The Big Easter Family Night saw a ‘Messy Church’ style community event at St. Saviour’s Dollingstown on the eve of Palm Sunday. Around 300 adults and children packed the church and enjoyed a lively all age worship event followed by delicious food and a creative craft time in the hall.
It wasn’t long before the messiness got underway with a ‘morning routine’ sketch where two commandeered dads had their children delightfully plaster them in shaving foam, toothpaste and Rice Crispies. The audience were in hoots of laughter while the rector’s thoughts turned to the bill for carpet cleaning!
St. Saviour’s is known for its relaxed family atmosphere but this event upped the ante. Nigel Cameron and the band from Strandtown Baptist Church in Belfast specialise in all age worship. The church rocked from big band, to Mexican, to Caribbean styles of worship songs. The children bopped and sang at the front while the adults joined in and foot tapped in the pews. Rock Puppets then made an appearance and told everyone the Easter story.
The celebration continued with food, face painting and craft in the hall along with pool, playstation3, xbox360 kinect for the youth in the lounge. The burgers were delivered at machine gun pace and families sat together to eat and chat. The children did not sit for long though as half the hall was given over to craft activities. Groups went from painting an enormous ‘Hosanna’, to making bunny faces, then onto face painting. The buzz continued while parents mingled.
Diane Bailey, one of the event organisers, commented on the fun while helping to cut out, “Whew! Isn’t this fantastic! I didn’t expect it to be so successful. We’ve so many families visiting the church, it really is excellent.”
As the children with flowery cheeks and Spiderman foreheads excitedly filed out at the end there were smiles all round. A family church event had never been so much fun, or so much mess.
Nigel Cameron and band also led worship at the Jam all age worship service on Palm Sunday at St Saviours.