St Matthew's Bethnal Green

Parish Life

Clergy

The Staff team at St Matthew's

People

Meet some of the people of God who worship with us at Bethnal Green

St Matthew's Church is the spiritual home to a wide range of people. It has been since 1746 and remains the gathering place for the worship of God in Bethnal Green. It has seen many changes in the area over the years and these changes continue today.

People have come to St Matthew's to say their prayers and celebrate their lives in good times, bad times and periods of uncertainty, difficulty and tragedy. That too remains as it was.

The people of St Matthew's Church are mainly drawn from the local area. Many people move in and out of Bethnal Green each year. The more established, the new and passing through are all among us. Our numbers are currently about 50 worshippers, including children, on a Sunday.

We know we are not perfect. With this in mind, we try to welcome and include each person who walks through the doors. We come from a range of backgrounds and nations. Among us can be found people who work as a cleaner, architect, musician, those working in finance, building, hospitals and the arts, and people whose full time work is looking after their homes and children.

The Parochial Church Council recently adopted a new statement of Life and Mission. It states:

St Matthew’s Church seeks, by the grace of God:

to be a beacon of the Light of Christ in Bethnal Green

to be a place of welcome to all

to draw people together in faith and worship in the holy place of St Matthew’s

to offer prayer for the needs of those who come to us and for this neighbourhood

to strive to live by our ideals

to support one another in faith and love

The centre piece of our worship is the Parish Mass at 10.30am on Sundays. In this we listen to God's word, offer prayers and honour the Christian commitment to remember Jesus in the way he commanded us - in bread and wine. We try to do this in a relaxed formality, upholding the catholic tradition of the parish, but acknowledging we are people of the 21st century.

Our young people are important to us. We try to meet their needs with regular services in which they take the leading part. Nearly all our servers at the Mass are young people. We are seeking to reintroduce our Sunday club, which meets during the main service soon.

With two of the most lively street markets in London on Sunday mornings, it pays to walk or use public transport. The nearest Underground stations are: Bethnal Green (Central Line), Liverpool Street (Central, Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith and City Lines). Buses 8 and 388 pass along Bethnal Green Road.

The mass is said on other days of the week - always on Wednesday evenings. Times of these services should be on the Parish Notices page of this site. One of the masses takes place on Thursday in a residential home for the elderly. There are services of Morning and Evening Prayer every day of the week.

We meet in groups to study and talk about the faith and how it might be worked out in this changing part of London. The clergy are available for personal advice, as well as for the administration of the sacraments, to bless houses and occasionally have a drink with.

We have recently given over the use of one of our church buildings to the U-Turn Project, which works with women who have been coerced into the sex trade. Also, we are consulting those who live around the church and those who pass through the churchyard on how we can best use the campus of buildings and space around the church for community benefit.

We also like to socialise, with a range of outings, pilgrimages and other functions.

The best way to find out more about us is to come!