Location York Denomination Church of England Dedication St Michael Phone +44 1904 624190 Province Province of York | Country England Website belfrey.org Opened 1536 Diocese Diocese of York | |
 | ||
Churchmanship Charismatic Evangelical Address High Petergate, York YO1 7EN, UK Similar All Saints' Church - Pavemen, Holy Trinity Church - Goodram, St Olave's Church - York, St Cuthbert's Church - Y, Holy Trinity Church - Micklegat Profiles | ||
3d flythrough st michael le belfrey york
St Michael le Belfrey is an Anglican church in York, England. It is situated directly next to York Minster in the centre of the city.
Contents
History
The present church building was built between 1525 and 1536 and replaced a church that dated back to at least 1294. The church is famous for being the place where Guy Fawkes was baptised on 16 April 1570. Fawkes later became a Roman Catholic, which led to the failed 1605 Gunpowder Plot. The church was also the scene of the wedding of Christopher Levett of York, the English explorer, to Mercy More, daughter of the Revd Robert More of Guiseley, Yorkshire, in 1608.
The west front and bellcote date from 1867 and were supervised by the architect George Fowler Jones.
Recent history
In the early 1970s the parish of St Michael le Belfrey was joined with the nearby St Cuthbert's Church, which had experienced revival in the late 1960s under the leadership of David Watson and could no longer be accommodated in the building. Growth continued in the 1970s and the church became known as a centre for charismatic renewal.
Present
The church continues to reflect the creativity that was encouraged under the David Watson era. There are three services usually held on Sunday and one during the week. These include a more formal service in the morning at 9am, a family service at 11am, the "XI" service, as well as "The6" evening service, both being a more informal style of service, featuring contemporary worship.
The church maintains links with Riding Lights Theatre Company, York Schools and Youth Trust (YoYo), Alpha UK as well as numerous parachurch organisations involved in mission work both locally and internationally. The church is a member of the One Voice York network of churches.
Its daughter church, G2, meets at Burnholme Community College on a Sunday afternoon, and this church plant has itself recently planted into a room at Central Methodist Hall, under the title "G2 Central".
Approximately 800 people attend the church and the present incumbent is the Reverend Matthew Porter. The other senior clergy are Reverend Ben Doolan, Reverend Greg Downes, Reverend Christian Selvaratnam and Lee Kirkby.