Our aims are:
- To tell people about the love of God.
- To demonstrate that love by showing care to those in need
- To provide opportunities to worship God.
- To explore and demonstrate ways to follow Christ and promote God’s rule in contemporary society.
The Church attempts to fulfil these aims by:
- Having well organised and meaningful services of worship each Sunday and on special Christian dates.
- Providing services of baptism, marriage and funeral. With pride we can now offer same-sex weddings.
- Helping those in need, especially by fund raising for charitable purposes.
- Maintaining an orderly and welcoming building which can be used by other organisations.
- Giving children opportunity to learn about the Christian faith, through Junior Church; and adults the chance to explore their faith through house groups, and meetings on church premises.
- Working with other Christian Churches in the locality (through joint services and activities).
Inclusive Church
Durham City Methodists is now a member of the Inclusive Church network. We are committed to being a welcoming, safe, and affirming space for all people. We have an Inclusive Church group that meets regularly to look at how we can continue to move towards increasing our inclusivity.
As a church, we affirm the Inclusive Church Statement: “We believe in inclusive church – a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate. We will continue to challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality. We believe in a Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.”
Eco Church
Members of DCM are actively involved in the Circuit Eco Group, The Code Red Response Team, which was established in August 2021. The Group was instrumental in the Circuit and individual churches declaring a Climate and Ecological Emergency in Autumn 2021 and agreeing the Circuit Environmental Policy in September 2023.
From the start, the Circuit Group has encouraged the Durham and Deerness Valley Churches to take practical steps to help tackle the climate emergency and engage in A Rocha UK’s Eco Church Project. The programme equips churches in England and Wales to care for creation and is designed to help us “go green” in all areas of church life. The vision is for the Church to care for creation as an integral part of loving our neighbours and following God faithfully.
At DCM we have undertaken the A Rocha survey and made use of supporting resources to achieve the Bronze Eco Church Award in June 2023, followed by the Silver Award in November 2023. The awards recognise the efforts made to care for God’s earth in worship and teaching: in how we look after our buildings and land; in how we engage with our local community and in global campaigns; and in the personal lifestyles of our congregation.
Examples of recent initiatives have been to encourage the congregation to recycle medical blister packs at Boots and used batteries at supermarkets; planning to avoid waste at Christmas; ongoing flower planting, bird feeders and bug hotel to benefit wildlife in the gardens at both sites. The Eco Coffee morning in September 2023 hosted a display on Waste Recycling and proceeds went to WaterAid. Deacon Ruth and DCM Eco-Group members led Eco-Award Celebration/Harvest Worship at both sites later that month with reflections on droplets through streams to oceans. Gifts and donations were received for Foodbank and WaterAid. The intention is to hold an Environment themed service at least once a quarter with the last being DCM morning service on December 17th.
Continued commitment will be required to maintain momentum and achieve the prestigious gold award. Anyone interested in joining the Eco Group is always welcome.