Greyfriars' Church, Reading

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church_name = Greyfriars Church
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former_names = Franciscan friary
denomination = Anglican
location = Reading, Berkshire, England
minister = Reverend Canon Jonathan Wilmot
diocese =Diocese of Oxford
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constructed = 1311
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website = [http://www.greyfriars.org.uk/ Greyfriars Church web site]

Greyfriars Church is an evangelical Anglican church in the town centre of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. The church forms part of the Church of England's Diocese of Oxford.

It is the oldest Franciscan church still in use as a place of worship in the UK, and is said to be the most complete surviving example of Franciscan architecture in England. As a consequence, it has been listed as a Grade I listed building by English Heritage.cite web | url = http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=38955&mode=quick | title = Images of England - Greyfriars Church, Friar Street, Reading | publisher = English Heritage | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

The church's motto is "To know Christ and make Him known", and this vision informs the activities of the church family. The vicar is the Reverend Canon Jonathan Wilmot.

History

The Franciscan order of friars first arrived in Reading in the 1250s, but their initial site proved unsatisfactory, and work started on the building of a new friary sometime after 1285. The new friary, that was eventually to become Greyfriars Church, was ready by 1311. The friars were expelled in 1538 as part of King Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. Thereafter the building was used successively as a hospital and a poorhouse. In the 18th century it became the town's jail.cite web | url = http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=38955&mode=quick | title = Images of England - Greyfriars Church, Friar Street, Reading | publisher = English Heritage | accessdate = 2007-11-28] cite web | url = http://www.greyfriars.org.uk/history.php | title = Greyfriars Church - History | publisher = Greyfriars Church PCC | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

The church was restored around 1863 by the then Reading Borough Surveyor, W H Woodman. The original building is constructed from squared and knapped flints with a stone plinth and buttresses. The tiled roof sweeps down over aisles, and the church has a three bay nave. The large transept and triple arched belfry were added to the church by Woodman. The nave has segmental headed 3 light windows of plain decorated style and an extremely fine west window of 5 lights, in a decorated style with reticulated tracery. The interior is spacious, with a crown post and wind brace roof supported on original cruciform and quadriblobe shafts. The font and pulpit date from the restoration.cite web | url = http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=38955&mode=quick | title = Images of England - Greyfriars Church, Friar Street, Reading | publisher = English Heritage | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

The Memorial Hall, a building seating about fifty opens both to the north side of the Church and to Sackville Street, was constructed in the early twentieth century. It can be divided into three rooms.cite web | url = http://www.greyfriars.org.uk/history.php | title = Greyfriars Church - History | publisher = Greyfriars Church PCC | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

The Vicarage building was re-built in 1961/62 with the outward appearance of the original Georgian town house, but with a modern interior. It has now been purchased from the diocese, together with its garden, by the congregation of Greyfriars to be used for the mission of the church, initially as a Day Nursery.cite web | url = http://www.greyfriars.org.uk/history.php | title = Greyfriars Church - History | publisher = Greyfriars Church PCC | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

Attached to the main church building is the West End, which was constructed in the 1970s to create an entrance foyer and a semi-circular lounge with seating for 100-150. Moveable screens allow for it to be divided into four smaller areas. There are also a small kitchen and toilets. The Greyfriars Centre, adjacent to the Church, was completed in 1983 and consists of a general purpose hall for sports and other activities, a coffee lounge with kitchen, bookshop, two meeting rooms, the Church office, toilets and showers.cite web | url = http://www.greyfriars.org.uk/history.php | title = Greyfriars Church - History | publisher = Greyfriars Church PCC | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

In 2000 the church's interior was reordered and modernised. The Victorian pews were replaced with moveable seating to allow greater flexibility in the building's use, such as the large dinners which launch the church's Alpha Courses. A baptistery was also installed, so that new believers may be welcomed into the church family through adult baptism. Previously, a mobile baptistery had to be hired when required.cite web | url = http://www.greyfriars.org.uk/history.php | title = Greyfriars Church - History | publisher = Greyfriars Church PCC | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

Greyfriars today

Discipleship

unday

The church family meets in the building over the course of three services each Sunday. Each of these services is based around an expository talk from the Bible, together with an opportunity to respond to the talk and encourage one another through sung worship. The afternoon service(4:30pm) tends to have a more contemplative, traditional style, while the evening meeting (7pm) is more 'lively', both seeking to glorify God in response to His word in their different ways.

Youth work

The morning service (starting at 10:30am) is attended by many families, and thus provides a creche, and a group called Trekkers for children aged 3 to 11, helping them to explore the Bible in small classes. 11- to 14-year-old children meet in a group called Pathfinders, also during the morning service. Older teenagers attend Crossroads after the evening service, and cell groups during the week. The younger ages are currently coordinated by children's worker, Carol Atkins and Youth Worker, Stan Lyth.

Through the week

Many members of the church family meet up during the week in Home Groups organised throughout Reading. Meeting in smaller numbers allows people to encourage each other more personally, through studying a passage from Bible and praying for one another, as well as for wider issues.

Around 100 people in the 20s and 30s age range are part of a group called Connect, which runs cell groups similar to the Home Groups described above.

The church also runs a variety of groups through the week, such as Time Out for women, a toddlers group, Tuesday Special for people with learning difficulties, and Wednesday Welcome for more mature folk.

Evangelism

The Alpha Course

Greyfriars runs an annual Alpha Course to allow people to explore the claims of Jesus for themselves in a non-threatening environment.

The ten-week course runs each Autumn, and is housed in the church. This allows for a large group of people to gather together to hear the main presentation and then to discuss the content in smaller groups.

In January and April Alpha courses are begun in homes around Reading, which provide a more intimate setting.

Outreach days

The church also hosts monthly outreach days where anybody is welcome to come into the church building. These provide an opportunity for church members to serve the local community, through discussing their faith, praying, and providing a listening ear.

References

External links

* [http://www.greyfriars.org.uk/ Greyfriars Church web site]