Celebrate the Mess
April 18-20, 2024
Chicago, IL
JOIN THE CELEBRATION!
Celebrate the ways Jesus meets us in the Mess
- Worship with Messy Church leaders from around the country, experiencing together two new full Messy Church experiences
- Celebrate through music and learn how music can enhance your Messy Church with special guests, Music that Makes Community
- Listen to the stories of local Messy Churches wonderful successes and spectacular failures
- Engage in workshops and large group sessions designed to equip local Messy Churches to (1) start, (2) sustain vitality and (3) connect with best practices, resources and other Messy practitioners
- Connect with others around the table
- Go from the conference with practical ideas, experiences, contacts and new messy friends from all over the United States
Events
Pre-Event for Brand New Messy Churches- Lunch and Learn Messy Basics
Thursday, April 18th from 12:30 -1:30 pm
Brand new to Messy Church? Join Roberta Egli for a basic introduction to the foundational values and flow of Messy Church. In addition to lunch, you will jumpstart getting to know other conference attendees. You will leave with a full stomach, a basic knowledge of Messy Church, some new friends, and workshop suggestions to assist you in starting your own Messy Church.
Cost: $10.00
Location: Youth Room of Northfield Community Church. Event limited to 30 people.
Thursday April 18
- Celebrate the Mess begins with check in at Noon at Northfield Community Church
- Welcome Zone open from noon – 2:30 pm
- Conference begins at 3pm
- Dinner together (included)
- Opening Worship
Friday April 19
- Breakfast on your own
- Featured speakers
- Workshops
- Bible study
- Messy conversations
- Lunch and Dinner included
- Evening Messy Festivities
Saturday April 20
- Breakfast on your own
- Featured speakers
- Workshops
- Closing Worship and Sending Forth Lunch provided as “carry out”
Master Schedule of Events
Meet Our Featured Presenters
Featuring
- Dynamic Messy Church Practitioners from around the USA
- Music that Makes Community
- Music That Makes Community MMC is an organization that practices communal song-sharing that inspires deep spiritual connection, brave shared leadership, and sparks the possibility of transformation in our world. MMC will lead in worship alongside Messy Church practitioners, enhancing our celebrations. They will also provide a presentation meant to help local Messy Church leaders use music to enhance their local Celebrations.Learn more about Music That Makes Community here: https://www.musicthatmakescommunity.org
- More leaders to be announced
Workshop Opportunities
Celebrate & Create Workshops
These workshops emphasize the Messy Church value of creativity. Learn creative ways to plan your Messy Church from activities to celebration.
Celebrate Our Values Workshops:
These workshops do a deeper dive into the core values of Messy Church: hospitality, all-ages, celebration, creativity, and Christ-centeredness.
Celebrate & Grow Workshops:
These workshops focus on growing your Messy Church community including ideas to reach new members of your community or to add new connections beyond a monthly Messy Church.
Locations
Conference Location
Our Conference venue is Northfield Community Church in Northfield, Illinois (Chicago area) at 400 Wagner Road.
Lodging
We have reserved a block of rooms at the Renaissance Chicago North Shore at the conference rate of $119 per night. To book this hotel at this conference rate, use the link provided to make your reservation. Stay tuned for reservations for hotel rooms to open in early October 2023. This hotel is located less than 3 miles to the church.
If you are interested in sharing a room, check out the Celebrate the Mess USA Facebook page to make a request.
Ground and Air Transportation
Our venue and hotels are conveniently located 16 miles/ 30 minutes from O’Hare International Airport. Midway Airport is 29 miles/ 65 minutes to our conference location.
Things to Do
Arriving early or staying later? There’s lots to do in the Chicago/Northfield area.