WHEN the Rev Darcey Gritzmacher returns to her family home in Texas later this month, she will take with her happy memories of the friends she has made while running the United Reformed Church in the Devizes area for the last three years.

She arrived with her husband, the Rev Drew Johnson, in August 2000, to take up her first ministry, although she had been assistant minister at several large churches in the United States.

They had the organisation of services at two churches St Andrew's, in Devizes, and Trinity Church, in Market Lavington as well as two village chapels.

Mr Johnson has been working at Downside School, near Bath, where he is thought to be the first Protestant teacher of religious studies the former Roman Catholic seminary has ever had.

He will remain at the school until the end of the summer term before joining his wife at a church in either Oregon or Idaho.

The couple threw themselves into community life. Mr Johnson joined Devizes Rugby Club and has been a stalwart of the third team, which he has captained for the last season. He was voted third team player of the year. He said: "It was difficult at first. I had to learn that I wasn't allowed to pass the ball forward."

Ms Gritzmacher's ministry has seen big changes at St Andrew's Church in Long Street. A huge fund-raising effort saw a new entrance with a glass-fronted foyer and a coffee bar area.