Desert wonderings

Yesterday was another busy Messy Church. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces plus welcome a few new people. The hall was buzzing during the afternoon
We lived up to our messy name with some foot painting and several activities with sand. All of this was to help us focus on a desert theme.
During the story time we heard about Abraham - a desert wanderer - and his journey to become the father of a great family. At the heart of all our wonderings was the thought that God goes with us wherever we may be, even in tough places like the desert.
However it was a little difficult to concentrate on any of this because of the wonderful smell of sausages coming from the kitchen! We staved off the winder cold with sausage, mash and beans for tea and rounded off the feast with delicious cakes.
If you missed February's fun do try to join us in March - Sunday 24th, 4-6pm - when we'll be exploring another Bible landscape and thinking about Palm Sunday with some very topical crafts.

Lights, camera, action!

We're delighted to announce that Saltmine Theatre Company will be visiting St Nicolas on Thursday 21 March to perform A Long Road Home. It tells the story of two scrap-yard owners who discover a young man called Jack living in their yard. Jack tells how he has taken his inheritance and left his home to explore life in the big city. His adventure starts well enough but soon it turns sour.
Why is Jack in the yard?
Why did he leave home?
will he ever be able to go back?
Come along to hear Jack's story and find the answers to these questions and more!

Tickets are available from St Nicolas Church Office.

 

Messy New Year

Hello... and a belated Happy New Year. Messy Church is returning on Sunday 27 January, 4-6pm so we hope to see you then. We're going to be making Christingles and finding out about what they represent. There will also be a new shared craft activity to keep us occupied in the coming months plus several other creative activites for all ages. As always Messy Church will end with a lovely family meal.

If you can't make it this weekend these are our Messy Church dates for the next few months:

Merry Messy Christmas

Yesterday saw a marathon merry messy Christmas special - 3 hours of festive fun with lots of highlights. St Nicolas Church Choir made a wonderful guest appearance and treated us to come carols whilst we did craft acitivites and face-painting. Then there were some games during which we ate quite a lot of chocolate!

 

Nearly everyone was involved in telling the Christmas story - a very messy nativity with a bumper crop of shepherds and angels and a very stylish star! And we danced... and danced some more!

 

Gingerbread nativity!

Boosting our energy levels was a lovely buffet tea accompanied by mulled wine and fruit punch. There was also the most amazing spread of cakes, mince pies and chocolate-coated marshmallows. The sweet centre-piece was a gingerbread nativity - it seemed too good to eat... but we managed it!

 

Thanks to team members who worked behind the scenes to make it such a fun event and to everyone for coming along.

 

Over the next week we have a few special services to which you are most welcome:

 

Sunday 23 December, 6pm - Festival of Lesson & Carols

Christmas Eve, 4pm - Family Carols & Crib Service

Christmas Eve, 11.30pm - First Communion of Christmas

Christmas Day, 10.30am - Family Communion

 

The next Messy Church St Nicolas will be on Sunday 27 January 2013.

 

Until then we wish you a very happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas and send you our love and prayers for the New Year.

Christmas Special

This Sunday... 16th December is our Messy Church Christmas Special. Come along at 4pm for craft activities, games, story-telling, music, barn-dancing, carols and festive buffet.

The Big Advent-ure!

November's Messy Church was as buzzy, busy and big as ever so thank you to everyone who came along to make it such fun.

It is now Advent - the time of preparation and excited waiting as we anticipate the coming of Jesus.

We have our Messy Church Christmas Special in just over a week - on Sunday 16 December, 4-7pm. It is an hour longer than normal because we have so many fun things to pack in. As usual there will be a few craft activities to try - come along at the start to have the opportunity to have a go at these. Then we'll have some party games. There will be some barn dancing thanks to Sally-Ann and her band; don't worry if you haven't tried it before - it is great fun and there wil be explanations so that all who want to be involved can be.

Of course there will be a special story-time as we think about the wonderful events of the first Christmas - feel free to come dressed as a nativity character and get involved!

There will be festive food and drinks to sustain all of this activity and we'll round the evening off with a couple of carols.

If you can't be with us on that evening there will be a special family-focused Carol and Crib Service on Christmas Eve at 4pm. It is always a popular event and a lovely way to lead into Christmas Day after the busy time of preparation.

Plus on Christmas Day itself there will be a short family service at 10.30am to celebrate Jesus' birth - it sounds obviously really but what could be more appropriate!

Do join us for any or all of these events or get in touch via our website  if you would like more information http://www.stnicolaschurch.org.uk/

Ohhhh....aaaahhhh!

That is the standard response to fireworks and we certainly enjoyed our Messy Church fireworks at our Light Party in October. Thank you to Nick for organising them.
And thank you to everyone else for making it such a fantastic evening - wonderful fancy dress, great activities, an enlightening story time and some delicious food (as always) including some very messy marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate - thanks to Marilyn and the busy catering team!

Our next Messy Church is on Sunday 25 November and then our Christmas Special is on Sunday 16 December and is a slightly longer event with plenty of festive activities. Hope to see you then.