The Church moved out, the world moved in - for a moment peace was on the table

Methodist Central Hall - January 1946 Screenshot

As part of the Service of Thanksgiving for the 80th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the United Nations at Methodist Central Hall Westminster, this video was put together at the start of the service to highlight the role the church played in hosting the very first meeting of the UN General Assembly.

Featuring Prime Minister Clement Attlee, Eleanor Roosevelt, delegations from Ukraine, Venezuela, the United States, UK and 47 other nations. Here, in a hall built for faith, the United Nations met for the first time. Not because the answers were clear - but because the stakes were high.

Outside, Londoners watched. Waiting. Listening. Daring to believe that cooperation might succeed where conflict had failed.

From this Great Hall emerged a shared resolve: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war; to ground power in principle; to place human dignity at the centre of global life.

This was not triumphal. It was fragile. But it was real.

A church moved out. The world moved in. And for a moment - history leaned toward peace.

Footage © UN Archive, used with permission.

Watch the documentary: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN3EbjG8MLM

Methodist Central Hall: www.mchw.live/