Diaries at the ready

In a burst of efficiency the Messy Church team have set the dates and themes for next year. Why not grab your diary / calendar and make a note of them now because you don't want to miss any of the fun!

Countdown to Christmas

November's Messy Church has been and gone. It was lovely to see so many of you and once again to enjoy some great craft activities, a fun time of celebration and a delicious meal.

Now November drawing to a close and Sunday 1 December is the start of Advent - a period of preparation for Christmas. Often that means frantic activity, late-night shopping and parting with large sums of money. However Advent was originally meant to be a time when we could prepare to welcome and receive Jesus and the message of his birth - God with us. That sometimes gets lost in the busyness... a definite case of throwing the baby out with the bath-water... or wrapping paper!

One way of doing a different kind of preparation might be to make a positive choice to shop less, consume less and stress less... and give more in terms of time, energy and attention to those we love. Another way would be to spend a little more time on what lies at the heart of Christmas. 

Come along to our Messy Church Christmas Special on Sunday 15 December, 4-6pm - there will be some Christmas craft, songs, our own gospel choir,  a re-telling of the Christmas story for us all to join in, some games and as always some lovely food.

There will also be a Family Carol Service on Christmas Eve at 4pm. This is always a popular event (so you need to be early to get a seat) and a lovely way of beginning the Christmas season with a focus on the things that really matter.

We hope to see you soon.

Clocks change...

.... this weekend but Messy Church will still be taking place at 4pm on Sunday 27 October. Come and discover about another unlikely hero, Gideon, and come dressed as a superhero of your own! There will be craft, face-painting, food, song and sparklers... and hopefully you!

Groovy gospel

The summer seems like a distant memory but people are still talking about our Messy Church musical and the fun of being together, learning some songs and putting on a performance for family and friends. That gave us an idea... and so in a few weeks we are going to launch a Messy Church gospel choir project!

On Saturday 16 November, 10-11.30am there will be taster workshop for children and adults - an opportunity to get together for a morning and have fun learning a few gospel songs. Those who were part of the musical know that it is great fun doing warm up games and exercises and of course there are always supplies of cakes, biscuits and drinks to keep up energy levels.

Those who enjoy the workshop morning can then choose to be part of a gospel choir for a few weeks to learn some special songs that we will perform nearer Christmas.

It is an ideal way to join a singing group/choir without needing to commit lots of time or sign up on a permanent basis. You don't need any musical experience or talent (although that is of course most welcome) - just bring your interest and enthusiasm. If you do happen to play an instrument we'd like to find a way of including your music-making skills so do get in touch.

There will be more information coming up at Messy Church in October or see the contact details on the poster or just come along on Saturday 16 November!

Musical - Day 7

We had a whale of a time! There is a little more to say. The performance of our Messy Church Musical was great and it was wonderful to see so many people in the audience. In total between 80 and 100 people took part in the special messy extravaganza yesterday - cast, back-stage crew, MC team and guests - it was a privilege to be part of it all.  The children did incredibly well remembering their actions and adults were in fine voice, even managing an encore! Thanks to everyone who made the week possible - too many people to name individually but each valued.

Musical - Day 6

There was a real buzz to proceedings this morning... and that was not just the wasp that landed on Sally-Ann's head mid rehearsal.

Undoubtedly the dress rehearsal was helped by the wonderful bacon batches that we consumed first thing - thank you to all our cooks and helpers and to everyone who has been part of the crew during the week. So much work has gone into the musical behind the scenes and so if you are one of those  who have contributed in any way - THANK YOU!

So our morning began with breakfast together, then we had a press call (look out for a picture of us in the Nuneaton News) and after that a 'stumble through' performance, with stops where we needed to change something or be reminded to smile or stand still or not get distracted. Then another short break before the final rehearsal.... and this time without stops or prompting.

And do you know what... it was fantastic! It hardly seems possible that we can have achieved so much in just a few days. We have gathered an all-age cast - from those just learning to toddle to great grandparents - and enjoyed being together with Jesus. You know what, this could catch on - we could call it church!

Musical - Day 5

What to do about a whale that has eaten too many pies....? Our psychedelic whale is a little too heavy to move easily and so will now be making an entrance from the rear of the stage... possibly on wheels!

Other than that unexpected turn of events everything seems to be going very well. We have now got some stage marks so we know where to stand and the scenery has been condensed a little so that it makes a bigger impact and doesn't get squashed by our zealous toddler dancers!

This morning we ran through the final scenes and tried to remember who is doing what, and when. There are more creative ideas than we have the time and energy to incorporate but it is nice to have so much enthusiasm feeding into the show.

We're looking forward to our bacon batches in the morning and having our picture taken for the local newspaper. Then all that is left is the show - 5pm on Sunday 25th if you can make it, followed by a barbecue for cast, guests and Messy Church regulars.