About Us

Who we are

Cotham Parish Church is seeking to be an inclusive, creative, contemplative and socially engaged Christian community.

As a member of Inclusive Church we are committed to being a church which celebrates and affirms every person without discrimination and is a safe space for all.

We are a parish within the Church of England at the heart of our local urban community, close to Bristol University and city life.

Inclusive: Welcoming all – Come as you are! Growing in diversity we delight in being a community that includes those who are queer and straight, differently-abled and neuro-diverse, newly arrived and long established, older and younger, single and married.

Contemplative: Exploring faith and spirituality with openness and curiosity. Encountering mystery in silence, symbol and stillness, as well as words and movement. Find space for your soul.

Creative: Celebrating life as ‘God’s work of art’ inspired by creative expressions of faith in art, music, poetry, story, and drama.

Socially engaged: Working for peace with justice, and responding to the challenges of Climate Emergency. Engaging with other organisations who share in the belief that a better world is possible.

We are on a journey of continually reimagining faith and seeking to live in ways inspired by the gospel and the open promise of God’s kingdom.

We share partnership, clergy and resources with our neighbouring parish of St Paul’s Clifton, who are also members of Inclusive Church. Some Sunday services are shared with St Paul’s.

Group of people in white robes with green accents participating in a religious ceremony in a church.

Meet the Team

  • David Stephenson

    VICAR

  • Becky James

    CURATE

  • Adrian Howkins

    CURATE

  • Person with short platinum blonde hair wearing glasses and a white t-shirt with colorful text, smiling inside a building with stained glass windows.

    Andy Thornton

    FOUNDATION MINISTER

  • An elderly woman sitting at a wooden table in a cafe, smiling at the camera, with two religious figurines of Jesus and Mary on the table, and a cup of coffee in the foreground. There is a glass display fridge in the background with various desserts inside.

    Sally Seaman

    CHURCH WARDEN

  • A woman with short brown hair, wearing a red dress and a dark beaded necklace, smiling in an indoor setting, with a blurred background that includes a cabinet and some bottles.

    Lorna Robinson

    CHURCH WARDEN

  • A middle-aged woman with short gray hair, wearing red glasses, and a colorful star-patterned dress, smiling at the camera. Behind her is a rainbow Pride flag hanging from the ceiling.

    Jeni Leggat-Green

    PCC SECRETARY

  • A young woman with short light brown hair and glasses, smiling outdoors in a garden with green bushes and trees, wearing a black blazer, white shirt, and black pants.

    Charlotte Armitage

    ADMINISTRATOR

About the building

We have a beautiful building designed by William Butterfield, a leading Victorian architect, in 1842. Located at the top of St Michael’s Hill, a high point in Bristol, and on the boundary of the medieval city.

Built as a Congregationalist Chapel, the building became the Church of England Parish Church for Cotham in 1976, following the closure of St Mary’s Tyndalls Park and St Saviour’s, Chandos Road.

The church was extensively modernised and re-ordered in 2023 to make it more inviting, inspiring, welcoming and flexible, both for our different styles of service, and to host a variety of other events.

There are two good sized halls with a kitchen, and a car park which make Cotham a great place to host parties, classes and community events.

See here for more details of venue hire →

A congregation gathered inside a church for a service, with people standing and reading from books or hymns, facing the altar. The church interior is decorated with flowers and religious imagery, with stained glass windows on the sides.

Social Action

We are committed to social and environmental justice, both here and in the global south. We maintain an active programme of community giving and eco engagement, inspiring and resourcing community organising and individual action. Our Benefice Eco Group meets regularly and we also have a NetZero by 2030 group. We are involved with other organisations supporting refugees, homeless people and peace and justice for Palestine. We have a monthly peace prayer group inspired by the Spirit of Assisi movement.

Group of people sitting and standing at an outdoor event or rally with some holding a sign that reads "Live Simply, That Others May Simply Live" and an illustration of the Earth, with a crowd of young people and trees in the background.

Come and see!

CONTACT US