World's Oldest Methodist Church to Offer Same-Sex Marriage

The world’s oldest Methodist church will now offer same-sex marriage, confirmed Bristol's New Room.

The Methodist church building, the New Room – in Bristol's city center, announced it will begin officiating same-sex weddings to coincide with the last day of Pride. The New Room is now one of the only few religious places in central Bristol to officiate weddings for LGBTQ+ couples living in Bristol, after voting unanimously in favor.

It is the second largest national Christian denomination to have voted for same-sex marriage. The Methodist church is the fourth largest Christian denomination in Britain, with around 4,000 churches and 164,000 members across the country.

Bristol’s New Room is a chapel first set up in 1739 by evangelist and founder of the Methodist movement John Wesley.The New Room's current Reverend Mandy Briggs said the decision was a "natural” next step".

"This decision to register John Wesley's New Room as a venue for same-sex marriages is the latest step in our journey of allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community," shared Reverend Briggs, in an interview with the BBC.