Building commmunity in Abingdon and beyond

ACC exists to be and build Jesus’ community, in Abingdon itself, and in the many surrounding villages, including Wootton, Bayworth, Shippon, Kennington, the Baldons, Berinsfield, Clifton Hampden, Sutton Courtenay, Drayton, Milton, Appleford and Marcham.

In ACC it’s really easy to get involved, find community, build friendship and play your part. We’re connected more widely (see below) which means we benefit from larger events, training and other initiatives.

Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash

We get to encounter God daily, through reading and responding to the Bible, in prayer and worship, and as we are ongoingly filled with His Holy Spirit. 

We get to encourage each other daily, not just on Sundays! We are a church made up of people from different nations, cultures, backgrounds and gifts, and as we grow together as God's family, including through our Community Groups, we each grow into maturity as followers of Christ. 

We want to see God’s love, kindness and mercy extend throughout all of Abingdon, into the surrounding villages and beyond. We know that all who turn to Jesus Christ find love, hope and peace.

More on our vision for church

Leadership Team

  • Group of people smiling outdoors, with a man wearing sunglasses and a woman in a green floral dress at the center.

    Andy & Ruth O'Connell

    Team leaders Andy and Ruth have a strong track record of growing people of all ages through discipleship and leadership development. They are currently seconded from leadership in Oxford Community Church to lead the church in the replant. They are members of the S&L Advance Vision team and Church Oversight apostolic teams.

    They have 4 adult children, and one grandchild. 

  • A smiling man and woman holding mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows, sitting on a beige couch in a cozy indoor setting.

    Phil & Rach Gallant

    Phil and Rach have been part of ACC for 10 years. They live in Berinsfield, where they help lead an inter-church outreach project, the Living Room.

    Rach is ACC's part-time administrator coordinating the work of lots of volunteers. Phil is a cabinet maker, and they have 2 children.

  • Smiling elderly couple taking a selfie at an outdoor event, with row of seats and other people in the background.

    Duncan & Julie Graham

    Duncan and Julie Graham have been part of ACC almost since it was planted in 1992. They live in Bayworth. They have 4 adult children and several grandchildren.

    Duncan is an elder, and he and Julie help Sunday services.

  • Robin & Lisa Howard

    Robin and Lisa have been part of ACC since the late 1990s, and live in Sutton Courtenay. They have 3 adult children.

    They both regularly lead Sunday services. Lisa heads up monthly Community Sundays, and Robin our worship team.

Connections

ACC is part of Salt & Light Advance, a family of churches within the Salt & Light international network of churches – a family together on mission! Our sister churches are located in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. We’re a very close family, and you’ll often see leaders from other Advance churches helping in ACC.

Logo for Oxford Community Church featuring a stylized red cross and church name in red text

ACC was planted, in 1992, with people and support from Oxford Community Church, which remains a key link for ACC, as part of the S&L Advance family of churches. ACC is closely supported by a ‘Support Team’ from Oxford Community Church and S&L Advance.

We are affiliated to Evangelical Alliance, an alliance of evangelical churches sharing the gospel, lifting voices of hope, and building unity. As EA members, we subscribe to their basis of faith (statement of core theology) and affirmations on human relationships.

We collaborate with other churches in Abingdon through The Church in Abingdon, a voluntary organisation of 14 churches, from a diversity of traditions.

We also work together with others in some specific projects: Street Pastors, Foodbank and Living Room.