about us
St Columba's seeks to be an open and inclusive church, welcoming all who want to follow Jesus Christ. We encourage 'faith seeking understanding' - and so give a high priority to a thoughtful faith. We also celebrate a faith which is rooted in the Gospel and which bears fruit in action for peace and for justice. Our life together is founded on prayer and we hope that all that we do and say together is 'to the glory of God and for the service of the world'.
about our worship
We sing hymns and include prayers from a variety of traditions: our worship has echoes of ancient, Celtic and Reformation traditions even as it embraces the concerns and needs of the postmodern world.
‘Give to me Lord a thankful heart,
and a discerning mind’
(from a hymn by Caryl Micklem, a former minister of St Columba's)
Our worship of God is in the Reformed tradition, with emphasis upon the reading of the Bible and the preaching of the Gospel. Members of the congregation read from the Bible and lead prayers and we seek to include within worship the needs and gifts of all God's people; young and old, male and female, and from every nation.
what we say
Read a recent sermon (portable document format).
our history
St Columba's and the chapel at Cumnor are two congregations of the United Reformed Church, a denomination created in 1972 when the Congregational Church in England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church in England were united. In 1981, many congregations of the Churches of Christ joined with us, and in 2000 the Congregational Church of Scotland also became part of the URC. Together we have a place both within the Reformed tradition and within the wider ecumenical movement.
In 1908 the Presbyterian Church of England, the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church of Scotland worked together to establish a Presbyterian Chaplaincy to the University of Oxford. St Columba's was dedicated in 1915. At first, it was simply a Chaplaincy, but non-university Presbyterians were soon attending regularly. In 1929 St Columba's became a self-governing congregation of the Presbyterian Church of England. In 1972 we became part of the United Reformed Church and now serve 'town' as well as 'gown', glad to provide a witness to the Christian faith in the Reformed tradition in the centre of Oxford. Students form an important part of our congregation and take an active and valued part in every part of our church life.
We belong to the world church through the Council for World Mission. Our commitment to Christian unity is expressed through our membership of Churches Together in Oxford and our solidarity with the poor through our support of Christian Aid and Commitment for Life. In 2001, we entered a new and growing relationship with Cumnor United Reformed Church.
