Church

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)tʃ

Church

1. A surname.
2. (used with "the") A specific church (Christian religious denomination), such as the Church of England or the Catholic Church.
   • 1989 February 10, Stephen Fry et al., “Christening”, in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, season 1, episode 5:

     Priest: Look, matey, this is a church, not a dealing room. I am not interested in your creepy theories about enterprise and initiative. This place is founded on ideas a bit more permanent than the Dow Jones Index... The Church will be here long after your little brat has grown up, ripped a few people off and died unloved in his Spanish retirement villa.
     Mother: Portuguese, actually, and there's no need to be so beastly.
     Priest: Well, I'm sorry, but people like you really piss me off.

   • 2008 November, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Lift Where You Stand”, in Liahona‎, pages 53–56:

     John was a convert to the Church who left his home in England and traveled to the Salt Lake Valley as part of a handcart company.

   • Catechism of the Catholic Church:

     Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."

3. (used with "the") Christianity conceptualized as a single church, irrespective of its various denominations; Christendom.

   the Son in Heaven and the Church on Earth

4. A village in Hyndburn borough, near Accrington, Lancashire, England (OS grid ref SD7429).
5. An unincorporated community in Allamakee County, Iowa, United States.

   Synonyms: Church Village, Churchtown

• Church encoding
• Church numeral
• Church-Rosser property