What is Messy Church?

Messy Church is church that is fun! It celebrates faith with creativity and hospitality!

It is Biblically based!
It is for everyone — all generations together!
It can be a gathering in person!
It can be Messy Church at home on ZOOM!
It can Messy Church in a Bag!

It is a growing international community filled with enthusiasm and ideas to share Good News.
All are Welcome!

Lucy Moore, Messy Church Founder and Team Leader

The UK Story

Messy Church was started in England by Lucy Moore at her church in Cowplain near Portsmouth in 2004 as a way of being ‘church’ for families, especially for those not part of a church. Check out Messy Church world-wide at www.messychurch.org.uk. The first Messy Church in Canada was launched in April 2007 at St. George’s Georgetown, ON and quickly followed by others across the country. Messy Churches are found across Canada in a wide range of denominations in urban and rural communities, all focussed on building a Christ-centred community that is welcoming and great fun!

What Messy Church Is

What Messy Church Is:

Messy Church is a form of church for children and adults that involves creativity, celebration and hospitality.
It can be in-person, in-a-bag, or online!
In person, it meets at a time (and sometimes in a place) that suits the community — but not usually on Sunday mornings
It typically includes a welcome, a creative time to explore the biblical theme with activities, games and crafts; a celebration time involving story, prayer, and songs; and a sit-down meal together at tables. All parts are for (and should include) people of all ages, adults and children.
It’s all-age.
It’s fun.
It’s a church for people at all stages of faith journey and of any age.
It models and promotes good ways of growing as a family: a nuclear family, an extended family, and a global and local church family.
Its aim is to introduce Jesus, to give an opportunity to encounter Christ and to grow in faith.
Most Messy Churches meet once a month, although a few meet more frequently or more occasionally.

Aims

Messy Church happens once a month, with the following aims:

To provide an opportunity for people of all ages to worship together
To help people of all ages feel they belong in church and to each other
To help people have fun and be creative together
To introduce Jesus through hospitality, friendship, stories and worship

Principles

Messy Church is not a stepping-stone into existing congregations, but it is a congregation in its own right.
Messy Church is ecumenical and seeks to work with all Canadian Christian churches.

Leadership

Here’s a list of the Messy Church Canada Leadership Team – we are spread throughout Canada but the gifts of technology mean that you can reach out to any of us! If you have questions, please get in touch with the Messy Church Team Leader.