Elijah hears from God

This page takes you through some of the activities we had at Messy Church on 8^th July,  2017.  Have a look and try a few.

Going on a journey

Around the room, you need to find 14 different things that you would need if you were going on a journey.  See how many you can find.  If you find them all you will get a small prize

Elijah travelled a long way to the special mountain.  It was the one where God had given Moses the ten commandments

What is the furthest you have walked?  Where did you go?

Painted Angel

Fold the paper in half

Paint half an angel with one wing on one side.

Then fold it over and press it down.  When you open it up it will look like a whole angel

An angel brought food to Elijah when he was hungry and tired

What do you do when you are hungry and tired?

Jam Sandwich

Make yourself a jam sandwich 

Elijah was very tired and hungry.  He had a long way to go.  So an angel brought him food.

If you are tired and hungry what do you like to eat?

Desert Sand Tray

Can you tell the story of Elijah using the things you can find in the sand tray.

Elijah travelled for 40 days through a very wild place, a bit like a desert.  When he got to a mountain, he hid in a cave.

Elijah must have been a long way from other people as he walked through the desert.  What would this have been like?

Papier Mache Mountain

Glue some pieces of paper and add them to the mountain.  How high can you make it?

Elijah travelled to a special mountain called Sinai. It was the one where God had given Moses the ten commandments

Which places are special for you?  What makes them special?

In the cave

Go into the tent here and have a rest like Elijah did.

Elijah travelled to a mountain.  When he got there he went into a cave to spend the night.

Have you ever slept in a tent?  What do you think it would have been like spending a night in a cave on your own?

Scared and happy faces

Choose a happy face or a scared face

If you have a happy face write on it something that makes you happy and thank God for it

If you have a scared face write on it something that makes you scared.

Elijah felt very scared.  He was running away from the king and queen, and had left his friends and family behind

Hang the face on the prayer tree

Wind bangers

Fold the corners in as the helper will show you to make an origami banger

Hold the banger down at the bottom corner.  Bring it down fast to make a noise.

Take it up to church with you and we will be able to use it when we tell the story.

There was a furious wind that shattered the rocks.  But God was not in the wind.

The wind can be really powerful.  Have you seen the wind blow things over or break things?

Wind chimes

Thread beads and pieces of straw onto the threads.  At the bottom tie a bell.

On the middle thread tie a metal washer.  Make sure the bells and the washer are the same length.

Take it up to church with you and we will be able to use it when we tell the story.

There was a furious wind that shattered the rocks.  But God was not in the wind.

What would it have been like for Elijah to be out in this strong wind?

Rumbling earthquake

Put one large stone into a tube and seal the ends with cardboard circles and sellotape.  Decorate with dauber pens.

When the stone rolls around in the tube it rumbles. Take it up to church with you and we will be able to use it when we tell the story.

There was an earthquake.  But God was not in the earthquake.

An earthquake shakes the earth and splits it.  What would it have sounded like to Elijah?

Seismograph

Tape the skewer to the bottle at right angles.  Tape the pen to the other end of the skewer also at right angles.  Put a strip of paper under the pen and draw it through as someone shakes the table.

The more the table shakes, the bigger the squiggles

There was an earthquake.  But God was not in the earthquake.

A seismograph measures the earth’s vibrations after an earthquake

Fire streamers

Attach fire coloured streamers to a stick.

When you shake it, it looks like fire.

Take it up to church with you and we will be able to use it when we tell the story.

There was a fire.  But God was not in the fire.

God had appeared to other people in a fire, but not to Elijah.  Would you have expected God to be in the fire?

Clay cave

Make a cave out of clay.

Add a tealight to look like the fire that passed by the cave

Elijah travelled to a special mountain where Moses had met God many years ago.  When he got there he went into a cave to spend the night.  God made a wind, an earthquake and a fire go past the mountain.

Is there a special place you go if you want to meet God?

Doorhanger

Decorate a door hanger and put on it

              God is with me

Elijah felt all alone but God was with him even when he didn’t know it

Put the door hanger on a door at home to remind you that God is always with you

Where is God?

Colour in the picture of the story. 

Stick the two parts of the story together.  Then you can open the flaps to see how God spoke to Elijah

God spoke to Elijah but not in the way he expected

How did God speak to Elijah?  Is this how you would expect God to speak?

Adult colouring

Colour in one of these pictures or draw your own picture of the story

God made a wind, an earthquake and a fire go past the mountain where Elijah had stopped.

Are there special places where you become more aware of God?