Lindale School

This morning Sarah and I went down to Lindale School to do an assembly.  We had been asked to do something as an alternative to Halloween like having a pumpkin with a heart in it instead of a ghoulish face.  So to start the assembly we sang God Can do Anything, then I asked the children a question and displayed it on the screen - Do you want to see a really scary picture? - the children reacted with a big yes - Sarah (knowing what was coming) questioned my suggestion and talked a bit about movie's with U PG 12 12A 15 and 18 ratings - I suggested that the picture might be worse than an 18.  The children still wanted to see it!  So I asked the teachers - there were a few heads shaking and then I say OK here it is - as I switched the slide over there was a picture of .......me!!! followed by a big ARRRRRRRRH!  The next slide was black and I talked about how in this country we do go about at this time of year doing trick or treat and go out to frighten and scare people and think of dark things.  I also said that parents wouldn't or shouldn't allow children to watch things on the television that might scare them.  Sarah then said that in this country we do this stuff for fun, but there are places in the world where children live in fear every night, for them a night of fright is every night.  They live in war zones, have been forced to move out of their homes and live in shelters made from plastic sheets and cardboard.  Their world is very dark.  So Sarah encouraged the children to think and pray about these children as they carve their pumpkins this year.  She also mentioned World Vision who are encouraging people to carve a heart this year and text money to help people who live in fear check out their website here

http://www.worldvision.org.uk/get-involved/carve-heart/pumpkin-carving/

there is also a YouTube clip here to watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgKAl3S887U   

I linked this with the words of Jesus when he said I am the light of the world John 8:12 and encouraged the children to carve a heart and get a parent to text money to help.  I then displayed a pumpkin carved with a heart and another slide saying 'so let's turn this night of fright into a night of light'  because when we do we Shine God's love from the inside out - cue song.  After the song Sarah closed with a prayer.