Messy Church

Messy Church Online – Christmas 2020

email: messychurch@marksteychurch.org.uk

Messy Remembrance

By Tracey Fitzsimmons
Remembrance Day (or Poppy Day) can be challenging to think about, but the concept of thankfulness can be an easier one to understand. Being thankful feels especially significant this year; we can be thankful to God and to those who help us, protect us and keep us safe. On Poppy Day, we can especially remember those who helped us, and still help us, in times of war and conflict.

Make some poppies

Pinwheel poppies

You will need: squares of red paper (or paper you have coloured red); scissors; paper fasteners; a black sharpie pen; a holepunch

Cut your square of paper into the rough shape shown below. (We just folded the square in half diagonally, cut slits down the folds and shaped the edges.) Use the hole punch to make holes on the four corner dots, and make a hole in the centre by pushing your paper fastener through. Curl each pointed end to the centre and put the paper fastener through all the holes. Colour the paper fastener black to look like the poppy seeds. Make a second square and add it to the original poppy if you want a fuller poppy shape.

Cupcake case poppies

You will need: red cupcake cases (or ones you have coloured red); black pens

Push down the edges of your cupcake case and write/draw thankful prayers around the edges of the poppy. Dot the centre of your poppy with lots of black dots to represent the seeds in the centre.

Use your poppies to make a Poppy Wreath

You will need: a paper plate (cut out the middle to make your wreath), green paint or green colouring pens, the poppies you have made (or poppies images printed off from the internet), some string or ribbon, paper to make leaves (optional).

Carefully cut around the middle out of the paper plate to make a wreath shape. Paint or colour it green. Decorate it with poppies – you could use your pinwheel poppies, cupcake case poppies or some poppy pictures from the internet. Cut some leaf shapes out to create your wreath and stick them on. Attach a piece of string or ribbon to hang it up with.

Talk about: 

Poppies are the special flowers worn around Remembrance (or Poppy) Day. Do you remember seeing people wearing poppies? Do you know why? Do you know what the different parts of the poppy can symbolise?

  • how we can remember to be thankful to people who gave their lives so we can be free today.
  • Poppies are the symbol of a charity that still cares for those who were bereaved or injured in wars.
  • Red petals – a reminder of the blood that was, and is, spilled in wars. We can be thankful for those who sacrificed their lives, served and continue to help us in our armed services.
  • Seeds – at the centre of your poppy. These seeds hold the hope of new life, which is something we can be thankful for.
  • Flower – the poppies that grew on the battlefields were a sign of new life and hope for the future.
  • Leaf – set at 11:00 position to remind us of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, when the armistice was signed. This is the day and the time we especially remember those who have died.

These activities have been taken from Messy Church at home – Messy Remembrance

https://www.messychurch.org.uk/resource/messy-church-home-messy-remembrance

Messy Church Online – Summer 2020

email: messychurch@marksteychurch.org.uk

Our next Messy Church has been postponed:

28th March at 3pm – 5:30pm

At St Andrews Church, Find out more

 

email us to book your place

email: messychurch@marksteychurch.org.uk

Messy Church met on Saturday 15th February 2020;

Our theme was ‘Loving and Serving’. Do you know a bible story about a wise man building his house on a rock?

In the book of Matthew in the Bible we read about this story in chapter 7 verses 24 – 29. God says that those who hear His words and obey them will be like ‘a wise man who built his house on the rock’. A house built on a rock can stand strong it has a good foundation. God calls us to serve one another humbly in love. February is a month that we, as a society, think of love (St Valentine) there are many ways that people celebrate Valentine’s Day. At Messy Church we looked at how we might show love and service to others in our communities in a real and meaningful way. Loving others is a key part of Jesus’ teaching. Let’s find ways that we can share Jesus’ love with others.

So ……….. how can we love and serve others in Jesus’ name?

We explored this theme through the following activities: Linking hearts, Loving Service game of cards, Bird heart feeder, learn a new skill – Crochet, Broken Hearts Puzzles, Washi Tape Sun Catchers, Science Activity – Cornflour Gloop also known as Ooblick, Giant Heart Game, Rice Krispsie Hearts and Pancake Art. Before heading into the church for our story told through video clips, games, singing and the Malteser challenge!

As always Messy Church ended with a buffet tea.

Please do join us for our next Messy Church, Messy Easter, on Saturday 28th March 2020, 3 – 5.30pm at St Andrew’s Church.

Messy Church met on Sunday 15th December 2019

our theme was ‘follow the star’. . Do you know a bible story about a star leading some special visitors to Jesus?

In the book of Matthew in the Bible we read about the Wisemen; that they saw a new star when it rose in the sky and travelled to worship Him, a new born King. The star went ahead of them as they journeyed until it stopped over the place where the child Jesus was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

When we look at the night sky full of stars, we can also be full of awe and wonder and the stars in the sky or all around us at Christmas time can remind us how stars lead people to think of the amazing wonder of God.

We asked the question; so …… what will you think of as you see a star this Christmas?

   

We explored this theme through the following activities: Beaded star ornament, Star of Bethlehem from clothes pegs, Christmas Manger, Toothpick trick – science activity, String & Nail star, Star Finger Print Prayer, Star biscuits – food activity, Christmas star decoration, Hama Bead Stars and Glory of God, marble rolling. Before heading into the church for our story told through video clips, games and singing.

As always Messy Church ended with tea, a Christmas buffet with cake and mince-pies.

Please do join us for Messy Church; our next Messy Church is on Saturday 15th February 2020 3 – 5.30pm at St Andrew’s Church.

Messy Church met on Saturday 19th October 2019

Our theme was ‘feast of faith’. We looked at the story in the Bible (in the book of Luke) where 2 disciples are walking to a village called Emmaus about 7 miles from Jerusalem. While they were walking they were joined by a man who explained why Jesus died and rose again. When they arrived at Emmaus they invited this man to join them for supper, as the man broke bread and gave thanks their eyes were opened and they recognised that he was Jesus. We thought about how important sharing a meal was to the 2 disciples as they journeyed in their relationship with Jesus.

We asked the question; ‘So …………… where have you seen God today?

     

We explored this theme through the following activities: food matching game, making & playing with play dough, roller painting ice-creams, jelly bean poem, prayer jars, placemats, following Jesus footprints, box-modelling making chairs, edible tables from marshmallows, chocolate fingers & pink wafers and walking disciples along the road to Emmaus. Before heading into the church for our story told through video clips, games and singing.

As always Messy Church ended with tea and cake.

Please do join us for Messy Church; our next Messy Church is Messy Christmas on Sunday 15th December.

Messy Church met on Saturday 13th July 2019

our theme was ‘Drop Everything’. Jesus called his disciples, four fishermen Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, James and his brother John to come and follow him. At once they left their jobs as fishermen and went to follow Jesus. Jesus didn’t cut a deal or make a series of offers to the four fishermen; he just gave an invitation. The impact of that invitation meant the fishermen left behind their livelihoods, responsibilities and families. They were all ordinary and busy people, just like you and me. They dropped everything, there and then, to follow Jesus. One meaning of ‘Follow me’ is ‘commit to me’. Are we looking for the easy road or are we committed to following, loving and obeying God on the journey he gives us?

 

We explored this theme through the following activities; marbulous feet, into the boat, edible fish, are you ready? go & tell megaphones, pyramid of importance, follow me origami, minute to win it, disciple trail and walk with Jesus. Before heading into the church for our story told by puppets and singing.

 

As always Messy Church ended with tea and cake.

Please do join us for Messy Church; our next Messy Church is on 19th October.

Messy Church met on Saturday 18th May 2019

Our theme was birthdays as we celebrated our 5th birthday and Pentecost, the worldwide Christian Church birthday. Pentecost is the day the church celebrates its birthday because that’s when Jesus’ Holy Spirit came to the first disciples. The Holy Spirit is Christ’s power in Christians. We had lots of fun with lots of balloon activities, as balloons are one way of celebrating, they helped us remember that our breath is like the wind, as we blew up lots of balloons and see the power of that air as it moved the hovercrafts, cars, boats and string rockets we made. We were reminded that the wind has power, even though you can’t see the wind, you can often see the wind’s power. God’s Holy Spirit is like breath in Christians helping them to live a life as followers of Jesus. At Pentecost we remember when the Holy Spirit came to help us live our Christian life.

We were joined this year by Christian Magician Neil Keeble who led a balloon modelling workshop activity, with lots of balloon hats, flowers, swords were modelled by the children. Following our activities we were wowed by Neil’s magic tricks as we celebrated Messy Church’s and the Christian Churches birthday.

As always Messy Church ended with tea and cake, we had an amazing hot air balloon birthday cake.

Please do join us for Messy Church; our next Messy Church is on 13th July.

Messy Church met on Saturday 30th March 2019

our theme was ‘Mothers and Carers’ as we celebrated those in our own families and in our wider community who bring us up or nurture us.

The photos show our 10 activities on our theme.

In our Overflowing Cup Challenge we tried to fill all our tower of glasses with water by pouring water only in the top glass. We thought about the blessings we are thankful for and how we can bless others.

In our prayer space we had floating flowers, we thanked God for our mum’s and others who care for us as we watched the flower we had made open up in the water.

Keyrings were made as a gift for our mum or special carer, drawing a picture of something that they would like to go inside the keyring. We considered what we thought God likes to hear us say and do to show our love.

For our Mother’s Day cards we sewed radiating hearts. We thought about hearts being a symbol of love and how we can show Jesus we love him.

Handprint cup-vases using our own hand shapes cut from foam, these vases looked like we were holding the flowers. We considered that God’s hands are big enough to hold us all!

Heart tea-light cans was about hammering into a can a heart shape, making something beautiful from a recycled can to give as a gift to say thank you to our mum’s for caring for us.

Meadow picture was our group collage, we considered that just like the different colours and flowers that covered the paper, the Church welcomes everyone. We are each unique, but more beautiful together.

Cake case flowers, we made flowers from paper cake cases and pipe cleaners to give to the person who brings us to Messy Church.

At our Sandwich Bank activity we showed that we care by making sandwiches to be given out by the Colchester Soup Run.

Decorating cupcakes, we rolled out fondant icing and cut out flowers to decorate a cupcake. Giving flowers is a way of saying ‘I love you’. It is a good idea to tell people we love them even if we think they know already. In fact it’s a good idea to tell them every single day!

In our celebration there was a time of singing songs and the story of Mary, Jesus’ mother, who said “Yes” to be Jesus’ mum and her life as a mother. This look at Mary’s life shows God at work in an ordinary person and demonstrates the value that God places on the role of mother’ whether that role is biological or social.

As always we ended with tea and cake.

Please come and join us at our next Messy Church on Saturday 18th May as we celebrate our 5th birthday with balloon modelling and balloon activities. Email messychurch@marksteychurch.org.uk to book your family’s place.

Messy Church was on Saturday 16th February 2019 at St Andrew’s Church.

We explored our theme ‘Self-Confidence through the story of Gideon’ at the start of our afternoon through art, science and food activities then through a time of singing and story.
We asked the question; so …….. how do you think of yourself? Brave and strong or scared and weak?
The photos show some of our 10 activities exploring how Gideon thought about himself and his ability and his growing knowledge of God’s view of him and what he could do when he trusted God.
God can help science activity caused amazement and wonder as you can see from the children’s faces. Do you know how water can stay in an upside down glass?

We made parachutes and later tested them, by watching them being dropped from the top of the church tower. In our making and testing of parachutes, we thought about how Gideon’s trust grew in God as he got to know him, Gideon grew braver and stronger.   Would you be brave enough to test a parachute?

We created doves of peace by transforming a flat piece of paper. We thought about how God transformed Gideon’s life and asked the question what part of our life would we like God to change?

Our group collage is called ‘You are Amazing!’ We wrote phrases that we would like to hear from God to make us feel better about ourselves. What words would make you feel better about yourself?

Fire on a rock was our food activity. We made edible fire on a rock using lots of chocolate; icing, chocolate fingers and flake then fruit sweets and biscuits. Gideon asked God to show him He was really God. What would you like God to do to show you He is God?

Peace don’t be Afraid canvas, selecting bad newspaper headlines and sticking them all over the canvas but covering over these headlines with the words Peace don’t be Afraid. What difference would it make today to hear God speak ‘Peace do not be Afraid’ to our world, amid our own problems?

Build an altar to the Lord was our blindfold challenge as we looked at the fact that Gideon was fearful of what people would think and do if they caught him building an altar to God, so he built it in the dark! Do you like telling people about God? Are you sometimes scared of what people might think?

Shake it off challenge, was a silly game to play and caused much laughter as we tried to shake out 6 ping pong balls from the tissue box on our back! Gideon in the story was doing something just as silly trying to thresh wheat in a wine press! The winner of the Shake it off challenge managed this task in 6 seconds!!

In our celebration there was a time of singing songs and the story of Gideon being transformed from being weak and scared to being brave and strong and how God enabled Gideon to complete every task He called him to and will do the same for us today.

As always we ended with tea and cake.

Please come and join us at our next Messy Church on Saturday 30th March as we make cards and presents for Mother’s Day.

Messy Church was on Saturday 14th July 2018 at St Andrew’s Church.

We explored our theme ‘Creating and Caring’ at the start of our afternoon through art, science and food activities then through a time of singing and story.

We asked the question; so …….. how can we create a caring creation?

The photos show some of our 10 activities about different ways to explore looking after our world and having fun being creators:

Blowing trees activity as we blew paint through straws to make trees, we thought about trees in the bible and how they are used to represent life – growth and also death, Jesus on a wooden cross.

Our water purifiers amazed everyone with the success of cleaning dirty water as we thought about the parts of the world where they do not have clean water or even taps!

We created recycled animals from boxes; some made horses, elephants and snakes … what would you have made?

We created fruit animals, as we thought about all the different fruits we have in our world, in the photograph is a fruit owl, we also made octopuses from strawberries, mice and ladybirds too.

We used seeds to collage flower pictures, as we thought about different seeds and what seeds are for.

We enjoyed making placemats by weaving strips of plastic carrier bags, one way of recycling and reusing plastic and looking after our world.

In our ice play we had lots of polar bears to live on the ice blocks and land animals to live and play on the stone land.  We explored what happens as the ice melts and asked the question where will the polar bears live now?

The group collage activity designed a green poster, ‘love your world look after it’, a lovely beach scene was spoilt with all types of litter; no wildlife can be seen in this collage.

In the prayer space we used a world map  as we try to identify where in the world the natural disasters’ were occurring.  The challenge was to find the different countries and to pray to God for the country’s wellbeing.  

At the end of our activity time we all enjoyed a scavenging textures hunt outside in the churchyard, finding soft, gritty, smooth, rough, crackly, fuzzy, hard, shiny, prickly and spiky textures.  As we thought about which textures made us feel safe and which textures made us feel uncomfortable.

In our celebration there was a time of singing songs and a story of creation and how we can Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to help look after the world we live in.

As always we ended with tea and cake.

Please come and join us at our next Messy Church on Saturday 13th October.

Messy Church was on Sunday 13th May 2018 hosted at St Andrew’s School by kind permission of the Head-teacher Mrs L Berkeley.

We explored our theme ‘Prayer Everywhere’ at the start of our afternoon through art, science and food activities then through a time of singing and story.

We asked the question; so ……… how do you pray?  And gave the challenge to everyone can you complete your Messy Church passport as they moved around the activities?

The photos show some of our 11 activities about different ways to pray:

Prayer lava lamps a science activity which when the activator was added air bubbles bubbled up, watching the bubbles helps our ‘busy heads’ to slow down, listen and talk to God.  

Pop! Pop! Pop! Prayers gives ideas of areas to pray for some people put school, peace, friends, Messy Church and family on their 5 discs.  We challenged the children to shake their bottle each day and pray for the disc which popped to the top first.  The pop! Bottles wouldn’t be a Messy Church activity without plenty of glitter.

Great creativity with printing to decorate a family prayer book and choosing prayers to glue in, these were taken home to use and add more prayers in.

Prayer candle holders were made to help us think about saying grace, which is talking to God before our meals.

Can you make a catapult from lollisticks and a plastic spoon?  There was much enthusiasm with firing small erasers at our junk wall; metal spoons were much more robust!  Sometimes situations feel like huge walls but by praying sometimes for days, weeks and even years – our prayers to God can break the wall down.

Everyone enjoys popping bubble wrap, every time you pop a bubble you say a pray.  Today we were using this method of praying to pray for our world, maybe the environmental concerns about ocean life or a friend who is ill who lives in America.

 

We had some amazing aerodynamics making and flying aeroplanes & kites, having test flights on the school playground.

In our celebration a time of singing songs and a story about Prayer Everywhere we heard some of the places you can pray including school, train station and the toilet!  One thing that we can be sure is that God will listen to us wherever we pray.

We end with tea and birthday cake as we celebrated St Andrew’s Marks Tey Messy Church’s 4th birthday.

Please come and join us at our next Messy Church on Saturday 14th July.