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‘Who Am I’ series      
                     including
    Ed’s adventures around Hope Island

    Week 3 - I AM THE LIGHT of the world

There is a set of PowerPoint slides for week 3 to accompany the theme intro, lead-in session drama and this week’s teaching material.
PowerPoint, Leaders notes and other items downloadable from the bottom of this webpage.

SLIDE 1 may be used to remind the kids that we are doing the “Who Am I?” series where Jesus is answering that question.

Kids In our new series ‘Who Am I?’ Jesus uses everyday words and objects to help us understand who He is and what He is like.

SLIDE 2 - Can you guess what our ‘Who Am I’ theme is about this week from these pictures?
(Light from the moon - Glow worm [actually a beetle but called glow worm] Jelly fish)
Yes all of these things give off light and we are looking at light this evening.

SLIDE 3 - This week Jesus is saying “I Am the Light of the World”.

Look out for the mention of light in our drama.

PART 1 - LEAD-IN SESSION DRAMA

Outline for Leaders

Ed's journeying today takes him to Lighton. As he hits the coastal path he hears someone calling out for help. Sid, a walker, also going to Light-on, has not heeded warning signs and has consequently fallen down the side of a cliff and onto some rocks. Ed rescues Sid and then goes on to meet the lighthouse keeper in Lighton. (The rescue can be drawn out a bit and acted out to be very funny)

Parts, props, sound effects:

Characters:

Narrator

Ed – kitted out with rucksack, rope, water bottle, guide book, walking stick, boots, cap.

Sid – Kitted out in boots, back pack.

Lighthouse Keeper – plain T shirt, possibly some kind of appropriate headgear, wellington boots, torch to hand to Ed.

Props: Sign to Lighton, guide book, torch, lighthouse keeper’s door, rope, painted cardboard rock, 'DANGER CLIFF EDGE' sign.
Use your imagination for the lighthouse keeper’s door, anything from a few chairs to some painted cardboard red and white. A simple lighthouse sign, fixed to the back of a chair might be just the job for you!  

PP SLIDE 4 Week 3 Hope Island map, arrows show Ed’s progress.
PP SLIDE 5 Coastal path
PP SLIDE 6 Lighthouse

Sound Effects: Seaside background noise with sea gulls, waves lapping against the rocks… 

The lighthouse  

Narrator : Hi kids, well here we are again following Ed on his journey. Today Ed is heading for Lighton. He’s seen the signpost and is entering the third part of the journey. Ed is glad that the path is good and strong and he has every intention of staying on the right track today, after getting stuck in the bog last week. Ed loves the smell of the sea air and is thoroughly enjoying his cliff walk along the coast.

Oh what’s going on now? Is someone calling out?

Sid: (SLIDE 5 - crying out from down below the costal path, on the floor below the edge of the cliff / stage)

Sid: Hel...lp, Hel...p, is anybody there?

Ed: Hey there, I’m up here my name's Ed. - can I help?

Narrator: Sid’s explaining to Ed that he’s fallen down the cliff and can’t get back up onto the path.

Ed: Okay, I have a rope, I’ll let it down to you and pull you up.

Narrator: Sid now has the rope and Ed is trying to pull him up. It’s not looking good though, Ed is straining on the one end of the rope whilst Sid is trying to climb up the cliff – but this is not going to happen. Oh dear Ed has had to halt the rescue attempt. Ed’s taking a rest for the moment. He can’t do it, he can’t get Sid up. Oh, Sid is shouting up to Ed, something about the sea and tide.

Sid: Ed, there’s another problem – the tide is coming in very quickly and I can’t swim!

Narrator: Somehow Ed has to get Sid up from the bottom of the cliff very quickly since, if the sea comes right in, Sid could drown! Oh dear, can you hear the waves now coming in against the rocks?

(SOUND EFFECT – WAVES AGAINST THE ROCKS)

Ed: Okay Sid, I’ll have to get some help.

Sid: Please, please hurry!

Narrator: Ed looks around and sees the lighthouse. He shouts down to Sid.

Ed: I’m going to get help from the lighthouse keeper, I’ll be back.

(Lighthouse door on stage.)

Narrator: So off Ed races to the lighthouse and asks the keeper for his help. (This rescue can be drawn out a bit and made to be very funny) Together they pull Sid up from the cliff.  Sid is very grateful and thanks the two for helping him. Ed says he must be on his way, shakes their hands and heads off. Ed and the lighthouse keeper walk back to the lighthouse. The keeper tells Ed how the lighthouse has a huge lamp, which spreads light right across the bay so that ships and boats miles out at sea can avoid the dangerous rocks. The keeper also has something else to say to Ed.

Lighthouse Keeper: Ed it’s great to have a huge light like this. But it’s also good to have a light of your own. Rescuing Sid has made you late and you’ll be travelling through the woods a little further on. The path is good so you’ll have no problems there but a bit of extra light would be helpful. So I have something for you. This torch will be really useful wherever you go, you’ll always have your own personal light. Now unfortunately I do have to charge for this, that is, unless, well, do you by any chance have a ticket from the gatehouse?

Narrator: Ed excitedly gets the ticket out of his pocket and the keeper smiles.
(Ed switches the torch on.)

Narrator: What a day for Ed, it’s been full of excitement. He thanks the keeper for all of his help and especially the torch. Having his own light will be very useful indeed, as he continues his journey. Later on we’re going to talk more about LIGHT.  

PART 2  

BIBLE CHAT (‘LISTEN-UP TIME – SLIDE 7)

THE LIGHT

Scripture references and notes for Leaders
John 1 v 9 (NLT) The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
John 8 v 15 (GNB) - Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the Light of the World” He said “Whoever follows Me will have the Light of Life and will never walk in darkness”.

Bible Chat

SLIDE 8 - Remind the children of today’s theme.
Jesus asking the question “Who Am I” – and His reply “I Am the Light of the World”.

SLIDE 9 - Light is so important to our lives; When God created the sun to give us light He certainly knew what He was doing.
SLIDE 10 - Think of how the sun’s light makes everything in our world work.

SLIDE 11 - It’s fantastic how the sun comes up every morning and fills the world with light. Light is essential for life.
Jesus called Himself ‘THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD’ because He brings another special kind of light into our lives and that’s fab too.   

What do you think Jesus might have meant when He said, “I am the light of the world”. Anybody got any ideas? (take a few answers from the children.)

Well light feels good doesn't it. Most of us don't like the dark. Light, lights up the dark so that we can see. Light guides us. Light is bright and we like the feel of light around us. Sometimes people refer to bad things as being dark. But there is nothing whatsoever dark about Jesus - He is all LIGHT! 

Slide 12 - Earlier in our drama we saw Ed visiting Lighton. The lighthouse keeper said that the lighthouse had a huge lamp that spreads light way out to sea, so that ships and boats miles away are warned of the danger of rocks under the water and guided to safely round the coast . Jesus wants to guide us too, Jesus wants to steer us clear of things that are not good for us. The light Jesus gives us is good. Jesus wants to come alongside us and help us. Let’s look at these words and see if we can split the good things that Jesus brings to us from the bad things Jesus wants to help us keep away from.  (SEE OTHER IDEAS at the bottom of this page regarding the lighthouse.)

Create some words that the children can sort out into light and darkness. This may be done on a Velcro board or similar.

Light changes everything, the sun pushes the darkness of the night away and a new day bursts in. Like the sun lights up the world, Jesus lights up our lives. Whether the day feels good or bad Jesus wants to shine upon us with a special peace and joy. We can talk to Jesus and ask Him to fill us with His light. The light of Jesus is like a lamp guiding us along the path of life.

SLIDE 13 - Jesus said that He was the Light of the World because He wants to bring light into the lives of everyone. That's everybody - YOU, me the whole world and that’s the best news ever!

part 3 Response time  (in small groups)

Have ready a print out of a lighthouse for each child. Discuss with the children the words belonging to light and darkness.
Ask them to write a prayer below the lighthouse asking God to help them shine his light out to others.
They might write something like:
Jesus, please help me to shine out your light and goodness to all of those around me.
Amen
The children may like to colour the lighthouse.
(This could be made into a competition.)

Week 3 DOWNLOADS

Week 3 Lead-in drama script, Bible chat & response time Leaders’ notes
Week 3 PowerPoint slides

Lighthouse work sheet
Hope Island Lighton sign
Hope Island lighthouse sign
'DANGER CLIFF EDGE' sign

Download Words for Bible chat (for sticking to board)
Goodness - Truthful - Forgiving
Kindness - Jealous - Selfish
Lies - Hate - Greed
Light - Darkness
Loving - Patient - Helpful
Peace - Mean - Anger

ANOTHER IDEA (Right)
Using a model lighthouse and boat, along with a piece of rock is an option when talking to the children, about how a lighthouse guides ships and keeps them from the danger of rocks. Jesus protecting us from dangers is a parallel that can be brought out.