Messy Churches have been in existence since 2004. Lots of churches in Bath and Wells have a Messy Church, reaching out to people beyond the fringes of traditional church. A recent research project found that Messy Churches are:
- reaching families who are new to church
- growing disciples
- modelling new patterns of leadership
- developing and maturing as church
So there is lots to celebrate! However, we know that leading and keeping a Messy Church running can be hard work and challenging.
Although there is support for Messy Churches through the Messy Church network we also hold a Messy Church Hub event once a year (well, three similar events in three different locations across the Diocese) so you can meet face-to-face with other people doing similar things. This is led by the Go Team (our team of children’s, families and youth workers) in conjunction with the Evangelism and Pioneer Team.
At the Hub we share our approaches to different aspects of Messy Church ministry and try to improve our practice. We can ask questions about areas we are stuck, get inspiration from each other, and work out how Messy Church grows disciples as well as shares the gospel story with people who might not otherwise come to church.
Our Messy Church Hub was launched in June 2018 with Lucy Moore, founder of Messy Church, leading two events on the same day in Wellington and then Yeovil. Hub events are open to all comers, whether you have been doing Messy Church for a decade or a few weeks or are just thinking about starting (or even if you’re not doing Messy Church but think you could learn from a Hub event). It is also open to people from churches that aren’t Anglican, so bring your friends from other churches if you want!
Who to contact
For more information about Messy Church Hubs or anything else, please contact: Emma Bartlett, Pioneer Project Administrator.