We didn't know if anyone would come. But in the event we had about 17 children (they didn't stay still long enough to count reliably), plus their accompanying adults, at our first Messy Church session in the Church Hall yesterday. We were preparing for Harvest Festival (next Sunday - Oct 4), which is also the feast day of St Francis, so we made a banner with St Francis preaching to the birds - our birds are species previously unknown to ornithologists, but fantastically colourful and feathery (see below, or come along to church to see them next week!). We also made sunflower pew ends to adorn the church for Harvest, and bird feeders to take home, made out of old plastic milk bottles... I hope the avian population of Seal appreciate our labours. You might think that this would have appealed mainly to the younger children, but it was the teens and nearly teens who couldn't be dragged away from the cutting and sticking for the final round-up act of worship. This included (of course) a spirited rendition of Old Macdonald (can't think why that wasn't included in Hymns Ancient and Modern) during which we discovered that Old Macdonald had diversified - as farmers must these days - and was now keeping dinosaurs, as well as the usual cow, sheep, pig etc. I suggested to the smallboy who insisted on including the dinosaur that it might eat the other animals. "Perhaps it is a herbivorous dinosaur - one that only eats plants?" I asked. "No, its a T.Rex!" he retorted. Why am I not surprised...
The session certainly lived up to its name - it was exceedingly messy - but as you can tell, great fun.
Future sessions are from 4-5.30 on:
Nov 22
Jan 24
April 2 - Good Friday morning in the Church (10-11.30)
May 16
