London SE1 community website

Lambeth Anglicans and Methodists celebrate 40 years of cooperation

London SE1 website team

The Lambeth Mission & St Mary's building in Lambeth Road was full on Sunday morning for a service marking the 40th anniversary of Lambeth's Anglican-Methodist ecumenical partnership.

Lambeth Anglicans and Methodists celebrate 40 years of cooperation
The tower of St Mary-at-Lambeth (now the Garden Museum)
Lambeth Anglicans and Methodists celebrate 40 years of cooperation
Lambeth Mission has hosted a weekend of celebratory events to mark the 40th anniversary
Lambeth Anglicans and Methodists celebrate 40 years of cooperation
Methodist minister Revd Rosemary Fletcher with The Ven Roderick Wells, the last Anglican parish priest of St Mary's before the ecumenical partnership was formed
Lambeth Anglicans and Methodists celebrate 40 years of cooperation
Maggie Woolley helped to cut a cake to mark the anniversary

Roderick Wells, the last priest to be attached to the ancient St Mary-at-Lambeth church next to Lambeth Palace, was the preacher. He had first arrived as curate in 1966 but when the rector, Oliver Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, left in 1968 to be dean of Lincoln it was decided to make Roderick priest-in-charge.

At the time the future of the building was uncertain due to the cost of restoration. Eventually the controversial decision was taken to declare that a church was the people and not an expensive building.

As a result in 1972 Bishop of Southwark Mervyn Stockwood declared the church closed and led the congregation along Lambeth Road to join the Methodist Lambeth Mission. Stephen Maslen was the Anglican priest appointed that year to go with the congregation. The old St Mary's building is now the Garden Museum.

Before the service on Sunday Garden Museum director Christopher Woodward welcomed the present Lambeth Mission Methodist minister Rosemary Fletcher to the old church. Afterwards there was a procession along Lambeth Road by representatives of today's congregation who on the way sang the same hymn chosen for the departure procession 40 years ago: Thy hand, O God, has guided.

The 40th anniversary service of celebration at Lambeth Mission included the hymn O Thou Who camest from above which had been sung at the first joint service.

Among those present were former Radio 2 presenter Canon Roger Royle and many past parishioners including those now living in Essex, Cumbria and Yorkshire.

A message was received from Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and his wife Jane.

Rosemary Fletcher, as successor to Roderick Wells, was vested in a cope once used at the old church.

Cub Scouts and other young people provided a dramatised version of the Old Testament reading about Noah.

Afterwards Maggie Woolley, who had worshipped at the old parish church and been part of the first procession to Lambeth Mission, helped cut an anniversary cake.

Lambeth Mission & St Mary's is now part of the North Lambeth Parish and Circuit embracing St Anselm's Kennington and St Peter's Vauxhall.

The SE1 website is supported by people like you
Related forum discussions
We are part of
Independent Community News Network
Email newsletter

For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.

Archive
News archive from February 1999 to January 2001
Got a story for us?
Contact us with your tip-offs and story ideas.