After a great year of proclaiming the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ, and seeing God provide for us as we sought to serve students in Durham, we look forward to seeing new and familiar faces returning to our doors in the new school year.
At Christchurch Durham we aim to provide a safe, welcoming place where university students can gather to celebrate what God has done for us and together grow to maturity in Christ. We aim to provide a home away from home – a place where they know they can come to with their worries, fears and big questions about life and be among fellow believers who will love and care for them.
Our local congregation of residents give sacrificially towards the ministry with their time and their money and their love but, with twice as many students at church as residents, we are not able to meet all the costs that serving the students who join us entails. Whether you’ve directly benefited from participating in our student ministry, or perhaps your son or daughter has done so, or you just want to support us as we seek to serve the students in this city, we invite you to partner with us in our mission to foster the Christian faith among university students in Durham.
Donations through the link below, can be given to our student ministry restricted fund ensuring they will only be used towards the costs of our student ministry. This fund is used to meet a variety of costs mostly related to employing student staff, and subsidising student events.
The students tell us they are grateful to be able to explore the big questions about God and the bible in a loving and supportive environment.
“I’ve really valued the opportunity to wrestle deeply with God’s word … the encouragement that we’ve had in that, and the support to do that, whether in small groups or one-on-one with people.” Bobby Barnardo, graduate, St. Mary’s College, Engineering
“Christchurch is a place where as a student, you can work through some big questions about God and faith, and I’ve really appreciated being able to do that in an environment where the people are very patient and faithful and loving.” Henry Grainger, graduate, Castle College, Modern Languages and History
“I’ve been very grateful to be encouraged to have a selfless attitude toward church, to think how we, each person here, can be a benefit to another person.” Rob Jenkins, graduate, St. Hilde and Bede, Theology
“I’m really thankful for FOCUS. I’ve loved having different groups be able to meet together each week to study God’s word and to encourage one another and to know that they’re praying for me.” Grace Moore, graduate, Trevelyan College, Music
“Bible study is not a boring activity … It can be perspective changing, and the word of God can speak to me in every emotion, in every circumstance. And yeah, I love Christchurch.” Claudia Tsang, third year, St. Aidan’s College, Psychology and Anthropology
While we work to cultivate a clear understanding of the gospel, we seek to strengthen students’ resolve to be steadfast in Christ and walk with them as we strive to be more Christ-like in our own lives. Our ultimate hope is that as students move on to life beyond the university, they will take with them a solid theology and a humble, servant-oriented heart.
So please help us if you’re can, as we work to keep Christchurch Durham a safe, welcoming place where university students know they can come as they are – weary, stressed and broken or joyful and enthusiastic – to share in the joy of reading God’s word and learning what it means to be a Christian.