Rural Mess in Cornwall

I’m starting to collect stories from rural Messy Churches, so I asked some of our regional coordinators to send me any reflections they have on specifically rural situations. You might have some to send too: why / how is Messy Church working or not working in your country setting? What factors are specific to Messy Churches in the countryside? What are the positive as well as the negative factors at work? What ideas do you have to give the Spirit an open door?
Janet Tredrea is in Cornwall and sends this story of resurrection.
‘Some rural churches are teetering on the brink of death. I can think of one which, because over the past few years no one could agree a feasible, practical or suitable way forward due to budget or building constraints and lack of clergy time and vision, has needed an injection of new life in which all the members can take part. The idea of Messy Church was put to the remaining members (numbers depleted recently as several left the congregation because of disillusionment and lack of vision) as a last ditch attempt to promote the gospel to outsiders. It was stressed that everyone had to take ownership – the elderly could pray, give donations of food or money and all the able-bodied were to join the “hands-on team”. It worked – the Spirit was fanned back into more prominent life, team spirit is vibrant, fellowship is had very month in studying the topic of the next session and that dying church now has an active ‘wing’ to which the outside community is sitting up and taking notice and enthusiastically supporting. The disillusioned are back on the team and the dying church has been “resurrected”!’