Part II of IV
Roberta J. Egli
Messy Church USA is reflecting back and looking forward as we seek to fulfill our mission to equip Messy Churches in the USA to start, sustain and connect. Throughout the month of December, we will CELEBRATE that even in the midst of the uncertainty of a global pandemic, we have experienced many good things! We CELEBRATE that we have experienced God’s movement in and through our work this past year and we place our trust in God as we move beyond 2020 into 2021. This week we CELEBRATE the sustaining practices of Messy Churches.
Celebrate 2020: Sustaining Messy Churches in a Pandemic
- Four on-line webinars equipped 44 churches and 101 people with practical examples of ways to connect with their Messy folk while not meeting in person due to the pandemic. The four webinars; 1) Messy Church NOW! 2) Messy Patience: Spiritual Practices in a Pandemic, 3) Creating a Messy Session from Start to Finish, and 4) Messy Christmas: A Community outreach Sheep Trail led to great engagement across the Messy Network in the USA and a sharing of ideas and practices. We will be offering monthly webinars throughout 2021.
- At the beginning of the pandemic we provided Messy Church @ home resources for Holy Week and a separate session on Trusting God in the anxious early days of the pandemic. In addition, we highlighted the many resources made available by the global Messy Church community.
- We celebrate that our long anticipated redesigned MC USA website launched in late fall 2020. When we began MC USA three years ago, our website worked well however as we have grown in size and our understanding of our mission, we discerned a need for an easier to navigate website. Our goal is to have a website that is a ‘front door’ for MC USA where one can easily find resources, original Messy Sessions, ways to connect with other MC’s in the USA and inspiration. We will continue to update the website as we close out 2020 and enter 2021 so thanks for your patience!
Look for our further CELEBRATIONS throughout December as we say goodbye to 2020 and look forward to 2021. In the coming weeks we will CELEBRATE how we are Connecting Messy Churches.
We are counting down until December 13th when our CELEBRATE 12 Days ‘Till Christmas social media campaign begins. During the 12 Days till Christmas you will receive a Messy Reflection, a Messy Activity or a Messy Story to share each day via our social media posts.
We celebrate that Messy Church is making a difference in many lives even in the midst of a pandemic. As you consider your Christmas gifts this year, we ask you to consider giving a tax deductible gift to Messy Church USA. Your donation will give us the resources we need to share the love of Christ through Messy Church today and in the years to come. Thank you for your support!
Advent Prayer
By Ruth Burgess
Lord Christ, born of Mary,
In our littleness,
In our weakness
Let your light shine.
Lord Christ, born of Mary,
In our strength
And our achievement,
Let your kingdom come.
Lord Christ, born of Mary
In the overturning of our values,
In the renewing of your people,
Let your Kingdom come.
Amen
A question to ponder: Mary is pictured in many ways on Christmas cards and in nativity plays. I wonder what words and pictures would you use to describe her?