Lucy Moore is BRF's Messy Church Team Leader, responsible for developing the work of Messy Church nationally and internationally. She also helps to lead Messy Church at her own church.

Jane Leadbetter is part of the BRF Messy Church Team, has worked as a primary school teacher and was Children's Work Advisor in the Diocese of Liverpool for twelve years. She runs L19: Messy Church once a month.

This September sees the latest release from the Messy Church initiative Messy Christmas by Lucy Moore and Jane Leadbetter. After the continuing success of Messy Church and last year the first Messy Nativity, Messy Christmas is sure to be a winner.

If you don’t know anything about Messy Church here’s a potted history:

In 2004 BRF (Bible Reading Fellowship) started the first Messy Church in Hampshire, the initiative has now spread like wildfire and continues to grow year on year as churches up and down the country embrace the all-age, unconventional church, in fact it is estimated that over 100,000 people now attend a Messy Church. At the forefront of this ministry are Lucy Moore and Jane Leadbetter who have both been involved in Ministry for many years and continue to inspire other churches with their all-inclusive resources so no matter how uncreative you are Messy Church is still for you.

SO WHO ARE THE WOMEN BEHIND MESSY CHRISTMAS?

Lucy Moore – Lucy is BRF’s Messy Church Team Leader, she is all about developing the exciting work of Messy Church in the UK and around the world. Unsurprisingly Lucy also leads Messy Church at her own church. Professional actor, storyteller, workshop leader and performer, Lucy comes into her own when it comes to creative ideas that engage and tell people about Jesus.

Jane Leadbetter – In 2010 Jane joined the Messy Church team and has teamed up with Lucy to support the rapid growth of the Messy movement. Previously Children’s Work Advisor for the Diocese of Liverpool, Jane is well equipped to bring her ideas and experience to the mix. She was also the pioneer of Messy Nativity last year, which involved knitted sheep, maps and a shopping centre, be sure to check out the other seasonal release from her Messy Nativity.

SO WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM MESSY CHRISTMAS?

Well let’s begin with what you get. Primarily, Messy Christmas is a 3 session resource to help you with creative ideas, activities, crafts, prayers, and games. The book is split into 3 topics celebrated over Christmas:

- Advent
- Christmas
- Epiphany

Each session is designed to engage your community with the real message of Christmas this year. The sessions are planned for you to run over a three month period once a month from November to January. The sessions include your favourite messy craft activities with a festive twist, Christmas prayers, thinking outside of our immediate surroundings and considering world issues, competition suggestions and lots of really fun games. Also includes great suggestions for making Christmas food crafts and even ideas that will keep you going until the New Year sets in.

WHO IS THE RESOURCE FOR?

Well if you are looking for something different to do this Christmas can I recommend you grab a copy of Messy Christmas, in it you will find everything you need to reach people probably at the time of year when they are most open to hearing about the Christian faith. Why not start a Messy initiative at your own church, getting creative in light of our Creator God.

Perhaps you are already one of those people who can fashion the most amazing work of art out of a few toilet rolls and an egg carton or maybe you can’t even draw a stick person and the thought of using your ‘creative’ skills makes you blush. Whoever you may be then this resource will equip you with fresh ideas, the ways and means to do them and the sheer enthusiasm for reaching people with the brilliant message of Christmas.

Three complete Messy Church sessions for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, together with a wealth of creative activities and crafts to extend the range of excitingly messy activities for your Messy Church.

Building on the popularity of Messy Crafts, this title extends the range of messy things to do at your Messy Church with a particular focus on the Christmas season. It includes crafts for Advent, crafts for Christmas and more general winter-themed activities to take you on into the New Year.

Sections include creative Christmas prayers, global action suggestions, games and competitions, Christmas food crafts and many other ideas to take you on into the New Year.