Messy Church

Parents in Poole might find themselves being dragged towards the Longfleet Baptist Church by their children this Wednesday.


In a bid to bring families closer together, the church is one of the first in the area to adopt the scheme 'Messy Church'.

The project, named so by St. Wilfrid's Church in Portsmouth of which members laid its foundations, has been running since 2004. It is assisted by the charity Barnabas, and represented by Christian actress Lucy Moore, author of Messy Church.

Rev. Brian Bishop, vicar of Longfleet Baptist Church said: "It isn't an after-school club- the kids go with their parents, and activities are organised by church-goers who volunteer, and cook the evening meal at the end of each session."

An age-old super-power within the country, nowadays the Church of England is deemed inconsequential by many- with the country's dire economy ever-looming in the background one must ask: is going to church still prioritised?

Longfleet strives to be "culturally relevant" as one of the newer churches in Poole, Bishop writes on the website.

Irene Pullin, Longfleet's Secretary said: "The scheme came from a wish to expand the old idea of Sunday School, which I went to when I was a little girl.

Sunday School is a great place for children to learn about Christianity, but Messy Church is born from a desire to help families grow together in their walk of faith- not see Christianity as something you grow out of when you're eleven."

Sarah Garner, co-founder and dubbed 'Queen of Mash' by the children of St. Wilfrid's commented: "In this day and age the church is becoming more and more foreign in today's society, but Messy Church is a package deal.

It's support, it's families coming together to worship, but most importantly it's fun- that's what we all need."

For more information visit:
http://www.messychurch.org.uk/
http://www.longfleetbaptistchurch.co.uk/

Keeley Graham