MESSY CHURCH LAUNCH
What happens when you have a church that can’t cater for young children, busy weekends when families can’t get to church anyway, and a church school that has all the facilities and lots of children eager to do stuff all week? Answer:
The launch of Messy Church at Hipswell Church of England Primary School on Wednesday 2 March 2011.
Whoever thought of combining ‘Messy’ and ‘Church’ hit upon a great new concept. Life can be messy – particularly the logistical nightmare of trying to cram as much interest and activity as we can into our weekends that will fit in with the whole family. Going to church is often relegated to the rarer family events, such as baptisms and weddings.
But with Messy Church on the calendar for the pupils of the Church School and their parents, we can include regular family gatherings of a different kind. The kind where we spend time together doing fun and messy craft work, gently exploring our faith by making things, storytelling and by worshipping God in a novel way with puppets and song. We even share a tasty meal at the end. What a great way to be one big family.
The children had great fun rotating through the following activities:
Primordial Slime- the earth before God made the living things. (with Anji Taylor-Hanlon)
 |
 |
Creation Mobile - the different things God made on each day. (with Anne Cowan)
Paper People with Costumes - God made different types of people. (with Agnes Adams)
 |
 |
Junk Animals - God made everything out of nothing. (with Trish Hanlon)
Edible Eden - Delicious but not as wonderful as God's Garden of Eden. (with Revd Jan Kearton)
 |
 |
Welcome to Messy Church everyone!
St John the Evangelist Church, Hipswell and the parish of Hipswell with Colburn and Scotton would like to thank the following: Mr Jon Sykes, Head Teacher of Hipswell Church School, Mrs Pownell, School Cook, the schoolchildren and their parents who participated and the All For One puppet team.