Messy Church Values
Christ-centered
Messy Church is a church, not a craft club that helps people to encounter and enter into a transforming relationship with Jesus. Messy Church believes with the historic churches, in one God who is Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer (or in traditional language, Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
All-age
Messy Church is for adults and children to enjoy together. Every element should be relevant and accessible to all ages.
Creativity
Messy Church uses hands-on activities to explore Bible stories, to reflect a God of creativity and to give people a chance to play together.
Celebration
Messy Church reflects a God of joy who wants all of God’s people to have life in all its fullness.
Hospitality*
Messy Church reflects a God of unconditional love and is a church for people outside of a traditional church, providing an oasis of welcome and a safe place in which to thrive. Messy Church is about hospitality, expressed most evidently by eating together- whether it’s a plate of sandwiches to share, a full course meal or pizza.
*Each Messy Church must adhere to the health and safety and safeguarding laws and guidelines applicable within its jurisdiction and operation and have established health, safety, and safeguarding policies in place that it can provide upon request. Messy Church USA and BRF cannot be held responsible for any matters related to health, safety or safeguarding in respect of any Messy Church.
Facebook Live Events
Have you discovered the weekly Facebook Live events on Messy Church BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship)?
With the beginning of the global pandemic Lucy Moore, the founder of Messy Church began to have weekly global live events. Check them out every Wednesday at 9 am and 8 pm (British Summer Time).
Currently, these weekly live events are exploring the five foundational values of Messy Church. Okay- quickly now, what are theses five values? (I admit that I usually can’t remember one of them when I am asked) Ready, set, go: All Ages Together, Celebration, Hospitality, Creativity and Christ Centered! Did you get them all?
Lucy Moore explored the Messy Church Value of Creativity on April 29th as we each attempted to fold an origami boat. On May 6th, Martyn Payne focused on the Messy Church Value of All Ages Together. On Wednesday May 13th, Hospitality will be discussed.
Creativity Facebook Live on April 29 with Lucy Moore
The chat box filled quickly with; “tired, focused, exhausted, overwhelmed, energized, and edgy” when Lucy asked the question, how are your feeling? She then proceeded to share her reflections on how this time of the pandemic has brought some new awareness to the Messy Church value of creativity. She has been reading Alan Hirsch book, The Forgotten ways, (Brazos Press) and was drawn to his chapter on liminality and communitas, which describes the opportunities and perhaps privilege of being uncomfortably on the edge. More Here
All Ages Together Facebook Live on May 6th, 2020 with Martyn Payne
Martyn Payne, author of Messy Togetherness, led a global messy conversation on the value of All Ages together. In the 30-minute Facebook live event we explored the questions: How can we do Messy Church in these circumstances in a way that doesn’t give up on trying to express our all-together value? How do we find ways to live out this value when we’re having to organize Messy Church? We were also treated to the wonderful story-telling of Martyn. More Here