St Thomas's Church, Oakwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas's Church, Oakwood |
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 St Thomas's Church, Oakwood
Location in Greater London
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| 51°38′44″N 0°07′36″W / 51.64556°N 0.12675°W | |
| Location | Prince George Avenue, Oakwood, London, N14 4SN |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Conservative Evangelical |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. Thomas, Oakwood |
| Deanery | Enfield |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Hampstead |
| Episcopal area | Area Bishopric of Edmonton |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
St Thomas's Church, Oakwood is an Anglican church located in the Oakwood area of London, England. It is part of the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. The church is found on Prince George Avenue in the London Borough of Enfield. It belongs to the Enfield Deanery, which is a local group of churches within the larger Diocese of London.
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History of St Thomas's Church
St Thomas's is a relatively new church. It was started in the 1930s. This was a time when the area of Oakwood was growing fast. Many new homes were built because the Piccadilly underground train line was extended to Cockfosters, making it easier for people to travel.
Building the Church
The construction of the church began in the 1930s. However, work had to stop when the Second World War started. The church building was not fully finished until the 1950s. The person who designed the church was an architect named Romilly Craze.
Later on, a hall was added next to the church. A tall, green spire was also built on top of the church. A spire is a pointed structure that rises high above the roof. There is also a Girl Guide hut on the church grounds, located across the car park from the main building.
Spire Repair and Replacement
In late 2010, it was discovered that the church's spire was not safe. Because of this, it had to be taken down. But don't worry, a new spire was put in its place at the beginning of 2012.
St Thomas's Church Today
St Thomas's Church holds regular services every Sunday. These are times when people gather to worship and learn about their faith.
Church Beliefs
The church follows a specific set of beliefs within the Church of England. This is known as the Conservative Evangelical tradition. This means they focus strongly on the Bible and its teachings.
The church also believes in complementary gender roles. This means they believe that men and women have different but equally important roles in the church and in life. Because of these beliefs, St Thomas's Church receives special guidance from a bishop called the Bishop of Maidstone, who is currently Rod Thomas. This is known as alternative episcopal oversight.
Church Leadership
From May 2017 to 2018, the church was in a period called an interregnum. This means there was no permanent vicar (the main priest) in charge. The previous vicar, Christopher Hobbs, had moved to another church.
On April 16, 2018, a new vicar named Rich Alldritt officially started his role at St Thomas's. The person in charge of the music at the church today is David Reavley.
