St
Andrew’s, as may be deduced by its name, is an old Presbyterian
church and as such has attracted many of the ‘ex-pats’ in Cheltenham’s
Scottish community. As befits a town centre church, most members of the congregation
do not live nearby, but come from all across the town and beyond. There is a
lively new youth group STAND who
have led worship and performed a very different kind of Nativity.
We have good relations with the other churches in our ecumenical cluster group, comprising Christchurch (C of E), Gas Green (Baptist), St Mark’s (Methodist) and Salem (Baptist), and we are also a member of Churches Together in Cheltenham..
St Andrew’s is located in one of the main thoroughfares of Montpellier, an area of Cheltenham developed around the Spas to the south of the town centre during the Regency and Victorian periods. It is a largely prosperous area of the town, is a mixture of offices, shops, hotels, restaurants, pubs, gardens and open spaces.
The nearby town hall serves as a centre for the Cheltenham’s famous international arts and science festivals and St Andrew’s is used for some of the fringe events. The church premises are also used extensively by different organisations within the community.
The church and spire were built in 1885 with the addition of a hall and ancillary rooms ten years later. In 2002 the church underwent a major refurbishment programme with the creation of the Montpellier Church Centre. This consisted of the modernisation of the church interior, the building of a glass entrance and the construction of new rooms and the modernisation of others. This major redevelopment project was carried out to create opportunities for outreach and mission.
The church has a beautifully restored Willis organ and has a very accomplished
organist to support the musical dimension of the church..
More information on St Andrew's URC
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