St Marys
St Mary's
Maurice Street Nelson
Following the closure of the original Church in 1989 it was decide to convert the Church Hall into a shared space for both Church and secular organisations. Today there is a healthy use of the rooms in what is known as the Beacon Centre, Maurice Street, Nelson, where community outreach groups and a Nursery use the building with the chapel being in one of the upper rooms!
The chapel is unique, beautiful and prayerful. It is “unique” in that it is cleverly designed to fit into part of a building where a number of active community and family groups meet.
The chapel is “beautiful” in that the interior is made up of carefully arranged furnishings which catch the imagination straight away. There are four small images on the walls which depict the main episodes in the life of Mary; the Annunciation (the angel greeting Mary with the news she would be the mother of Jesus); the Nativity (Christmas image of Jesus` birth); the Presentation (Jesus being presented in the Temple and bringing peace to the aged Simeon); and the Crucifixion where Mary stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross.
At the top of the chapel is an altar taken from the original church which stretches the width of the chapel space and a beautiful statue of Mary holding the child Jesus, reflecting the calling of all Christian people to treasure and share the life of Jesus. The visual reminders of the Christian story are small and unobtrusive, but speak movingly of the way our lives are shaped by the timeless events they depict.
The Chapel is “prayerful” in that every time the congregation gathers on a Wednesday morning there is a natural descent into silence before the service begins, making it an environment which is reflective and especially prayerful.
Apart from the Wednesday celebration of the Eucharist (always sung) small gatherings are held in the chapel for times of prayer, including Quiet Hours, Stations and other forms of occasional prayer. The chapel is quite adaptable which allows for an imaginative use of the space.
