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Architectural notes.

he foundation-stone of St. Germain's Church was laid on July 3rd, 1915. The site for the church, an acre and a half, was given as a free gift by the Gillott Trustees in 1902 on the condition that a permanent church was built there within 15 years. It is said to be the only church in Britain on which major building was permitted during the Great War.
he design of the Church was chosen in competition among twenty one Birmingham architects by a Mr. Bateman in 1914. It is the work of Mr. E. F. Reynolds, and the builders were Messrs. Collins and Godfrey.
he foundation-stone was laid with Masonic Ceremony by the Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire. Under the stone were placed a phial containing current coins of the day; copies of two London newspapers and two Birmingham newspapers; the St. Augustines parish paper and a copy of the order of service of dedication of the stone.
he following notes concerning St. Germain's Church were made by the architect, Mr. Edwin F. Reynolds :
	" The plan is set out with the customary arrangement of nave and aisles, the church being entered by two western porches and by an additional door at the east end of the north aisle. On the south side of the chancel is the organ chamber, and, on the north side the morning chapel. On the east of the chancel is a semi-circular apse, covered with a semi-dome, beneath which the alter is placed. Behind the apse is an entrance leading to the choir and clergy vestry. The length of the church from the west wall to the end of the apse, is 128 feet, and the width across the nave and the aisles, 56 feet. The church will seat 670 worshippers. "
	" The columns supporting the arches on each side of the chancel have Swedish green marble shafts, with white marble caps and bases : and the columns between the aisles and nave will be of Shap granite, with Portland stone cape and bases. The roof shows massive trusses and purlins, and the timbers are decorated with patterns in colour. "
	" The floor under the seats is laid with wood blocks, and the aisles and chancel of red quarries, grey stone and green slate laid in decorative patterns. "
	" Externally, the walls are of grey brick, with red brick angles to the piers. Stone is introduced to the window frames and copings and in decorative patternwork in the gables and seven stone panels carved with figures in low relief. The roof is covered with Italian tiles and a bell turret arises above the ridge of the roof. "

" Rescued from the spiritual wilderness " Exerts from the Birmingham Post, 10/10/1983. It was announced yesterday that the thriving Birmingham parish of St. John's, Harborne, is to take over the 'moribund' nearby parish of St. Germain's. PETER JENNINGS reports on the move and how St. John's proposes to breathe new life into its acquisition.
The Parish Church of St. Germain, Edgbaston, is situated in a spiritual wilderness on the corner of Portland Road and City Road. It is on the edge of a red light district, there is a large Asian population ( with associated beliefs ), many of the large houses in the area have been converted to flatlets with multi-occupancy and a transient population. St. Germain's is financially viable because of a number of legacies left to it over the years. Dedicated on September 29th, 1917, there has been a gradual decline in numbers since the mid 1960's until the average congregation at the main Sunday morning service is now about 35 people. In February 1982 a plan was submitted for a number of wardened flatlets on the site but the church was recommended for preservation on the grounds of considerable architectural merit. Doubts remained in the parish. An ageing population and soaring costs for the heating and maintenance of its buildings led the Parochial Church Council in June 1982 to submit a request for the building to be declared redundant and possibly be replaced with a new, smaller church. Priest in Charge since 1981, the Rev. David Young, explained that the nub of the problem was that the church was not in the middle of a community. "There is no reason to come here other than to go to the school next door or to come to church. Half the population of about 5000 in the parish is already committed culturally to a well established Asian faith, in particular Muslim and Sikh. It is also extremely difficult to get in touch with a shifting population in bed sits and hotels." "St. John's has a lot of resources and a very deep commitment to evangelism and there is an area here which needs a lot more resources in order that the mission of the church should really take off." The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Harborne, is a modern evangelical Anglican church situated in Harborne High Street. It attracts more than 1,000 people to its two Sunday services each week. Canon Tom Walker, Vicar of St. John's since July 1970 is also chairman of the House of Clergy in the Birmingham Diocese. Canon Walker explains that St. John's wanted a link with St. Germain's because the church had long wanted the wider relationship in the deanery and diocese to be expressed in terms of mutual support and care. "St. Germain's found itself numerically in decline and it was clearly important that there should be a congregation there with a full range of different ages. The only way that could be done was for a church with a larger resource of people of all ages to share in the life of a needy parish." "Clearly the arrangement is experimental in nature but it has been approached with the full co-operation of the Deanery and Diocesan Authorities. Some families are moving into St. Germain's parish to be near the church and to be identified completely with the work." Canon Walker will be the new Priest in Charge of St. Germain's and the Rev. Alan Roberts at present a curate at St. John's Bromsgrove, who will bring the experience of 25 years in the Royal Navy, will be the senior curate living at the vicarage. The Rev. David Young is going to be Priest in Charge of St. Paul's Birmingham, the jewellers church situated in Hockley. Canon Walker said both churches would keep their separate identities, "St. John's and St. Germain's have their own distinctive life and emphasis and though we are together in a harmony of life there will be no question of the St. John's idiom simply being repeated."

" Rescued from the spiritual wilderness "

Exerts from the Birmingham Post, 10/10/1983.

It was announced yesterday that the thriving Birmingham parish of St. John's, Harborne, is to take over the 'moribund' nearby parish of St. Germain's. PETER JENNINGS reports on the move and how St. John's proposes to breathe new life into its acquisition.

The Parish Church of St. Germain, Edgbaston, is situated in a spiritual wilderness on the corner of Portland Road and City Road. It is on the edge of a red light district, there is a large Asian population ( with associated beliefs ), many of the large houses in the area have been converted to flatlets with multi-occupancy and a transient population.

St. Germain's is financially viable because of a number of legacies left to it over the years. Dedicated on September 29th, 1917, there has been a gradual decline in numbers since the mid 1960's until the average congregation at the main Sunday morning service is now about 35 people.

In February 1982 a plan was submitted for a number of wardened flatlets on the site but the church was recommended for preservation on the grounds of considerable architectural merit.

Doubts remained in the parish. An ageing population and soaring costs for the heating and maintenance of its buildings led the Parochial Church Council in June 1982 to submit a request for the building to be declared redundant and possibly be replaced with a new, smaller church.

Priest in Charge since 1981, the Rev. David Young, explained that the nub of the problem was that the church was not in the middle of a community. "There is no reason to come here other than to go to the school next door or to come to church. Half the population of about 5000 in the parish is already committed culturally to a well established Asian faith, in particular Muslim and Sikh. It is also extremely difficult to get in touch with a shifting population in bed sits and hotels."

"St. John's has a lot of resources and a very deep commitment to evangelism and there is an area here which needs a lot more resources in order that the mission of the church should really take off."

The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Harborne, is a modern evangelical Anglican church situated in Harborne High Street. It attracts more than 1,000 people to its two Sunday services each week. Canon Tom Walker, Vicar of St. John's since July 1970 is also chairman of the House of Clergy in the Birmingham Diocese.

Canon Walker explains that St. John's wanted a link with St. Germain's because the church had long wanted the wider relationship in the deanery and diocese to be expressed in terms of mutual support and care. "St. Germain's found itself numerically in decline and it was clearly important that there should be a congregation there with a full range of different ages. The only way that could be done was for a church with a larger resource of people of all ages to share in the life of a needy parish."

"Clearly the arrangement is experimental in nature but it has been approached with the full co-operation of the Deanery and Diocesan Authorities. Some families are moving into St. Germain's parish to be near the church and to be identified completely with the work."

Canon Walker will be the new Priest in Charge of St. Germain's and the Rev. Alan Roberts at present a curate at St. John's Bromsgrove, who will bring the experience of 25 years in the Royal Navy, will be the senior curate living at the vicarage.

The Rev. David Young is going to be Priest in Charge of St. Paul's Birmingham, the jewellers church situated in Hockley.

Canon Walker said both churches would keep their separate identities, "St. John's and St. Germain's have their own distinctive life and emphasis and though we are together in a harmony of life there will be no question of the St. John's idiom simply being repeated."

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