The Church of the Annunciation, Bryanston Street, at the heart of the Portman Village, just behind Oxford Street is being redefined and re-envisioned.
Until recently the church has only been open for services on Sundays. Now it is open throughout the working week offering an oasis of quiet and a space "away from the city's crowded clangour". In a multi-faith, multicultural environment we are seeking Open Doors: Open Hearts: Open Minds, offering a space set apart for quiet reflection and prayer seeking to reconnect with the wider community.
Our vision for a World-city Church has some practical hurdles to overcome. We need to break down the barriers, physical and spiritual and aesthetic which hinder the passersby from walking though the doors of the church. This magnificent Grade 2* listed building, approaching its centenary in 2014, is in need of sympathetic change and modernisation to allow our 21st century vision to go forward.
To this end we are launching the first phase of our appeal and hope to raise £50,000 which will allow us to fit glass doors, enabling everyone passing by to see inside and know that the church is indeed open and that there is a warm welcome for all. The entrance vestibule, which will be manned by one of the clergy or the lay pastoral assistant or a volunteer also needs to be made a more welcoming space. We are desperately in need of a sound system - with a loop for the hard of hearing. But this is just the beginning.
Our appeal starts in earnest on the 15th October 2009 when we are holding an open evening at the Church with wine and canapés, inviting interest in the project from the shops, hotels and residents from within the parish as well as many well-wishers from further afield. The culmination of this phase of the appeal will be a Musical Extravaganza at the Church on 20th April 2010.
If you feel you can help in any way please contact Laura Royde at the Church or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
