Tower and Town, December 2025 (view the full edition)St Mary's, MarlboroughSt Mary's has stood at the end of Marlborough High Street since Norman times. For nearly a thousand years, it has been a place where people have marked life's milestones and sought a sense of peace and purpose. Today, it remains home to a living, welcoming community of people who worship Jesus Christ and care deeply for their town. We're always there for the moments that matter - baptisms, weddings and funerals - and our doors are open to anyone who wants to find friendship, music, or a quiet space. Our choir and worship group are full of life, and many of our members volunteer across Marlborough, from serving as school governors to helping at the community fridge. Our greatest opportunity is to share the hope and meaning we find in Jesus - his life, teaching, death and resurrection - with a world that often feels uncertain and searching. We long to help people discover the comfort of faith and the peace of personal prayer. But we also face real challenges. Like many churches, our congregation is ageing, and Sunday mornings must compete with busy family lives and weekend sport. The decline in national churchgoing, and past failures within the wider Church, weigh heavily. Yet there are signs of new life: our 5pm children's church is thriving, our choir is flourishing, and we've installed solar panels as part of our care for creation. Everyone is welcome at St Mary's - any Sunday, and especially this Christmas. The Revd Chris Smith |