St Andrew’s Church, Scotia Celebrates - 1909 - 2009

CHURCH HISTORY

(adapted from text by Maxine Lunn)

A Spirit-led Concept

In 1909 Mrs. L.M. Britten of 105 Catherine Street, conceived the idea of having an Episcopal Church in Scotia.  Surrounded by friends and neighbors of like faith, the preliminary steps were taken to bring this Church into existence. 

The Project Starts

On November 14, 1909 St. Andrew’s Mission came into being with Dr. B.W.R. Tayler, Rector of St. George’s in Schenectady, doing the necessary work for St. Andrew’s to become a reality.  Mr. Henry J. Estcourt and Dr. Tayler served as trustees.  Services were conducted in the Odd Fellow’s Hall and later in Redmans Hall.

Our Name

The name St. Andrew’s was chosen for the Mission Church because it came into being so near to St. Andrew’s Day (November 30th) and in honor of the Patron saint of Scotland.  Scotia means ‘Land of the Scots’ and was the name given by John Glen to his estate on the Mohawk River where the village is now located.

Service and Ministry Take Off!

A Sunday School and Women’s Guild were established.  The first baptism recorded in the parish register was that of William S. Spencer, on June 23, 1912.  From July 21, 1911 to September 1, 1913 The Reverend Henry W. Bell had charge of the St. Andrew’s Mission and others in the area.  When The Rev. Bell left Schenectady, W.V.D. Voorhees, a lay reader at St. George’s, served from September 1913 to July 1916. It was during this time that our church foundation was built and paid for by members and friends, mainly by the sale of 10¢ concrete block certificates.

Needing a Building of our Own

It soon became apparent that meeting in a fraternal hall was not the same as having our own church, so plans began to construct our own place of worship. At the home of Mrs. Thomas Boville, after many meetings and much planning, a motion to go forward with construction on the site we had acquired on Third Street and Sacandaga Road was adopted.  

Construction Commences

Work on the excavation and foundation was done by Mr. Charles Conover.  Mr. John Sutcliffe of Chicago was the architect and Mr. Allen J. Jeffers was the contractor for the structure.  Mr. Jeffers’ bid was $6,993.00, excessive to some at that time.  But a generous donation in the amount of $3,000.00 from an unknown friend made this possible. The cornerstone of the edifice was laid October 29, 1916 with The Rev. B.W.R. Tayler in charge.  The first service was held January 1, 1917.  Bishop Richard Nelson consecrated the church February 22, 1918, when the building was debt free.

A Rector of our Own

The time arrived when we needed our own Rector.  The Rev. Fred W. Swindlehurst, who served as Chaplain in World War I, was appointed.  He was affectionately known as ‘Captain’.  He served as our Rector from April 3, 1919 to March 30, 1927. The time of his taking charge marks the time of our incorporation.  The parish was incorporated on April 11, 1919. 

The First Vestry

The first Vestry consisted of two Wardens and three Vestrymen. Elected to those offices were: Wardens: L.A. VanVorst to serve until the Annual Meeting in Advent 1919 and A.J. Reid to serve until the Annual Meeting in Advent 1920; Vestrymen: J.H. Sanborn to serve until the Annual Meeting in Advent 1920 and R.C. Weaver to serve until the Annual Meeting in Advent 1921.

Shortly before Captain Swindlehurst left our parish he officiated at the marriage of Robert and Lucy Hancock who were still resident communicants of the parish at the 75th anniversary of the Parish in 1984.

The Rectory

The Rev. E. Morton Weller became our new Rector and the congregation met another challenge of providing a home for Father Weller, his wife and three daughters with the construction of the Rectory in November 1929.  This was the first unit in a new ‘Master Plan’ for buildings.  Father Weller retired from the active ministry in November 1944.

Expanding our Facilities

The Rev. Hugh G.E. Crosby began serving November 1, 1944.  He was instituted as Priest and Rector on January 12, 1945. As the congregation grew the building became insufficient.  Plans were made for an addition at a cost of approximately $50,000.00.  Steber Kerr was architect and the Hanson Construction Company was the builder with Charles H. Betts in charge of construction.  The congregation raised half of the funds for expansion and ground was broken in June 1955. The Dedication was December 11, 1955.  Because of ill health, after seventeen years of faithful service, Father Crosby resigned on January 1, 1962.  But not before seeing the mortgage for the addition burned in 4 years time.

The Rev. William Lyons Gray became our new Rector on April 1, 1962.  Again there seemed to be a need for more space and a successful building campaign was launched and ground broken for the education wing on October 31, 1965.  The date stone for the addition was March 27, 1966, with the dedication February 19, 1967.

In the 1970’s the parish took the lead in the planning and construction of Holyrood House, a senior citizens’ apartment residence in Scotia.  Mrs. Gordon (Barbara) Crampton was ordained a Perpetual Deacon in June 1983 by The Right Rev. Wilber E. Hogg. 

On April 15, 1984 the Columbarium was dedicated by the Right Rev. Charles B. Persell, Suffragan Bishop of Albany.  It provides a place for ‘Burial in the Church - Not from the Church’. In January 1986 our new combination pipe and electronic organ was dedicated. This was the end product of many years of research and saving.

Parish Leaders

Also in 1965 Albert E. Moser was ordained as a Perpetual Deacon in the Episcopal Church by the Right Rev. Allen W. Brown, Bishop of Albany. Deacon Al was with us until he was transferred by the bishop to Christ Church, Ballston Spa, in November of 1998.

In November 1979 Fr. Gray celebrated his 25th anniversary as a Priest in the Episcopal Church and on August 31, 1987 after twenty-five years of faithful service to St. Andrew’s Parish, The Rev. William Lyons Gray retired. 

The Rev. James Munro Clarke became pastor of St. Andrew’s Church on March 1, 1988.  While he was our pastor we had a Faith Alive Weekend, which helped us to grow spiritually, and a number of parishioners became active in Cursillo, which also helped us focus on spiritual growth.

Fr. Clarke left St. Andrew’s in April of 1999 and The Rev. Dr. Mary Chilton became our Rector in July of that same year.  This was a period of transition for our Parish as the Rev. Mary felt she was needed at the Diocese as well as at St. Andrew’s but could not participate in both areas.  The Rev. Mary left in January of 2000 and the Vestry began the search for a Rector.  The search rewarded our efforts when we hired The Rev. Michael Neufeld in June of 2000. Fr. Neufeld’s wife, Mother Ellen, is also a priest, with a parish in this diocese. 

We were blessed to have had volunteer secretaries from the Parish who helped with paper work, Sunday bulletins, and the monthly newsletter from 1987 until 1999.  That year Gail George was hired to manage the Church office and to keep us in order.  Gail celebrates her 10th anniversary this year in that position.  We are forever grateful for all that she does.

St. Andrew’s has also been blessed to have Janet Gerbino as our Choir Director and Organist for twenty-five years this year. Under her direction our choir has sung regularly at the Cathedral of All Saints in Albany with other choirs from within the Diocese.

Saint Andrew’s has been enriched by the several deacons it has had over the years as well as being the site of the monthly deacons-in-training program.  Richard Lehmann and Jay North were active at St. Andrew’s as Deacons. Both men have been ordained to the priesthood - Richard in November 2008 and Jay in March 2009 and have gone on to minister in their own churches. Mary Carol Hart participated in the Deacon in Training program at St. Andrew’s and is now deacon at the church.  James Brisbin and Larry Hubert have also been deacons in training at St. Andrew’s. 

A parishioner, Shane Gormley, who recently graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College, is now attending Nashota House studying to be a priest.  Another parishioner, Julie Devine, is also studying for the priesthood.

Throughout the years St. Andrew’s has been actively involved in the community of Scotia as well as a dynamic member of the Diocese of Albany.  St. Andrew’s is about people - people from the past, people today, and all those who came in between - each one whom was, and is, working to bring God’s kingdom and the love of Christ to a waiting world.