St Michael's Uniting Church, Church building on Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia.
St Michael's Uniting Church is a Lombardic Romanesque church on Collins Street in Melbourne, completed in 1866 to Joseph Reed's design. It was the first example of polychrome brickwork in Victoria. A tall square bell tower marks the street corner, and round Romanesque arches frame the doors, windows and open cloisters on each side. The interior is shaped like a theatre auditorium, with a sloping floor, tiered seating and a steep gallery behind high arches on slender cast-iron columns.
The current building was completed in 1866 and replaced the original Independent Church from 1839, which was among the first churches established in Port Phillip District. This transition reflects how Melbourne's religious community grew and required a larger, more substantial structure.
The name changed from Collins Street Independent Church to St Michael's in 1990, after the congregation joined the Uniting Church in 1977. Under minister Francis Macnab (1971–2016) the church became a centre of liberal theology and political radicalism. Since 2020 Margaret Mayman has led an open and affirming congregation welcoming LGBTQIA+ people, people with disabilities and First Nations people.
The church stands at the corner of Collins and Russell streets, with its square bell tower marking the intersection; the 120 Collins Street tower rises directly around and behind it. Entry is from Collins Street. Mingary, the contemplative space, opened in 1999 and is run with the Cairnmillar Institute.
The church houses Mingary, a dedicated space established in 1999 that offers affordable counseling services through a partnership with the Cairnmillar Institute. This program demonstrates how the building serves the community in ways beyond traditional worship activities.
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