MESSY CHURCH AT WUMC IS 10-YEARS-OLD!
Long ago (on January 13, 2015, at 5:30 p.m.!), we launched our very first Messy Church – and 10 years later, we are still being ‘Messy’ at WUMC! Beginning this new ministry especially for families with younger children was truly stepping out in faith, requiring an effort that stretched across continents.
Messy Church, which began in England, is an all-ages-welcome, Christ-centered worship experience based on the values of creativity, hospitality, and celebration. Our Youth Director at the time, Andy Glascott, who came to us from England and Ireland, was familiar with Messy Church and believed it could be a great fit for Williamsburg.
With three months of preparation behind us, we introduced Messy Church to Virginia in January 2015 - and the rest is history! We started with a devoted team of about 25 volunteers and a few church staff members who became the backbone of our Messy ministry. Each person found their place to serve, whether in the kitchen, at the crafts table, the welcome station, or leading worship and music. Our team proudly wore lime green Messy Church t-shirts, making it easy for guests to recognize us, while our kitchen helpers stood out in custom yellow aprons.
Messy Church quickly became more than just a gathering – it became a time of celebration. We have marked birthdays, honored special days throughout the year, and, enjoyed cake at our annual January Messy Church birthday! (This has even included taking turns at breaking open a candy-filled piñata, bravely held by Youth Director Andy.) Some of our most memorable gatherings have taken place outdoors, complete with water pools, slides, and recently a special Messy Church-style baptism. When COVID forced us apart, we found ways to reach out to our Messy congregation by sharing recorded skits and lessons. The memories are too many to count, but each one is a reminder of the joy and connection Messy Church brings.
One of the most enduring aspects of Messy Church are the relationships it builds. Over time, Tuesday nights have become part family-reunion, part worship. Over ten years, we have watched babies grow into preteens, walked alongside families through life’s milestones, and shared in each other’s joys and challenges. But most importantly, Messy Church is about building relationship with God. It is a place where everyone, of all ages and backgrounds, can experience God’s presence – including those who may need a more relaxed or bodies-engaged experience than Sunday morning offers.
Over time, our Messy families have become one family – a congregation. Some have joined our Sunday morning fellowship, and others have come to our new Sunday night dinner-church. We are so grateful to the many dozens of devoted disciples who have worked so faithfully and so long to make this happen! We will continue to be Messy at WUMC because God loves messy people, and isn’t that really all of us?
~ Cindy Banek