Black Lives Matter – June 2020

As a church with a membership with a wide ethnic and cultural base, we were very pleased to be able to demonstrate our support for the Black Lives Matter protest movement that spread from Minneapolis, USA throughout the world.  A demonstration in Verulamium Park on 10th June 2020 took place under Covid-19 social distancing constraints.

  

A personal message from the President of the Methodist Conference, the Revd Dr Barbara Glasson

It is with outrage and deep sorrow that we have witnessed the recent brutal killing of George Floyd in the United States.

But outrage and sorrow are not a sufficient response to racism and inequality in society. How to begin a process of change? It starts with self-examination and listening to the people whose lives are affected by discrimination and hate.

This week I received these words from a Methodist living in south London:

“The young people whom I have worked with for over the last 15 years have felt the impact of racism in every institution they have been part of from schools, to university, to various work places, and other than local support and informal church networks they have not found the Methodist Church as a place that speaks up for them.”

As your President, I start by saying I am sorry. Sorry for being silent when we should have spoken out against the everyday injustices that affect BAME communities. I am sorry that, despite our efforts, we have not done enough for those who feel excluded and we need to do better. We know this includes people of all ages from the Windrush generation to the very young. I am sorry when we have not listened carefully enough and not challenged the assumptions of white privilege and bias.

Repentance can lead us to change, to embody a gracious, loving spirit of inclusion and understanding. There is no excuse for racism. All people are made in God’s image.  We are one body in Christ Jesus.

I hope we can listen more carefully to the voices of BAME members, especially younger people, who face racism, discrimination and violence on a daily basis. Then our Church must be brave, speak out, speak up and challenge racism wherever we find it, especially when we find it in ourselves.

I have been in contact with the Vice-President who joins me in supporting this statement.

The Revd Dr Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference

A Prayer from the Joint Public Issues Team:

Loving God,

As the sins of systemic racism and police brutality rear their heads once more,
meet us in our anger, sorrow, and frustration.
Guard us from indifference, ignorance and silence.

As Black lives continue to be taken too soon,
and because all were named and loved,
we lift names to you, in remembrance and resolve:
George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Belly Mujinga, Darren Cumberbatch, Olaseni Lewis, Sean Rigg, Mike Brown, Breonna Taylor,
and so many more.

As righteous anger overflows onto the streets,
we join in with the holy cry of “how long O Lord?”
While we pray for peace, may civility not become the enemy of justice.
We lament that past protest has fallen on deaf ears,
and pray for a world transformed by your love.

We plead, for Black communities: justice, safety, equality.
For those who could choose to look away: repentance, education, solidarity.
Help us to declare in word and deed:
Black Lives Matter.

Amen.

Chatterbox – January 2020

Our Chatterbox coffee morning has been enjoying the Hertfordshire Year of Culture January challenge to be creative, and at the end of January we were thrilled when YOCI, the Hertfordshire Year of Culture mascot, came to visit.

Picture credits: Ann and Ian

Baptism of  Micaiah Charlie Hughes 15 December 2019

Santa at MRMC – 17th December 2019

Marlborough Road Toddlers Nativity – 10 December 2019

Peace Event – November 14 ,2019

“Peace Event” which took place at church on the evening of November 14th this year, Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet spoke and introduced two young ladies who spoke about their wish for Peace in Palestine.

Cycle the Circuit 34/13 – Tuesday 15 October 2019

There were three elements in this 40 mile day out by bicycle.  Firstly, celebrating our All We Can Partnerships, secondly connecting our circuit churches and thirdly, an enjoyable day of cycling.  All three objectives were well met, although the cycling element turned out to be more challenging than I had anticipated.

The All We Can celebration included taking in Hatfield Road’s lovely Harvest display when we called in at the Aldersgate Café.  ‘We’ comprised myself, Revd Rosemary Fletcher and Matt Forsyth, the All We Can Churches officer.  It was great to have Matt’s support, and Matt was glad to get some photographs of Partnership Church / Circuit action – see if you recognise anyone in next year’s publicity shots!  Matt joined in the prayer meeting at Birchwood before heading off to an appointment in Harpenden.

Visiting all our circuit places in one day has given me a sense of connection and inclusion.  It was lovely to meet circuit folk along the way: Jan and friends at the Aldersgate Café at Hatfield Road; Doris, Val and Mike at Birchwood; Peter and Diana at Digswell; Tony and John at Ludwick Way; Chris, Lesley and Frances at St Johns Potters Bar.  Special mention of Shirley at Radlett, who couldn’t wait any longer for me to turn up so left me a welcome note.  I was not as fit and fast as my schedule anticipated, by Ludwick Way I was half an hour behind and by Potters Bar it was an hour.  I had selected Tuesday as ride day because I could connect Toddlers at MRMC, Aldersgate Café at HRMC and prayer and fellowship lunch at Birchwood.  I had not anticipated saying hello to Brownies at MRMC in the evening, but as I was 90 minutes behind schedule by the time I completed the loop, that happened too!

The cycle ride was a bit tougher than I had expected, probably because I am not as fit as I was earlier in the year.  It was a super ride though, mostly on quiet roads, cycle paths and bridleways that I had cycled before, but some exploration was also involved.  This was the first time I have cycled through Sherrardspark Woods, it won’t be the last, although I did have to walk the uphill, gravelly section of the bridleway.  Traffic was a bit heavy between Queenswood and Potters Bar, but I was revived with coffee at St Johns, and the next section included bridleway and, once over the M25, very quiet lanes.  Given recent weather, I was very fortunate to have pleasant conditions for the ride.

Heritage Open Day 2019

This was our sixth year taking part in Heritage Open Days.  Very many thanks to the bakers, organists and church folk who contributed to the success of the day.  We welcomed about a dozen walkers and cyclists taking part in the Bike n Hike – Rosemary and James came through in the morning and joined the welcome team for a cuppa.  One visiting cyclist was 40 churches into his 70 church schedule, phew! We had several visitors who came because they had ‘looked in through the glass and wanted to take the chance have a nosey inside’.  Result!

Holiday at Home 2019 Report

Holiday at Home being been run at Marlborough Road for the last three years.  Idy Osibodu has organised it since 2016.  Hatfield Road Methodist Church and St Peters anda few other churches around St. Albans were invited.  HRMC’s Denise Willingham partnered with Idy to plan a 4 days Holiday at Home for 2019.  Two days at HRMC, as well as the two days at MRMC.

                 

Summer Flowers – 2019

Pictures from Chatterbox coffee morning

They are all a bit shy about being on the internet!

Christingle service in 2019

Our Christingle service in 2019 was organised by the Brownies and involved a crafted felt Christingle decoration.  One of the attendees was so inspired by the service that she brought the Christingle along to show her friends at Chatterbox coffee morning.   She told our minister

“Just to say how much I enjoyed my Christingle with the Brownies, thank you.   Red Robin was so welcoming and the Brownies were excellent hosts.   Please pass my thanks and praise for such a super event to the Brownies and Red Robin.   There were no Brownies in the village where I grew up when I was little so I loved seeing a bit of their tradition, too.

You will be pleased to know that I have had good mileage from my Christingle Bauble even without, as yet, putting in on my tree.  ….   I took my bauble and service sheet to the Chatterbox Coffee on Thursday where everyone seemed most interested.    Some of the ladies were a bit tickled that I had been an honorary Brownie for an evening.    … took a couple of photos of my lovely bauble for use on social media for the church …..   I guess you could say I have done my best to spread the little light from my candle.

Rosemary with Bevan Powell MBE ‘Why Black History Month?’ October 2019

Rosemary with Revd Ruth Eldridge ‘The Church and the whaikaha’ September 2019

Sunday August 25th 2019

Marlborough Road Methodist Church  and  the  Church of God of Prophecy share a morning  Service together at MRMC and follow it with a picnic in

Clarence Park and  a game of cricket and a tug of war..

27th July 2019 –  Rosemary visits Betty Murdoch a member of MRMC on her 90th Birthday

Saturday July 27th 2019 – Wedding of Chantelle and  Andrew ( two of our regular worshippers) at Marlborough Road Methodist Church

Christmas Day 2018

Rosemary with Revd Ermal Kirby ‘One World – transforming communities’ October 2018

Rosemary with Matt Forsyth, All We Can ‘What needs to go, the 0.7% or the overseas development charities?’      September 2018

Revd Dr Leslie Griffiths, Lord Griffiths of Burry Port  ‘Should the House of Lords be Abolished?’  November 2017

Family Baptism – Daughter of Robert Harrison, Jessica Neil – 16/07/2017

MRMC  May 2017 re dedicated after refurbishment

From the archives – Pre 2017