Augustine United Church in Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 is part of the United Reformed Church

United Reformed Church

The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...

 and is part of a local ecumenical partnership

Local ecumenical partnership

In England and Wales, a local ecumenical partnership is a partnership between churches of different denominations. First piloted in 1964, over 850 now exist to promote unity between different Christian denominations....

 with St Columba's-by-the-Castle

St Columba's-by-the-Castle

St Columba's-by-the-Castle is a congregation of the Scottish Episcopal Church in central Edinburgh, Scotland. The church is located close to Edinburgh Castle, on the south slope of Castle Hill, and is protected as a category B listed building....

 (Scottish Episcopal Church

Scottish Episcopal Church

The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....

) and Greyfriars Tolbooth and Highland Kirk

Greyfriars Kirk

Greyfriars Kirk, today Greyfriars Tolbooth & Highland Kirk, is a parish kirk of the Church of Scotland in central Edinburgh, Scotland...

 (Church of Scotland

Church of Scotland

The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....

).

The congregation traces its roots back over 200 years in the Old Town

Old Town, Edinburgh

The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is the medieval part of the city. Together with the 18th-century New Town, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has preserved its medieval plan and many Reformation-era buildings....

 area of Edinburgh. The present building (at 41 George IV Bridge

George IV Bridge

George IV Bridge is an elevated street in Edinburgh, Scotland. Measuring 300-metres in length, the bridge was constructed between 1829 and 1832 as part of the Improvement Act of 1827. Named for King George IV, it was designed by architect Thomas Hamilton , to connect the South Side district of...

) was completed in 1861 and has recently undergone a major renovation and upgrading. The Augustine Church Centre, as the building is now called, is home to a number of church-related charities and projects, including Christian Aid

Christian Aid

Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 40 British and Irish churches and works to support sustainable development, alleviate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia...

, Jubilee Scotland and the Edinburgh Community Mental Health Chaplaincy, as well as being the worship centre of Augustine United Church and the Metropolitan Community Church of Edinburgh

Metropolitan Community Church of Edinburgh

The Metropolitan Community Church Edinburgh met as a congregation of Metropolitan Community Church from 1995 to 2009...

.

In addition, the Centre is used throughout the week by a number of community, music, political and religious groups for their meetings and events. In the summer, the Centre is used by Paradise Green Promotions to provide a venue for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.