Messy Church

Messy Church is another concept currently coming to the fore. The idea, as originally conceived, is outlined in Lucy Moore's book "Messy Church" (BRF, 2006). The basic concept of Messy Church is to use craft activities, a bit of worship and sharing food as a way of being church - the point being that churches needs to be "fuzzy round the edges". The original happens monthly on a Thursday afternoon - and is clearly a good and effective way of engaging with parents and younger children. One of my congregations - Bournville United Reformed Church - tried Messy Church on a one-off basis in October 2007. We did it on a Sunday morning in place of the normal act of worship - and it was great - more people than usual, more children than usual, and a real buzz around the place. It was our Harvest Festival; so that provided the day's focus. Tea, coffee and squash were available as people arrived. We had two half-hour craft activities sessions - we divided into two sessions because we didn't have enough room for all thirteen activities at once, though some continued for the whole hour. In each session participants could concentrate on one or two activities or rush around having a little "go" at everything. Each activity had a link Bible verse. So, for example, we arranged flowers (See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these), we made clay fruit (But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control), we made mini fruit kebabs (Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost), we made pipe cleaner bugs (And God said, 'Let the land produce living creatures') - and so on. This was all followed by a brief act of worship (15 minutes) and then we shared lunch. At the moment we are planning Messy Church mark 2 - in May.