JourneyOnline
On Sunday 9 October, members of the 29th Synod experienced worship as Messy Church.
Led by FUN (For Under Nineteens) Synod delegates and the South-East corner youth and children’s workers, people roamed between 13 different activities based on the reading John 15:1-17 (The Vine and the Branches). Synod Bible study leader, Rev Wendi Sargeant, reminded members that “it’s OK to be messy every now and again!”
Messy Church is an example of the Fresh Expressions movement.
“It is a way of doing church to outreach to people who would not normally come on a Sunday morning,” said Ms Sargeant. “We need to support youth and children’s ministry in the Synod.”
Ms Sargeant said the worship was to show people the different ways Messy Church could be worship.
“It’s not that new but it is a wonderful way to do intergenerational worship.
“We are not just playing around. This is real worship and for people who don’t know the jargon.”
Synod members were invited to experience 13 creative stations around the space including a magnetic graffiti wall to write sorry prayers (some of which the young people later read out), chalking on paths, learning a song, reading and discussing Wesley’s notes, potato sponge painting, bookmark making, collage and many more activities to help people engage with the reading.
Groups came back into a time of celebration and, as Ms Sargeant put it, “Be open to what the spirit is going to teach you anew about a very familiar parable”.
Indooroopilly Uniting Church youth and children’s ministry worker, Rev Josie Nottle, read the John 15 Bible reading while FUN Synod members enacted the reading in bags. Other FUN Synod members lively read from the book Basil the branch followed by prayers written during the creativity.
For more information on Messy Church and the Fresh Expressions movement read the October edition of Journey. Messy Church resources are also available from Vision Books at Broadwater Road Uniting Church.
Photo : A Bible reading with a difference during worship of day 2 of the 29th Synod. Photo by Osker Lau
