Serving God in the heart of our community since 1881

St Andrew's Church, Taunton

"St. Andrew's is a community of celebration and of hope"

This is how one of our church members recently described St Andrew's, and our aim is for this website to capture that spirit online - our faith, our worship, our people, and our community. We hope that you will enjoy looking around, and will come back often, as the site is updated every week.

Again, welcome and thank you for visiting our site.

Holy Week and Easter at St. Andrew's This year, rediscover the miracle of Easter hope

Holy Week services are the most powerful and moving of the church year. We are able to share in the experiences of Jesus and his disciples during a week that changed the world.

 

Palm Sunday euphoria; betrayal and isolation on Maundy Thursday; the shattering experience of Good Friday; Easter Eve – the anticipation of something extraordinary; blazing dawn light and pure joy on Easter Day.

 

It’s a journey unlike any other. Challenging, moving, exhausting, transforming.

 

This Holy Week and Easter we warmly invite you to join us at St. Andrew’s to rediscover the miracle of Easter hope

 

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES

Radiant light and life blaze out from the tomb.  The world has never seen a dawn like this, heralding in a new age and a glory that will never be defeated.  Resurrection power fills the air with energy, joy and excitement and the whole creation joins in with songs of triumph and praise.

 

This is beyond anything we’ve ever known but alongside the joy and excitement we also feel terror and amazement.  We are afraid but hide what it is we fear:  hope dashed to despair, joy drowned in sorrow again,  the discovery of new life turned to grieving for what might have been, good news turned back into the same old story of defeat.

 

We need to hear again the words of the young man:  “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He has been raised; he is not here”

 

Maybe that’s what we’re afraid of.  For if it is true  we can never be the same again, our lives will be changed and suddenly the world and the people around look very different.  We need to hear again and again the reassurance “Do not be afraid” and  “I am with you always”.  Trusting in those words we might begin to believe that he has been raised and that truth will fill our hearts, our minds and our spirits so that we can receive the new life that has just burst into our world.

 

His life is the light of all people.  His light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.  He lived among us and we have seen his glory, full of grace and truth.

 

Christ is risen indeed.  Alleluia.

An extract from The Way of the Cross by Katharine Smith, available in the Parish Library. Katharine is a Reader at St. Andrew's and the book is published by Redemptorist Publications. The top picture is by George Boxley and is also taken from the book.

During our interregnum please join with all of us at St. Andrew's in our Vacancy Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, our friend and saviour, you promised to be with us always, until the end of time.

 

We thank you for being with those whose vision led to the founding of St Andrew’s Church.

 

We thank you for being with the men, women and children who, since then, have filled the church with prayer, praise and thanksgiving.

 

Be with us now as we live out today’s chapter in the story of your people at St Andrew’s.

 

Be with all those who carry the responsibility of leadership in our parish life, especially Stephen and June, our Wardens, and all members of our PCC.  Help each of us to play our part; to love and serve each other and, above all, to serve you in the heart of this community.

 

We pray for all involved in the process of appointing a new incumbent and for the person you are calling to join us.

 

Help us to face the future with faith and courage; to keep alive the vision that brought this church into being and to become the people you want us to be.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, help us to trust in your love and faithfulness and to serve you with joy and thanksgiving now and always. 

 

Amen.