Messy Vintage: 52 sessions to share Christ-centred fun and fellowship with the older generation [9780857469755]

Being 'church' with older people in care homes, congregations and the community Messy Vintage is Christ-centred and creative, full of celebration and hospitality and open to all, aspiring to include people of all ages while specifically reaching out to older people.

A typical session involves hands-on creative activities to explore a Bible story, a short celebration with story, song and prayer, and refreshments.

Whether you're just getting started with Messy Vintage or looking for new session material, this book offers practical advice and resources to help you reach out to the older people in your community.

'The Messy Vintage team always make me feel welcome - they are worth their weight in gold.' Messy Vintage participant
'We love Messy Vintage. It's like a breath of fresh air!' Care home social activities coordinator

Preach magazine book review

Messy Vintage is a small book packed with enthusiasm and ideas. Written for those in churches who have a desire to befriend the older generation, it contains 52 detailed programmes of activities to share. The sessions are clearly explained and include a Bible passage, a creative activity, ideas for discussion and suggested hymns to sing before the tea and cakes are served. Each session is easy to follow, providing everything required for up to two hours of fellowship and enjoyment. They can be used as a set programme to follow or as a starting point for developing your own creative ideas.

The accompanying website is clearly organised and easy to navigate, it contains the downloadable materials required for the creative activities and additional ideas for special events (not covered in the book). There are also useful admin documents to print and advice on how to run an event.

Messy Vintage groups are being run successfully in the community and in care homes. The authors have shared some lovely insights into the responses of a few of the participants at some of the events. It is encouraging to read of how Messy Church and subsequently Messy Vintage grew out of a church that needed a new lease of life and became a place where people ‘can celebrate in comfort, with Christ-centred fun, fellowship and food’.

If you have a heart to share the love of God and have some fun with older folk and if you have a team of like-minded people to work with you, then Messy Vintage will be a true source of inspiration and support to you.

Sue Hamer - Taught primary children, now prefers old folk and founded a Kaleidoscope group at Wotton Baptist Church. Prison visitor, enjoys gardening, reading and recorder playing

AUTHOR: Katie Norman is the pioneer of Messy Vintage in Jersey, taking the approach into churches and care homes, as well as hospital units for people living with advanced dementia. Jill Phipps is BRF's National Coordinator for Messy Vintage.