noun
1 building where Christians go to worship
ADJECTIVE
▪ local , parish , village ( esp. BrE )
VERB + CHURCH
▪ build
▪ consecrate , found
▪
The ~ was consecrated in 1250.
▪ dedicate
▪
The ~ is dedicated to St Paul.
CHURCH + NOUN
▪ building
▪ bells , clock , steeple , tower
▪ pew
▪ hall
▪ fête ( BrE ), wedding
PREPOSITION
▪ at a/the ~
▪
a chamber concert at our local ~
▪ in a/the ~
▪
There's an interesting organ in the ~.
2 meeting for public worship in a church
VERB + CHURCH
▪ attend , go to
▪
Do you go to ~?
CHURCH + NOUN
▪ attendance
▪ service
▪ music
▪ choir , congregation , organist
▪ group , school
▪
a ~ youth group
PREPOSITION
▪ after ~ , before ~
▪
Come to our place for lunch after ~.
▪ at ~
▪
They're at ~. ( BrE )
▪ in ~
▪
We decided not to get married in ~.
▪
They're in ~. ( AmE )
3 ( often the Church ) all Christians regarded as a group; particular group of Christians
ADJECTIVE
▪ high , low
▪
He loves all the high ~ traditions—incense and processions and vestments.
▪ evangelical , fundamentalist
▪ established (= official) , mainline (= official) ( AmE )
▪ Christian , etc.
▪ Catholic , Methodist , Protestant , etc.
▪ early
▪
The early Church believed miracles were proof of who Jesus was.
VERB + CHURCH
▪ establish , found
▪ lead
▪ enter , go into
▪
He went into the Church (= became a priest) when he was 23.
▪ join
▪
Linda joined the local Methodist ~.
▪ leave
▪
He left the Church after a loss of faith.
▪ serve
▪
He served the ~ for over sixty years.
CHURCH + VERB
▪ teach
▪
The Catholic ~ teaches that life begins at conception.
CHURCH + NOUN
▪ authorities , elder
▪ leader , member
▪ leadership , membership
▪ community , group
▪
She was actively involved in ~ groups.
▪ hierarchy
▪ council
▪ doctrine
▪ historian
▪ fathers
PHRASES
▪ a member of a ~