My desk this month looks like what you would expect a few weeks before Messy Christmas! There are twinkling lights, sticky-backed gemstones for wise “people” crowns, and a growing sense of anticipation—for Christmas, yes, but also for the Messy Church community that carries these seasons with such joy.
One of my own favorite holiday traditions is Messy Christmas. My Messy Church has been doing almost the exact same Messy Christmas since 2014 and somehow it never gets old. Even more, when I’ve suggested minor changes over the years, my families usually respond with a resounding “NO!” Our Messy Christmas looks more like a spontaneous Christmas pageant—where anyone and everyone can jump into the story.
Our activity table for making angel wings will be hosted again this year by a mom and her daughters who have both grown up being angels at Messy Christmas. Now they get to help others join the fun! And “my” college kids are already planning to be home in time for Messy Christmas because for them, it wouldn’t be Christmas without the Mess! What a gift, to know these simple, messy moments have become part of their faith story and their seasonal rhythm.
This month, Messy Church USA will host the International Leaders Gathering, bringing Messy Church leaders from around the world together online to pray, plan for the year ahead, and share Christmas traditions from their different countries. I can already imagine the joy and inspiration that will ripple out from those conversations.
On my desk, I also have a growing stack of resources for those of you looking for last-minute Christmas sessions. If you need something simple and joy-filled, take a look at the recently added Messy Carols session—perfect for Advent, Christmas, or anytime your community needs to sing its faith.
And as we all look ahead, January will arrive quickly! We’ve got a wonderful new Epiphany session for late December or early January Messy Churches.
Did you miss out the November online Get Started training? Dates are set for our January Get Started training will meet on Thursdays—January 15, 22, and 29 at 7pm ET. Registration is open so go ahead and get that off your 2026 to-do list!
In February, our training focus shifts to Messy Church in small and rural congregations. We’re thrilled to have two fantastic trainers—Trish Johnsen and Rebecca Leibowitz—who specialize in helping smaller churches thrive in Messy Church ministry. More details will be coming your way soon.
Wherever this season finds you—whether elbow-deep in glitter, cutting out cardboard stars, or simply lighting one Advent candle at a time—I’m grateful for the ways you bring the light of Christ into your communities.
Wishing you a joyful, hope-filled, wonderfully Messy December.
-Johannah