AS AN invited gust I attended the recent service of dedication at the new Cirencester Baptist Church on Chesterton Lane.
What a superb facility it is, not only as a church but also as a community building.
The sheer variety of users already located there is a testimony to its welcoming atmosphere, its accessibility and its potential to serve the people of Cirencester.
Last week, the Standard celebrated 180 years of publication.
Cirencester Baptist Church can trace its roots back to 1651 with the Coxwell Street chapel being built in 1858 and no doubt reported in the local press at that time.
Churches today need to be relevant to the needs of today and Cirencester is well served by several denominations all playing their part.
It is right to celebrate the history of what has gone before, the reality of here and now and to hope for better things to come.
PETER LANGMAN
Cirencester
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