Canada

Our maple syrup bottle overfloweth – a fun visit yesterday from Andy and Sue Kalbfleisch who are based in the Diocese of Niagara and over here on a sort of sabbatical holiday pilgrimage gallop around as many Fresh Expressions as they can visit in a fortnight. It’s interesting hearing how interest in Fresh Expressions is growing in Canada and how restricted they are by the lack of funds to develop any networks at a diocesan level. They have visited a Messy Church or two in Canada in preparation for their visit here.
We need to think through how we can best support Messy Churches in other countries… other continents even. And more importantly, perhaps, how we can learn from the adaptations that our friends in different contexts are making to the basic pattern. The ‘ooh that’s a good idea’ syndrome is a very useful one.