Sue Kalbfleisch, Paul and Lucy Moore
Lucy Moore, (inventor of Messy Church,) touched down in Vancouver in June, for ten days of Canadian messiness! Shortly after arriving home in Cowplain, Hampshire, she wrote this in her blog.
“The flight home was in the company of a young Canadian figure skater come to train for the summer months at Nottingham ice rink. She was full of drive, ambition, vision, confidence and though it was hard to assess her degree of talent whilst jammed into Economy Class, she obviously felt that the future was packed with opportunity. Her mum had loved her enough to let her leave home for two months and spread her wings. Without wanting to get too sentimental about it, I feel the same for Messy Church, the young fresh expression I’ve helped drop off in Canada. It’s all in such good hands: those of the wonderful people who have shown me what real hospitality to strangers is – Elizabeth Northcott in Ladner with her warmth, glowing enthusiasm and seemingly endless reservoirs of love for the people in her parish; Louise Peters, the Dean of Kamloops Cathedral and Barbara Andrews, the bishop, with their creativity, drive, wide vision and bubbling energy; Maddie, Quinn, Thomas and the dynamic clergy of Edmonton Diocese who, if they can manage that level of energy and incisive questioning at the end of a clergy conference, will take Messy Church on with astute and clear strategic planning that can only enrich our understanding of what God is doing through it all.
I need more time to reflect on my Canadian adventure, but as I sit here at home, reeling slightly with jetlag, I am filled with gratitude for having been given this fantastic opportunity to travel and enjoy so many people and places, for the sense of sowing seeds and for the love of Christ bouncing round the world that’s made it all possible. My prayer is that the ideas behind Messy Church will be used sensitively in that different culture and climate to help more people enjoy this warm global family in a cold world. And that perhaps one day I’ll be able to return.
And see a bear.”
Lucy kept a daily diary of her trip. Read all the entries here.
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Nick Brotherwood is Assistant Director of the Institute of Evangelism. Since January 2011 he is also incumbent and pastor of St. Stephen's Church, Westmount, QC. In 2006, he was made a canon of Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal. In 2003, he and his wife Sue led a team which planted a new church—Emerge—focusing on 18-25 year olds in downtown Montreal. He was Bishop’s Missioner to Young Adults in the Diocese of Montreal from 2003 until the end of 2010. From 1989 till 2002, he was on the staff of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Westmount QC, where he served first as Assistant, then as Associate and finally as Priest in Charge. For a part of this time, he was also a chaplain at McGill University. Nick has extensive experience in Christian camping. In the 1970’s, he was a professional rock drummer—a skill he has never lost. Nick is married to Sue, and they have six children and four grandchildren at the last count. Nick has a long-term commitment to congregational health and evangelism, has wide experience of the church and its ministries, and a passion for seeing Fresh Expressions of Church spring up throughout out country. Click here to read all articles by Nick Brotherwood
