By Wendy Post —
A new program being offered through the Owego United Methodist Church called “Messy Church” is now taking place at the Main Street church in Owego, with the next event planned for Saturday, Jan. 17, from 4-6 p.m. at 261 Main St. in Owego.
According to Colleen Dewey-Wright, some of the church members attended online training and became a Messy Church in November 2025. At Messy Church, which was started in the UK in 2004 by Lucy Moore, today’s busy households of all shapes and sizes are invited into a welcoming space to experience faith.
“Messy Church is an all-age worship experience that explores God’s love in an accessible way,” the church wrote in an introduction to the program. Messy Church usually meets once a month, according to the program outline, and will take place again in January, with everyone invited.
Messy Church is a fun and informal gathering of Christians of all ages that brings individuals together for crafts, games, music, and much more. The hope of the program coordinators is to make faith accessible and build community outside of traditional Sunday services.
The program welcomes everyone, regardless of their religious backgrounds or beliefs.
The key components, as described by the church, help to foster connections between children, teens, adults, and seniors by participating in activities together; fostering creativity by utilizing crafts, activities, and storytelling to explore Bible stories and faith concepts; the program emphasizes community by sharing a meal at every gathering; and music and worship offer reflection.
The Messy Church, as defined, aims to be a safe, non-judgmental space for people who do not attend church and have questions about their faith.
The program’s success, according to Colleen Dewey-Wright, is seen in the numbers. Since it began in the UK in 2004, Messy Church is now an international movement with more than 4,000 Messy Church’s around the world.
To learn more, visit messychurchusa.org. To learn more about the United Methodist Church in Owego, visit owego-umc.com for more information.
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