Church Tour - Saint Columba URC Liverpool

The photographs in the following Saint Columba URC a tour of the church page were kindly taken by Mr.John Hughes. The text is reproduced with the kind permission of Dr. D.R.Meek from his excellent book 'St. Columba Hunts Cross Liverpool Diamond Jubilee 1942 - 2002'.

When we approach St.Columba URC from the car park we are met with the new Entrance door this takes us into the new part of the building that was completed in 1998 after the demolition of the old church hall and we will start our tour from this new area of the church. There are also the doors that bring us into the entrance lounge from Hillfoot Avenue.

Entrance Lounge

The architect's original plan was for this area to simply be a linking corridor with plain walls and normal sized doors. This design was subsequently changed to reflect the design of the sanctuary. This area acted as the entrance vestibule to the church and link corridor from it to the old church (which became the halls). The vestibule had doors opening onto Hillfoot Avenue and onto the car park on Hillfoot Road.

After the Brentwood Hall was built the double door opening into the old halls was bricked up; a new single link door created into the entrance vestibule of the hall and the entrance doors from the car park on Hillfoot Road permanently closed. At that time this area was carpeted and converted for use as a minor hall as well as entrance vestibule. The double entrance doors from Hillfoot Avenue remain, but the entrance from the car park on Hillfoot Road is now via the entrance hall to the new hall.

The Lord's Prayer Fretwork

In the entrance lounge is the Lord's Prayer carved in fretwork. This was made in 1930 by Miss Muriel Williamson and was presented by her to Fairfield Presbyterian Church where she was a member. In 1997 when Fairfield URC church ceased to be a place of worship Mr. Elliot, who was the interim moderator, rescued this lovely piece of craftsmanship from obscurity. It was gathering dust in a cupboard and was liable to be lost when the building was demolished. When brought to Saint Columba URC it was cleaned up by Mr. Rod Blacklin and given a new backing cloth by courtesy of Rev. Gabbott. It is now displayed here in Saint Columba's entrance lounge as a reminder of the Lord's teaching on prayer.

The Cradle Roll

The cradle roll for Saint Columba URC is located to the right of the door that brings you into the entrance lounge from the main entrance. The cradle roll lists all the children that have been christened in the current Saint Columba.

The Sanctuary

The dominant feature of the sanctuary is the large chancel cross. Your eyes are then drawn to the great laminated wooden beams supporting the whole structure. Their strength, their upward thrust and their natural warmth speak something of humanity being drawn to the Chancel Cross.

The foundation stone for the present building can be seen set into the west (back) wall of the church to the right of the entrance doors as you enter the sanctuary. This stone was laid on the 11th May 1963 by Rev. Laurence J Farmer who conducted the first services of congregation.

As the church is built on a triangular site the original concept was to have the building based on an equilateral triangle to represent the Trinity - Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. As built the height is greater than the original design making the sloping roof sides longer than the width but the symbolism is still present. The design means that the building does not have a square corner. The 'walls' are also unusual in that the sloping roof which reaches the floor level is both ceiling and walls.

The Chancel

The chancel area is at the East end of the building. The walls and chancel steps produce a diamond shaped footpace which is really two triangles sitting base to base.

A chancel was originally an area separated off from the body of the church by rails. At one time the laity were debarred from entering this area during divine service because of its special sacred character. After the reformation parishioners were given the right to use the chancel for Holy Communion and weddings. The reformed churches abolished the division between the body of the church and chancel.

The Baptismal Font

The font is situated on the chancel area as is the common practice in united reformed churches rather than at the west end or in a baptistery as in some other denominations.

It has a gothic design which fits in with the other chancel furniture and was transferred from the previous building.

The dedication round the bronze dish reads
"To the Glory of God in greatful and happy memory of Margaret Carrick Lane wife of the first minister."

The Pulpit

The pulpit at Saint Columba URC is the place where the sermon can be delivered. It is in a prominent place in the chancel to emphasise the importance given in a united reformed church to the 'Preaching of the Word'. The pulpit was a gift from the children who attended Saint Columba URC's Sunday School between 1944 and 1952. The pulpit was previously in the hall church and was part of furniture transferred when the present building opened in 1964. It is of traditional gothic design, to harmonise with the communion table and the pulpit chairs.

Communion Table, pulpit chairs and flags

Because of the dominant location of the cross the communion table has from time to time been moved to the side to allow the cross to dominate the building. However it was felt that the table at which the sacrament is served is central to the worship in the building and has been restored to its central position.

On the table is a book rest for the Bible made by Mr.Rod Blacklin. The Bible was donated in 1977 in memory of one of the church elders.

Pulpit Chairs are usually 2 or 3 in number and of ecclesiastical design. These chairs were usually situated near the pulpit and lectern for the use of the clergy. In the reformed tradition the pulpit chairs are usually referred to as the ministers chair (larger central chair) and 2 elders chairs. In Saint Columba URC they are of traditional gothic design. The original 2 elders chairs were augmented in recent years by two elders chairs of more modern design but whose design is in harmony with the other chairs. These were presented by the family of Geoff and Agnes Clarke in memory of their mother and father. Both were elders of the church.

Behind the communion table are the flags of the uniformed organisations. On the right of the cross window are the Union Flags of the 28th Allerton Scout Group and the 401st Liverpool Guide Company.

The Cross Window

The chancel, and indeed the whole church, is dominated by the large cross window built of inch thick multicoloured glass set in concrete built into the east wall of the chancel.

 The colours used in the window represent

In the bottom of the window is a small monk image - the trade mark of the designer. There are also the letters PF which are presumes to be the initials of the window's designer.

The curtain's in the temple in Jerusalem were woven from Blue (Heaven), Red (Earth) and Purple threads. The purple represents a perfect mixing of heaven and earth. Christ's robe at the Crucifixion was purple (the royal colour - from a time when kings were considered to be Gods), earth and heaven united through his death. Birth and Death, as well as heaven and earth are also united in the window. The colours are so arranged that the star of Bethlehem can be seen when the morning light glints on the glass. The cross stands as an invitation to everyone to Christ's reconciliation feast today and everyday, no matter what we have done. It extends to the people of Hunts Cross an invitation for earth to be united with heaven.

Because of the slope of the walls the arms of the cross project externally giving a unique appearance to the cross. During the building a mistake was made in that the arms of the cross projected inwards. In correcting this mistake the central glass panel in the cross is now upside down compared with the original design.

Flower Holders

One of the two flower holders was presented in memory of Mrs. Jean Williams  by her husband, Mr. John Williams. Jean was, until her death, the flower convener. 

The second flower holder was given by the family of Mrs. Sybil Mary Ward, an original member of the congregation who died in 1994, aged 93.

The two flower holders are of the same design and are used alternatively in the entrance lounge and the sanctuary or together for weddings, etc.

St. Martins Cross - Iona

On the wall on the right side of the chancel area in a glass frame is an embroidered St. Martins Cross. This is a representation of a 10th century cross which was originally positioned outside the front of the abbey founded by Saint Columba in Iona. Of the around 360 Celtic crosses believed to have been on Iona, there are now only three (all replicas). All Celtic crosses have a 'Ring of Glory' - a symbol representing the risen Christ, sometimes taken to symbolise eternity as a ring has no end.

The cross is embroidered in Spanish Black work and is the work of Edie Williams, a practice nurse in the Health Centre adjoining the church. It was presented to the minister and church following the blessing of the Health Centre at its opening on the 14th March 1998.

Lectern

Although not now used, except on special occasions involving the uniformed organisations, there is a lectern for use in the church. This was presented jointly by the 28th Allerton Scout Group and the 401st Guide company.

This piece of furniture was made by Robert Edmundson, a Queens Scout in the 28th and a son of one of the church members. It was made at Hillfoot Hey School, the local High School which was attended by many of the boys in the scouts. This school stood between Hillfoot Road and School Lane, where the housing estate of Winchester Close and Stowe Close now stands.

Banner

On the wall on the left side of the chancel area is a banner in blue with the logo of the United Reformed Church with the cross in silver and the fish in gold. This was made by the Rev. Heather Gabbott as an illustration for the school children who regularly visit the church as part of their religious education.

The logo of the United Reformed Church represents the combination of two Christian symbols which were used by the early church to denote their presence.

The first is the CROSS. The cross was an instrument of shameful execution, which after Christ's crucifixion became the universal symbol of the Christian Faith. The design chosen was the traditional Latin cross which is the ordinary form of the Christian cross with the lower arm being twice the length of the other arms. It was originally believed to be the design of the rough cross on which Christ died.

The second Christian symbol used is the FISH. This was used as a secret sign when Christians were under persecution in Rome. It was an anagram. The Greek word for fish is (ictheus). Each letter is then taken to stand for a word

The fish in Christian inscriptions also referred to the feeding of the 5,000 with 2 loaves and 5 fishes (Mark chapt. VI) and therefore the spiritual feeding which came to be represented by feeding on fish. Fish are also used in parables such as that of the net (Matthew XIII, 47-49; Luke V 4-10). Christ himself used the similar analogy  calling his disciples to be 'Fishers of men'. A fisherman is therefore often designated to represent Christ himself and His disciples.

Vestry

At the front of the church, set into one of the windows is a double door leading to a passageway which leads to the vestry. This is the room where the minister taking the service don their robes and where some of the elders have prayers with the minister prior to each service. The vestry was originally intended to have 3 'walls' of the design of the windows in the sanctuary. Although aesthetically very pleasing it was thought to be impracticable. The vestry was therefore redesigned in a similar style to the entrance lounge so that now is an 8 sided building reminiscent of a Norman chapter house construction in its hexagonal shape.

Brentwood Hall

The Brentwood Hall is built on the site of the chancel area of the previous church/hall building. It was opened on the 21st February 1998 by the Rev. Graham J Cook the then moderator of the Mersey province of the United Reformed Church. The hall is named after the House in whose grounds the congregation held their first service.

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