are one of them, too!
But Peter answered:
Man, I am not!
And about an hour later another man insisted strongly:
There isn't any doubt that this man was with Jesus, because he also is a Galilean!
But Peter answered:
Man I don't know what you are talking about!
At once, while he was still speaking, a cock crowed. The Lord turned round and looked straight at Peter and Peter remembered that the Lord had said to him "Before the cock crows tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me." Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Peter discovered how hard it can be to be a true supporter and a loyal friend. But Jesus did not give up supporting Peter. After Easter Day when Jesus rose again, Jesus asked Peter to help care for others. Then Peter's tears were turned to happiness. He had learned from his mistakes. Loyalty mattered in the friendship between Peter and Jesus. And it continues to be vital within faith and friendship, whichever football team we follow!
Song
This is the day