Messy Church USA Training Team
The time has come to meet the busy Training team of Messy Church USA. Under the leadership of Johannah Myers, this team has been busy this past year. First the entire team adapted our Get Started training to accommodate live online format that has been used four different times since April of 2020. The team also planned and implemented multiple one-hour live webinars to support Messy Churches navigating all the changes the pandemic has brought.
Over the past few months, Johannah and team member Leyla Wagner have spent many hours completely revising our Get Started full day of training with new slides, videos and other material that will be introduced at our six regional in-person [RE]START MESSY training on October 23, 2021.
The mission of our training team is to work together to develop and implement training opportunities for Messy Church leaders. Their work will include assisting churches wanting to host a training, identifying training opportunities with Conferences or other agencies, developing online training (such as monthly webinars), and developing consistent and high-quality training tools. This team will also work to train new Messy Church trainers. Since starting to work together in January 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, this team has gone above and beyond to meet their mission.
Take a minute to get to know our training team. You might recognize names and faces because some of this crew also serve on other teams for Messy Church USA.
Meet the team!
Dr. Johannah Myers is the leader for our Messy Church USA training team. She is the Messy Church USA Associate Director on the sideline of her full-time role as Director of Disciple Formation at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Greenville, SC. In 2013, she led Aldersgate to start a Messy Church and the rest is a very messy history. Messy Church made such a difference at Aldersgate that Johannah couldn’t help but share the story of Messy Church far and wide.
Johannah is passionate about intergenerational faith formation. In May 2019, Johannah received her Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary after studying with an international cohort at Wesley House in Cambridge UK. Her doctoral project was called “Practicing Faith Together: Messy Church and Disciple Formation” and was based on creating all-age companion groups based on the five values of Messy Church.
Contact Johannah at [email protected]
Cindy Banek is the Director of Adult Discipleship at Williamsburg United Methodist Church in Williamsburg, VA. She has been involved in church ministry for the past 30 years beginning as a volunteer Sunday School teacher and choir mother and then as the Director of Children’s Ministries. Cindy holds a professional Certification in Christian Education from the United Methodist Church.
In January 2014, Cindy led a team to start a Messy Church with the hope of bringing young families with children into the church. The team saw Messy Church as a way to provide younger families with an opportunity to experience a new form of worship together through crafts, games, a meal and Celebration Time. The success of Messy Church at Williamsburg UMC is evident on the second Tuesday evening of each month as the church is transformed by a very messy and enthusiastic gathering of new disciples of Jesus Christ!
The training team is a great fit for Cindy as she has invited many different churches in Virginia to visit their regular Messy Church. She is passionate about sharing best practices to start and sustain Messy Churches all over the USA.
You can reach Cindy at [email protected]
Maureen Carey
I am the Lay Pastoral Assistant and Director of Christian Education at St. David’s Episcopal Church and School in Ashburn, VA. I has worked at St. David’s Episcopal since 2009 starting as an administrator and transitioning into her current role.
I began a Messy Church at St David’s in 2016. After attending the Messy Church International Conference in the UK in 2019, I became involved with leadership within Messy Church USA. In addition to my role on the Training team, I serve on the Board of Directors and Prayer and Encouragement team.
I love both church work and the work of the church. My passions about ministry include children’s spirituality, pastoral care, digital ministry in this new era of being church, preaching and sharing the Good News. In my free time, I spend time with family, friends, and my dog Guinness. I also love to ride bike, hike, bake, write , watch Netflix and explore VA wineries.
Contact Maureen at [email protected]
Rev. Dr. Andrew Scanlan-Holmes , a Methodist Minister from the United Kingdom. He began his ministry at Roberts Park United Methodist Church in Indianapolis IN in Advent of 2013.He has been an accredited Methodist preacher for over 30 years. He gained his Doctor of Theology & Ministry from Durham University in the UK in 2013.
Andrew was involved in Messy Church while he was still serving in the UK and brought Messy Church with him when he came to Roberts Park. Messy Church at Roberts Park began meeting regularly in 2014. Andrew is passionate about creating excellence in worship and loves to explore ways to continue making the Church relevant in today’s world.
Andrew serves on both the Messy Church USA Training team and Communication team where he is instrumental in sharing how Messy Church makes a difference in people’s lives and also to the larger church community. Andrew enjoys reading, golf, classical music, cooking, exploring the surrounding area and getting to know more the American Midwest culture.
Contact Andrew at [email protected]
Leyla Wagner
I’m involved with Messy Church because I love all things Messy and want to share church and God’s story in a new and exciting way. I’m passionate about creating training material for Messy Church because I’ve helped lead a Messy Church at Community United Methodist in Huntington Beach, CA. since 2013 and have watched the impact and influence Messy Church has had on myself, our Messy Friends and volunteers and on our existing congregation.
I have led trainings for Messy Church since 2017 when I was a founding member of Messy Church USA. I’m excited for the revised GET STARTED training to launch at the [RE]START MESSY training on October 23rd. In addition to the training team, I am on the writing team creating session material that will provide support and help sustain Messy Churches of all shapes and sizes. I also serve as the secretary to the Messy Church USA Board of Directors.
Contact Leyla at [email protected]
A big thank you and round of applause to the team of Johannah, Cindy, Maureen, Andrew and Leyla!