‘It’s a good crafty thing that brings families together.’ That was basically all I knew about Messy Church. So when I found myself in a Sunday school that had as many parents as children, it took around a minute to identify fertile messy ground. Eight months into our Messy Church adventure, here are my tips for getting going. If you’ve never heard of Messy Church, head over here; if you want to see what we got wrong, read on.
Just do it
Less an over-priced sports brand, and more an under-appreciated mantra, the time for talking, planning and discussing is severely limited. If Messy Church could be part of your mission strategy, then don’t hesitate.
We talked about Messy Church for around three months before setting a launch date that we simply had to meet. We learned more in our first Messy Church than years of talking could have taught us, and it was only after the trials that we were convinced to proceed. If you take only one point from this article, let it be this: just do it.
Visit
With 2,000 Messy Churches in the UK, chances are there’s one near to you – search the online database. If not, there’s a big community of people sharing ideas and experiences online and in the quarterly magazine, and diocesan and denominational advisers abound. Visit other Messy Churches, talk to the people running them. Ask to see their planning documents and quiz them on what went wrong.
In Highgate, we were particularly fortunate to have the guidance of Martyn Payne who steered us through. Without his confidence we would have fallen at the first hurdle, and his gentle words corrected many an elementary error.
Collaborate
In deference to Margaret Mead and Jed Bartlet, work with a team that is committed and focused. You can’t think of or do everything, and you’re going to need a big team anyway. Find five or six people who understand the vision and can inspire others, and make sure that your Messy Church is truly collaborative.
At St Michael’s, we meet monthly, plan the next session and constantly review areas for improvement. In the heat of a busy Messy Church, I know that there are half a dozen utterly reliable people who can talk to the new family that’s just arrived, or rescue dinner that’s been delayed.
Focused
So the hot-cross buns didn’t rise and the paper aeroplanes didn’t fly, you’ve lost your pianist and only two people have come. Any new venture is prone to disasters that are particularly catastrophic – and we’ve had plenty go wrong. But none of it really matters that much. Messy Church is a time to worship, and that means being in, and aware of, God’s presence. Our lives bend towards Christ one faltering step after another, and the kingdom is built one broken heart at a time.
At our Messy Church we had a particular difficulty locating God in all of the activity stations. We realigned our thinking, we put up huge posters, and suddenly we were able to discuss our faith with everyone around us. When we got our focus on Jesus sorted, everything else fell into perspective.
Lastly, have fun yourself! We all have a vocation to evangelise and nurture faith, so enjoy yourself at the same time! Messy Church is a lot of work and every month is a deadline; but a room buzzing with excitement at church is a truly special place.
Visit others, work with a team, stay utterly focussed on Jesus, but ultimately, just do it!
Jonathan Brooks is a Children’s and Youth Worker at St Michael Highgate.