Messy church

Maidenhead Mess

2012-02-09T00:00:00Z

Great to get this encouraging email from Maidenhead, and an interesting comment in it '... through simplicity [God] disciples us'...

The 'Our Church Together' event at High Street Methodist Church in Maidenhead was a real cause for celebration last month. With 100 adults and 30 children meeting to eat a turkey roast dinner and then explore the theme of prayer and promise through Messy Church, the smiles and mess ran for miles and warmed many a wintry heart.

A music workshop lead by our newly formed music group provided an opportunity for all ages and skills to rejoice and learn together. A prayer workshop lead by our minister Gary Homewood reminded us that no secret codes are needed to make contact with God.

A year ago we thought that we would give Messy Church a go. With a word from God to 'cast our nets over the other side', we continue to catch. Through this Messy Ministry God excites us, challenges us, surprises us, refreshes us and through simplicity disciples us.

Messy Church what a mighty powerful tool for outreach, gathering and renewal!

Vicky

Youth and Family Worker

High Street Methodist Maidenhead

Hand in Hand

2012-02-06T00:00:00Z

We had a fun time at the Hand-in-Hand Children and Family Ministry Conference in Eastbourne this weekend. For the first time we were running a whole stream on Messy Church alongside the other seminars. Four of our Regional Coordinators joined us: Charis Lambert from Morden, Sharon Lakin from Worthing, Janet Tredrea from Truro and Emma Pettifer from Worcester, and for me it was such a treat to listen to their experience and wisdom as they shared their thoughts on different aspects of Messy Church. Jane's morning sessions were spot-on and really got people thinking about using Messy Church around sporty events and how to be quiet as well as loud in worship and activity. Janet's session on cooking was huge fun, despite (because of?) the low number of delegates and it was immense value for money.

Sharon gave us a really useful insight into crafts: far meatier than some people wanted who may just have come for a 'Top Ten Tips of Things To Do with Toilet Paper' session, and would really make them think about the whys and wherefores and potential of craft in more than just Messy Church, I'm sure. Emma's celebration session was packed full of ideas and again, made people engage their brains about all-age worship. And Charis dealt so brilliantly with hospitality and latest developments, combining them beautifully and seamlessly in a really well-worked out theological reflection on so many aspects of welcome... How great to be part of such a talented team! It was brilliant to meet many delegates involved in a Messy Church or who had been sent by their churches purely to sit and find out about how to put on a Messy Church. I continue to be struck by how many people know about Messy Church, how many people don't know about it, especially in certain denominations, and how many people think they know about it but haven't quite got the idea... And our Messy Church hoodies had their first outing!

Job opportunity with Messy Church!

2012-01-31T00:00:00Z

Exciting job opportunity with the Messy Church team in Abingdon! Please pass this round your Messy acquaintances:

BRF is looking to appoint a Messy Church Team Administrator to support Lucy, Jane and other members of the team. S/he would be based in BRF's offices in Abingdon and be the first point of contact for Messy Church, dealing with enquiries, organising events, maintaining the Messy Church website - providing efficient support and administration and releasing Lucy, Jane and others to focus on their unique roles within Messy Church.

Closing date: 23 February 2012

Interviews will be in the morning of 7 March in Abingdon.

For more details please contact claire.proudman@brf.org.uk or ring 01865 319700.

Download the full specification here.

Discipleship in Canada

2012-01-31T00:00:00Z

Nancy Rowe in Georgetown, Canada, writes about her church's group formed to help people go deeper in faith:

'The pub group is called "A Spirited Study" and meets on a weekday evening once a month in the local pub. Some have coffee, some beer/wine, some a late supper. The group chooses the topic at the previous Spirited Study and I will often find some reflective piece to start the conversation. It was started to give people an opportunity to explore spiritual/faith issues in an informal, non-churchy setting. This was one of the ways in which I am trying to give people, including the Messy Church people, a chance to go "deeper" in an "anything goes" setting. We have had some really profound conversations and it is intriguing to see how the group can take the conversation into a personal exploration of their faith, or a social justice/political discussion of being Christian in the world. People are really comfortable expressing their doubts and asking questions to the group.

'Our Messy Church is ticking along quite nicely. I love watching the families forming community. In our conversations and emails I clearly hear that our Messy Church families "own" St George's as surely as the Sunday worshippers do. I am really excited by the ongoing evolution/creation that is Messy Church at St George's.'

Baker Ross discount code

2012-01-31T00:00:00Z

Could you use a discount on craft materials? We have arranged with Baker Ross for Messy Churches to receive 10% discount on their purchases and for Messy Church/BRF to receive 5% commission.

1) Set up an account with Baker Ross as 'Messy Church St Freda's, Pontefract' (insert your own location).

2) When you place your order quote promo ref BRF10. A great way of buying quality materials and supporting BRF's Messy Ministry at the same time.

Messy Catholic Champion

2012-01-27T00:00:00Z

Frances Ripley is going great guns to champion Messy Church within the Catholic Church. Here she is at a recent conference in the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

Liturgical Commission

2012-01-27T00:00:00Z

I was really chuffed to be invited to have a conversation with the Church of England Liturgical Commission about liturgy in Messy Church. As you know, we have interesting issues around the prescribed wording in the Anglican Church for use in services like Holy Communion, Baptism or Confirmation at Messy Churches. The conversation was a really useful and positive one, with a great amount of appreciation of what Messy Church is doing and the way it's doing it. The long and short of it is that it was decided that a small group should be formed from within the Commission to take a special interest in Messy Church and to maintain contact with us. So, Anglicans, be encouraged! We have the opportunity to work with some hugely wise and skilled people on finding helpful ways forward for our Messy Churches.

Hand in Hand is nearly here!

2012-01-27T00:00:00Z

Looking forward to seeing many of you at the Messy Church stream at the Hand-in-Hand Conference in Eastbourne, 3-5 February. It's not too late to book! Do pop in and say hello as well as sharing with the Regional Coordinators and the BRF team on all aspects of Messy Church.

Messy Mapreading

2012-01-26T00:00:00Z

This made Jane smile: Sue Thomas and her messy team in Wigan held 'Messy Missing Person' this month, based on Jesus lost in the temple. The older ones were invited to make a 68-mile trail (apparently the approximate walking distance between Nazareth and Jerusalem) along roads on road maps. One of the team is a compulsive 'saver' and had loads of full size Ordinance Survey maps of Epping Forest available. There are still 80 going begging if anyone wants some!

Not for everyone

2012-01-25T00:00:00Z

A story from Australia which shows Messy Church doesn't work everywhere, and we thank Jim for his honesty and wish them every blessing in their ongoing service to young families:

Hi Team
Unfortunately, we have had to suspend Messy Church due to lack of local support for the concept. We were getting very few participants, some of our Saturday night regulars but not all of them and very few others, if any. We have reverted to our Saturday 6pm all-age informal worship service, but use some of the MC concepts and ideas in that format.
A neighbouring Uniting Church (about 10km away) now has a very effective and well-attended Messy Church which runs as Family Fun @ Five on Saturdays, so those few who were enjoying our efforts can now go there instead.
We would like to stay on the email list if that's ok. Thanks for all your help and ideas.
Blessings
Jim