Let's get Messy!
A couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure and joy of
attending my very first Messy Church at Sherwood Anglican Church. Sherwood
Anglican is well known for being champions of Messy Church with Sue and Glen
Taylor being strong advocates and trainers for many years of this form of
Church Service. Ever since I started this job, Messy Church has often come up
in conversations when discussing ways we can become more intergenerational and
how we can reach families to share the Gospel in ways and formats that are
engaging and welcoming.
Messy Church started back in England in 2004 and has since
grown and spread across many different countries worldwide. This expression of
church at its very heart is about family, to share the gospel and pass along
the faith through a service that allows everyone of all ages to come together
to learn and worship. I am not an expert on Messy Church so if you are
interested in exploring it a little more head straight to their website at
So how was my experience of Messy Church at Sherwood? It was
a joyful and new experience for me. That Sunday focus was on the ‘Mountain’
experience of God which explored the 10 commandments and the Beatitudes (Matt
5:3-11) which through the format of Messy Church turned into various fun
activities such as colouring in our own version of the 10 commandment tablets,
making delicious bee cupcakes (Be(e)atitudes – get it? I love a good pun), and
creating our own mountain which would become the backdrop for Communion.
There was something simple but powerful about walking into
Sherwood Church, because to me, it felt alive. The church building itself is
beautiful with gorgeous stain glass windows and high ceilings, but it was the
various artworks which have been created over the years through (what I
guessed) their Messy Church services infused the building with joyful times of
learning and exploring of God’s word. It felt welcoming and open and this
continued throughout the entire service. 
My favourite moment was during Communion. Some of my
favourite times of Communion have been in more unconventional places such as around
campfires and in lecture rooms, where laughter and fellowship was felt as we
participated in the reminder of what Christ has done for us. The culture of
openness throughout this service meant that conversations rather than silence are
the norm even during communion. It was in this space that I had a fantastic
conversation with one of the elders of Sherwood Church about the power of God’s
word while we waited patiently to partake in Communion itself. It was through
shared stories and wonderment of what God has spoken to us in our lives through
His word that centred me when I finally came to receive the bread and wine. Making
it a deeper spiritual experience than I would normally have in a service where
silence or background music is observed.
This moment was amongst what was a great time all around and
it was refreshing to experience church in a different way and a service that
celebrates and highlights what each of us can bring regardless of our age and
maturity in Christ. The service wasn’t perfect by any means and I wouldn’t say
that Messy Church is for any and every church, but it I can’t deny that Messy
Church has made its mark on Sherwood Anglican for the better. I left a service
that was filled with laughter, life, hospitality, and a strong sense of family.
It was a beautiful experience and I think there is much to be learnt about the
approaches that Messy Church takes in forming the way we do church in new ways.
By Erica Skerman
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