By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Grafton – As an alternative to the traditional Sunday morning church service, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in North Grafton and St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sutton have teamed up to offer Messy Church, a ministry which engages and builds relationships with thousands of people outside the usual church context. It is a way to way to offer the “Good News” of God’s love through a time of food, friendship and fun for people of all ages, stages and abilities – no faith required.
“Our churches have been looking for ways to reconnect with our church families who struggle to get to church on increasingly busy Sundays,” said Rev. Laura Goodwin. “At the same time, we were looking for ways to reach out to new people and families that would be creative and inviting.”
Messy Church is an international movement that has become popular and is growing in the UK, Canada and New Zealand.
Unlike the traditional quiet, reverent, ordered church environment, Messy Church is a noisy, boisterous gathering of mixed-age people who come together to celebrate by doing some ‘messy stuff’ with glue, paint, music and drama.
“I was aware of Messy Church through connections in Canada and felt like the model fit many of the needs in the community and also the gifts and talents of our parishioners, so we decided to give it a try,” Goodwin said.
In September the church hosted a Messy Church training, led by Julie Hintz, coordinator of the Messy Church effort in the United States, and on Oct. 4 the first Messy Church event took place. It was, according to Goodwin, a big success.
Messy Church will take place on the first Sunday of every month from 4 to 6 p.m. – except in December when it will take place Dec. 13 – at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 53 N. Main St., North Grafton. Those in attendance will enjoy a brief “celebration,” crafts suitable for all ages, and dinner prepared by a team from the parishes in a casual, non-judgmental, safe environment.
The events are free and all are welcome.
It is, said Goodwin, “a new and different way of being church.”