The Christmas story is a common one at churches this time of year, but St. Andrew's Presbyterian in Newmarket is putting a twist on it through the Messy Church program Saturday.
The free program has been implemented around the world and is being brought to Newmarket for the first time. It involves five main principles: creativity, hospitality, celebration, for all ages, and Christ centred.
Minister Robert Royal said the event involves an engaging telling of the Journey to Christmas. There will be activities for participants of all ages, followed by an interactive worship service and community meal.
"What I say to people is this is not Sunday morning," he said.
The event is Christ-centred but it's non-denominational. Royal said all are welcome, even if they aren't Christian.
"There are people who have never been to church, or maybe they went to church years ago and were turned off for whatever reason. Maybe people just want to try something a little bit different. So that's why we're introducing this is to accommodate more people that you wouldn't necessarily see you going to church on a Sunday morning," he said.
For people who are familiar with church programming, he said, "It's like Bible camp in two hours."
Nearly 4,000 Messy Churches have been registered around the world, about 275 of them in Canada. This is the launch of the program at St. Andrew's and Royal said as far as he knows it is the first one in Newmarket.
And while this is the first, he said it won't be the last and the church is already planning to hold Messy Church again in the new year and make it a more regular event.
Messy Church runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newmarket.
