Messy Church’s new Messy Momentum/Gather project tells young people they are “still welcome here”
Messy Church, beloved by many of our churches, has always been intergenerational – meaning from babies and toddlers all the way up to some of our oldest parishioners. But after Year 6 of primary school, there is a perception that children may ‘age out’. Ed Ceney, Youth Pioneer at our nationally-funded Youth Hub project in Leominster, is one of several youth leaders in the diocese piloting a new scheme called Messy Momentum, which finds ways to re-engage some of these older children in Messy Church. He says, “Messy Momentum says to these children and young teens, “you're still welcome here”. It encourages young people who have been attached to a Messy Church to continue in their faith life, in their faith development, their growth as young disciples, and remain part of their Messy Church.”
Ed explains, “Messy Momentum offers a few different schemes. The one we're trying in the diocese is ‘Gather’. Gather is a tried and tested youth work technique of bringing a number of youth groups together in one place. In Leominster we have young people from Leominster Messy Church as well as young people from other churches including a Methodist chapel.”
He continues, “Gather is the perfect name for a worshipping community, isn't it? You're taking people who may feel they are ‘too old’ for Messy Church, but still have a faith, and bringing them together in community, and creating a pathway for growth in their faith and back into Messy Church, sometimes as young leaders. And it's all under our Youth Hubs umbrella. There's some crossover with other Youth Hub initiatives, like our Monday after-school drop-in. We’re gradually building a web of youth provision in Leominster, a tapestry, and a vibrant youth community is coming together. It’s been a bit of a slow start but I’m learning to trust the process!”
The Messy Momentum resources have been developed by Missional Youth Church Network (MYCN). The Leominster Gather group meets once a month. “We begin with games,” says Ed, “which gets everyone chatting, then we use MYCN’s Ignite resource for youth leadership. This is a combination of video, reading and talking. It focusses on knowing: knowing love, knowing faith, knowing identity, knowing family, and knowing God. From these core concepts of faith we talk about the 5 Marks of Mission and taking the next steps in faith, becoming that young active disciple. It feels more like a community coming together, rather than another lesson.”
Kathy Bland, Intergenerational Church Enabler for the diocese, says, “Another great example of Messy Church young leaders is at South Wye where a strong team of young people from Hereford Academy are helping to lead St Martin’s Messy Church which is growing with their energy and enthusiasm, under the leadership of Barry Stevens, our Life-Link Chaplain at Hereford Academy. Next on the agenda is to get some of the outlying villages involved in the Leominster Gather, bringing together young people from all around both Leominster and Kington & Weobley deaneries, and, potentially, helping other deaneries to host Gather groups.
For more information about Messy Momentum/Gather, please contact Ed Ceney or Kathy Bland.