Messy Church: Celebration of Children’s Sabbath

Messy Church: Celebration of Children’s Sabbath

October 19 @ 4:30 PM

An event for ALL AGES.

Crafts, Games, Interactive Worship Come join us and then attend the Potluck and Chili Cookoff!

On October 19th, we will join many churches around the country in celebrating Children’s Sabbath. This will be the 28th Annual Observance of Children’s Sabbath Celebration “Uniting Hearts and Voices to End Child Poverty.”

The Children Defense Fund defines it like this; “the multi-faith Children’s Sabbath weekend engages places of worship across the country in focusing prayer, worship, education programs, and actions on learning more about the urgent problems facing our nation’s children by exploring sacred texts and teachings that call us to love and protect children, responding with outreach and advocacy, and—most importantly–inspiring new, year-round action to improve the lives of children. Some Children’s Sabbath celebrations are community-wide, multi-faith gatherings, others take place in individual places of worship. Together, we are inspiring change that will improve the lives of children!

Children’s Sabbath will be our first experience in doing ‘Messy Church’. Messy church is a time for families –and people of all ages, to enjoy being together, make things together, play things together, witness to each other. A time to eat together, and to celebrate God together through his Word, through music, and through prayer.

It’s different from a children’s Sunday School because it’s an event for children and adults. It’s more than just play time because of the element of worship that underpins it all.

To celebrate Children’s Sabbath, our Scriptures for Messy Church will be Mathew14:13-21 ‘The Feeding of the 5000’. The story of a boy that gives up his meal, and of Jesus being able to feed everyone from a small gift. This passage says something about how we treat children and people who are traditionally sidelined, and how Jesus showed us the way to treat them.

This worship time will be focused on children, on justice, and the moral, spiritual, and ethical imperative to nurture, protect, and seek justice for children.

We encourage everybody to invite friends and neighbors. Messy Church is a great way to worship for people that might feel like an outsider to the culture of traditional church –with so many unwritten expectations and rituals unknown by them. This can be a friendly, church welcoming event.

The event will have their Fellowship time at our Annual Chili Cook Off, after we worship together. Bring a dish to share. Come ready to vote for your favorite Chili recipe.

Please join us on Saturday October 19th at 4:30 PM in Room 105 on the Lower Level. If you are able to help with the craft/games please contact Liliana Mariano lmariano@gmail.com or 919-467-2128 ext. 223.