We are here to support you and your family throughout your life and to celebrate significant moments with you, whether you are a member of our church or not.
Baptisms (Christenings)
Baptism is a free gift which marks a person’s entry into the Christian Church.
Anyone who wants to be baptised or to have their children baptised in our church is very welcome to contact the Minister to find out how to arrange a baptism service.
You will be asked to meet with the Minister to prepare for the baptism, following a service which you attend at Durham City Methodists.
There are no formal qualifications for baptism, only your intention, and you will be welcomed here.
Weddings
Enquiries are welcome from couples wishing to be married at either of our two churches. Our Elvet site is a very popular venue for weddings, offering an attractive city centre setting and accommodating a large number of guests. At North Road the worship area is smaller, suited to a more intimate ceremony. At both sites we offer fine organ music and the services of ministers who have vast experience in helping to prepare couples for their special day and of guiding them through the marriage service itself.
How do we arrange our wedding?
The first thing to do is to make contact with the Minister, who will arrange to meet you both at the church to talk the matter through.
Do you offer same-sex weddings?
Yes, we are able to offer weddings for same-sex couples.
One of us has been married previously, and divorced. Is this a problem?
The rules of the Methodist Church allow ministers to conduct the marriage of a divorced person if they feel it appropriate to do so. There is no automatic ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to this question. It can be resolved only by a conversation with the Minister.
Are there rules about where we live?
Yes. Normally, at least one of the people getting married should live in the “County of Durham” registration district, which (as its name suggests) covers most, though not quite all, of County Durham. An exception can be made if the church is your ‘normal place of worship’. The registration authorities can also suggest ways in which people, not normally resident in the district, can meet the residence requirements. The Minister can explain all this in more detail.
Funerals
Our Minister, or another minister in the Durham and Deerness Valley Circuit, will always be available to offer support to the bereaved after a death in the family, and to conduct funeral services.
It is usual for the family to contact a Funeral Director in the first instance. The Funeral Director will then contact the Minister.
The Minister will meet the person making the arrangements – usually in that person’s home. This is an opportunity to discuss the form of service and to share memories of the loved one who has died.
For the funeral itself, there are three main possibilities:
- A service in the Church followed by committal at a cemetery or crematorium
- A committal at either a cemetery or a crematorium, followed by a service of thanksgiving in the Church
- A service and committal wholly at the Crematorium
Please contact the Minister to discuss any of these matters.