Messy Church NZ Newsletter, Summer 2021

As I write this newsletter I reflect on the year that has been, with all it's trials and

challenges and the exciting ways that many of you have thought differently, adapted to the

covid restrictions, and continued to bring the gospel message through Messy Church to those

you serve in Jesus’ name.

We now enter a different season in which we are encouraged to bring Christ back into

CHRISTmas. So let's think, do some things and have some conversations about how we might

do that. Think about Hope, Peace, Love and Joy, and what having the life of Jesus living in you

really means. A focus on making disciples of Jesus has been more prevalent this year than any

I have known so let us all keep on with that focus. Often I encourage gatherings of Messy

Church folk to embrace the phrase of what we are about as - ‘building a discipling culture’.

Let's tell and share our story/ies of Hope, Peace, Love and Joy this CHRISTmas season.

I hear that some Messy Churches are planning sheep trails this year. If you have not got the

knitted sheep this year, you may think of a different way of doing that or plan to consider it

for next year. There are loads of ideas on the internet about activities you could encourage

families of all ages to enter into at this time.

We have had the question raised as to whether our Messy Church times are a 'gathering' or

an 'event'. Under the Covid 19 - Guidelines for places of worship PDF, on the Covid 19.govt.nz

website, it is very clear that Messy Church comes under the 'gathering' definition. So those

are the guidelines you will need to operate under in conjunction with the guidelines that your

local or national church leadership has determined is best for you at this time.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His

shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince

of Peace." Isaiah 9:6.

May each and every one of you have a blessed CHRISTmas season with your loved ones and

your extended families in your local church and in your Messy Church.

Richard - On behalf of the New Zealand Messy Church National Team.