Congratulations to First Presbyterian Church
We are excited to share the story of the first Kentucky Messy Church in our Network! We love to hear stories of Messy Churches that are well established as well as those that are fairly new! Congratulations to Pastor Chelsea and the team from Elizabethtown First Presbyterian!
How did you hear about Messy Church?
Pastor Chelsea heard about it when she was at a church in Indianapolis. She started a Messy Church team at that church and loved it so much that she brought the idea with her when she came to First Presbyterian in Elizabethtown.
“(I like Messy Church because of) the connection of the activities to scripture. The fellowship—seeing familiar faces after only 3 sessions—all excited to be together in worship. That it is intergenerational and it works!”
Ann, a Messy Church volunteer
Why did you decide to start Messy Church in your community?
During the pandemic, it was difficult to plan safe activities and to know how we could reach out to our community. We realized we could do outside activities and decided to try the Messy Church model. Families in our area are often looking for things to do for all ages, and Messy Church is a fun way for us to be church while providing outlets for local families.
When did you start your Messy Church?
We held several one-off Messy Church events during the early part of the pandemic and have held Messy Church every other month since July 2021. We’re still quite new at it!
Messy Folk answer the question, “What do I like best about Messy Church”
- “I love the fun, laid-back nature of Messy Church. I love meeting new people and seeing how everyone interacts with the activities and the lessons. I meet Jesus at Messy Church every time.” -Chelsea, mom of 1 and pastor to many
- “It’s messy! And you make stuff!” -Lydia, 5 years old
- “The organized chaos! It’s fun. I can play, and it’s ok to be my inner child.” -Candy, Messy Church volunteer
- “The connection of the activities to scripture. The fellowship—seeing familiar faces after only 3 sessions—all excited to be together in worship. That it is intergenerational and it works!” -Ann, Messy Church volunteer
Favorite Messy Church Activities
Rock Painting
You can adapt rock painting for almost any theme! One helpful thing we found was to have a fan running to help the paint dry. We also had a volunteer spray the sealant on during the meal, which is our last activity. We sent the rocks home in small cardboard containers so the sealant could continue to dry. Instructions for Rock Painting
Nature Scavenger Hunt
We’ve done a variety of scavenger hunts, and they’re so much fun! We did one once outside with nature items, and once we did one indoors with Advent and Christmas-related items and symbols that could be found around the church building.
God is love Handprint Painting
At our February “God Is Love” Messy Church, we made a handprint painting. Our artistic volunteer wrote the scripture on the canvas in the shape of a heart ahead of time. During prayer time in our Celebration, participants were invited to paint their hands and make a handprint on the canvas. Make sure to have wipes ready and to have helpers available to make sure little ones don’t get paint everywhere!
What worked well in getting the support of your ‘Sunday’ church when you started Messy Church?
When trying new things with a church, I like to frame them as “experiments.” That way, it doesn’t feel like a huge, scary commitment—it’s just temporary, it can succeed or fail, and it can continue or not based on what the church decides. We have also been blessed with a variety of enthusiastic volunteers from the beginning. Their experience speaks volumes.
Share a challenge you have had with Messy Church. What strategies did you use to meet that challenge?
As a smaller church, one challenge we have faced is sustainability, especially with our volunteers. To help with this, we are holding Messy Church every other month this year so we do not get overwhelmed. We hope to eventually move to monthly gatherings, but we are taking things slowly. The great news is that God has blessed us with enthusiastic volunteers so far, and we look forward to seeing how the Spirit helps us grow.
How has your Messy Church adapted during the Pandemic?
Since we started during COVID, we’ve been adapting all along. The biggest adaptation we made at the beginning was having several Messy Church events fully outside.
Contact Information
Name and Address: First Presbyterian Church, 1016 Pear Orchard Road, Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Church Phone# and Email: 270-765-7663, [email protected]
Messy Church Contact: Rev. Chelsea Benham, [email protected]
Website: www.etwonpres.org
Facebook: https://facebook.com/etwonpres
Thanks for sharing your Messy Church story!
Thank you Pastor Chelsea and your team of volunteers for inspiring other Messy Churches to start, sustain and connect! Want your Messy Church story shared as a Messy Church of the month? Send a short email to [email protected].
