Stories from new Messy Churches
We recently checked in with churches that attended our Get Started in Messy Church training in October 2021 and in January 2022. Over the next weeks look for challenges and prayer requests however today we focus on moment of joy. Delight in the joy that these new Messy Churches have experienced.
What have been your moments of joy?
- Seeing the smiles on the faces of the families and also on the volunteers who love it. Receiving emails from new families saying how much they enjoyed it and felt welcomed.
- Our first Messy Church had almost 60 people
- Discovering ways we can adapt and implement some Messy Church format as outgrowth of our existing structure
- Our joys have been people ages 11-80 something joining together and having fun. Our stoic 11-year-old said, “This was fun!” Someone joined us for the first time at our Messy Church after seeing a Facebook post.
- Starting to see parishioners come back just this month!
- There have been so many moments of joy.
- I see people from outside of our church coming to Messy Church.
- Messy Church has been a non-threatening way to engage some of our new to church teenagers. It is heartwarming to see teens have fun while learning about the gospel.
- My own children are excited about coming to Messy Church every month.
- The Messy Church community extends beyond our monthly gathering. During our traditional church times, my children now refer to several of our adult Messy Church volunteers as “my friends.”
- The Messy Church community extends beyond our monthly gathering. During our traditional church times, my children now refer to several of our adult Messy Church volunteers as “my friends.”
Prayer of Thanks
Creator God, we give you thanks for these moments of joy that these new Messy Churches have experienced. Guide them as they continue to envision Messy Church moving beyond the walls of their church to reach their community. As they gather for this new worship experience, be with the leaders, volunteers and all who enter the welcoming space that is created. May new and old, young and old, join together to learn about the love of Jesus. In the name of Christ we pray, AMEN.