Trinity Cheltenham

Trinity Church came into being in 1824 as an overflow from the Parish Church in the town center. The first minister was the Rev Francis Close, Rector of Cheltenham and later Dean of Carlisle Cathedral. The Dean Close School was named after him. The Church was opened with an address from the Rev Charles Simeon. In 1976, Trinity Church was on the point of closure. However, under the ministry of a retired missionary (Canon Lawrence Totty), change had slowly begun to happen. The threat of closure was removed and under two subsequent vicars, Rev John Risdon and Rev Paul Harris, the church continued to grow and start to reach out into the community. In 1994 Mark Bailey was appointed as a pastor…

The church was originally known as "Trinity" when it was first opened, then "Holy Trinity" before reverting to its original name. It is part of the Church of England and is a major contributor to the New Wine network. The Church has around 1000 members, making it one of the largest churches in the UK. A recent article cited it as the 11th largest church in Britain. As well as Sunday services, the church offers an array of mid-week activities, including the Alpha Course, 'King's Table', Life groups and activities for children, young people and students. There are now more than 1,000 people who worship on a regular basis.