Celebrate Focus
Our Focus word for September is CELEBRATE! Lucy Moore and Jane Leadbetter in their book Messy Church[1] share that celebration is ‘about saying yes’. What things are you saying yes to this month?
Are your children celebrating the start of school? I love seeing all the pictures of ‘first day of (insert year) grade” that pop up on social media. Seeing pictures of families taking their child to college for the first time brings some tears of sorrow and joy all at the same time. Celebration includes all of life!
For many of us who work in the church, September marks the start of the programming year of the church. What first things are you anticipating this month? Are you celebrating returning to a routine? Are you celebrating the start of cooler weather?
Celebrate the Mess coming in April 2024
I am celebrating that I will spend several days this month in the Chicago area. Johannah Myers, Ronda Bower and myself are meeting in person at Northfield Community Church to imagine, plan, strategize and pray for the Celebrate the Mess conference at this church in April 2024.
Celebrate Messy Church
Celebration does double duty in Messy Church. It is one of the five foundational values for Messy Church. Celebration is foundational to all the aspects of Messy Church. We celebrate as we welcome, as we move through the ‘mess’ of various activity tables, and as we sit at table together and discuss our daily lives. Celebration is also one of our specific elements, when we gather together in one space after exploring the bible story through activities to worship communally in prayer, song, scripture and ritual. We would love the hear how you are celebrating at your Messy Church.
May you risk saying yes to how God is leading you this month.
Peace, Roberta
[1] Lucy Moore, Jane Leadbetter: Messy Church: Fresh Ideas for Building a Christ-Centered Community (InterVarsity Press Books: 2017) p.40