Messy Church

About Messy Church

Augustine often talked about a church being a school of love. At Hillside Community Church we couldn’t agree more! Nowhere is that expressed more for fully than in our Sunday School program, which we call “Messy Church.”

Each week in Messy Church, through songs and art and other engaging activities we teach our youngest members that they are loved by God just as they are and that they were made to share that love through lives of compassion and justice.

About Our Curriculum

Our Messy Church program is based on the innovative Grow Curriculum. Used by churches throughout the country, Grow uses a series model with a different theme every month.

What that means is that your child won’t be walking into a boring classroom to sit at a desk and be talked at. Rather, one month they’ll walk onto a desert island replete with palm trees and beach towels to sit on. The next month they’ll walk into outer space and be surrounded by planets, stars, and rocket ships.

These themes filter into each week’s games, songs, and art projects, keeping them fresh, fun, and engaging!

Here’s a play-by-play of what you can expect on your first visit

Find a Spot

We're located at 144 North Street in Medford, MA. On-street parking is available all around the church. On Sundays no permits are needed anywhere.

Arrive at Hillside Community Church

While our worship service and Sunday School begin at 10:30am, we recommend arriving about 10 to 15 minutes early to get your child oriented. As you enter the sanctuary, you'll be invited to make a nametag for yourself and your child. You will also be introduced to our Sunday School and child care staff.
You can then head grab a seat in our sanctuary where we'll worship as a full intergenerational community for the first 15 minutes of the service. Children will then be led downstairs for fun, age-appropriate activities with their Sunday School teachers.

Pickup Time

Our worship services ends at 11:30am. At that time, you can head downstairs to pick up your child (and any amazing pieces of art that they have made!). You can feel free to stick around for coffee hour or you can skedaddle to get on with your Sunday afternoon – we'll hope to see you next week, same time, same place!

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

Hillside Community Church is an open and inclusive church. What that means is that we welcome, honor, and affirm people of every race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, gender expression, and sexual orientation. We want you to know that you can trust your child to our educators without fear of them being judged or shamed for how God made them.

Learn More About Our Commitment to Inclusivity

Let Us Know You’re Coming

You can fill out the optional form below to let us know when you’re dropping by and if there’s anything we can do to make your visit even more enjoyable.

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