About Us

A parish church

St. Andrew's has been a place of prayer since 1881. Today, it remains a haven of peace at the heart of the community of Rowbarton in Taunton.  One of the aims of the church is to serve the whole parish; to be available for private prayer (the church is often open in the morning) and to be the place where local residents come to seek ministry for baptisms, weddings and funerals: you do not have to be a church-goer to ask for any of these things. If you live in the parish this is your church not “ours”.

A prayerful place

One of the first things that many people comment upon is the prayerful atmosphere and sense of calm within the church. Perhaps this is why such a wide cross section of people find a spiritual home with us.  Like the coloured bricks of the inside of the church St. Andrew's people are a true cross section of our local community. This diversity helps to make our church a wonderful place to worship, and a source of welcome and acceptance.

A human place

We pray together, sing together, worship together, learn together, and try to spread the Good News together.  We are a place where strong and lasting friendships are formed, where we are supportive of each other, and where we think about our faith and how it affects the way in which we live our lives.  We look to serve the community in which we live both as a church, and as individuals in our day to day lives.  Our aim is simply to grow in relationship with God, with each other, and with our community.

C. S. Lewis wrote that God "seems to do nothing of Himself which He can possibly delegate to His creatures.  He commands us to do slowly and blunderingly what He could do perfectly and in the twinkling of an eye."  So being human, our progress is often stumbling, and we frequently get things wrong.  We don't pretend to be perfect people, or that St. Andrew's is a perfect church. But we're up for the challenge. Using our disparate gifts, skills and personalities we're working together on God's big project.

One of our members describes St Andrew's as "a community of celebration and of hope". So please come and join the celebration - having you on the team will be a joy to us and to God.

An open place

The hymn writer Michael Forster wrote this verse:
"Cry 'Freedom!' in the church when
honest doubts are met with fear;
when vacuum-packed theology
makes questions disappear;
when journeys end before they start
and mystery is clear!"

At St. Andrew's we are open to receiving doubts and questions about the Christian faith.  We all have them, and they're a sign of growth, not of failure. God is calling and challenging us all, and our church exists to enable questioning, open minded people to discover for themselves the significance and extraordinary love of Jesus Christ. Through our worship we celebrate and explore the mystery that is God. 

A learning place 

As we gather together week by week we learn more about the loving nature of God, and His plans for us.  Through hearing the Bible and sermons, through the richness of our liturgy and the inspiration of our music making, through reading the books in our up to date Parish Library, through talking with and listening to each other, we move forward both as individuals and as a worshipping community.  

A nurturing place  

We recognise that people serve God in many ways, both within the church and in their everyday lives.  Many of us find that the demands of careers and vocations are draining. We need nourishment and nurture - to "allow our spirits to catch up with us". We also need to understand the connections between what we believe and the way in which we live and work. If this is your experience, we offer you a safe place to reflect and gather your resources for the week ahead. 

A place for you 

There is a place for you at St. Andrew's.  Just turn up at a service,
contact us, or read more about our church before you decide. 
Remember: come as you are.  Be as you are.  We'll save a seat for you!

An Inclusive Church

St Andrew’s is seeking constructive ways to respond to the current debates and challenges within the Anglican Communion. The PCC has voted to sign a Declaration of Belief drafted by 'InclusiveChurch.net'. The full text is set out below.

A Declaration of Belief

We affirm that the Church's mission, in obedience to Holy Scripture, is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every generation. We acknowledge that this is Good News for people regardless of their sex, race or sexual orientation. We believe that, in order to strengthen the Gospel's proclamation of justice to the world, and for the greater glory of God, the Church's own common life must be justly ordered. To that end, we call on our Church to live out the promise of the Gospel; to celebrate the diverse gifts of all the members of the body of Christ; and in the ordering of our common life to open the ministries of deacon, priest and bishop to those so called to serve by God, regardless of their sex, race or sexual orientation.
Celebrating the Gift of Communion

At its meeting in May 2008 the PCC agreed to sign the Inclusive Church 'Celebrating the Gift of Communion' Petition.
The statement which accompanies the petition reads:

"As Christians, we believe that all people have been made in the image of God. We believe that God loves each and every person with an infinite, never-ending, unconditional love.

As members of the body of Christ, we acknowledge each person's unique and valuable contribution as we seek together to build up that body in love.
As members of the Anglican Communion, we celebrate the gift of our diversity and are committed to being a broad Church that accepts and welcomes difference.

We acknowledge our need of God's forgiveness for the sins and failings which harm our shared witness in the world. We believe our unity is rooted in our baptism in Christ, and we will seek to maintain that unity through the grace of the Holy Spirit who lives and works in each one of us."