Baptism

20 July 2010

It seems peculiarly apt for a Messy Church journey to start with a baptism. Or two. I've just had this email from Revd Christine Moimoi in Australia:

'Thank you for the Messy Church books. The congregation (Uniting Church) I serve in Drysdale (Victoria, Australia) has always been willing to try new things so I put together a baptism service using your resources and a modified service last month. The family that asked for baptism had had no church contact apart from school religious education. The three primary aged children, and mum it transpired, wished to be baptised with very little background. That was challenging in itself but doing a service that would be accessible to a seven-, ten- and twelve-year-old as well as mum was quite an adventure. Thank you for your resources - I have a ten-year-old who has also asked to be baptised and wants a service like the 'last one' so it's Messy Church style again on 25th July. It has been fascinating seeing the kids and families take on board such a fresh way of being church. We do 'cafe church' every couple of months, where a craft activity is part of the service, so that is not wholly new for us. But the bulk of the event with everyone doing 'craft' - that's new and it's fun. We will keep experimenting and perhaps become more effective at using your wonderful ideas. Blessings to you all.'

A church that is 'always willing to try new things'. What a healthy attitude. What an unusual attitude in church circles.