While church services are online, here are some ideas for what children and young people of different ages can do during the

service, to help engage in a different way. We have loved hearing of families sitting down together to tune in to church , so this

is something small to help during the sermon slot, just like Sunday Kids groups

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 4

“Facing opposition”

During the summer we are exploring the story of Nehemiah as a whole church. I will put together different ways of exploring

the story each week . You can decide which one to do depending on what you enjoy most rather than your age! You may pre-

fer reading, or writing, getting creative, or getting active. It’s a great chance to get familiar with a story we don’t often dive into

and see what God might be saying to us as a church at this time...

This week is all about the things that got in the way of building the wall and

how Nehemiah coped.

Watch this short video that describes the ‘oppositions’ (1 min 37 secs)

https://youtu.be/7uWtmvDvs3k

Read Nehemiah Chapter 4 and see how praying to God strengthened him in his resolve

to get the wall rebuilt. People keep trying to stop him, but Nehemiah shows determina-

tion and resilience while he focusses on what God wants him to do.

Play a game where one person is trying to gather all of the pillows in the house

into 1 big pile, but the whole time other people in the game are trying to stop

them. They could throw teddies at them, shoot nerf guns or guard their bed-

room door so they can’t get passed! (no fighting allowed)

Think about how determined you need to be to win the game

Do we need to be determined to complete God’s tasks? Do you feel deter-

mined? How could you become more focussed on what God wants you to do?

Determined : adjective

having made a firm decision and being resolved

not to change it

Resolved, committed, dead set on

Every time Nehemiah faced difficulties, he prayed to God and then took action. Jesus also

prayed to God when he was struggling. He went to a quiet place, often a garden, a place he

set apart for praying. Could you create a prayer space in your home? Where would you find

it peaceful? Where would find it easier to concentrate on God?

Go and make your own prayer space, then pray about something you are struggling with

and see what you think God wants you to do about it.