Messy Church!

What is Messy Church??

Messy Church is a fairly new way of being and doing church for those who find the normal Sunday services difficult, simply can't make them or simply don't want to come on Sunday mornings! It is a very informal, but can be equally rewarding, sacramental and fulfilling as 'normal' Church services, if it is done properly.

It starts by welcoming families and young people in church or a hall where an hour or so of about 5-7 activities, crafts and things-to-do all take place. Children move from one to the other after they have completed each one. Each activities relates to a theme, i.e. Messy Moses, Messy Mother's Day, Messy Jesus and so on... at each activity a different part of the story is told.

After an hour or so of exciting story telling and arts and crafts, the group then moves into a worship area, we use the church itself so people can get used to the atmosphere and building - it can be quite daunting and a scary place for those who have been hurt by the church or have never been before. The Worship space is decorated different to what it usually would be on normal Sunday. For example, last week we had Messy Moses, and used blue celophane to roll down the centre of the church to represent the red sea, we walked along the sea to the worship space where we hung our Israelite men on the pews where we sat (in other words, the crafts then become object for centring our worship and thoughts - nothing we do is wasted!) We sing songs, usually simple ones the children can join in with and love doing the actions to, and maybe one hymn-like song for the adults too (remember, its for ALL ages). Then we hear the message and what the story means for our lives (at Messy Moses, we interviewed Moses (the Vicar) and asked about his life, and ended with Jesus leading us). I think it's quite important that we don't dampen down the gospel or be ashamed of it, but we must be aware of the congregation and crowd that we are talking to - young? old? hurt? I know some of the children we have have been adopted, so talking about 'parenthood' is not easy! However, this is what is great about Messy Church, we get to spend time with the people Jesus loves over the crafts and in the worship. Worship only last about 20 minutes and end with prayers. I think it's important the Lord's Prayer is said. The adults will probably know it and are comfortable saying it, but the children have yet to learn it. Then we say the messy grace - which is the normal Grace, but with actions and a loudddddd AMEN! Argh! I love the crafts, but I love the worship more because children and adults can begin to come into the presence of God, in their OWN time, not ours.

Then we head back over to the hall where we eat food according to the theme of the month - last week was fish fingers (Red Sea 'n' that hahaha!) The children can take home their items and crafts, we can rest assured they had a good time AND heard something exciting and new about Jesus.

The great thing about Messy Church is that Communion can be celebrated for families during the worship time, all sorts can be explored on the people's territory.

Feb 14th, sermon, St Mary's Handsworth

Gospel: Luke 6 – the Lukan Beatitudes

Each of the gospel writers saw Jesus slightly differently. St Luke shows us a Jesus who cared passionately for the poor, the weak and the despised. Luke presents Christ as one of us, a Man and emphasises Jesus’ poverty and therefore sometimes the Gospel is called the Gospel for the poor. This couldn’t be more relevant for the reading we have heard today. We have just heard a snippet from the most famous sermon ever preached, in which Jesus teaches his disciples about life, blessing and woes. Of course, only Jesus has the ability of turning the world upside down and today’s reading is no exception. These eight beatitudes couldn’t be more relevant and controversial for our world today.

We call them the beatitudes – from the Latin word for blessing, be-at-us. In fact, the Greek word, makarios doesn’t mean ‘happy’ at all. It means ‘blessed.’ Eight statements that Christians claim make a truly blessed life. To be happy is merely an emotion, but to be blessed is something physical and lasting.

The teaching of Jesus here throws me because they seem to be a complete reversal of common sense! Jesus delivers the message probably fully aware of the controversy it would cause, and still causes today. Instead of happiness we’re meant to be mourning; instead of riches, we are to be poor; instead of laughing, weeping. These upside values are not commandments or simply good advice, however, they are good news – they are pure Gospel.

Mary’s Song, the Magnificat, gives us images of salvation, God’s plan for the world, things that have already happened. Mary said: “he has lifted up the humble and cast down mighty rulers, he has filled the hungry with good and the rich he sends away empty.” The beatitudes from Jesus are a confirmation of God still at work in our world.

Jesus delivers this sermon on level ground having just come down from a mountain after praying. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus delivers the sermon from the mountain. Why is this? Well, Jesus knew that Moses had also done the same, when he received the Law given to him by God on Mt Sinai. To the Jews, big things happened on mountains! Luke clearly mirrors this image, illustrating Jesus giving us a new Law, but one that shocks his listeners. No longer will the rich, wealthy and powerful be the blessed ones, but the meek, poor, humble and hungry. Jesus tells his disciples later it’s easier for a camel to get into heaven than a rich man, he also demands his followers leave everything to follow him as we heard last week. God uses the weak to shame the strong and the poor to shame the rich!

Zimbabwe is a place where the rich and poor live side by side. Of course the majority of the population live in extreme poverty. The situation there means that so many have become poor, some who were rich have lost everything, farmers their farms, mother their children, police their wages, teachers their jobs. It seems to be a place where the poor rejoice because they have God. Churches are full even though Anglicans are persecuted. There is joy and singing when waiting for aid and food to arrive. There is happiness and dancing when someone dares enter the dark, cramped huts in which so many live. Their poverty has meant their faith has deepened. They have learnt to trust God for everything. Food is expensive, many water supplies are not safe; there are no jobs so parents cannot afford education or health care for their children. In their little and in their weakness, they find God.

Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday when traditionally cupboards were emptied and pantries cleaned up in preparation for the great fast of Lent. We get rid of everything we have stored up and over spent on! On Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent we begin the de clutter of our lives in order to make room for God. Our disciplines over Lent (some greater than others!) help cast our minds on other people. When we make room in our hearts for Christ, we can then share in the poverty of those in Zimbabwe; we can join in with the mourning of those in Haiti; we can stand alongside those who fear their children’s life in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our small disciplines mean we have chance to think of the suffering world – those who are poor and hungry, those weeping and those who are hated and left out. We have the chance to pray for the world that belongs to God, and the world which he knows and loves.

Living out the beatitudes mean embracing the world as it is. They don’t mean go sell everything you have and live in poverty, although maybe it means spending wisely and using God’s resources better. Giving up something here may mean giving more to the Haiti appeal or sponsoring a child in Zimbabwe. Blessed people are people who, whatever their circumstances, are made happy by God’s grace and the assurance of a hope in him. They teach us that the only thing that really matters at the end of the day, is God. It comes painfully to us because we refuse to let go of the worldly things, the things we find pleasure and wealth from, but actually make us greedy and selfish people. Lent is a good time to practice this.

Jesus says (John 16: 22) I give a joy which no one will take away. That joy is a share in the life and blessedness of God – Kingdom life, eternal life, sharing God’s bliss. But it comes at the cost of turning the world and our lives upside down. We discover our blessedness as we hunger for what the neighbour or the stranger has to give us; we shall find our happiness as we comfort those who weep and are friendly with those who everyone shuns and pushes out. These controversial, topsy turvy and uncomfortable teachings of Jesus, tell us to be controversial Christians today. Controversial in the way we love others and love God, showing how serious we are in our relationship with him, remembering and looking forward to a time when all mourning will turn to laughter, all poverty to great riches, all sorrow into dancing and a time when all the fruits of the Spirit are alive and active in our world. Amen.

Zimbabwe Memories...

Not a day goes past when I don't think of Africa and my time in Zimbabwe! It's only been a few months I know, but life is moving on. I will never forget all the experiences, the big and little ones. Above is a picture of the small orphan's group I helped set up at Penhalonga. Nicolas tells me that the Sisters CZR are helping these children with so many various things. They all look SO happy in Nicolas' picture. I cried so much when I saw it! They are real, I know them, I love them, they are friends and they need help, but yet they still smile! Below is a picture of the children in an orphanage around the corner from mine, they were brilliant and happy children! All these people made me so happy but emptied me at the same time, and its torn me apart!

I'm so pleased Tariro is doing well and that these small groups are taking off, and that we are really helping people! Thank you Nicolas for bringing this news back! It still hurts to think of all that happened and all the experience, bad and good ones.

I met that little boy in the drain at Penhalonga. Then, the Sisters didn't know him. It hurts to think that maybe we could have done something more and to hear his news. Let's pray, seriously and hard, that his life WILL be OK. I still think of the little girl I saw left, neglected and abused. I still think of sad face, that possibly has never smiled. I think of those little brats at Penhalonga who beat me up and pulled the hairs on my head (we finally managed to finish reading a book though, so I did achieve something!!) I still remember all those people who were there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on and lean on. Both good and bad, I don't think I will ever forget. Thanks.

Nicolas CR Tariro Update

It was lovely to visit Tariro House and find it flourishing. There are now nine full time residents: Edwin and Byrone who are both about 22, come from poor homes and provide a leadership and role model within the house; Jowett, Harry, John and Nelson who are in their mid teens and are orphans with tragic stories behind them; Terrence who is only 10 and whose mother died last year; and two recent arrivals from St Augustine's, Penhalonga – Chengetai and Tendai, both about 15. There is also Terrence's sister Belinda but as it is obviously not good for a single girl to live with a crowd of boys she has gone off to boarding school near Headlands.

It seems a happy house and each time I went the boys greeted me in a relaxed and friendly way. Carl, before he left had clearly helped them to find a good way of living together. They are not perfect. The house has got a bit scruffy from teenage hands leaving marks on doors, but they do keep most of it tidy. They take turns in cooking and if the food is pretty basic (Shona food always is) they have learned some useful skills of baking bread from Byrone. They have also supplemented their diet with vegetables from the garden. The first attempt at growing seems to have been remarkably successful: good tomatoes and corvu. I left them with more tomato, corvu and cabbage seedlings which I hope have been planted by now.

We discover problems as we go along. This time it was the sheer cost of schooling. The Government's promise of free schooling has never been a reality and is not now. Fees and uniforms cost us quite a bit, not least since John and Nelson couldn't get places in the local government school and so have had to go to a private establishment. Their expectations are not very high (one thought he had done well to get 27% for maths!) and they will need coaching and encouragement to make the most of this chance of education.

Chengetai and Tendai have a different problem. Despite 7 years in what is supposed to be a good primary school they can barely read or write. We have yet to work out why. It may be simply due to low intelligence; or it could be the chaotic life style of the Home they were in; or trauma from having never known parents; it could be dyslexia, or it could simply be that the school was overcrowded (60 to a class) so that special needs could not be met. Now we must spend money on assessing their needs and then finding a way of meeting them.

At least the chickens have been a moderate success; moderate because they caught Newcastle illness over Christmas and about 15 died, which robbed us of the profit margin. But as I left, the boys were killing and plucking the 80 chickens, not a pleasant sight for a wimp like me, but they are the fruit of a lot of hard work, particularly from Edwin who appears to know a lot about chicken rearing. We hope the next lot will make a profit. It is very good for the boys to grow vegetables and raise chickens and helps to give the house its creative atmosphere.

One interesting fact: you may wonder why we only have one girl. Apparently destitute girls are much better catered for than boys by specific girl charities. That is good of course and reduces our potential problems.

There is room to expand the numbers in the House, perhaps to about 14;but for the moment we think it better to stay as we are and learn to do things properly and well. Also we need to find more money before we can take more youngsters.

Penhalonga Meanwhile Carl, before he left encouraged the CZR sisters at Penhalonga to get together a Tariro Group. Sr Elizabeth and Sr Annamore have got about 12 youngsters together. I met and photographed them all and they are really delightful. These young people lack at least one, and usually both parents and are looked after mostly by grandparents who sometimes cannot afford to feed them, let alone get them into school. The Sisters help with feeding them and have got all of them into school (more school fees). We also bought them uniforms and basic books. The sisters are beginning also to sew their uniforms and as they get more skilled at this will teach the girls to do it themselves and hope to turn this into a profitable industry that will help the neighbourhood by providing uniforms at a reasonable price.

Funding Money for Tariro in particular and our Zimbabwe work in general keeps coming in, but having spent a lot on school fees etc, as well as the basic household expenses, we are going to have to raise more. People in England do like to sponsor children in need. Would you like to enquire among your friends, church groups, work places whether anyone, or any group, would like to do that? £5.00 a month will suffice to provide school fees and books for a child at Penhalonga (I can let anyone have details). About £10.00 a month is needed for the boys at Tariro House.

Sadness Here is sad story that demonstrates the need. Two years ago the Government took three children – a boy and two girls – from St Augustine's Home and forced their mother to take them back. She and her new husband live nearby. The children were so badly abused that the older girl went mad and is now in psychiatric hospital. The second girl has disappeared. The youngest child, a boy of about 12 called Revai, has just been discovered to have spent the past year living in a drain at the mission and scavenging for food in bins between St Augustine's and Penhalonga itself. The sisters are going to try and rehabilitate him. They will feed him each day and get him into school (I left money for that) and try and persuade the mother to give him shelter without abusing him. Sadly he already looks as if his year of rough living may have affected him for life, but we must at least try to rescue a child of God. Sadly, too, there are thousands more like him.

Carl Melville Those of you who know Carl may know also that he is now happily settled into a placement in a parish in Handsworth near Sheffield. I shall see him on Sunday and we will plan more Zimbabwean adventures together.... It is very much because of Carl that Tariro House and its offshoots got started and it was his work that produced much of the basic funding. So please do pray for him in his new work.

Nicolas Stebbing CR