St Michael's Church, Camden Town

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name = St. Michael's Church, Camden Town
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caption = West end of St. Michael's, with its new roof and newly restored west-front
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denomination = Anglican
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address = Camden Town, London
country = United Kingdom
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St Michael's Church is the main Anglican church for Camden Town.

The congregation was begun in 1881 at a building on the site where the local William Hill's now stands, where a service was carried out to begin celebrations for the church's 125th anniversary in 2002. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/1808948.stm] and [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1838837.stm]

The church building was designed by Bodley and Garner (their first London church) and is brick-built and Grade II* listed. The nave was completed in 1881 and the whole church was consecrated in 1894 under its first vicar, Father Edward Penfold. A tower was planned but never built. Its west front was restored in 2005 and a new roof was completed in August 2007.

It is linked to St Michael's Church of England Primary School. [ [http://www.stmichaels.camden.sch.uk/ Homepage] ] In 1954 it subsumed the parishes of All Saints, Camden Town (which had become a Greek Orthodox Cathedral in 1948) and St.Thomas, Agar Town, Wrotham Road (1864 building demolished due to war damage). In 2003 it became part of the St Pancras Team Ministry, with St Pancras Old Church, St Mary's Church, Somers Town and St Paul's Church, Camden Square.

It has an active ministry to the homeless and refugees in the area, and regularly speaks out on social issues in the area [ [http://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/2004%20archive/080104/n080104_6.htm Camden New Journal] ] , featured in the BBC series "The Power and the Glory" [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/power-and-glory.shtml The Power and the Glory homepage] ] and hosted the launch of the new 'Faithful Cities' report [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Church anger over asylum poverty |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5003498.stm |work=BBC News |publisher= |date=22 May 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-24 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Government accused of draconian treatment of asylum seekers |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/immigration/story/0,,1781050,00.html |work=Guardian |publisher= |date=23 May 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-24 ] (on which occasion the Archbishops of York and Canterbury also dedicated the new parish rooms at the side of the church). It is currently in an interregnum after its priest, Father Nicholas Wheeler (licensed to the parish on 21 September 1996, and also Team Rector of the St Pancras Team Ministry) left to become Anglican Priest Missioner in Rio de Janeiro at the start of March 2008. [ [http://www.westcott.cam.ac.uk/resources/conference_agenda.pdf A New Vision for Catholic Mission - Westcott House] , page 9] Wheeler's replacement as Team Rector and priest of St Michael's was announced in early June 2008 as Philip North, previously Shrine Administrator at Walsingham, who will take over in October 2008.

Clergy

The Team Ministry currently employs:
*Father Bruce Batstone, St Mary's Somers Town, acting Team Rector, and chaplain of the Huntley Centre
*Father James Elston, NSM, priest at St Mary's
*Father Malcolm Hunter, ordained priest on 14 September 2007

Notes

External links

* [http://www.saintmichaelcamden.250x.com/ Homepage]
* [http://mycamden.camden.gov.uk/gdw/T/ListedBuildingDetail?LbNo=158&xsl=ListedBuildingDetail.xsl Listing website]
* [http://www.posp.co.uk/ Website of the team parish - under construction]
* [http://www.anightonthetiles.org/ Roof restoration appeal]
* [http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/MDX/StPancras/churches.htm Linked parishes]