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May you be like a branch on the vine
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Connecting

Lucy Moore, Messy Church founder and BRF Messy Church team leader
Dear Messy friends

There are so many important images about connectedness that relate to living life with a kingdom perspective. The vine and its branches, the body and its limbs, the shared bread: they all show us a way of living that is connected to something bigger. As Covid rampages on, one of its many weapons is that of forcing people, households, churches to become isolated and then to start losing hope, losing faith, losing the energy to care.
Messy Churches are great at connecting people in normal times – let’s see how much of a force for good we can be together by connecting, both locally and nationally and internationally – the Facebook Lives on Wednesdays at 9.00 am and 8.00 pm (GMT) are a great place to start and there are so many other small ways we can connect.

One challenge to us all today: do one thing to connect.

Face-to-face Messy Church

Woman sitting at a Messy Church activity table with a mask on
I want to giggle (manically) and weep: with the ever-changing regulations about gatherings, any prospect of being back together unequivocally is distinctly dubious. But if they’re helpful, the suggestions for returning still stand, with the reminder to interpret them in the light of the most recent government and denominational regulations. And there’s a blog reflecting on my (Lucy’s) own church’s experience of doing Messy Church face to face in September. 
Suggestions for returning to Messy Church
Lucy's blog about face-to-face Messy Church

Messy Church at home

In the meantime, the plan is to provide you with a Messy Church at home session (which could easily be adapted into a face-to-face Messy Church session done in a Covid-secure way) for each month from October onwards. Some of these will link into the Get Messy! sessions and some will be festival-focused. If you prefer to keep on with Messy Church in a bag or online for the time being, we hope they’ll be useful. (We hope we’ll have time to write them…)
October Messy Church at home

Messy Christingle

Two Christingle characters – oranges with sweets and candles in them, with eyes in the candle flames
As you think about connecting people to the Christmas message, Martyn Payne has been busy creating a new Messy Christingle session and a Messy Church at home session adapted from it.
Download Messy Christingle

What's in the Bible (for me)?

'What's in the Bible (for me)?' cover
Explore the big journey of the Bible in 50 bite-sized readings and reflections in this handy little book written by Lucy Moore. The book is an ideal gift for Messy Church families and individuals looking to start engaging with the Bible and also works well in smaller groups. Learn more about the book from Lucy in this short video.

Buying more than one? Use these codes at brfonline.org.uk to claim a discount on your order of What’s in the Bible (for me)?.
  • 25 or more copies: 10% off with discount code WHAT10
  • 50 or more copies: 15% off with discount code WHAT15
  • 100 or more copies: 20% off with discount code WHAT20
Find out more about What's in the Bible (for me)?

A new Messy Church BRF Pinterest board!

Father and child smiling together as they lie on the floor looking at a phone
Part of connecting is connecting to our own needs. Jane’s been busy adding to the latest board: Mental Health and Wellbeing. There are links to helpful organisations, mindfulness activities, support for young people, meditations, self-care help and more. These challenging times affect each one of us differently. How can we help each other?
There are now 40 Messy Church BRF Pinterest boards! Just for you! The Messy Church at Home board, created at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to grow with information, resources and support. The board includes pins on how to talk to children about current issues, correct ways to wear a mask, Zoom for families guidelines, downloadable Messy Church at Home sessions, science activities and recipes to try at home, quick links to government and denominational guidelines, helpful logos and more!

A reminder that our other boards offer activity ideas which can be adapted for Messy Church at Home or online Messy Church sessions. For example: YouTube and videos of Bible stories, celebration ideas; science fun from your own kitchens; harvest and prayer ideas. Total pins – 2,505 and rising! Enjoy!
Messy Church on Pinterest

Regional Coordinators

Vector graphic of hands reaching towards each other in a circle
We want Messy Churches to connect as much as possible in good times and bad. We’re in the middle of moving from the old support system, based on whereabouts your Messy Church is, to one in which you will all have access to the help and support you need, wherever you are. We’ll put full details in the November newsletter, but be excited: it’s going to be rather splendid.

Harvest 2020: Thank you to our farmers!

Harvest 2020: Thank you to our farmers!
While the Arthur Rank Centre has long been known as a source of ideas and resources for rural churches, it’s been quite some time since they produced a substantial new harvest resource.
But this month, they’re launching the Harvest 2020: Thank you to our farmers! campaign, inspired in large part by the recognition people across the UK have gained of the role ‘key workers’ – including farmers – have played in keeping us all going through the COVID-19 epidemic. Visit their website for information, resources and ideas for celebrating harvest as a gathered church or in homes. 
Arthur Rank Centre website
May you be like a branch on the vine, a sinew in an arm, bread broken and shared, a mycelium thread from one tree root to another, a brain synapse, a coupling device, a USB cable, a beacon on a hill, a string between two baked bean cans or indeed a humble drainpipe – and help save the world this month, one connection at a time.

Lucy and Jane
The Messy Church team at BRF
messychurch@brf.org.uk | messychurch.org.uk | brf.org.uk
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