A close up of the Archbishop and a teenage girl making fruit kebabs together

Live updates from the Big Mission Weekend: Messy Church in Gloucester

Published: Saturday May 25, 2024

Saturday 25 May: Messy Church at St Paul and St Stephen Church in Gloucester

Messy Church has been meeting at St Paul and St Stephen’s Church in Gloucester for more than 10 years and is a thriving part of the community’s worship.

Families turned out in force for an action packed time of crafts, singing, prayer, food and friendship which they invited the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop Rachel along to as part of the Big Mission Weekend.

There were 7 crafts on the theme of ‘Telling the good news’ and Archbishop Justin was even able to make himself a new mitre (hat) to wear as he went around the activities.

The children took the chance to pray for the Archbishop as he set off on a prayer walk around Gloucester, using the worship song I am walking for the Lord.

 

Bishop Rachel meets the Messy Church families as they arrive - a mother with a boy and a girl A priest speaks to a boy with his mother looking over his shoulder and smiling A toddler shows the Archbishop a treasure The Archbishop leans over an activity table, smiling The Archbishop pours liquid onto a coin while a little girl watches The Archbishop speaks to a family A woman with beautiful tattoos helps a child with some bead work A little child wearing a squirrel jumper is helped with a craft The Archbishop, wearing a bright homemade hat, speaks to a priest who is laughing The Archbishop speaks to a row of adults sitting on chairs - still wearing the homemade hat! A small child sits on the ground in front of an inflatable globe The Revd James Njue and Archbishop Justin walk away from the camera together, talking The Archbishop writes something on an outline of a hand while a woman watches A wide view of the gathered congregation Two children pray while the Archbishop sits on a bench behind A man with a heart hit and a child sit on chairs watching the service Archbishop Justin speaks into a microphone. Bishop RAchel sits next to him and there is a row of children behind The congregation does the actions to Our God is a great big God with arms outsretched The Archbishop puts orange segments onto a fruit kebab Bishop Rachel smiles conspiratorially with a little girl as they look at the brightly coloured fruit on the table A close up of the Archbishop and a teenage girl making fruit kebabs together A small boy gets instructions for a beading activity Women with babies on their knee sit around a table full of letter stickers

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