In the shadows?

If you live in a part of the world where it is very sunny at the moment you may not need props. But in not-so-sunny Hartlepool I am going to create a paper shadow by cutting out a child size one from black paper that fits one of the children in my congregation and also making a sun.

The idea came from a comment by David Herbert. "If we face the sun/son we can't see our shadow. If we turn away from the sun we do see shadow. So, do you turn to Christ?"

I used to love playing games with my shadow when I was little. Trying to find out where it was, making it bigger and smaller etc. And I loved the idea in Peter Pan about him losing his shadow and Wendy sewing it back on!

Here is somebody's shadow that has fallen off. Whose is it?

The child (and another person to hold the sun) can come out to demonstrate how a shadow works. That to see your shadow you have to turn away from the sun.

In the Isaiah reading the people live in a land of shadows but they have the promise of great light and great joy shining on them, the shadow has gone. That is because they have turned towards the sun.

What has happened? It is because of the coming of the sun - Son - Jesus the son of God, light of the world.
He takes away the shadow, the bad things in our lives and offers us light and love.
Do you want to live in the darkness or live with the light?
Do you want shadows or to turn to Christ?
Our shadows are not sewn on like Peter Pan's - we have a choice. What will you do?