Development and Renewal at Christ Church
We have a vision that Christ Church and its site should be at the heart of Swindon serving the
needs of local people and becoming a useful meeting place for a whole variety of community
activities. Continuing and developing what we do well now but also looking to meet future needs.
Christ Church was built 161 years ago and has been part of the Old Town Partnership of Churches
with Bath Road Methodist church and Immanuel United Reformed church for more than 40 years. Our
vision is 'Connecting the Community with Christ'. Many visitors remark on the beauty of Christ
Church, a place of serenity and peace in the midst of a very busy town but while the building is
beautiful outside, inside it is cluttered and tired and expensive to maintain.
We want to bring a resurrection feel to the Church that Swindon can really be proud of, serving
our town through the 21st century and beyond. Through the development and renewal of Christ Church
we will have a lighter, warmer more comfortable and flexible place to meet, and from which to
expand its outreach.
Our vision is that Christ Church and the newly rebuilt community centre will be in use throughout
the week; morning, afternoons and evenings. There will be an enhanced awe and wonder about the
church building which will be full of God's presence. We intend to operate both the church and
the Community hall for the benefit of all, trusting that our openness and outward looking attitude
will establish our whole site as a valuable resource for our local community. We look forward to
hosting many concerts, creative arts, community celebrations, conferences, school events and
artistic exhibitions in both the church and hall.
Our vision is our site will increasingly become valued by its community, allowing us to develop
our pastoral care, listening and healing ministries and to look outwards sharing God's heart for mission
and outreach within Swindon and across the world. As a Christian community we passionately believe that God
works in every scene of life and wants us to expand our perspective of his activity and presence
in all things. We believe that God wants us to have the gift of imagination. By enabling this to
happen we can play our part in connecting the whole community of Swindon through outstanding
buildings,hospitality and service that bring the best of the past alongside the needs of the present.
We would like everyone at Christ Church to work together to achieve this vision for Christ Church
to keep it at the heart of Swindon for the next 160 years.
