20/06/2023
I love watching different generations engage in Messy Church together. Last Sunday for example, we asked people to decide what they would pack if they needed to head off quickly (remembering the Israelites and their escape to Egypt). Different generations had a conversation about which things they would choose to pack from a big selection of items they might ‘want’ (e.g. chocolate?) or ‘need’ (e.g. water?). It was one of the ways we helped those present think about our prayer “give us this day our daily bread” (from The Lord’s Prayer) – praying and trusting that God will provide the things we need.
I’ve been reflecting on the values of Messy Church –in particular the one about Messy Church being for all ages. It comes from the understanding that faith formation is most effective and life-long when it happens both in the home and at Church.
At Messy Church, parents, grandparents and carers get to engage with activities, the story and the meal along with their children - across the generations. Messy Church provides opportunities to practice having conversations about faith in a safe place whilst being creative, having fun and sometimes getting messy (literally!)
Our hope is that this will equip families for faith conversations around the table or where-ever you get to have these conversations at home – so that together, everyone will grow in their faith!
So for me, Messy Church isn’t ‘church for kids’ or ‘activities for the kids’. It is church for the whole family. So come along prepared to get messy together!
Our next Messy Church will be on the 13th of August. Pop it in your diaries now!
I'll be thinking of you!
God bless!
Linda
