On Thursday 4/5th December, 17 of our international Messy Church leaders from 9 countries, gathered online for some Advent fellowship, encouragement and prayer.
We started with a scavenger hunt, with 3-minutes to find items at home that sound like Christmas, smell like Christmas or feel like Christmas. An array of cinnamon scented candles, nativity scenes, tree decorations with fond memories and bells filled the Zoom screens.
We then took time to share an Advent tradition from each country. It was fascinating to hear how in The Netherlands, during November they celebrate Sint-Maarten, where children carry homemade paper lanterns, sing songs at doors for sweets, celebrating Saint Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar, marking the start of winter with light and community.
Meanwhile, in Finland we heard how they hide a single blanched almond in their Christmas rice pudding (Riisipuuro). Finding it brings good fortune and a marzipan pig prize!
For our Messy friends in the southern hemisphere where the days are long and hot, and the nights are short, the imagery of Jesus the ‘Light of the world’ breaking into darkness, is much harder to grasp. With risk of forest fires in their dry season, our Australian leaders shared how advent candles on wreaths can be replaced with glasses of purple-coloured water, representing ‘Jesus the living water’.
We spent time in break-out groups sharing our joys, hopes and concerns around Messy Church in our respective countries, ahead of a time of prayer.
A massive thank you to Johannah from Messy Church USA for hosting our gathering and for our friends around the world who stayed up late, or got up early (it was 6am local time in Australia), to join us. It’s brilliant to be part of a global Messy Church network, hearing different perspectives, learning about alternative traditions, with an opportunity to pray together for our nations.
For football fans out there, watch this space as Jane and our international Messy leaders pull together all their creative ideas for a Messy Church World Cup special, to celebrate the June/July 2026 tournament.
Aike Kennett-Brown
BRF Ministries Messy Church Ministry Lead
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