The Church has a very active Church Council elected by Parishioners on the Electoral Roll. It meets every month to discuss matters from The General Synod and the Bishop, as well as the running of the Parish Church and it's finances. Generally it' has to depend on a Free Will Offering Scheme out of which a quota is paid to the Diocese towards part of the Vicar's Stipend and also Church expenses i.e. lighting, heating, etc. By having no paid officers, (except the Vicar) and keeping the Church clean by voluntary labour we manage to keep out of the "red" but it has meant that it is no longer possible to heat the Church throughout the week, which could have a bad effect on the fabric and Organ. Recently, however, it has been found necessary to engage someone to clean the toilets and kitchen.

During the life of the new Church Mr W. Bullock and Mr Stanley Price were ordained into the full time Ministry and Mr B. Bollen, Mr E. Lewis and Mr A. Page were ordained into the Non-Stipendiary Ministry. Mr Bollen assists at St. Peter's, Mr Lewis at Cherill and Mr Page at Corsham. Mr Mike Nash now lives locally and is part of the St Peter's team. Messers Lewis, Page and Price were from other Parishes and did part of their training at our Church, whilst Mr Nash was already qualified when he joined us.

In Churchmanship, the Church covers a broad field between Evangelical and High, commonly called the Middle Way. All services are now in modern English, although the 1662 Prayer Book is available for occasional use if requested for Weddings, Funerals etc. Vestments are worn for all Holy Communion Services and Incense is sometimes used, about twice a year. The Church of England places no doctrinal significance on these but they are important traditional links with the past. Every effort is made to cooperate with the Council of Churches activities and the question of Women Priests and Unity with the Methodists were welcomed by the majority of the Church Council, who were in favour [In fact the Rev Sylvia Stevens, one of the first women priests ordained at Bristol Cathedral in 1994 was Curate in the Parish, from 1994 to 1997. Since then a number of women priests have ministered in the parish }. For many years we have sent a contingent to the Glastonbury Pilgrimage.

Messrs Light and Smith built the school at a cost of £1200 and Archdeacon Robeson opened it in June 1896 for 201 children. Mr George Dear was the first Headmaster and Miss E Combes the first Headmistress. It was a mixed School up to the age of fourteen although some passed the 11 plus examination and went to the Secondary School in Cocklebury Road (now part of Chippenham Technical College) {now Wiltshire College, Chippenham}. St. Andrew's Parish Council with its Vicar was responsible for the School until the set-up of the Conventional District. The School, which was where Marlborough Court now stands, was for many years the centre of the Social life of the area and this continued until the Church Hall was built.

When the Town was divided into catchment areas the school became an Infant School catering for the 5 to 8 years old and in October 1973 a new school, attached to the Church, was consecrated by the Bishop of Bristol, the Headmistress being Mrs P. Brinkler. Unfortunately, there is no Church of England Comprehensive School in the area and therefore pupils have to go on to either Hardenuish or Sheldon Schools. There is an Anglican School in Bath but there are limits on travelling expenses that makes it difficult for some children to go there. The Diocesan Authorities and Church Council have representatives on the Board of Governors and the latter receive a little financial help from the Church. The new School is an Infant and Junior School catering for the 5 to 11 years old children.                                                                                                                                    

This page was last updated on 22 February 2007