Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord Roman 8:39

Welcome to Marlborough Road Methodist Church

Christ’s welcome is for everyone.

Our Calling is to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.
We are called to let our whole way of life respond to God’s call,
Letting life grow in each one of us every day,
Nurturing life in the Church,
Bringing life to the World.

This is the Methodist Way.

Coronavirus Update (9th June 2021)

The church is open for Worship 10:30am – and has been since Palm Sunday (March 28th). If you wish to attend then please read the letter to members and friends which is still applicable.

We know that many regular worshippers are not able to attend so both the services prepared for the St. Albans and Welwyn Methodist Circuit and the written notices continue to be provided to members and friends.

The Circuit service continues to be available on-line via the St John’s Methodist Church Potters Bar website www.stjohnspb.org.uk where you can watch it with members of the circuit taking part. We are grateful to the team at St. John’s for facilitating this so well for us all.

Our preparations for re-opening have been made in accordance with the guidance from the Methodist Church which have required us to conduct a Risk Assessment and a create an Action Plan. These describe what we are doing to help worshippers stay safe when we worship and when conduct funerals. We have a seating plan that takes into account social distancing.

We thank the team who worked hard to re-open the church for worship at the start of September and all those who have ensured that services at Marlborough have been able to go ahead until 1st November.

We are aware that many people are getting used to using Zoom to communicate. One of our members has produced a very helpful guide to installing and using Zoom. Many thanks, Izzi.

Sadly, other users are also unable to use the building. However, we have been busy thinking about how other users can use the building when Covid rules allow. Please the Risk Assessment for Other Users and the Action Plan for Other Users if you are interested in using our premises..

Worship during Coronavirus

Even in lockdown we continue worshipping, praying, loving and caring for neighbours far and near.

In addition to the Circuit Service facilitated so kindly by St. John’s Potters Bar, through their website www.stjohnspb.org.uk, our sister churches are offering services on their websites as follows:

St Peter’s are offering services on their website. http://www.stpeterschurch.uk.com– On Sundays at 9.30am and on their YouTube channel. Also, they are holding an evening prayer each week. members of their own congregation and Ministry Team take part in these services, including Rosemary.

Also, Hatfield Road Methodist Church website www.hatfieldroadmethodist.org are now providing weekly services on line with their own members taking part

The Methodist website resources can be found at: https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-faith/worship/singing-the-faith-plus/seasons-and-themes/worship-during-the-coronavirus

A prayer for this time from the British Methodist Church

God of all hope we call on you today.
We pray for those who are living in fear:
Fear of illness, fear for loved ones, fear of other’s reactions to them.
May your Spirit give us a sense of calmness and peace.

We pray for your church in this time of uncertainty.

For those people who are worried about attending worship.

For those needing to make decisions in order to care for other
For those who will feel more isolated by not being able to attend.
Grant us your wisdom.

Holy God, we remember that you have promised that
Nothing will separate us from your love – demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ.
Help us turn our eyes, hearts and minds to you. Amen

A Prayer in the Time of the Coronavirus Epidemic – from Ireland

All–loving God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we pray to you through Christ the Healer
for those who suffer from the Coronavirus / Covid–19
in this country and across the world.

We pray too for all who reach out to all those who have contracted this virus, those who are fearful, and those who mourn the loss of each and every person who has died in our world as a result of contracting the disease.
Give wisdom to policymakers,
skill to healthcare professionals and researchers,
comfort to everyone in distress
and a sense of calm to us all in these days of uncertainty and distress.

This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
who showed compassion to the outcast,
acceptance to the rejected
and love to those to whom no love was shown. Amen.

Archbishop Michael Jackson -Dublin & Glendalough

Prayer for a Pandemic by Cameron Bellm of Seattle.

May we who are merely inconvenienced

Remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors
Remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home
Remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close
Remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips
Remember those that have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market
Remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
Remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country,
let us choose love.

During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,

Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours.
Amen.

This prayer comes from Cameron’s site www.krugthethinker.com where she gives permission for the prayer’s use and you will find other prayers for this time.

Welcome to Marlborough Road Methodist Church

Christ’s invitation is to everyone.

The Methodist Church claims and cherishes its place in the wider Christian Church. For general information about our beliefs, emphases and practices, please click here.

Being in the centre of a city brings its challenges and its opportunities. As a result, our mission and ministry are constantly changing. Although our worship is structured on the basis of traditional Methodist worship, each Sunday is different. We cherish our past, we exercise our faith in the realities of the present age and we have dreams for the future.

Who we are is as important to us as what we believe and what we do; we seek integrity as much as activity. We try to keep our faith honest and real. As well as a range of church activities, some of which take place in members’ homes or out and about in the neighbourhood, our premises are used by a variety of community groups catering for a wide range of people from the very young to the quite elderly.

Baptisms, weddings and funerals are conducted at this church by arrangement. These are open to anyone in the local region, whether you have had any previous association with the church or not. You can contact our minister for further information about how you can involve the church in these special moments in your lives.

We invite you to explore the pages of our site to get a taste of what goes on within the Marlborough Road community – and if you like what you see, contact us or come along to find out more.

Rosemary Fletcher