MESSY CHURCH Introducing Messy Church 2017 Make it

MESSY CHURCH Introducing Messy Church 2017 Make it Messy! More Information: Chris Barnett Centre for Theology and Ministry 9340 8806 chris. barnett@ctm. uca. edu. au

Messy Church • What Messy Church looks like - monthly gathering - Messy activity, celebration and food - time and place chosen intentionally to encourage local community participation

Messy Church • What it ISN’T – a “program” for “children” • What it IS – congregational planting - multi-age discipleship community

Messy Church • Still growing… February 2011 February 2017 • Every State 2 Messy Churches 213 Messy Churches

Messy Church • Australia by State NSW QLD SA TAS VIC WA 54 39 27 6 72 14

Messy Church • Australia by Denomination Anglican 82 Baptist 9 Churches of Christ 1 Lutheran 8 Roman Catholic 1 Salvation Army 23 Seventh Day Adventist 2 Uniting Church 84 Other 3

Messy Church • Victoria by Denomination Anglican 25 Baptist 5 Churches of Christ 1 Lutheran 0 Roman Catholic 0 Salvation Army 7 Seventh Day Adventist 1 Uniting Church 33 Other 1

Messy Church • Messy Church Values - Celebration - Creativity - Hospitality - Contextualisation - Multi-Age Community - Christ-centred Community

Messy Church • Messy Church Principles - Enabling people to have fun together - Inviting people into an experience of Christian community - Giving people a chance to express their God-given creativity - Providing an opportunity for people of all ages to worship together - Helping people of all ages to feel that they belong in church and to each other - Introducing people to Jesus through hospitality, friendship, stories and worship

Messy Church What has been your experience of Messy Church before today? What, if anything, has surprised you so far? What questions might you have based on what you have heard so far today?

Messy Church • What’s behind the growth of Messy Church? The importance of Contextualisation - To the local community - To the local faith community - To the denomination of the faith community

Messy Church • What’s behind the growth of Messy Church? The Messy Church Values - Celebration - Creativity - Hospitality - Multi-Age Community - Christ-centred Community

Messy Church • What it ISN’T – a “program” for “children” • What it IS – congregational planting - multi-age discipleship community

Messy Church • Beginning a Messy Church - Explicit approval from the Church Council/Leadership - Discernment of localised purpose, vision and priorities - Establishment of a core leadership team of at least four people - Consultation with the local community regarding appropriate time, day and space - Demonstrated awareness of and compliance with the requirements around provision of safe environment for all participants - Registration via http: //www. messychurch. org. uk/user/register -

Messy Church Questions and Comments

MESSY CHURCH Introducing Messy Church 2017 Make it Messy! More Information: Chris Barnett Centre for Theology and Ministry 9340 8806 chris. barnett@ctm. uca. edu. au