Our Story

“History in the Making” proclaimed the first church bulletin on July 24, 1960. An enthusiastic, determined group of young people established a Presbyterian USA congregation on Lavista Road. While first meeting at what was the Tucker Elementary School cafeteria, the congregation grew and started building next door, renovating and expanding over the years to the current facility. Much of what St. Andrews Presbyterian Church shares today had its foundation in the vision and sacrificial giving of those who came before: Christians who were willing to venture forward in faith and to build in their time for the sake of the future.

In response to filling a need of the church members and the community, a Preschool was established in the mid-1960’s. The first year, 25 children were enrolled, and today the school serves more than 200 children in pre-school, a Summer Camp, an Extended Day and After School program.

From the first day, St. Andrews has been a church with a sense of purpose, seeking to serve Christ through Worship, Education, Fellowship, and Mission. In addition to prayer and financial support, the youth and adults of the church have traveled around the world on Mission Trips to Brazil, New Orleans, Alaska, Palestine, Haiti, Zambia, Honduras and France. St. Andrews is working with  Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE) , a mission supporting education in Zambia. Locally, church members continue to volunteer their time and talents at Clifton Sanctuary, NETworks Cooperative Ministry, the Networks Food Pantry, and together with another church, St. Andrews’ members also co-founded the Initiative for Affordable Housing, which provides permanent, affordable housing for homeless/low-income families.

In 2008, church members embarked on a renewed venture of faith, “Extending this Home of Peace and Welcome.” St. Andrews decided to make the whole church more welcoming and open by enlarging the Narthex and renovating the sanctuary. A Youth Wing was added in the front of the church, and renovations were made to an existing hallway to create open meeting rooms and a Middle School Center.

When the new sanctuary neared completion and the church approached its 50th year, the 50th Anniversary Committee asked Margaret Williams, a gifted and creative quilter, to create a new banner to celebrate.  Margaret’s main objective was for the banner to represent the community.  Members of the congregation donated blue or white items that were meaningful to them to be used for the banner. It contains pieces of wedding and baptismal gowns, baby blankets, tablecloths, handkerchiefs, fabrics from several different countries, various items of clothing, and even a sock.  Margaret quilted the  St. Andrews  banner that commemorated our 50th anniversary and now hangs in Heffner Hall.

Also to commemorate our 50th anniversary,  another talented artist in our church family, Earl Meeks, created a bronze piece with hands striving upward.  This beautiful sculpture was placed in Heffner Hall to  dedicate our fellowship hall when it was renamed Heffner Hall in honor of Ted Heffner, a rock of St. Andrews.

With God’s help St. Andrews strives to be “the hands and feet” of Christ on earth.