Changes are in the pipeline for churches in Trowbridge with one planning to expand and another two considering a merger.

A meeting will be held on Saturday to consider a possible merger between the Holy Trinity Church and Wesley Road Methodist Church, with a final decision due to be made in July.

Reverend Maureen Allchin will chair the meeting, to which members of both congregations have been invited.

In the Wesley Road Methodist Church’s newsletter, it said: “Over the last five years or so the friendship between our churches has grown considerably. This has led to two joint services each month, a shared magazine, overlapping between Thursday Circle and the Roundabout Club, shared holiday clubs and Sunday School events.

“Both our churches, however, are faced with the challenge of planning for a sustainable and developing future.

“Is God calling our churches to become a single congregation local ecumenical partnership. In other words, are Holy Trinity and Wesley Road being called by God to share?”

Meanwhile, St Thomas’ Church, in St Thomas Road, is now so full during services at the weekend that some of the congregation have decided to set up a new church for people living in Paxcroft Mead, Hilperton.

The Kingfisher Church will hold its launch service on Easter Sunday at The Mead Primary School.

It will be under the overall leadership of Reverend Allan Coutts, vicar of St Thomas’, but will be led on the ground by Mark and Alison Bennett.

Mrs Bennett said: “St Thomas’ is packed on a Sunday morning and particularly when it’s Easter or Christmas so it made sense to think about a new congregation. But it also came out of a genuine desire to create a church closer to the community in Paxcroft Mead.”

Mrs Bennett came up with the name for the new church after walking beside the brook in Paxcroft Mead and seeing a kingfisher fly past.

Mr Coutts said: “For 10 years we have really wanted there to be a church in Paxcroft Mead so we are very pleased.

“Obviously we will be sad to see people go because they are all good friends and some have been part of the church for many years. But we are very excited because it’s a dream that we have wanted to do for many years.”

The new church will hold services at The Mead on Sundays and will also meet in small groups at people’s homes during the week.

The team will be commissioned by the Bishop of Ramsbury, Stephen Conway, on Palm Sunday (April 5) at St Thomas’ Church and services, including children’s activities, will begin the following week.

A launch service will be held at The Mead on Easter Sunday at 10.30am.