St Columba's United Reformed Church, Oxford facts for kids
St Columba's United Reformed Church is a church located in the heart of Oxford, England. It is part of the United Reformed Church (URC) and can be found on Alfred Street, close to the main High Street.
Church History
St Columba's Church began in 1908. It was first set up as a special place for Presbyterian students at the University of Oxford. Several churches worked together to start it, including the Church of Scotland.
In 1929, the church officially became part of the Presbyterian Church of England. Later, in 1972, the Presbyterian and Congregational churches joined together. This created the United Reformed Church (URC), and St Columba's became a part of this new church family.
Today, the church continues to support students at the University of Oxford. It welcomes those from Reformed, Presbyterian, and Congregational church backgrounds. Over the years, some well-known people have been part of the church community. These include the writer John Buchan and the actor Hugh Laurie, along with his father Ran Laurie.
The Church Building
The church building itself was finished in 1915. It was designed by an architect named T. P. Figgis. The first stone for the building was laid in 1914 by James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce. Some of the money for building the church came from Agnes and Margaret Smith, who were known as the 'Sisters of the Sinai'.
The church has a long main hall, called a nave, and a smaller, rectangular area at the front called a chancel. The beautiful stained glass windows in the chancel were created by Theodora Salusbury. In 1960, the front entrance area was updated. A new vestibule, which is like a small lobby, was added. This new part was designed by E. Brian Smith.
Church Ministers
Many ministers have led the church over the years. Here are some of them:
- Revd David Lusk
- Revd Roy Drummond Whitehorn
- Revd Ray Bailey
- Revd John Thornton
- Revd Caryl Micklem (from 1978 to 1990)
- Revd Wesley Workman (from 1990 to 1992)
- Revd Dr Susan Durber (from 1995 to 2007)
- Revd Dr Carla Grosch-Miller (from 2008 to 2016)
- Revd Helen Garton (since 2018)
Since 2001, St Columba's Church has shared its ministers with Cumnor United Reformed Church.
