Messy Weekend

Jane writes: They came from Scotland, North Yorkshire, the Midlands and Cambridgeshire, Durham and Oxfordshire; adults and children, singing, praying, getting messy; listening to each other’s stories, sharing worries and concerns. They made crafts, made new friends, created dramas, played games. They laughed, hammered nails, learned skills, wrote in clay. They met with God in the Mini Retreat, were affirmed and blessed before God in the Messy Church session consultations and heard about the worldwide Messy Church.
Did we really do all of that in a weekend? Yes and more!
It was well received and everyone found time to share their stories and needs over planned sessions and coffee times and shared meals.
We are still sharing ideas weeks after the event and feedback has been very encouraging:
‘Excellent venue’ ‘Excellent weekend’ ‘Good company, good food’
Enjoyed: ‘Mostly the fellowship and support’; ‘Talking to people about common messy stuff’; ‘Listening to other team leaders and hearing about what works well’; ‘Everything and everyone’; ‘The enthusiasm’.
‘Thank you so much for the personal space and thought.’
‘I’m going away with a spark I thought I’d lost!’
‘Can we have a Messy Week?’
What a privilege it was to spend time with Messy Church leaders who are serving their communities in such a variety of messy ways with love, care and dedication. We shall always remember Betty’s poem, Anne’s ‘light’ balloons, Grace’s skill with the spoons and Ron’s building the Ark! As we discover how God’s Spirit is moving in Messy Church, we treasure these rare times together when we can listen to your voice and learn from one another.