Messy Church, 20th July 2013

Our theme this month was the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders.  The Wise Man built his house on rock, and the Foolish Man built his house on the sand.  

We got messy with a shredded paper storm:

One team struggled to keep their flimsy tent up on the sand, while the other team kept their strong tent upright on the rocks.

All the fun activities were seaside related, with lots of sand, rock and water.  Everyone really enjoyed the sandpit in the car park:

We made coloured sand art collages, as well as "seaside in a box" sculptures.

Our home made crazy golf "engolfed" the large hall, leaving only a tiny space for Hoopla and Tin Can Alley.

We ended up with a picnic beside our car park seaside.

Messy Church - THIS WEEKEND!

Messy Church is back in its usual home, St Mary's Church Hall, Greenford Avenue, on Saturday 20th July.

Our theme this month is the Parable of the Two Builders and we are looking forward to welcoming you from 3:30.  Remember, you can't be late for Messy Church!

Messy Church at Hanwell Carnival!

It was wet, windy and, yes, MESSY when St Mary’s Messy Church went to the Hanwell Carnival in June.

The Carnival passed by the front of St Mary’s Church Hall and anyone in the procession who normally goes to Messy Church had a big surprise on arrival at Elthorne Park – the Messy Church tent was open for business!

The walls of Jericho (cardboard boxes to the uninitiated) were ready and just waiting to be painted.

There was craft work to be tackled, and then every hour the Story of Joshua was told to all those sheltering from the rain. At 5.30pm, the walls were knocked down by an enthusiastic crowd.

We shared a pitch with the Hanwell Churches Together stand, where refreshments were conveniently served. Another highlight of the afternoon was the Magician who entertained the children (and adults).

A great time was had by all, and we greatly enjoyed the opportunity to show off Messy Church to our wider community.

Messy Church is coming to Hanwell Carnival!

Messy Church @ St Marys is very excited to be relocating in June; we are going to Hanwell Carnival, in Elthorne Park Hanwell.

We will be telling the story from Joshua 6 of Joshua and the battle of Jericho, and our theme is that "nothing is impossible for God".

The Carnival opens at noon, and we will be holding Messy Church between then and 5, and will be building and painting the walls of Jericho as well as lots of other activities.  

We're really looking forward to seeing you there!

Messy Church, 18th May - Pentecost

'When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.'  Acts 2:1-4

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, appearing to the disciples as a rushing wind and tongues of fire, transformed the disciples into bold preachers and healers and enabled them to begin Christ's Church. Without the Holy Spirit within them, they wouldn't have had this transformation. From this, we know that without the Holy Spirit filling us, we can't do God's work very well. We need to be constantly re-filled with God's blessing and with the Holy Spirit.

We spoke about things that are invisible but are essential in our lives. Our senses – smell, noise, breath but also air, love, electricity and power – and of course, the Holy Spirit.

We decorated candle holders and everyone got a candle to celebrate the Church’s Birthday at Pentecost. We wrote invisible messages that became clear when painted over. We had a sensory zone with wire buzzer games, sea shells to listen to the sea in, smelly stuff to test out our noses and crinkly and popping stuff to have fun with. We also made a real mess with the blow painting!

We then flew paper aeroplanes up to God. We danced in bubbles. We ran around with red and yellow streamers (symbolising fire) and made wind tunnels with fans. We let off untied balloons all at the same time (air and noise!) and then tied them and batted them about. All this sensory fun was brought together in the story of Pentecost sitting around our artwork and candles.

Messy Church, 20th April - Love Your World and Praise God for Creation

‘Then God said ‘Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ ‘God saw all that he had made and it was very good.’ Genesis 1:26 & 31

‘Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord’ Psalm 150:6

‘Praise the Lord from the earth….. great sea creatures and all ocean depths, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, young men and women, old men and children, Praise the Lord.’  Psalm 148:7-13 

The hall was alive with animals this month. We made masks, ears, antennae, wings and fins and paraded around our cube-world with instruments to celebrate everything that has breath. We also made a beautiful collage, wallowed in primordial slime and pinned fins on a shark and hats on a cat.

Messy Church, 16th March - Easter

 Easter is the climax of Jesus’ earthly mission, the reason he came to this world.  He knew what was going to happen to him and didn’t flinch from it.

John 3:16  ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…’
Luke 9:51  ‘As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem’

This Messy Church is likely to be remembered as “the drumming one”. The children worked hard to make beautiful drums and enjoyed themselves making an Easter Garden.  As Helen retold the poignant Easter story, the children, expertly directed by Jo, drummed together to set the mood of the story.  Fast, slow, loud and quiet, the children used the music to reinforce their understanding of the story of Easter.  Jesus died that we might live.  We do wrong and deserve punishment and judgement.  Jesus took our punishment and stood, and still stands, in our place.

Romans 5:8  ‘God demonstrates his own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us’
2 Corinthians 5:21 ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God’

The parents waved palms and threw streamers to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. 

Matthew 21:1-11  Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  He was cheered by crowds who cut down palm branches and laid them on the road.  They shouted ‘Hosanna’ which originally meant ‘Save’  but has come to be a shout of praise.

The worship story ended around a beautiful Easter Garden which had been made during the activities, decorated with painted stones and paper flowers. 

Matthew 26:36-45  In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was ‘sorrowful and troubled’, but prayed to God his Father ‘may your will be done’.

John 19:41 ‘At the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb cut out of the rock.’

John 20.  The tomb was empty.  Jesus’ body had gone.  Mary saw someone she thought was the gardener and only recognised Jesus when he spoke her name.  She told the disciples ‘I have seen the Lord.’ 

We welcomed a congregation of 104 this month, one of our highest.

Maundy Thursday
Matthew 26:17-30  Jesus had a last meal with his friends.  He spoke to them about his death
He took bread and said ‘…..this is my body…..’  He took wine and said ‘….this is my blood….’