Meet Cordova Church of the Nazarene
Congratulations to our newest Messy Church of the Month! Cordova Church of the Nazarene started their Messy Church in the middle of the Covid pandemic. We are excited to share their story of how they built their team and bring Messy Church to their neighborhood with love! Pastor Debbi Smith shares their story.
Starting Messy Church at Cordova
During our first year of Messy Church, we explored the book, Holy Habits in Messy Church book written by Lucy Moore and Andrew Roberts. We explored Acts chapter 2 in our monthly Messy Church. We talked about the importance coming together. This book ended up being an amazing way to start our Messy Church as it laid a foundation for our Messy Church team. It has been exciting to our Messy Church team grow and develop.
Intergenerational Leaders
The majority of our activities are led by adults, but throughout the year we have had youth and children lead activities as well. One month I had two boys (1st and 2nd grade) ask to lead an activity, we picked out their activity and talked about it before hand, the night came for them to lead and while they were setting up their activity station a pair of sisters (2nd & 3rd grade) who come to Messy Church with their mom noticed and asked them what they were doing and asked if they could help. So the boys talked them through the activity and when it was time for the activities the four of them led the first round together and then they took turns because they all wanted to participate in all of the other activities as well.
Our Messy adults had fun coming to their activity and being led by these young leaders. This experience reinforced the importance of being intergenerational. Not every activity would work well being led by children, but when there is an activity that they can lead and they are willing and wanting to serve I want to let them serve as much as possible.
Messy Thanksgiving and Messy Christmas
We took a couple of breaks in our first year from the focus on Holy Habits. In November we used the resources found in “A Messy Thanksgiving” written by Messy Church USA. We had an amazing Messy Thanksgiving celebration that included the meal being served family style at each table instead of the buffet line that we typically use. It allowed for more time to be spent in conversation spent together at each table.
We concluded our celebration by breaking bread together and sharing communion. We used the “We Remember and Give Thanks” liturgy that Roberta Egli wrote for the 2019 Messy Church International Conference. It was such a beautiful time of giving thanks that we held Messy Thanksgiving for our November Messy Church gathering again this past year. In December we held a Messy Church Christmas Extravaganza and invited the Sunday congregation to come join us, we did things a little different that our normal Messy Church gathering but we maintained all five of the key Messy Church values as we celebrated the birth of Jesus.
Abundant Messy Church Resources
After our first year of Messy Church, I started going through all of the Messy Church books that I have accumulated over the years, they are a great resource. I have also benefitted from some of the great materials that Messy Church USA has available for purchase on the website, but one of my favorite things has become the Get Messy magazine published by Bible Reading Fellowship. (Get Messy magazine is one of member benefits for Messy Church USA Sustainer and Supporter member churches)
I have also gone to the BRF website to download individual issues and sessions. There are so many amazing resources out there that I feel like I have still barely scratched the surface.
What I like about Messy Church is the way our activities engage all generations to interact with the night’s message through fun crafts. There’s something for everybody. I love to see our senior adults sit side by side with teens and little kids helping each other make fun things. It’s in the doing that God can open the door for good conversation.
Janine, age 70
How did you hear about Messy Church?
In 2017 I stumbled across a Messy Church book, I couldn’t put it down, the ministry of Messy Church made so much sense to me, but the timing didn’t feel right. I continued adding more Messy Church books to my library, with each new book I found new elements of Messy Church that really spoke to me. We started Messy Church during the Covid pandemic in June 2021.
Why did you decide to offer a Messy Church in your Community?
Prior to Covid our church offered a community meal and age level ministries every Wednesday night. In 2021 we were trying to figure out how we could relaunch a ministry that would connect with the community. Recognizing that reopening after the Covid lockdown things were going to be different and that our church had seen for a long time how sharing a meal and welcoming the community in were important elements of how we wanted to serve. Immediately it felt like NOW was the right time, I gave one of my Messy Church books to my lead pastor and we met to discuss what Messy Church could look like in our community. After presenting the idea to the church board we had 100% board support. The church embraced Messy Church in such a positive way that it was absolutely confirmation that NOW was definitely the right time for Messy Church to begin.
Messy Folk answers to “what I like about Messy Church?”
- “I like how kids and adults of all ages participate together. It’s fun to watch older folks doing messy crafts right alongside the kids–and everyone is really into it! Somehow having the activity to do together allows everyone to feel more at ease to chat and connect over the message.” Katie 30’s – mom
- “I like that we get to play with our friends and do fun activities.” Caden 8
- “I like how the setup is all about living life together.” Josh 40’s – Dad
- “I like that all age groups can participate together.” Jackie 71 – activity leader
- “I like how immediately I felt welcomed and loved. It’s a safe family environment.” Opie 25 participant
- “I like the people” Nick 14
- “I like the fellowship” Momo 45 participant
- “I like all of it, but mostly the food.” Joshua 10
- “I like listening to the laughter.” Amy 36 mom
- “I like that it is for the whole family” Rosalie 77 – activity leader
- “I like how families can come and just be themselves. I believe it is also a great place to invite my international student friends I work with as a way to expose them to Christian community. Many may not feel as comfortable at a Sunday service, so the setting of Messy Church over dinner is a great ministry opportunity to have them see Jesus.” Leo 20’s – dad
- “I like that it is a casual event. I began participating in Messy Church because it provided an opportunity to practice my leadership skills.” – Samuella 18 – activity leader
Some Favorite Messy Activities
Bread in a bag
Items needed: Flour; Sugar; Yeast; Olive or Vegetable Oil; Salt; Water; Resealable Bags; Small containers with Lids, Recipe and instructions printed on a piece of paper and laminated.
In each bag place 1 Cup of flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, 3/4tsp rapid dry yeast, 1/4 tsp salt
In each small container place 1/3 Cup of water, 1Tbsp oil
- Each person should receive 1 bag of dry ingredients, one cup of wet ingredients, and one laminated sheet/placemat.
- In a resealable plastic bag place flour, sugar and yeast and salt.
- Add in oil and warm water. Water should be 105-110 degrees F.
- Squeeze air out of the bag and seal.
- Squish with your hands until well mixed together.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. Bubbles will form.
- This is the perfect time for hand washing
- Remove dough from bag and put onto a lightly floured surface. Use the laminated placemat.
- Knead for 5-10 minutes or until smooth.
- This will make one small or two mini loaves.
- Cover with a towel and allow to rise for about 15-30 minutes until doubled in size.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until bread is golden brown.
Bread in a bag picture
We had everyone do this activity before dinner. Each person was also given a small cardboard loaf pan to write their name on the outside of and place their dough in. These were all baked during dinner and returned to the person whose name was on each loaf pan.
Sock Bunnies
You will need: socks; rice or sand; ribbon; scissors; marking pens.
Carefully fill the toe and heel of the sock with rice or sand and shake it down so it’s nice and full. Tie a piece of string about ¾ of the way up the socks foot to make the rabbits neck and again tie the top of the head tightly. Cut two ears out of the leg of the sock and trim off the extra fabric. Tie a ribbon around its neck and draw on two eyes, a nose, and whiskers.
Talk about how we wear socks most of the year, but in Jesus’ time socks weren’t a thing and feet got very dirty. Was there any better way for Jesus to show us that he needs us all to be ready to do the dirty jobs on earth in that helps others? This rabbit gives us the ‘hopportunity’ to remember to help other people. (Taken from Holy Habits in Messy Church: Serving)
Rock Painting
This is easily one of the most adaptable activities and one of the most popular. Old and young come together and show time and again that rocks can become just about anything.
A Few pictures from Messy Church at Cordova Church of the Nazarene
What worked well in getting the support of your ‘Sunday’ church when you started Messy Church?
Our “Sunday” church has such a genuine love for the people of our community that we began by sharing the values and the heart of Messy Church. We set up a practice Messy Church with sample activities set up inviting anyone in the church that wanted to learn about Messy Church. We shared a meal and explored what Messy Church could look like for our church and our community. Our church has seen for a long time that sharing a meal together and welcoming families are important ways we want to serve. Messy Church was a new vision for what that could look like. In addition to being a way that we can show love to the people in our community, Messy Church met a need for fellowship within our church members. After being isolated for so long, people jumped at the opportunity to be a part of something that would allow them to be with other people in a relaxed environment that allowed them to share Christ’s love with others.
Share a challenge you have had with Messy Church? What strategies did you use to meet the challenge?
One challenge that we had early on was with our schedule, we experimented with what order to do things in each month. We realized that with us starting at 6pm on a week night people were hungry, so now we start with dinner, as people are finishing their meal we begin our celebration time, which leads to some really good table talk time before heading to the activities. Originally, we tried starting with activities and it was difficult because we had some of our volunteer leaders that couldn’t get there early enough to be set up and ready to go, (in addition to people arriving hungry) and having activities after dinner and celebration has just felt much more relaxed.
Thank you!
Thank you Debbie and the Messy folk of Cordova Church of the Nazarene. Starting a new ministry during the pandemic was risky and brave that has reached beyond your traditional church walls. Thank you for sharing your inspiring story!
Contact Information for Debbi Smith and Cordova Nazarene
Messy church contact Name and email:
Pastor Debbi Smith
[email protected]
[email protected]
Church Name and Address: Cordova Church of the Nazarene,3520 Bradshaw Rd, Sacramento, CA 95827
Church phone number;916-363-0364
Church social media links:
https://www.cordovanaz.com/
https://www.facebook.com/cordovanaz
https://www.instagram.com/cordova_naz/