Messy Church Coordinator for Social Action

Welcome to Kathy Bland, our new Messy Church Social Action Coordinator!
Kathy has been part of the Leominster Priory Messy Church team since 2010. She is Messy Church Regional Coordinator for Herefordshire and South Shropshire as well as working part-time for the Diocese of Hereford’s Young People’s Team.
Social justice has always been part of the DNA of Leominster Messy Church and Jesus had a lot to say about it too! They have built food labyrinths to raise awareness of a local food bank; built a ‘separation wall’ to pray for Palestinians divided from their land and families; packed shoeboxes to send to Kazakhstan and have been active in responding to the refugee crisis in Europe by driving vans of donations to Calais, packing spices and salt to be distributed to refugees and hearing stories from people who have been to the refugee camps.
Every month Leominster Messy Church includes something that will keep everyone in touch with local and global needs, helping to lead all ages into being active in making the world a better place. Kathy notes that adults can sometimes feel helpless in the face of overwhelming need, where children are more likely to be hopeful and creative.
Kathy says ‘Building small but important steps that will make a positive difference into every Messy Church session helps us all to shine a light of hope into dark situations.’
You can contact Kathy for any support and advice regarding integrating social action activities and awareness into your own Messy Church sessions.
Kathy joins Trish Hahn, Messy SEND and Disabilities Coordinator, as part of a growing team of Messy Coordinators with a specialist focus.