Church on the Corner began in 1994 when a group of nine young people were sent out from All Saints Church Caledonian Road to plant a new church. Six months later they moved into the derelict King Edward VII pub at 64 Barnsbury Road, and started work building a new kind of church.
It is a church for people who perhaps wouldn’t usually do church, existing because faith still has a place in ephemeral culture of central London. Our emphasis on biblical christianity, on culture, on social justice and on creativity and the arts feels like there is something different about COTC. Services are simple, thoughtful, and provocative. Our worship is a blend of traditional and contemporary, and perhaps our greatest resource is the people who make up the community.
We are deeply rooted in our local area, committed to serving the parish that we live in and resource numerous community activities from a cold weather shelter to children’s summer clubs. We are not a big church, and have no desire to be one, we want to be an authentic local church and a small part of the kingdom of God.
Come and see what we are up to, we would love to have you be a part of it.
How did you get involved in COTC? Tell your story below…
I have driven my London Taxi past the COTC for a good few years. The website has answered my curiosity. The site is excellent; as is the Pub Theology idea. May God continue to bless whatever it is you are doing!
By: Steve Plumb on October 2, 2007
at 12:06 am
Hi, I just found this. It seems a wonderful thing you are doing there. I don’t live in London but my son lives very near you in Islington. Perhaps when I’m visiting I may be able to drop into a service (although the average age appears to be half mine!!!). Modern ideas and creative thinking is so inspiring and exactly what the Church needs. Good luck with your endeavours.
By: Dennis Offer on January 14, 2009
at 8:55 am
we spent a day at the China exhibition at the royal acdemy and we had planed to pop to st mary’s evening service as it looked interesting,
the worship band was away at spring harvest and st mary’s recomended us visting cotc,
and since then we never looked back…
By: dunk on January 24, 2009
at 1:19 pm
I’d been looking for a church after years of not really getting round to it, and someone told me ‘try Church on the Corner, they all go to the pub together’. Genius.
I was terrified turning up on my own, but after a few weeks of warm welcomes – and a hugely welcoming Women’s Breakfast – I felt like part of the group and pretty soon, part of the family. A year on, I live with two others church members, lead services, run a home group and feel part of a very precious community.
And best of all, that person was right about the pubs.
By: Anna on January 25, 2009
at 2:36 pm
I wasn’t really going to bother with church when I moved to London, but a friend persuaded me to google churches in Islington and just ‘have a look’.
I knew I wanted to be a part of COTC as soon as I saw the website, but it took a bit longer to actually pluck up the courage to go. (There was one time when I ended up standing sheepishly outside the window, smoking, and miserably cursing myself for arriving too late).
When I finally did go in, the sermon affected me so deeply that I nearly cried, and I knew that for now at least, I was home.
By: Ruth on January 30, 2009
at 5:42 pm
I was a lay assistant at All Saints 1988-1991 and lived in the pub for 8 months shortly after the church bought it in 1989. I shared the pub with a large number of empty beer barrels and a blow up skeleton left by the previous occupants. It is encouraging to see how things have developed.
By: SImon Falshaw on March 11, 2009
at 2:10 pm
I moved to London as I was travelling a lot a needed a base that was closer to my friends. After trying a couple of churches I googled ‘church’ and ‘islington’ one Sunday morning only to come across the CotC website. With pubs and God being my two favourite things (not necessarily in that order!) it seemed like the perfect combo, and I haven’t been disappointed!
By: Jo on January 12, 2010
at 7:21 pm
I found Church on the Corner by walking past each day… It seemed interesting, with big windows and young people inside, it looked creative and intriguing. At first by turning up late and sneaking out early I dipped my feet into what this place was about, gradually finding myself drawn to the building and the people within it, eventually to Jesus.
Whether you are a Christian or not, I reckon it’s a great place to come along to for warmth, friendship and sincere care, all qualities of a loving God. It’s a laugh and it’s real down to earth. I love it! It’s a pub and God is in it! Brilliant!
By: James G on December 1, 2010
at 12:12 pm
I pray that your work will be richly blessed
By: Phil, Durham on August 10, 2011
at 9:02 am