At the Parish Church of St. Mary in Charnwood, food, nature and play have become fundamental pillars for relationship-building, whilst providing space for friends and families to grow in discipleship and spirituality. The ministry focuses on these elements to address a gap in traditional settings where often, there is not enough time for genuine connection.
We recently spoke with Intergenerational Pioneer Hazel Wragg, who is part of a team that have launched a new Messy Church, with support from the congregation of St Mary in Charnwood and the Messy Momentum Pilot Project fund. Messy Church encourages faith to be shared in new ways, such as conversation and laughter over warm meals. People across different age groups find meaning through creativity, kindness and communion with others. It doesn’t matter how ‘messy’ people feel their lives are, everyone is welcome, even (and perhaps especially) if they don’t belong to another form of church.
Creating community and overcoming isolation is important to Hazel and her team. Before becoming St Mary’s Intergenerational Pioneer in December 2024, Hazel previously volunteered with projects for children and young people across two different churches, while balancing life as a mother and a part-time role in university administration.
The team recognises the shared challenge of bringing people to church and are meeting this challenge head on. They feel guided by God to cultivate fellowship while honouring the peace and tranquillity of the church’s natural setting. Launched on Saturday 10th January, Messy Church Goes Wild - Nanpantan embodies Messy Church values, while responding to St Mary’s vision as an Eco Church to encourage care for God’s creation. Their emphasis is on ‘intentional inclusion’, by being ‘intentionally intergenerational’. Fellowship occurs across different age groups, allowing children, families, and older attendees to share practices and build the community together.
The liturgical rhythm of the ministry involves creating a family environment in which memories are made whilst sharing food. With research showing that 40% of Messy Church families have had little or no prior contact with church, it is easy to understand why these warm meals are as important as they are popular.
‘We often miss the importance of food and fellowship, sometimes there isn’t enough time for this. We actually ran out last time – I had to break out the emergency baked beans!’
Messy Church Goes Wild – Nanpantan is part of a Messy Momentum pilot project which focuses on being more intergenerational. Including the team of volunteers, there were over 30 people at the recent launch event. Hazel comments:
‘The first time you do something it’s never perfect, but there is lots of learning. People loved the freedom to move around and be creative, and we were so encouraged that three of our young people said they want to join the team as volunteers!
We want people to come and feel like they can be part of the team. We want them to feel comfortable to share their skills, whether as a leader, a storyteller or offering welcome or food’.
Messy Church may be a new adventure for the team but worship outdoors in nature has been happening at St Mary in Charnwood for over 5 years, since Messy Church Goes Wild - Nanpantan is a re-launch of the previous Mossy Church.
Being on the outskirts of Loughborough (a reasonably sized town), the team wanted to show how people can still access nature in towns and cities. They were keen to hire the Scout Hut, which is in more of a central community location, just down the hill from the church and more accessible from the nearby Hollywell housing estate.
Fellowship at Mossy Church often took a physical, collaborative form. While winter events were sometimes held indoors, Mossy Church generally took place around the fire in the woodlands of St Mary in Charnwood:
‘We called ours Mossy Church; the name was a bit of a pun because we were doing Messy Church creativity and fellowship but outside, in the woods. We started eating together last year, we cooked on the campfire as a one off and loved the extra time talking over a shared meal so much, we kept doing it.’
When participants build dens together, a sense of building in communion within God’s kingdom is experienced. This shared challenge extends into activities which encourage sensory experiences, like noticing what is being physically felt while barefoot walking, into spiritual experiences, where participants focus on feeling a connection to God as they walk barefoot and return to the fire to share in community with others. A defining ritual for Mossy Church goers was to end sessions with hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted on a campfire. This popular feature creates a relaxed, communal atmosphere that contrasts with indoor settings which often need more resources and is a feature of the new Messy Church Goes Wild too.
‘We do need more volunteers, but we are not too worried about this. While there is a need, it’s about recognising that need and letting it sit comfortably. This way, when someone new asks “I love this, can I help with anything?”, we can honestly answer “yes, please!”. It invites participation, I’m trusting God’s plan and provision’.
Hospitality is always extended to welcome those who do not attend traditional Sunday services, and there was a real sense of fellowship when the Scout Hut filled with the sound of conversation, creativity and play. Messy Church Goes Wild – Nanpantan meets at Nanpantan Scout Hut every 2nd Saturday and in the woodlands of St Mary in Charnwood every 4th Saturday, it’s one of many Fresh Expressions which explore accessible and low-pressure ways of being church for those who may not find a traditional church setting familiar or welcoming.
Fellowship is rooted in the belief that 'God invites relationship’ and this Messy Church is acting creatively to reach those who may be on the outside, looking in to ensure everyone not only hears but experiences their welcoming message.
Hazel stresses how she ‘couldn’t do this alone’ and expresses deep gratitude for the team and for practical help from other Messy Momentum participants. This spirit of collaboration moves the focus away from individual worship and towards a collective effort where sharing good practices and resources is becoming the norm.
At the Parish Church of St Mary in Charnwood, food and fellowship is like the mortar between the bricks of a building. While the outdoor activities and crafts are the visible bricks of the service, shared meals, play and intentional conversations bond these elements together to transform a collection of separate individuals into a solid, supportive structure.
