Rev. Roberta J. Egli
Executive Director
Messy Church USA
In each edition of IG Mix, we ask a guest writer two questions about serving in ministry.
What keeps you up at night?
I lead a ministry focused on the positive quality of being “Messy.” However, when I have trouble sleeping, it is because of my internal struggle to organize the mess that keeps me awake. I am a planner and organizer; I like to create lists that I can mark “done.” Inviting and encouraging others to engage in intergenerational ministry is not a neat and tidy item that is ever “done,” so my worry at night is, “Am I doing enough or am I focused on the right thing?” What puts me back to sleep, is remembering to place my confidence and trust in the God of all ages and all time. Breath prayers help me to remember.
What gets you up in the morning?
In addition to a strong cup of coffee (with a splash of cream), the process of building and joining ongoing networks of people engaged in the joy of intergenerational ministry is what gets me going in the morning. Joining the international network of Messy Church leaders from places like Australia, Sweden, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and Canada has been helpful during the isolation created by the pandemic. Attending Intergenerate conferences, both in person and via zoom here in the states, and also zoom from Australia, has both energized and encouraged me to keep learning and reaching out.
The Rev. Roberta J. Egli is the Executive Director of Messy Church USA (MC USA). As an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, she led a team to start a Messy Church in a local church. In the fall of 2017, she assumed primary leadership for establishing the nonprofit All-Age Faith Formation, which is the home for Messy Church in the USA. Messy Church is a global movement that begin the UK and has spread to over 30 countries. MC USA works closely as a partner with the Messy Church UK, one of the four ministries of the UK charity, Bible Reading Fellowship.
Also from the October 2022 IG Mix