St. Andrew’s “Chapel” was founded by St. Paul’s Church.
July 1897 – Cornerstone for first building was laid at the corner of Western & N. Main Ave.
November 1897 – Dedication of the Church building on St Andrew’s Day, Nov 30.
The Rev, Ralph Birdsall appointed as first rector.
Vestry decides that no pew rents would be taken.
St. Andrew’s becomes a full-fledged parish in the Diocese of Albany.
The Rev. Morris Coerr was Rector. His time was marked by conflicts over “High Church” practices and some people leaving to form another Church in the “Reformed Episcopal Church” denomination. Rev. Coerr resigned amid these conflicts.
The Rev. Walter Gage served as Rector.
A rectory was purchased at 17 N. Main Ave with funds from St Martha’s Guild.
Troop 2 of the Boy Scouts of America was chartered at St Andrew’s (continued until Dec 31. 2022).
The Rev. Frank W. Creighton served as Rector who led the parish during World War 1.
The Rev. Creighton then become the Rt Rev. Frank Creighton, Bishop of Mexico.
The lot was purchased where the current church stands on Madison and Main during his Rectorship.
Rev. Creighton became chaplain of Episcopal students at the Stare Teacher’s College (now U Albany) and started what became known as “The Canterbury Clubs” a national Episcopal student association.
The influenza epidemic of 1918 closed the Church for one Sunday on Oct 13, 1918.
The parish had 604 members at that time.
The Rev. Charles Findlay became rector.
Plans for the current Church edifice were made and building was started.
Ground was broken on Whitsunday (Pentecost) 1930.
The “new Church” was dedicated on the Second Sunday of Easter 1931 at a cost of $225,000.
The church budget sunk to $13,500 during the depression years.
Quilts and dish cloths made by the St Martha’s Guild were sold under direction of Mrs. Clara Allen which paid for the church tower to be constructed.
The old Church building became the Parish House for Sunday School and other parish activities.
The Rev. Findlay assisted the parish through the years of World War 2.
Many donors gave appointments for the new church such as stained-glass windows and pews.
Rev. Findlay left in 1946 after having some health issues.
The Rev. Lloyd Hackwell became rector.
The Church mortgage was paid off and burned and the Church building Consecrated by the Bishop on St Andrew’s Day 1947.
The Rev. Charles Kaulfuss was hired as Curate to assist in the growing parish of the post-war baby boom era.
A building fund and plans made for the building of a new Parish House as the old building was bursting at the seams with children and other activities. A pledge drive in 1954 totaled about $130,000 started the drive for the building.
Rev. Hackwell left in 1954.
The Rev. Ralph M. Carmichael becomes Rector in March 1955.
The Rev. Kenneth Sharp was hired as Curate.
The Old Church was demolished in October 1956 to make way for the new Parish House. Many tears shed from those who had been associated with the Church since the early days.
The US Naval Reserve Center on Washington Ave and Main was used for Sunday School while the new Parish House was being built Youth Groups met at the Cathedral and other activities were held at other local churches.
Cornerstone of the new parish house was dedicated on May 19, 1957 and the cornerstone of the old Church “1897” was placed inside the wall of the Western Ave entrance to the new building.
Church attendance grew and the Sunday School grew with three Sunday services, youth groups, women’s and men’s groups, and a large choral music program under direction of Russell Field.
Growth in the suburbs led to the Diocese asking St Andrew’s to sponsor the beginning of a new church, St. Boniface in Guilderland. Fr. William Small, Curate at St Andrew’s was selected as the first priest-in-charge of St. Boniface and several families from the parish transferred to the new mission Church.
Controversy arose over Fr. Carmichael’s opposition to the Vietnam War. Some in the parish agreed while others did not. In the end Fr. Carmichael remained as Rector.
The parish celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 1957 with appropriate celebratory events and services.
The parish celebrated its 76th anniversary on St Andrew’s Day 1973 with a covered dish dinner with 130 attending.
New red hangings were given in memory of former Sr Warden Willis Snyder.
The mortgage on the Parish House was paid off and burned.
Rev. Carmichael retired in 1975.
The Rev. Bruce Gray served as Rector.
Russell Field, beloved Organist and Choir director, died suddenly. He was organist from 1947-1975.
1979- A thrift shop was established and located first in the space where the Gerber Library is now and then in the basement of the Parish House and named The Shop at St. Andrew’s. The idea was born out of the Women’s Guild who held regular rummage sales.
The Rev. Andrew Hammersley served as Rector.
1992- The Columbarium was built within the Church.
1997- The 100th Anniversary of the founding of St. Andrew’s was celebrated.
The Rev. Mary R. White served as the first female Rector.
Mid 2000’s – plans made to demolish the Rectory due to its condition. Disputes with the city over the demolition of the Rectory continued for several years. The Parish decided to build a new addition in place of the Rectory. Those plans were approved. The Shop at St. Andrew’s forced to close for a time due to mold in the basement and the basement gutted in hopes of future remodeling.
2017- The new two-story addition opened with the Shop at St. Andrew’s occupying both floors. This was not the original plan but became necessary due to the basement issue.
In March, the global COVID-19 Pandemic forced St Andrew’s along with most other Churches and institutions to close down for public worship and activities. The hopes were that it would last two weeks. Public worship did not return until August of 2020 but the parish rallied and tried keep connecting with people through emails, and recorded worship on You Tube and Facebook. COVID-19 forced many people to stay at home and church services again were cancelled from Mid-November 2020-until Palm Sunday 2021. Public worship with many safety protocols based on those from State and local health and government agencies resumed. It was strange not to have Worship services for Easter or Christmas 2020.
May 2020- The Rev. Jane Brady-Close began as our Interim Rector during the transition period following Rev. Mary White. A search committee for a new rector was put on hold due to the Covid -19 pandemic and resumed in 2022.
St. Andrew’s is the first parish in the Diocese of Albany to use the new Sacred Ground curriculum of the Episcopal Church focusing on racism in church and society.
2022- St Andrew’s Vestry votes to support same-sex marriages following the General Convention’s decisions of 2018.
2022-The parish made plans to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of its founding with several special events and guest preachers.
The Rev. Jane Brady-Close ends her time at St. Andrew’s after 2 3/4 years of service.
The Rev. Canon Martha Hubbard answers the call by the Vestry on July 17, 2024 and will be the 11th rector at St. Andrew’s Church.