SAVE the DATE: May 7, 2023, 11:15am Review of Messy Church at United in Faith Over the past year United in Faith has been exploring worship in a new way. Messy Church USA is “a way of being church for all-ages to join in experiencing fun and faith formative activities. Found throughout the globe. Based on the values of all-ages together, celebration, creativity, hospitality, and centering ourselves in Christ.” Several of you have been able to participate in Messy Church. We want to know what you felt and thought about your experience. What did you love? Did you leave with questions or want more? WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Maybe you were not able to attend or didn’t really know what that crazy “messy” thing was… this is a great time to join our conversation. We will be meeting on May 7, 2023 after worship (11:15ish). We will be sharing spaghetti and yummy bread! (No food fights are scheduled.) We will be talking about this “new” thing and how it has affected us. This is an opportunity to take stock of where we have been and where we will go! Please come! Bring your experience, your questions and your appetite!!
WHAT IS MESSY CHURCH?
The tag line for the global Messy Church movement is “Church, but not as you know it.” If you have attended church for a long time, Messy Church may not look like church to you. At Messy Church, all ages meet together to learn about Jesus through interactive games, crafts and activities, music, and storytelling from the Bible. A foundational ingredient of Messy Church is to gather around a table for a snack or meal and build relationships with each other, God, and the world. Messy Church USA reminds us that Messy Church is not necessarily a stepping stone into an existing Sunday morning worship service, but it is a worship experience in its own right.
BUILDING BLOCKS
At the heart of Messy Church are these five core values:
• Christ-Centered: The goal of every gathering is to share the gospel and grow God’s kingdom. In Messy Church, we share Jesus’ love and his gospel message with all people. Effective ministry can be quite messy (unpredictable, sometimes chaotic, and fluid)! That’s because life, faith, and relationships all are messy. While we invite members of our congregation (and others), Messy Church sometimes reaches people who might not normally step foot inside a Sunday morning worship service.
• Intergenerational: Everyone meets together, without the “age silos” common at most churches. People learn with one another and from one another, leading to deeper, lasting faith. One generation relating to another is a key value of Messy Church
• Celebration: This doesn’t necessarily mean jumping up and down, though that can happen. According to Messy Church USA executive director Roberta Egli, celebration “involves sharing the abundant life Jesus offers as well as the ups and downs of our messy lives.”
• Creativity: Worshipers use all five senses to experience and explore God’s Word.
• Hospitality: Including a welcome component and some type of meal or food sharing. The meal also continues the intergenerational conversation and relationship building.