| AMONG THE multitude of churches built in London 150 years ago is St Mary’s New Church in Stoke Newington. It is the “new church” because the Tudor St Mary’s, completed unusually in 1563, in the reign of Elizabeth I, still stands across the road and is used, says the Rector, the Revd Jonathan Clark, “for Prayer Book matins and evensong, and the occasional wedding”.
The new St Mary’s is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. It was built because, as Stoke Newington grew, the old church was bursting at the seams. It was commissioned by a charismatic high-church preacher, the Revd Thomas Jackson, and it remains an Affirming Catholic parish today. (Mr Clark currently chairs Affirming Catholicism).
Although not as numerous as in Victorian days, the regular congregation of St Mary’s (right) numbers a healthy 150, “from QCs to cleaners”. The church’s watchword is hospitality, and it tries to cater for all who come. The main Sunday eucharist is Common Worship, but there is also a regular sung BCP eucharist; “a noisy monthly mass for pre-school children”; and a “plethora of different activities, from Brownies to meditation groups”, throughout the week.
There is also a year-long programme of Wednesday Conversations which is just finishing for the summer. These are led conversations, for those “just wanting to get their toe back into church”, Fr Clark says.
As a parish church in a diverse area of London, St Mary’s has a great deal to celebrate.
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