St Mark's, Leicester

The former church of St Mark’s, Leicester, is an imposing Victorian construction by a major road. It is now the Empire Hall wedding venue, the website of which states:

As a Grade II listed building and a historic landmark of Leicester, The Empire Hall combines magnificence with exquisite attention to detail and design. Its historical charm makes The Empire Hall one of the most unique function venues in the Leicester area. This magnificent building has been transformed into a spectacular banqueting facility and is now available for exclusive hire for your special day.

Not only can it be the place at which the ceremony takes place, but it can also host the expensive dinners, music and dancing. Those Victorians who wed here back in their day would have had to relocate to a public house or relative’s home; St Mark’s can now do the lot.

Although I suspect that it is not often used for overtly Christian weddings, I like the idea of it being used to do the lot. No booking of additional venues, no hiring marquees or hotels. In one respect, all churches are more than merely places of worship. We should make friends there, help each other, meet the surrounding community. Yet I also think that we should not lose sight of its primary purpose: a central place to meet for worship of Almighty God. I was once informed that one was considering leaving our church because someone had failed to recognise him and not offered greeting. If the chapel is primarily a social club, he might have every right to feel aggrieved. If it is a place where God’s word is preached and His worship engaged, then it really does not matter at all. 

A  D