Parish of St Thomas and St Edmund

Welcome to St Thomas’s, the parish church of Salisbury city centre – a majestic building and a lively Christian community. God has called us to ministry at the heart of the city. In the beauty of our worship, we reflect the beauty of God’s love. Richly blessed, we aim to be a blessing to others: inclusive, compassionate, generous. Whatever brings you to this page or to our church, we hope you will be nourished in faith, and find us welcoming, praying, transforming.

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Parishioners say what they like about St Thomas’s way of living in faith:
“peace and calmness of the building”
“general ambiance of camaraderie and willingness to help”
“the friendly welcome I get every Sunday”
“I value the people and what I learn from them, clergy or laity”
“one of the best things about St Thomas’s is the choir (and getting paid)”
“opportunities to explore and develop our faith”
“community, people, inclusivity”
“powers of spiritual renewal and refreshment”
“being able to be involved and feel a part of what is going on”
“that old drama school exercise when one person stands in the middle, goes rigid and falls, trusting everyone else in the circle around them to catch them – that’s us, always.”
“people rooted and grounded in prayer, aware of their love for, and dependence on, a loving Creator”
“like a second family”
“ability to celebrate at the drop of a hat”
“a family lovingly embracing everyone, warts and all”
“I love the sense of family, love and common purpose”
“the welcome was generous and the sense of family, community and belonging was instant”
“warmth and welcome – whether someone comes as a worshipper, visitor, seeker after ancient sites, or something they know not what”
“refreshes me through word, music and friendship”
“traditional services”
“I like the communion wine”
“an education team arranges opportunities for learning, reflection, discussion, spiritual growth”
“quality of the preaching”
“I love being part of the choir and the joy of biscuits and juice at the end”
“strong bonds”
“superb music which enriches the services”
“a feeling of community and where you can meet other people who you may not otherwise have met who enjoy the same sort of things as you”
“sacramental well central to a community of prayer, support and learning”
“wonderful bunch of people who gather at 8am to pray together”
“strong community spirit”
“sense of belonging”
“Tradition without stiffness; Love without compromise”
“tradition AND innovation”
“spiritual,friendly and supportive community”
“I absolutely love the music at St Thomas’s and I’m forever thankful for the wonderful group of people I have met”
“thoughtful preaching”
“our second family and home”
“ability to embrace and enjoy change”

Our new Rector is the Revd Canon Joanne Haine

Jo comes to St Thomas’s having served in the Parish of Radipole and Melcombe Regis with Chickerell since 2018, where she has been Team Vicar.  Since 2024 she has also served as Rural Dean of Weymouth and Portland.

Before training for ministry, Jo worked for many years as a Registered Mental Health Nurse, specialising in forensic mental health. She trained for ordination at St John’s College, Nottingham, was ordained in Salisbury Cathedral in 2015, and served her title as Assistant Curate in the Dorchester and Winterborne Team Ministry. She completed an MA in Christian Liturgy in 2020 at Sarum College and serves as a non-executive member of Salisbury Cathedral Chapter, as well as a member of the College of Canons.

Jo has two children, Taizé (19) and Ezra (17), who are currently sitting their A-levels and, all being well, will head off to university later this year. Jo says she is very much looking forward to moving to Salisbury and to getting to know the people, life and community of St Thomas & St Edmunds.

WELCOMING

Visit us

Visitors can drop in any time from 9am to early evening to view this medieval 800-year-old [more]

Contact the team

The position of Rector is currently vacant. A team of full- and part-time clergy supported by the Parish [more]

Hire us

Whether it’s for large public events, concerts or small meetings, St Thomas’s has the facilities to [more].

Stay safe

We welcome everyone and try to make sure that all – especially vulnerable children, young people and adults – are safe to [more]

Celebrate with us

Charities wishing to be chosen to benefit from St Thomas’s Christmas Tree Festival 2026 must apply by 1 June 2026. For more details please click here.

PRAYING

Worship with us

We offer three Sunday services plus 8am weekday services every day except Saturday using [more]

Bring the kids

“Tommy’s Corner” in the church is a quiet refuge for parents during services. School age [more]

Sing with us

Sing hymns with our fine all-age choir at our Sunday services, with music from different periods and [more]

Listen to our bells

Our bellringers ring us to worship on Sundays: click here for a 30-second sample of our ring of eight [more]

Remember the departed

We offer a quiet, appropriate setting for a church funeral and [more]

TRANSFORMING

Ask us for help

Our clergy team can give personal advice and help with homelessness and financial troubles, so do [more]

Learn and grow with us

Different study and discussion groups can help to deepen and grow your faith by [more]

Tie the knot

Make your wedding vows in the beautiful and historical setting of St Thomas’s. Our clergy are [more]

Join as new members

You can become a Christian at any age, so speak to us about baptism and confirmation [more]

Support our charities

We give to several charities – overseas, in the UK and in Salisbury – to help transform the lives [more]