24.05.2017
Great Come&C Messy Church at St Matthias’
Regulars and visitors alike gathered at St Matthias’ Church in Killiney–Ballybrack on Sunday afternoon (May 21) for a special diocesan Come & C Messy Church. The team at St Matthias’ runs one of the few registered Messy Churches in Dublin & Glendalough and they invited visitors from other parishes along to see how it operates and how it can compliment their existing worship.
The theme for the afternoon was ‘The Unbelievable Truth – Jesus is Alive’. This was explored through Messy Science helping children to make the link with the truth of the Easter story: Jesus died and then was alive again and there are some science experiments that look like magic tricks but they are real. The afternoon centred around Bible stories with science and crafts and concluded with worship in the church followed by amazing food.
St Matthias’ Church started Messy Church in September 2015 and it has been growing from strength to strength ever since. Messy Church is a way of being Church for all ages involving craft, celebration and hospitality. The parish runs Messy Church once a month for two hours on a Sunday afternoon in the parish centre and church. It is informal and easy for people attending to invite family, friends and neighbours to Come & C. Their attendance ranges from 60 to 90 people each month and it is established as part of the regular worship services.
Their team of 20 people work in three main areas: welcome, craft and hospitality. Their commitment has seen new people coming to the church and a loyal attendance from families.
If you weren’t able to attend on Sunday but want to learn more, you can watch a video in which the Rector, the Revd Dr William Olhausen and St Matthias’ Messy Church coordinator, Alistair Doyle, outline how and why they do Messy Church.
Photos and videos from Sunday’s event are available on St Matthias’ Facebook page.
Messy Church started 14 years ago in a Church of England Parish in Portsmouth, faced with many of the challenges that many parishes experience today, in attracting new people and engaging families and young people. Lots more information can be found at www.messychurch.org.uk .