By Andrew Humphries
St Michael’s Uniting Church on Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD has a long and proud history, calling people to worship for almost 160 years.
An extensive revitalisation project, which was marked with an official opening in August, means the church is now set up perfectly for another 160 years.
Church Council Chair Laura Beckett says the revitalisation project emerged following extensive discussions in 2022 among the congregation, Church Council and minister Rev Margaret Mayman about the sort of church they wanted to be a part of.
The answer that came back was a place of worship that was welcoming, affirming and inclusive to all.
With that aim came the realisation that any church congregation promoting itself that way had to offer a building which matched their ambition.
“The reality was that anyone with any sort of disability found it difficult to navigate their way around the church,” Laura says.
“We realised that, in fact, we were not welcoming to all because people with a disability were not able to fully participate in the life of the church.
“So, while we had this mission around offering radical hospitality, we weren’t able to be true to that mission.”
The conversation then shifted to considering what making the church safe for people of all abilities would entail.
“That discussion progressed into the knowledge that to achieve our mission we would have to make significant changes to the church,” Laura says.
Once the congregation decided to go down that path, the green light was given to an extensive revitalisation project.
Project work began in August last year, after the final service in the church was held on July 20, and congregation members then moved to the church hall for ongoing worship.
The project involved levelling off a large central section of the otherwise steep floor and making it accessible without steps, the installation of gender-neutral bathroom facilities inside, rebuilding the organ console and refurbishing pipes on the grand organ, updating assistive listening, and installing improved heating, lighting, audio and critical facilities encouraging greater sustainability and reliability.
Laura says part of the work was funded thanks to a significant bequest from long-time congregation member Dorothy Claire Harvey-Kelly.
“Financially we were in a strong position to realise our ambition of creating a welcoming space for all,” she says.
“It took four years, with a few hiccups along the way, but we now have a magnificent church which welcomes everybody.”
Moderator Rev Salesi Faupula, Rev Deacon Dr Andy Calder, Rev Will Pickett and Rev David Fotheringham at St Michael’s. Image: Greg Ford
Laura says congregation members ensured worship in the hall felt just as meaningful as worship in the church itself.
“We moved the piano, altar and other items from the church into the hall and were able to create this beautiful place of worship,” she says.
St Michael’s supply minister Rev David Fotheringham says the project’s completion opens a new chapter for the congregation.
David commenced as supply minister in December last year, after the revitalisation project had begun and worship had moved to the church hall.
He said that rather than be seen as an annoyance, the move to the hall had, in many ways, brought the congregation closer together.
“We celebrated Christmas in the church hall, and I found it was a really good time, a bit like spending time in the wilderness where we had a particular way of bonding together as a congregation ahead of this move back into the new space,” David says.
“The revitalisation really represents a new chapter for us, and there is a huge amount of potential for St Michael’s as a growing and inclusive congregation.
“There are a whole range of people I can see us engaging with, and a great opportunity for the congregation to grow.”
Laura says the changes made during the project met the congregation’s brief perfectly.
“In fact, it went over and above the brief, and we now have a warmer and more inviting space, which is a lovely place to be in for the congregation,” she says.
“The end result is that we feel, as a congregation, that we are properly fulfilling that mission of being an inclusive and welcoming church for all.”