| A BRIEF HISTORY OF ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH |
| In 1913 Canon Philip Johnstone, the Incumbent of All Saints Church learned that it was proposed to build an estate in Whaddon. He expressed concern to the Parochial Church Council that all too often the church is dilatory in being involved in new communities. He proposed that All Saints Church should consider placing a missionary church in Whaddon as soon as possible. A Sunday School had already been established in a house in Cleeve View Road in the 1900's. |
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| In 1915 a small wooden building, which had previously served as a gymnasium for a boys school was set up in Whaddon Lane (now Whaddon Road), and leased from the Skillicorne family for an annual rent of one pound and one shilling. This building was later licensed as a Mission Church and received the dedication of St. Michael. It was served by clergy from All Saints. There was a regular congregation and a Sunday School of more than 300 children. |
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| The church stood amongst green fields until building on the Whaddon estate commenced in the 1930s. At that time Canon Johnstone saw a need for a new church to hold the anticipated congregation and in 1935 land was bought from the Council for around £300 - £500 and a wooden church was constructed for about £2000 by many men who would otherwise have been unemployed. The new St. Michael's Church was dedicated by the Bishop of Gloucester and opened for worship in January 1937. |
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| It could be used as a church on Sundays and as a church hall during the week. The previous Mission Church was moved and became a licensed surgery and infant welfare centre. |
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| During the Second World War the whole Parish of All Saints came to St. Michael's for Evensong as it was the only church that could be blacked out successfully. |
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| The building of the Whaddon estate had slowed down during the war but already a new community was taking shape. In the early 1940's a Conventual District (independent Parish) was created from parts of All Saints and Prestbury St. Mary's and this was given the name of St. Michael's, Lynworth, possibly because there was already a Parish of Whaddon near Gloucester. The Revd. Hubert Goddard was the first Incumbent of this new Parish. It was still not licensed for Marriages but was licensed for Holy Communion and Baptisms. |
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| In 1953 a new Ecclesiastical District was formed with the Revd Goddard as Vicar. A vicarage was built at a cost of £4500. The former Mission Hall, Little St. Michael's as it became known, was moved again and stood on the site of the present church for use as a Parish Room. However Father Goddard had already started a fund to build a new church because the current building had never been intended as permanent when it was built. Plans were drawn up by architects Stratton, Davis and Yates and in 1965 Amos Wilson and Son moved in and building began. It was built partly by public donations and with many local people helping in the construction. |
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| St. Michael's Church was consecrated by the Bishop of Gloucester, the Right Reverend Basil Guy, on 10th September 1966 with the Revd. Peter Walker as the first Incumbent. Also that year an Order in Council formally altered the name from the District of St. Michael, Lynworth, to the Parish of St Michael, Cheltenham. The former Mission Hall, "Little St. Michael," was taken down to make room for the new church and was sold to St. John's, Churchdown. The previous church, which had served the community for 10 years, became the church hall. |
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| In 1940 a new Methodist Church had been built in Mersey Road, and for many years had served the Community well until the late 1980s when gangs of youths began to systematically target the church. Due to problems during the services the Methodists requested that they be able to hold services at St. Michael's and so we were sharing the building. |
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| On September 24th 1995 Whaddon Methodist Church was badly vandalised and on Sunday, December 10th the Methodists marked their move with a unique service and procession led by their cross from Mersey Road to St. Michael's. The service continued in the church and the Methodist cross was placed behind the altar where it remains today. The Revd. John Turner, Methodist Circuit Superintendent, and the Revd. David Lawrence signed the Declaration of Intent for the ecumenical amalgamation of the two churches. On February 19th 1996 the Methodist Church was burned down. |
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| Since it had become evident that no return to Mersey Road was now possible, a proper legal agreement was drawn up which was acceptable to both churches and on June 5th, 1996 the sharing agreement was signed by the Revd. David Lawrence as Vicar for the Anglican Church and the Revd. John Turner as Methodist Minister. It was now known as The United Church of St. Michael. New ecumenical liturgies were introduced and worship became fully integrated. |
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| I think we can say that it has been a great success and many of our members today do not think of themselves as either Methodists or Anglicans but as members of St. Michael's. |
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