Name: St. Michael’s
Denomination: Anglican
Address: St Michael’s Church, Chester Square, London, SW1W 9EF
Church Office, The Vestry, London SW1W 9EF
Telephone: 020 7824 8562 (Church Office)
Web Site: St Michael’s Chester Square (smccs.org.uk)
Email: office@smccs.org.uk
Please visit the website for times of services and details of other events.
St. Michael’s is a lively, all-age, cosmopolitan church in the heart of London. Our members work in many different fields but we are united in our belief that Jesus Christ transforms life and that through him we can experience life in a totally new dimension. We hope that by joining us you will find a vibrant spiritual home, make new friends, have fun and above all, discover life at its very best. We look forward to meeting you.
Whether you are full of faith or new to it all, come to one of our Sunday Services and find out how you can go further with God. We’d love to meet you.
We see church as a place where we connect:
- With God:
For those who are not yet Christians, the Alpha course is a great way to explore the Christian faith, giving you the opportunity to ask all sorts of questions.
For those already Christians, our prayer is that while you are with us, your faith will grow and you will be equipped to serve God better. Our aim is to develop our faith through applying the Bible to all aspects of life, through short training courses and through using our skills and gifts in service.
- With one another:
In a large city like London, it is not always easy to get to know people quickly so we encourage everyone to belong to a small group where you will make friends, learn together and support one another through prayer and Bible study.
- With the global community and a needy world:
We are an outward looking church supporting God’s work through individuals and organisations both in the UK and overseas.
Our vision is that as followers of Christ, we should make an impact wherever we go – with family and friends, with neighbours, in the workplace, in this city, in this nation and all over the world. We believe that the Church needs to recover its place in the public square in order to speak and live out God’s values in a lost and hurting world.
We welcome you whoever you are and whatever your experience of life – whether you are coming to London to work or to study, whether you are an established Christian or have not set foot in a church for years, whether you are single, married, widowed, or divorced. We hope that by getting involved, you will find a spiritual home, make new friends, have fun and above all, discover life at its very best. So have a browse on our website and come along to one of our Sunday services.
History
The original building was completed and consecrated in 1846 to serve the needs of a small area of the newly developed Pimlico estate. Among the many distinguished clergy who have served at Sf. Michael’s, perhaps the best known was Canon Elliott. He preached weekly sermons on the radio and established a nation-wide league of prayer during the war years.
Architecture
The original building faced externally with Kentish Ragstone with its fine spire was desigued by Thomas Cundy the Younger and erected on a small plot of land at the west end of Chester Square donated by the Marquis of Westminster. The church facilities and décor were enhanced in 1873 when the pews were replaced, space added at the sides of the chancel, and extensive marble work incorporated into the decoration of the chancel itself. The church was further extended in 1921 when the Memorial Chapel was built on the north side of the chancel. This was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and erected in memory of those members of the parish and their relatives who had died in the Great War.
More recently a major restoration of the exterior and reordering of the interior was completed in 1993. The entrance was relocated beneath the tower, the galleries largely removed to create a much lighter and more open space, the pews replaced by more flexible seating, and modem heating and electrical systems installed. A major part of the work was the replacement of the original organ by another instrument built by Walkers and located in the north gallery. The final phase of this reordering was carried out in the Millennium year with the creation of a number of smaller rooms for teaching, music and administrative purposes in the upper levels on either side of the chancel.
Doctrine and Style of Worship
Our congregation is varied in age, background and preferred styles of worship, but we are united in our desire to serve Jesus Christ and to bring others to know him. At our Sunday services we come together as the family of God to worship our Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Each service has this same purpose, but its own distinctive style. There is a midweek half·hour ‘Lunchbreak’ service for those living or working in the area, followed by sandwiches and coffee.
Social Outreach
St. Michael’s is located in a crossroads area between Victoria Station and Belgravia,between the extremes of poverty and affluence. Spiritual need recognises no boundaries, and St. Michael’s is committed to addressing this need which is common to all. There are many families living locally, and a Family Worker has recently been added to the Church Staff to reach out to this section of our surrounding community. We also actively support various London·based organisations working with the poor and homeless. In recent years we have focussed on supporting the Diocese of Ruaha in central Tanzania, one of the poorest countries in the world, which frequently suffers from drought and famine.
Facilities
The church building is used by a number of local groups during the week. There are regular lunchtime concerts, and a school assembly meets here weekly in which our ministerial staff participates. Additional small rooms are being added to improve the facilities for training and conference events as well as to serve the needs of the church itself.
Activities and Special Features
In addition to the activities described above, St. Michael’s strives to fulfil its aim to be a missionary church through a range of smaller groups. Home fellowship groups are a key element of the church’s structure. Breakfast groups for men and women meet weekly for Bible study and prayer; tbere is a weekday Community Bible Study for women. ‘The Ark’ for parents, carers, babies and toddlers, meets here every Monday and Wednesday morning. Marriage and Parenting Courses are held regularly, and a new Discipleship Course has been inaugurated. Alpha courses are run during the year in the daytime and the evening which are designed to explain the Christian faith in a clear and relevant way.