St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne

St Michael's Uniting Church
Collins Street Uniting Church
St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne
37°48′51.6″S 144°58′9.1″E
Address	Corner of 120 Collins Street and Russell Street, Melbourne, Victoria
Country	Australia
Denomination	Uniting (since 1977)
Website	stmichaels.org.au
History
Former name(s)	Collins Street Independent Church Collins Street Congregational Church
Founded	1839
Dedication	Saint Michael
Dedicated	1867
Architecture
Architect(s)	Joseph Reed
Architectural type	Church
Style	Lombardic Romanesque
Years built	1866–1867
Administration
Synod	Victoria and Tasmania
Presbytery	Yarra Yarra
Parish	St Michael's Uniting
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)	Rev. Dr Margaret Mayman

St Michael's Uniting Church is a Uniting church located on Collins Street in central Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Originally the Collins Street Independent Church, a Congregational Union of Australia church, St Michael's has become well-known as a centre of liberal theology and political radicalism under its recent Minister, Dr Francis Macnab (1971–2016). In 2020, the church appointed a new Minister, Rev Dr Margaret Mayman.

History

Congregational Church 1872, now known as St Michael's Uniting Church State Library Victoria H96.160/1701

The first church on this site was built in 1839–41, one of the first Churches in the Port Phillip District (now the state of Victoria). That Church was demolished in 1863 to make way for the present building, completed in 1866. It was designed by noted and successful architect Joseph Reed, who had also designed the Melbourne Town Hall, and later the Royal Exhibition Building. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia and listed by Heritage Victoria.

In 1978 the interior underwent a major restoration, refurbishment and modification of the church was undertaken, raising the communion table, replacing the lectern, the choir and organ console moved, and the timber pews replaced with padded metal ones. Two candelabras flank the communion table representing the ‘Divine presence’ and the “Light of the World’.

As part of Australia's Bicentennial in 1988, new stained glass windows by artist Klaus Zimmer were installed in the ground floor. The windows tell of the journey of humanity from the experience of aloneness and questioning towards the symbolic gateway of the New Jerusalem.

It was variously known as the Independent Church and the Congregational Church before it was given its present name in 1990. In 1991, the office tower development 120 Collins Street that surrounds the church was completed, built in part on church owned land.

Architecture

St Michael's Church at night

The interior of St Michael's Church as viewed from slightly right of centre looking towards the central organ.

The building is described as Lombardic Romanesque in style, and is considered the first example of polychrome brickwork in Victoria, a style that became very popular for all manner of buildings by the 1880s. It features a tall square bell tower marking the important street corner, and round Romanesque arches around doors and windows and the open cloisters in each side.

The interior was designed in the form of a theatre auditorium, in accordance with the principles of the Congregationalist Church, as a place where all members of the congregation could both hear and see the preacher. It features a sloping floor with tiered seating, and a steep gallery behind a ring of high aches on slender cast iron columns, ensuring good sight lines.

Key clergy

Rev Dr Margaret Mayman (2020)

Rev Dr Margaret Mayman was inducted as minister with St Michael's Uniting Church in February 2020. Margaret was born in New Zealand, and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1983. She holds a PhD in Christian social ethics from Union Theological Seminary in New York, where she lived, studied and taught for 12 years. She was a parish minister in New Zealand for 18 years before moving to Sydney in December 2013 to be the Minister at Pitt Street Uniting Church.

Under Mayman's leadership, St Michael's has embraced an open & affirming message, where the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, first nations people are all encouraged to join the congregation. Mayman, a key figure in the Same-Sex Marriage plebiscite in Australia, has seen St Michael's "provide a sanctuary for LGBTQ people hurt by religious institutions".

Dr Francis Macnab (1971–2016)

Dr Macnab on 8 April 2012 (Easter Sunday service at St Michael's Church)

Dr Francis Macnab AM, OM was the Executive Minister of St Michael's from February 1971 to December 2016. In addition to his duties as a minister, Macnab was also the founder and previous executive director of The Cairnmillar Institute, a non-for-profit clinic for counselling available to the general public and a postgraduate school of psychology, counselling and psychotherapy. Dr Macnab holds a Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Aberdeen. He has honorary doctorates from the University of Melbourne and RMIT in psychology and applied science.

Through Cairnmillar and St Michael's, Macnab developed a healthy ageing program called Successful Ageing, Growth and Enjoyment (S.A.G.E.) for people aged between 55–105. He also recognised a need for The Big Tent Project, aimed at supporting kindergarten aged children suffering from mental health issues.

Supply ministry (since 2017)

Since 1 January 2017 there have been supply ministers such as Reverend David Dawes, Rev Ric Holland, Reverend John Smith, and Reverend Peter Burnham and others visiting ministers.

Psychological services

"Mingary – the Quiet Place" is a contemplative space at St Michael's opened in 1999. Mingary-Cairnmillar Counselling Service also offers low-cost counselling. Mingary is run in conjunction with the Cairnmillar Institute, founded by previous minister Francis Macnab.

External links

Media related to St Michael's Uniting Church, Melbourne at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website