News & Features

Messy Church met again on Maundy Thursday at Mulbarton Primary School.

We were exploring the  theme:  Why do bad things happen to people, and how can I help?

We used the Easter Story to do this having another set of very creative crafts:  donkey making; a collage of the tomb and crosses; sowing a seed and making a palm (handshape/leaf) to put in the pot until the seed germinates.  We also had a sensory table with opportunities for children to talk about things that worried or concerned them and Carl Bradley from CB Drama did some work with the children acting out different emotions.

A group of children and some adults then prepared to act out the story with costumes as two readers narrated the story, which Adrian then talked about in relation to the theme, before a song, prayer and lunch together.  It was as always the creativity and hard work of a big team of people, so thank you to all those who took part.

We were able to welcome some new faces as well as welcome back those who have been with us from the beginning.

This year's Lent Course runs on Wednesday evenings, from 13th March to 10th April.  We meet in the Lounge at Hanover at 7.30pm, and will finish by 9.15pm.

The United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has produced a free booklet that we'll be using, in we which we listen to and reflect upon the prophetic voice from India. Each evening will consider a different theme.

The five-week study course looks at the radical nature of the gospel, with a special focus on the church in India.

"We might think the prophetic voice belongs to the Old Testament, but we want to show there are still many prophets to be found throughout the world church today.

"The prophets’ voices are challenging because they alert us to issues we might want to ignore - they call us to be like Jesus, who stood on the margins, comforting the oppressed and challenging those who are comfortable."

Study 1: Community – inspiring congregations to be dynamic in mission.
Study 2: Injustice – taking action to combat human trafficking.
Study 3: Gender – a skills training programme is giving women a new lease of life.
Study 4: Climate – schools are inspiring a new generation to care for the environment.
Study 5: Hope – giving hope to India’s marginalised Dalit and tribal peoples.

See more details of the course here

Conversation evenings on the six highest voted puzzling questions of life:

1. Who am I?
2. What is God like?
3. What happens after I die?
4. How can I be happy?
5. Why is there suffering in the world?
6. What is the spiritual world, and how does it impact my life?

Peter and Cathy Nicholls will be leading conversations at their home in Hethel every Monday night, starting Monday 28 January, spending an evening on each of these 6 puzzling questions.  An opportunity to explore some of life's deeper issues.

All are welcome.