Ps & Gs Church (St Paul’s and St George’s), Edinburgh runs monthly Mossy Church mornings with their children and young people. Mossy Church is a branch of the forest church movement. It combines the focus that Messy Church has of creating space and freedom for children to discover their faith, with the outdoor focus of Forest Church: allowing our worship to be inspired by God’s creation.
Ps & Gs church is in the middle of Edinburgh city centre, on the corner of York Place and Broughton Street; not your typical forest church setting. However, the church garden on this street corner, provides a small haven of green space, including an abundance of lavender bushes that provide nectar for bees in the summer months. This space is used for some of our children’s ministry, including Mossy Church, and is cared for by a dedicated team of volunteers.
Ps & Gs also has a ‘secret’ garden; a spot that for a long time was little used and largely neglected, but now is our most regular space for Mossy Church. The garden sits behind the building on York Place, owned by Ps & Gs for use during the week by our counselling service and on Sundays by our children’s ministry. Another team of volunteers have transformed this space into a place for wildlife and prayer. The youth group have helped to build seating, a fire pit area and a mud kitchen for the younger children to play in. You can watch a short film of our garden transformation below.
During past Mossy Church sessions, we have explored many bible stories and biblical truths with the children. For example, making natural bird feeders as an illustration of how God feeds and cares for us and all His creatures (Matthew 6: 26). Or learning about how we’re all made in God’s image, by making self-portraits using fallen leaves and other natural objects found in the gardens (Genesis 1: 27). Doing church outside, provides endless possibilities for learning about our creator God, finding creative ways to pray, and practising creation care.
For more information please do visit the Ps & Gs website or watch our training video.
Let’s hear it from Sky, With Earth joining in, And a huge round of applause from Sea. Let Wilderness turn cartwheels, Animals, come dance, Put every tree of the forest in the choir.
Psalm 96:11-13 (The Message)
Bethany Nelson, Empowerment Coordinator
