Fun Day

A ‘next step’ day for Messy Church leaders in our area, that’s what we wanted it to be. And as we thought about what to do, we became more and more clear that we wanted to reflect our Messy values in what we offered. So instead of an ‘adults only’ training day, we put our thinking caps on and worked out how to make it a day that all ages could enjoy and benefit from. That way, all the Messy Church team, young and old could come together and be sure of an entertaining and worthwhile day out.
It’s shocking how much more creative you have to be when you face the prospect of people who won’t hide the fact that they’re bored or quietly go to sleep in the back row if what is happening up front isn’t relevant to them. It’s frightening how much I had to force myself into asking ‘What will be fun?’ rather than ‘How can I present this information?’ I would say the sort of training days Barnabas and BRF presents are overall great fun, but pushing the whole thing that bit further and putting ‘fun’ as the mainstay of the day is more of an effort than I thought it would be. I must be seriously earnest.
So the thirty-five of us had a whirlwind day of icebreaker games, decorating a Cake of Meaning, creating banners, sharing crafts, praying quietly in the church, swapping stories and celebrating around God’s word.
I was inspired by the professionalism of the River of Life Church in Worthing and their wonderful craft books… by the generosity of the Offington Park Messy Church Team in sharing all their good ideas… by the keen questioning of Stubbington who are about to start their Messy Church.. and by someone from Swanmore who had to arrive late but still threw herself straight into all that was going on. Ben Mizen, our Diocesan Youth and Children’s Adviser not only found time to record the day on his cornucopia of cameras but made space to chat to the youngsters about their role within Messy Church. Lindsey, our placement student from Moorlands Bible College was everywhere and anywhere, mostly being made to do wonderful things with icing by small children, despite having lost her voice. And of course my own wonderful Messy Church team here at St Wilf’s once again gave of themselves with such humility and graciousness, sliced sandwiches by the score and welcomed in strangers with open arms.
Many ideas exchanged, many prayers shared, many friendships forged: I hope we’ll be able to send this package out around the Regional Coordinators now so that it can be run for Messy Churches all over the country and we can build up the bonds of friendship and all that makes for the common good.
Did the adults find it worthwhile? According to the feedback, overwhelmingly so. And did the children enjoy it? One asked her parents as she was leaving, ‘Can we come here every week?’