Overflowing in Thanks

Live your lives in Christ Jesus the Lord in the same way you received him. Be rooted and built up in the way of Jesus, established in the faith as you are taught, overflowing in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7 NRSV (adapted)

A Moment to give thanks

My heart was overflowing with thanksgiving as I looked out the train window to the beauty of Puget Sound. I was traveling home after spending the weekend at the [RE]START MESSY training in Auburn, WA. In my trip north on Friday, I found myself on the ‘wrong’ side of the train. I was unable to take in the beauty of the water. So when I boarded the train south on Sunday morning, I found a window seat that would overlook the wondrous Puget Sound. The first hour of the six hour trip home was alongside the water’s edge.  I found myself taking deep breaths (through my mask of course) and reflecting on the beauty of God’s creation.

However, it was not just the beauty that caused my heart to overflow with thanksgiving. I was thinking of the past weekend as well as the past four years of Messy Church USA.

I give thanks for…

• The wonder of returning to a safe physical gathering to share the story of Messy Church at an in-person training
• The 12 Messy Church USA trainers who gave their time and expertise at the trainings South Carolina, Northern Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, California and Washington.
• The 75 people from 33 local churches representing 10 different traditions who learned how to get started in Messy Church
• The brand new “Rooted, Built up and Overflowing” (based on Colossians 2:6-7) full Messy Church Session that was written by our writing team and introduced at the training
• The Messy Church USA trainer handbook and slides created by Johannah Myers and Leyla Wagner that is now our standard training material
• Our global Messy Church friends and partners who wrote emails and texted saying that they were holding us in prayer
• The four-year birthday of Messy Church USA. Our kick-off event occurred in Huntington Beach, California in October 2017 when 100 people gathered to ‘Get Messy’

Happy 4th Birthday Messy Church USA!!!

Moving into Messy Church year 5 with thanks

I could write more but I think you get the idea!  As I reflect on the past four years as Executive Director of Messy Church USA, I realize how many amazing people have come into my life these past four years.  Some I have met in person but others only through emails and zoom calls. We have so many incredible people who are involved in Messy Church USA.  As we move into our fifth year, we will continue to be “rooted and built up in the way of Jesus” as our hearts overflow in thanksgiving!

Enjoy some pictures from our first gathering in 2017 (above)  and our six [RE] START MESSY gatherings this past Saturday(below). 

Grace and Peace, Roberta

[RE]START MESSY training, October 23, 2021