St Andrews Wickford

St.Andrews Church

The first church was built at the turn of the century(1902) as a Mission Hall to cater for those who lived at the western end of the parish and found it difficult to climb the hill to the Parish Church(St Catherine's,Southend Road, Wickford.This small Mission Hall is still in use today as St Andrew's Centre.

In 1935 a new dual-purpose church dedicated to St.Andrew was built alonside the old Mission Hall, but set back further from the road in almost the same position as the present church.
On Sundays Holy Communion and Evensong were celebrated, while during the week the building was used as a youth and community hall, with the floor marked out for tennis and badminton.
It served the London Road end of the parish until the second world war, when it was requisitioned by the army.

Both the effect of the war years, and the heavy flooding in the town during several winters, led to a marked deterioration of the structure until it became necessary to demolish it and replace the church with a new building.

The new St Andrew's church constructed of brick with a pine interior, was built by Messers Carter and Ward of Wickford(their first church building contract)and was dedicated by the Bishop of Chelmsford ( The Rt.Rev'd John Tiarks) on the feast of St Andrew, 30th November 1964.

The cost of the new building was eighteen thousand pounds, towards which the diocese contributed twelve thousand pounds with the remainder being raised by the local congregation.
(When opened there remained only two thousand pounds unpaid),but the builder generously allowed payment over the next two years interest free, with any remaining balance to be paid with interest over a further three years.

The'Good Shepherd'window was originally behind the altar in the mission hall(now the kitchen)and
was kept loose in the new church until eventually being placed above the main doors(under the tower)
so that it is visible both from within the church and on approaching the entrance.

The large wooden cross, utilising timber from the 1935 building, and the altar table were made by
Mr Ray harvey of Wickford.

The church is blessed with two fonts, one being made of wrought iron and designed by the Rev'd Paul Booth and made by boys at Beauchamps School, the other stone font(installed in 1980)is fifteenth century and came originally from St Clements Church West Thurrock.
Both fonts are still used for baptims.

Above the main doors to the church from the narthex is a small figure of St Andrew on his cross which was made by the Rev'd Paul Booth.

The organ was a gift in memory of a former worshipper(Miss Keeling) and the choir stalls and pulpit were the gift of the late Gordon Carter in memory of his parents.The lectern was a gift as an expression of church unity, from Wickford free churches.

The pine pews were purchased from Felixstowe College Chapel for the sum of seven hundred and sixty pounds, this being raised from gifts and loans from the members of the congregation.

We have to thank a former organist, Mrs Val Anthony who designed and made the painted windows
(on the theme of the sacrements), the altar frontals and falls in litugical colours, and the St Andrews banner.The long scarlet banners were designed by Mrs Julia Glover and made by members of the congregation. She was also resposible for other smaller banners in the church.

The Stations of the Cross around the walls were dedicated in memory of a much loved and respected member of the church, Stanley Clatworthy.These replaced a printed set which were given to St Lukes Chapel at Runwell Hospital.

The Sacrement is reserved in a small chapel at the back of the church. The Aumbry is in memory of Mark Piper, a local school boy who was killed in an accident while returning home from school, and the altar is in memory of Anthony Still, a 17-year old who was killed in an accident at work.

The large picture ot the "Descent From the Cross"
by David Folley, which hangs behind the chapel altar was given by the Rev'd Raymond Chudley.

Another big event in the church's history occured on 10th December 1981 when St Andrew's was consecrated as a Parish Church by the Bishop of Bradwell(The Rev'd Derek Bond)prior to the formation of the Team Ministry of Wickford and Runwell the following February.

Rectors of the Parish since the 1935 to date:-

Rev'd A G Munson
Rev'd R L D'E.A.Byrn
Rev'd F.C.V Prance
Rev'd W.A Randall
Rev'd A R Thomas
Rev'd D.Lowman
Rev'd Canon Christine McCafferty

Assistant Curates, Priests-in Charge and team Vicars of St Andrews:-

Rev'd Paul Booth
Rev'd John Crawford
Rev'd Peter Goldthorpe
Rev'd Edward Marsh(now a Bishop in Canada
Rev'd David Carter
Rev'd Richard Telford
Rev'd Robin Carter
Rev'd John Tetlow
Rev'd Raymond Chudley
Rev'd Mark Pudge

With thanks to three members of St Andrews congregation-Dennis Byron and Malcolm Harrison for compiling the information for this page and Cyril Crabb for the drawing of the church.

ST ANDREW

Andrew was a fisherman from Bethsaida, who lived in capernaum.
He was a disciple of John the Baptist, but followed Jesus when he heard John refer to him as "The Lamb of God".
Andrew then brought his brother Simon Peter to follow Jesus(John 1:35-44)

Later in the gospel stories, Andrew brings forward the boy with the loaves and fishes when Jesus feeds 5,000 hungry people(John 6:1-13), and when some Greeks want to see Jesus , Andrew and Philip tell him about them(John 12:20-22).
Andrew is always listed as one of Jesus' twelve apostles, and was with the other apostles in Jerusalem after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension into heaven(Acts 1:13).
Later, non-scriptural accounts of Saint Andrew's life are very unreliable.They associate him with Scythia and Epirus and say that he was martyred by crucifixtion at Patras in Achaia.
The idea that he suffered on an X shaped cross because he said he was unworthy to be crucified on one the same shape as Jesus'seems to be unknown before the late middle ages.

The claim that he was the first bishop at Byzantium(constantinople, Modern Ankara)is without historical foundation.
Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and of Russia.

Andrews emblem is a cross saltire ( an X-shaped cross).This forms the national flag of Scotland
(white on a blue background)and is incorporated in the Union Flag.

Just as Andrew was the first of the apostles, so his feast day(30th November) is always around the begining of the church year which starts on Advent Sunday.

WORSHIP AT ST ANDREWS

The Parish Eucharist is at 9.30am each Sunday, and this is followed by tea/coffee in the St Andrews centre.

Families with children are always welcome at all of our services, and there are books and toys available in the family area at the back of the church.
Our "Family Eucharist is held on the third Sunday in each month which is a special less formal service lasting less than an hour with music and teaching especially suitable for famillies and young children.

At 6.30pm on the third Sunday in each month we also have a quiet, reflective Eucharist with prayer for healing.

Our mid-week Eucharist is at 10.30am on Wednesdays, followed by tea/coffee in the St Andrews Centre.

St Andrews is situated in the centre of wickford, on the London Road between the end of the high street and the police station(map ref TQ 746 935)
We try to keep the church open as much as possible as a haven of peace in a busy town.

St Andrews Centre is open for tea/coffe,cakes on Friday and Saturday mornings from 9.00am-12 noon

Baptism and Marriage enquires may be made at the "Office Time" from 11.00-11.30am each Saturday in the church.

WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE RECEIVED GRANT SUPPORT
FOR THE REPAIR WORK THAT IS NEEDED TO OUR CHURCH AND THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED VERY HARD IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURE THIS ESSENTIAL FUNDING.

THIS SITE WILL BE CLOSING SOON AS COMPUSERVE ARE TRANSFERING TO AOL.

WE HOPE TO TRANSFER THE SITE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.



E-Mail to saintandrews1@cs.com or
PTP@st-andrews-wickford.org.uk

Related sites

Church of England
Chelmsford Diocese
Editors Link