The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” 1 Kings 19:11a (NIV).
Elijah’s story is full off mountain-top experiences and Aike and Jane were fortunate to have their own mountain-top experience last week. Surrounded by the stunning Swiss Alps, 90 delegates from 14 countries across Europe came together for the European Conference on Christian Education. Representing Messy Church, they spent five days worshipping, learning and reflecting on what it means to hear and value the voices of children.
Over the course of the week, our journey took us through different geographical and historical areas of Switzerland. Along the way, we explored how children’s rights, theology and practice intersect and what that means for the church today.
First stop Zürich, nestled by a crystal-clear lake with a backdrop of mountains, this city was the birthplace of the Swiss reformation, spear-headed by Zwingli in the 1520’s. After a tour of the reformation churches, with the opportunity to gaze at the Chagall stain-glass windows in the Fraumünster church, we gathered at the Helferei (Zwingli’s 16th century clergy house, now a cultural centre) for an initial introduction to each other and our topic of the day – children’s rights.
Melting in the heat, we boarded a coach to Bulle where a local church supplied us with hot soup and Gruyère cheese, followed by an opening time of worship. We were back on the bus as night fell, passing medieval castles, holding tightly to our seats as the double decker bus manoeuvred around hairpin bends to the mountain resort of Leysin.
Hoping for a view of the mountains the next morning, we awoke to find ourselves with a view of the flats behind our hotel, shrouded by mist, the temperature having dropped to 10C!
Each day started and ended with worship led by delegates from the different regions around Europe. It was a truly humbling experience to worship with Christians from around the continent and have English as the common language amongst the nations.
By 9.00am each day, we were led in Bible study with local minister Heiner Schubert, who retold Bible stories through cartoon drawings, enabling us to transcend any language barrier and communicate through art. They say a picture can communicate 1000 words and each day we were challenged to draw our own versions of Bible texts. I chose 1 Kings 19:1-13, Elijah’s mountain top experience with God, whilst Jane produced the Beatitudes in emojis. We learnt that it didn’t matter what language you speak, it’s the expression in the eyebrows that can say it all!
Not only were our creative skills challenged each day, but our brain cells were also stretched by the keynote lectures. On Tuesday Dr. Philip Jaffé (Professor (Emeritus), University of Geneva and Member, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child) opened the discussion around the intersection between religion and children’s rights, based on his work with the United Nations Convention of the Rights of a Child (UNCRC). He put out the challenge for faith communities to respond to the ‘evolving capacities of the child’, creating opportunities for older children and adolescents to exercise their ‘rights’ as they grow. We pondered what this looks like for children in the digital world and for young climate activists.
On Wednesday Bishop Paul Butler, retired Bishop of Durham, and former ‘Advocate for Children’ amongst the bishops of the Church of England (and for the record, no relation to Jane Butler), took us on a romp around child theology and theologians, reminding us that as followers of Jesus, children’s rights should not been seen in isolation, but should sit alongside a relationship with God. It was Jesus who, after all, placed the child in the midst to challenge the theology of his disciples (Matt 18:2-4, Mark 9:46, Luke 9:47).
The third lecture was hosted by Frederique Seidel (Senior Programme Lead, Children & Climate WCC-UNICEF Partnership Advisor) on the topic of hearing the voice of children in the world and supporting their participation in it.
We also had the opportunity to attend workshops run by delegates, as well as host our own session on introducing Messy Church, intergenerational discipleship and what we’re learning about youth engagement through our current Messy Momentum youth project. Discussion about Messy Church was not confined to our workshop. With Messy Church founder Lucy Moore at the conference, and wearing our Messy merch, we managed to steer most conversations during coffee breaks and lunchtime to Messy Church and our exciting new developments, such as the new regional teams.
Through our evening cultural program, we also experienced how to transcend the language barrier through puppets, dance and mime. We took part in a Merengué dance class, designed to help young people build trust and foster team work. By the end of the session, we were supposed to be just a chopstick length apart from our partner, which was quite a challenge for those used to their own personal space! On our last evening the Spanish mine artist Carlos Martínez performed a series of humorous sketches, including Noah loading up the Ark with animals, helping us to unlock our imaginations and find new ways to express God’s amazing story. In fact, I wrote this article from inside my mime ‘glass box’.
Despite the full programme, Jane and Aike took time out after their workshop to go and stand on the mountain. The clouds had finally lifted, and we took the cable car to Berneuse. After the whirlwind of the conference, the top of the mountain was still and silent (apart from the occasional clang of cowbells). As I paused to take in the majesty of the mountains and the wonder of God’s creation, I felt God’s presence as Psalm 46:10 ‘Be still and know that I am God’.
Mountain top experiences don’t last forever, and on Friday we descended down the mountain to Geneva for our closing ceremony at L’Eglise des enfants, currently located at Auditoire Calvin. This was the church of the protestant reformer Calvin during the 1540’s, who preached more than 2000 sermons that would last over an hour without notes. As we gathered for communion, I pondered on what Calvin would have thought about our closing celebration, which included the Godly Play retelling of the Pentecost story, recreating the sound of the wind with paper fans. From my perspective, it was a fitting reminder that we are sent out, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be God’s salt and light to our broken world.
As we left the church and made our way to the airport, Geneva was preparing for an onslaught of brokenness. In anticipation of protests against the G7 summit gathering in Évian, barricades were installed around cultural buildings, statues were bubble wrapped, and shops and restaurants were being boarded up. A prescient reminder that we have an opportunity through our Messy Churches to be a voice of hope and share the love of God to our messy world.
Aike Kennett-Brown
BRF ministries Messy Church Ministry Lead
The UK & Ireland contingent! Penny (The Methodist Church), Bishop Paul, Sharon, Helen, Ruth, Jess & Tom (United Reform Church), Sam, Joy & Luzia (Congregational Federation), Lucy & Cheryl (Church of England), Aled (Church in Wales), Jo (1277), Rachael, Peter, Millie and Rebecca (Church of Ireland).
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