About Us

The Augustine Church community began in 1802. For over 200 years our building and community have changed and evolved as we have sought to live out our calling as a community of followers of Jesus. In the 21st Century Augustine United Church is an active, inclusive Christian community based in the heart of Edinburgh city centre and a member of the United Reformed Church.

The community of AUC believes that in Jesus Christ, God offers value, meaning and hope for all life – people and planet. We believe we will grow, learn and change through our life’s journey with Christ. We affirm faith and doubt. We believe in an active God who is concerned with the events of our own lives, with our community and with the World and who seeks justice and peace for all.

The Augustine Church community began its journey in 1802 with the Rev John Aikman. In 1861 it moved into its present building on George IV Bridge. AUC has changed with the times. Unions with several congregations have lead to changes in name and a revitalising of the congregation. Augustine’s story has drawn streams of differing church traditions into its own. These streams include Congregationalism, Churches of Christ, the United Reformed Church and the Metropolitan Community Church.

“Augustine United Church aspires to be an active inclusive Christian community, growing in depth and numbers.”

The AUC logo is a Dandelion. The Dandelion is a flower of hope, spreading nurturance and joy even in hard places. Often perceived by adults as a weed and children as a bouquet, the Dandelion has small determined seeds very like the mustard seeds with which Jesus compared the Commonwealth of God (Matthew 13:31&32). We hope the life and work of our Community will be like Dandelion seeds; carried in the breath of the Spirit to grow justice and joy in our lives and world. 

The community of AUC only exists and functions as its members give it life. From serving coffee, pastoral visiting, making rotas, chopping carrots for the soup kitchen, setting out chairs, reading at worship, serving on a URC Synod council, helping at mental health drop-in, leading Junior Church, preaching, praying for others, painting for Fresh Start, editing the website … volunteering is what keeps the church community alive. We also employ a minster, a church administrator, a full time caretaker and a part time caretaker.

Meet some of the community …

Called to be God’s people, transformed by the Gospel, making a difference in today’s world. This is the United Reformed Church.

Although one of the smaller mainstream denominations, the United Reformed Church plays a dynamic and challenging part in the British Christian community.