Major renovation project completed at city church

A major renovation and extension project at an Oxford church has been completed, marking a new chapter for the parish after years of fundraising.

St Mary’s in Barton had become increasingly unsuitable for modern use over time. Funding difficulties during its original construction meant that parts of the architect’s specifications were never fully realised, leaving the building less equipped to meet the needs of the congregation and wider community.

The situation became more pressing in 2017 when the church hall was condemned and demolished. Since then, community activities and outreach work have been accommodated within the church itself.

In response, the parish launched its Building to Serve project, raising more than £1 million to renovate and extend the building. The completed works include a small extension providing accessible toilets, a kitchen and storage space, as well as the refurbishment of the chapel to create a dedicated meeting room for community groups and church activities.

The transformation was overseen by Revd David Bird, assistant minister and project leader for Building to Serve.

He said: “This ambitious project is now complete and we returned to church for worship on 9 August. We have raised more than £1 million, completely renewed the building and restored it to its former glory.

“In addition to all the work done, we were delighted to welcome Revd Eric Heemskerk as vicar at the start of September to lead the church into a new era. We are now ‘built to serve’.”

Funding for the project came from a wide range of charitable trusts and organisations, including the Diocese of Oxford’s Development Fund and Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust.

In a statement, the church said: “We believe all of this is an answer to prayer and the result of a great deal of hard work. We would like to thank everyone who has been involved and give thanks to God for making it possible.”