Life Church, Edinburgh

McCrie Church began in 1806, when Thomas M'Crie the Elder, minister of Potterrow Anti-Burgher Secession Church withdrew, along with most of his congregation, from that denomination in opposition the moderate New Lichts who were then in ascendancy.Scott 1886, p. 323. The congregation remained at Potterrow until 1809, after which they met at Carrubber's Close in the Old Town before moving to a purpose-built meeting house on the corner of Davie Street and West Richmond Street in the Southside in May 1813.Scott 1886, pp. 323-333.Dunlop 1988, p. 73. In 1827, a faction of Auld Licht Anti-Burghers who opposed the creation of the United Secession Church in 1820 joined the Davie Street congregation. In 1842, Auld Licht Anti-Burghers joined other factions to form the United Original Secession Church at a meeting in the Davie Street meeting-house. The church became the meeting place of the United Original Secession synod. At M'Crie's death, the congregation called as minister his son Thomas M'Crie the Younger.Pinkerton 2012, pp. 108-109.

The Original Secession Church united with the Free Church in 1852 and the Davie Street congregation adopted the name McCrie Church in 1858 in honour of their first two ministers. McCrie was reduced to the status of a mission station in 1885.Ewing 1914, ii p. 6.Scott 1886, p. 324. At the encouragement of the Free Church's Presbytery of Edinburgh, McCrie and Roxburgh united on 10 January 1886.Scott 1886, p. 325. The united congregation used the McCrie buildings.Ewing 1914, ii p. 8.

McCrie Roxburgh's minister, John McNeill proved so popular a preacher that congregations had soon outgrown the Davie Street building and, in 1888, the congregation considered constructing a new church. By 1910, however, McCrie-Roxburgh had the smallest membership of any of the five United Free churches in the Southside.Pinkerton 2012, p. 116, 120. After considering and rejecting union with Fountainhall Road in the Grange and Craigmillar Park in Newington, the congregation decided on union with Newington United Free Church on the condition that the Davie Street buildings be retained as mission halls. McCrie-Roxburgh held its last service on 27 June 1920.Lamb 1956, p. 18.Dunlop 1988, p. 74.Pinkerton 2012, p. 121.

File:Rev-thomas-mccrie-1772-1835-seceding-divine-and-ec.jpg: founding minister of the congregation and later its namesake]]

The following ministers served the Edinburgh Auld Licht Anti-Burgher (Constitutional) Secession Church (1806–1842); Davie Street United Original Secession Church (1842–1852); Davie Street Free Church (1852–1858); McCrie Free Church (1858–1886); McCrie-Roxburgh Free Church (1886–1900); and McCrie-Roxburgh United Free Church (1900–1920):Scott 1886, pp. 323-325.Dunlop 1988, pp. 73-74.

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• 1806–1835 Thomas M'Crie the Elder
• 1836–1856 Thomas M'Crie the Younger
• 1857–1890 Robert Philip
• 1880–1885 Neil Patrick Rose
• 1886–1889 John McNeill
• 1889–1891 John Robertson
• 1891–1905 James Stirling
• 1906–1920 James Lawson

{{div col end}}

After the union of the United Free Church with the Church of Scotland in 1929, Newington became a parish church and the Davie Street buildings lay outwith its territory. They were sold to the Apostolic Church, a Pentecostal denomination, the following year and remain in use by that congregation.Pinkerton 2012, p. 139.{{cite web|url=https://lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk/|title=Welcome|website=lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk|access-date=29 December 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/life-church-edinburgh/|website=scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk|title=Life Church, Edinburgh|access-date=29 December 2021}} Repairs were carried out in 1981.Gifford, McWilliam, Walker 1984, p. 239.

File:The Apostolic Church Edinburgh - geograph.org.uk - 1461949.jpg

Life Church is a member of the Apostolic Church and subscribes to the denomination's statement of faith.{{cite web|url=https://lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk/vision|title=Our Purpose & Beliefs|website=lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk|access-date=29 December 2021}} Charities supported by the congregation include Soul Food – providing meals and hospitality for those in need – and Bethany Christian Trust: a homelessness charity.{{cite web|url=https://lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk/city-renewal|title=City Renewal|website=lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk|access-date=29 December 2021}}

Since 2018, the congregation has been planning to extend the church. Initial plans by architects Aitken Turnbull were withdrawn on the advice of planners in June 2018. These had included the demolition of an unlisted extension. In July 2019, news plans were submitted. These included the retention of the extension as well as the construction of a two-storey rear with an angular concrete colonnade.{{cite news |last=|first=|date=3 July 2019 |title=Edinburgh’s Life Church bring forward revised expansion plan|url=https://www.urbanrealm.com/news/8165/Edinburgh%E2%80%99s_Life_Church_bring_forward_revised_expansion_plan.html |work=Urban Realm |access-date=29 December 2021}} After the second proposals were rejected, further plans were submitted in March 2021. These include a curved exterior wall with bronze fins dividing the windows.{{cite news |last=Stafford |first=Indigo |date=15 March 2021 |title=Edinburgh church eyes new expansion after old Dumbiedykes plans deemed 'detrimental' |url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-church-eyes-new-expansion-20163046 |work=South Florida Sun-Sentinel |access-date=29 December 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk/building|title=Building Expansion|website=lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk|access-date=29 December 2021}}

The building was constructed in 1813. Its exterior is a simple rectangle with a two-storey facade of five bays, which includes double Doric columns in antis flanking the doorway. The columns may have been added around 1830. The central bay of the facade is slightly recessed.

The sanctuary has a gallery on three sides and was recast by George Washington Browne in 1886, including the addition of an ornate ceiling. The ceiling was removed during roof repairs in 1981.{{cite web|url=http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB30009|title=APOSTOLIC CHURCH DAVIE ST AND WEST RICHMOND STREET: LB30009|website=historicenvironment.scot|access-date=29 December 2021}}

The church has been Category B listed since 1977.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Dunlop |first1=Ian G. | date=1988 |title=The Kirks of Edinburgh: 1560–1984 |publisher=Scottish Record Society|isbn=0902054104}}
• {{cite book |last1=Ewing |first1=William |date=1914 |title=The Annals of the Free Church of Scotland |publisher=T. & T. Clark}}
• {{cite book |last1=Gifford |first1=John |last2=McWilliam |first2=Colin|last3=Walker|first3=David| date=1984 |title=Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh |publisher=Penguin|isbn=0300096720}}
• {{cite book |last=Lamb |first=John Alexander| date=1956 |title=The Fasti of the United Free Church of Scotland: 1900-1929 |publisher=Oliver and Boyd}}
• {{cite book |last=Pinkerton |first=Roy M. | date=2012 |title=Kirk o' Field and the Churches of Edinburgh's South Side |publisher=J Thomson Colour Printers}}
• {{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=David |date=1886 |title=Annals and Statistics of the Original Secession Church: Till its Disruption and Union with the Free Church of Scotland in 1852 |publisher=Andrew Elliot}}

• [https://lifechurchedinburgh.co.uk/ Life Church]
• [http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB30009 Historic Environment Scotland: Apostolic Church Davie St and West Richmond Street LB30009]
• [https://scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/life-church-edinburgh/ Scotland's Churches Trust: Life Church, Edinburgh]

{{Buildings and Structures in Edinburgh}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Churches completed in 1813

Category:Category B listed buildings in Edinburgh