church
noun /tʃɜːtʃ/
/tʃɜːrtʃ/
Idioms - [countable] a building where Christians go to attend services, pray, etc.
- The procession moved into the church.
- England has some beautiful parish churches.
- a church tower/spire
- church services
Culture churches and cathedralschurches and cathedralsIn Britain churches are found in almost every town and village. Their tower or spire (= a tall pointed structure) can often be seen from far away. Churches are used for worship by the Church of England, Roman Catholics and other groups, while some Nonconformist Churches use chapels or halls. The church and church hall, a building used for meetings and Sunday School, used to be the centre of the community. Now, far fewer people attend church and this has resulted in some churches being closed or used for other purposes such as housing.Cathedrals may belong to either the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church. Many cathedrals were built as part of a monastery, for example Durham was started in the 11th century by Benedictine monks. Some of these cathedrals are called minsters, for example York Minster, and they were originally centres for teaching Christianity. St Chad's in Birmingham dates from the middle of the 19th century and was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in England since the Reformation. A cathedral is the headquarters of a bishop or archbishop. Canterbury Cathedral is the headquarters of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is head of the Church of England.Many people visit churches and cathedrals to admire their architecture. In Britain churches are usually built of stone, with a tower or spire at the west end. Bells are placed high up in the tower and rung by long ropes before services. In villages the church is approached through a gate, sometimes a lychgate (= a gate with a roof over it), which leads into the churchyard where people are buried. The main entrance is usually on the south side. The church porch usually has a noticeboard and often a seat in it. Cathedrals are large churches, usually built in the shape of a long cross with a central tower. Older cathedrals are often in a quiet cathedral close.The earliest stone churches date from the Anglo-Saxon period (6th-11th centuries). Norman churches, from the 11th and 12th centuries, are massive structures. Rounded arches over doors and windows are a feature of Norman architecture. Examples of Norman cathedrals are those at Durham and Ely.The English Gothic style of the 13th-15th centuries often features pointed arches and increasingly complex designs. Windows were tall and narrow in the Early English period (13th century), and in the 14th century had tracery (= lace-like patterns) at the top. In the 15th century windows became much larger and filled with stained glass (= small pieces of coloured glass in a lead frame) showing pictures of saints. Ceilings with complicated fan vaults (= curved lines of stone spreading out from a point, with patterns between them) are supported by flying buttresses that lean at an angle from the wall and form an arch. Salisbury Cathedral is a typical Early English building. Exeter Cathedral dates mainly from the 14th century and Gloucester Cathedral has impressive fan vaults.Some later buildings, such as St Paul's Cathedral designed by Christopher Wren, are more like classical temples, with a central dome and spire added. Wren and James Gibbs, designer of St Martin-in-the-Fields, influenced architects in America: Christ Church in Philadelphia is a copy of St Martin. But the modern Coventry Cathedral, designed by Basil Spence in the 1950s, is a hall-like church with narrow stained-glass windows.In the US the earliest churches were one-room buildings made of wood that were used also as schools. Most communities now have several churches in varying styles. Some are made of stone in order to look like old English churches, some are small, plain buildings made of brick or wood, and others are modern buildings with glass walls. Storefront churches are found in shopping streets and look like shops.Extra ExamplesTopics Religion and festivalsa2, Buildingsa2- She was actively involved in church groups.
- The church is dedicated to St Paul.
- St Paul's Church
- The church was consecrated in 1250.
- There's an interesting organ in the church.
- a chamber concert at our local church
- a church youth group
- They took photos of the bride and groom outside the church.
- The service will be held at the parish church on December 16.
- church bells
- She sings in the church choir.
- We are hiring the church hall for the party.
- The service is open to all church members.
- The church was built in the 15th century.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- local
- parish
- village
- …
- build
- consecrate
- found
- …
- building
- bells
- clock
- …
- at a/the church
- in a/the church
- [uncountable] a service or services in a church
- How often do you go to church?
- at church (British English) They're at church (= attending a church service).
- in church (North American English) They're in church.
- (British and North American English) Lots of people still get married in church.
- Church is at 9 o'clock.
Collocations ReligionReligionBeing religious- believe in God/Christ/Allah/free will/predestination/heaven and hell/an afterlife/reincarnation
- be/become a believer/an atheist/an agnostic/a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist, etc.
- convert to/practise a religion/Buddhism/Catholicism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism, etc.
- go to church/(North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
- go to the local church/mosque/synagogue/gurdwara
- belong to a church/a religious community
- join/enter the church/a convent/a monastery/a religious sect/the clergy/the priesthood
- praise/worship/obey/serve/glorify God
- attend/hold/conduct/lead a service
- perform a ceremony/a rite/a ritual/a baptism/the Hajj/a mitzvah
- carry out/perform a sacred/burial/funeral/fertility/purification rite
- go on/make a pilgrimage
- celebrate Christmas/Easter/Eid/Ramadan/Hanukkah/Passover/Diwali
- observe/break the Sabbath/a fast/Ramadan
- deliver/preach/hear a sermon
- lead/address the congregation
- say/recite a prayer/blessing
- preach/proclaim/spread the word of God/the Gospel/the message of Islam
- study/follow the dharma/the teachings of Buddha
- read/study/understand/interpret scripture/the Bible/the Koran/the gospel/the Torah
- be based on/derive from divine revelation
- commit/consider something heresy/sacrilege
- seek/find/gain enlightenment/wisdom
- strengthen/lose your faith
- keep/practise/practice/abandon the faith
- save/purify/lose your soul
- obey/follow/keep/break/violate a commandment/Islamic law/Jewish law
- be/accept/do God’s will
- receive/experience divine grace
- achieve/attain enlightenment/salvation/nirvana
- undergo a conversion/rebirth/reincarnation
- hear/answer a prayer
- commit/confess/forgive a sin
- do/perform penance
Grammar Point schoolschool- When a school is being referred to as an institution, you do not need to use the:
- When do the children finish school?
- I’ll meet you outside the school.
- Her husband spent three years in prison.
Extra Examples- Do you go to church?
- Mrs Parsons wasn't at church this Sunday.
- We decided not to get married in church.
- Church attendance is declining.
- She attended church regularly.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + church- attend
- go to
- attendance
- service
- music
- …
- after church
- before church
- at church
- …
- Church[countable] a particular group of Christians
- the Anglican Church
- The Catholic church teaches that life begins at conception.
- the Free Churches
- Linda joined the local Methodist church.
Extra Examplessee also denomination, episcopal, Free Church, High Church, Low Church, Lutheran, orthodox, Reformed Church, storefront church, Unification Church- Small evangelical churches provide their members with a strong sense of community and family.
- the Church of England
- the Protestant Church
- Orthodox Christian churches
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- high
- low
- evangelical
- …
- establish
- found
- lead
- …
- teach
- authorities
- elder
- leader
- …
- a member of a church
- (the) Church[singular] the ministers of the Christian religion; the institution of the Christian religion
- The Church has a duty to condemn violence.
- the conflict between Church and State
- to go into the Church (= to become a Christian minister)
Extra Examples- He left the Church after a loss of faith.
- He served the church for over sixty years.
- He went into the Church when he was 23.
- The early Church believed miracles were proof of who Jesus was.
- He loves all the high church traditions—incense and processions and vestments.
- He entered the Church and became chaplain to the Duke of York.
- They called for the separation of church and state.
- She attacked the established church for its narrow views.
- Church leaders instructed families to set aside time to learn the gospel.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- high
- low
- evangelical
- …
- establish
- found
- lead
- …
- teach
- authorities
- elder
- leader
- …
- a member of a church
Word OriginOld English cir(i)ce, cyr(i)ce, related to Dutch kerk and German Kirche, based on medieval Greek kurikon, from Greek kuriakon (dōma) ‘Lord's (house)’, from kurios ‘master or lord’. Compare with kirk.
Idioms
a broad church
- (British English) an organization that accepts a wide range of opinions synonym big tent
- The party aims to be a broad church with members from all sections of society.