As for a volunteer (or several) to help with a challenge. Ask if they trust you. Offer them a bowl with a small amount of flour and ask if they can use it to make bread for the whole congregation. Hopefully they will be doubtful. Again, ask them to trust you, then guide them through the process of making a simple flatbread (like a chapatti).

If you have access to a portable induction hob, you can cook the bread and share it with your volunteers. If you don’t, simply showing the flatbread at the stage before cooking will illustrate that there is no way of feeding everyone with such a small amount of flour.

Supplies needed:

• 50g flour
• Roughly 30ml water
• Small amount of olive oil
• Mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Frying pan
• Spatula
• Enough pre-made flatbreads to share with the whole congregation (either homemade or shop bought). Try to include a gluten-free option if you can.
• Portable induction hob (optional)

Instructions:

1. Mix the water with the flour, to make a soft dough. Add the water slowly to ensure you don’t add too much and end up with a sticky mess.
2. Dip your fingers in the oil, then knead the dough to make it smooth.
3. Roll the dough thinly.
4. Put the dough in the frying pan.
5. If you have access to a hob, cook it on a medium-high heat until it puffs up. At this point, flip it to cook the other side.

Once your volunteers have successfully made their flatbread and everyone agrees that it won’t feed anyone, produce the pre-made flatbreads to share around with everyone.

As you carry out the activity, talk about how we are going to hear the story of a woman who only had a small amount of flour, but was asked to make bread for a stranger. Is this something people would be willing to do? You can then explain that the woman trusted God, with miraculous results.

1 Kings 17:8-15

We told this using an adapted version from “Bible Stories Every Child Should Know.” If you don’t have access to this, then the Message translation is very accessible.

In the talk, we consider how both Elijah and the widow demonstrated their trust in God, and how both were provided for as a result. The widow had very little to offer, but trusted God with everything and received the literal bread of life.

We are asked to make decisions about what we give to God and those around us. Do we trust God to provide? The truth is, he already has by sending Jesus who is the “bread of life” that means we will never go hungry.

As always, there are several options for the response. Have a space available where people can either pray privately or be prayed with if they wish.

Print and cut out enough copies of the flour jar image that all your congregation can have one. Invite them to use an ink pad to make a thumb or finger print in the jar. Use this to be a commitment to trust God and give what we are asked. Following the service, you may want to combine all these into a mosaic that can be displayed.

In a tuff tray, provide flour and a small amount of water. As people explore (and perhaps make dough of their own), talk about how we can trust God and God provides for us.

If you are using this as a harvest service, invite people to bring their harvest gifts to the front as an offering to support those in need in your local area.