How it All Began
According to history compiled by First Presbyterian Church of Austin, Presbyterians originally gathered in Austin in October 1839 when services were held in the Bullock Hotel. The meeting established the initial church, but the members promptly fled for Washington-on-the-Brazos, then the Capital of Texas, due to fear of raids by Native Americans. As the City of Austin grew, people began coming back and, by 1850, Austin was home to 629 individuals. On May 26, 1850, following a worship service in the old Capitol Building, a group was named to organize the first Presbyterian church in the city. On August 24, 1851, a small fame building, 30 ft. by 40 ft., was opened as the church’s first home.
The Civil War caused a rift in the church and in 1866 a pro-Northern majority at First Presbyterian Church supported a resolution disclaiming all connection with the Central Texas (Confederate) Presbytery. They then went on to construct the first stone structure in 1890 at 7th and Lavaca. By then Austin had swollen to a population of 14,575.
Becoming a New Church
By 1950 Austin had grown to a population of 132,459 and First Presbyterian Church, still located at the 7th Street and Lavaca site, began discussing the idea of a new mission outreach church. Determined to move to the northernmost edge of the city (where growth seemed to be occurring), the church found property on Koenig Lane, which was at the time a simple dirt road.
To grow a new congregation while constructing the church, congregants met at Rosedale Elementary School (2117 W. 49th St.) with the first service held on March 2, 1952. On March 4 the Presbytery approved the formation of the new congregation and on March 29 eight members were dismissed from First Presbyterian to become charter members of St. Andrew’s. Soon the church consisted of 68 members. On April 27, 1952, St. Andrew’s was officially approved by the Presbytery.
When members of First Presbyterian Church in Austin were discussing creating a ‘north Austin’ congregation, Dr. Fred Brooks, pastor of the church, presented the following comments, outlining the origin of the name of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church:
“A church should not only have a name, but it should be a distinctive name with historical and evangelical meaning. As a name for a church professing allegiance to the Presbyterian standards, Saint Andrew’s has much to commend it.
St. Andrew was one of the 12 Apostles, and one of the first four called into fellowship with Jesus. St. Andrew is regarded as the first Missionary of the original disciples.
According to Christian tradition, Andrew was a faithful and devoted apostle and suffered martyrdom about the year 70 AD, being crucified on an X-shaped cross, known since as the cross of St. Andrew.
He is recognized as the patron saint of Scotland, and the Cross of Saint Andrew was adopted as the design of the national flag of that country. The cross of St. Andrew is combined with the crosses of St. George and of St. Patrick in the flag of the United Kingdom.”
The groundbreaking of the first permanent home at 2011 Koenig Lane was in 1953. The first service was held on July 10, 1955. The first structure was an educational wing. During the next decade the congregation started a daycare and kindergarten program, converted the educational building into a new sanctuary (worship space) and built additional educational space. While final touches were being applied, the church met briefly at Lamar Junior High. As part of the new sanctuary, a wooden cross was constructed over a steel beam and the youth of the church were tasked with the chore of ‘distressing’ the wood to make the cross look ‘old and rugged.’ Official dedication of the new structure was in May 1965.
Moving On Again
During the mid-80s, as Austin topped 345,000 citizens, St. Andrew’s, facing a continuing expansion of Austin and worshipping in an aging neighborhood, decided to move yet again further north.
For an interim location a metal warehouse building was chosen at 15404 N. IH 35 in Austin. While there an aggressive search was conducted for a site for a new permanent home for the church. While housed in the warehouse new callings began to appear for the church.
As a result of the church’s support of women’s reproductive rights the building received its first bomb threat. Services on some Sunday mornings were disrupted by hail or heavy rain striking the metal roof. A theater project was added, calling on the talents of the congregation to perform.
For the new permanent home of St. Andrew’s, a 6-acre lot was chosen at the corner of Wells Branch Parkway and Wells Port Drive. Groundbreaking was September 12, 1990. Architect Tom Shefelman designed the octagonal building as a fellowship hall which would serve as a temporary sanctuary for worship services until a more formal sanctuary could be built. The first services were held on March 1, 1992.
The building was designed the way it is today based on then-current programs, missions and plans. The ‘education wing’ was set up to house the daycare facility the church had started back at the Koenig Lane facility. The daycare was ultimately discontinued in 2005 as enrollment diminished and few members of the congregation used the service. Originally a fountain was included in the middle of the foyer but discontinued after a few years to allow more gathering space. One of the rocks from that still stands near the entrance to the church.
During the first few years in the new building, ongoing changes in policies and format of the worship service caused disagreements within the congregation which led to the departure of several members and a subsequent tightening of the budget.
Over the years the church was approached twice by real estate brokers interested in buying the land, or a portion of it, to construct a retail facility. Both times, after lengthy study and reflection, the congregation declined to sell despite the offer of significant money for the property.
Built with money borrowed through church bonds, the obligation of paying the mortgage soon became a significant financial burden for the smaller congregation. Ultimately, the Session reluctantly agreed that selling 2 acres of land to the Wells Branch MUD made sense in order to retire the debt and put the church back on sound financial footing.
A Changing Mission
Expanded education programs, increased emphasis on direct care programs such as the food pantry, support for immigrant rights and support of LGBTQIA+ rights placed growing pressure on the original design of the building. Two rooms of the ‘educational wing’ were converted into living facilities for two individuals seeking asylum.
In 2017 a study team was formed to consider options for renovation and expansion of the building, culminating in a formal capital campaign in 2019 - 2020 and Session approval of a contract with the Jackson Galloway FGM architectural firm for design. The building expansion and renovation added additional restrooms and showers, 3 meeting rooms, an office, a commissary, a laundry room and an enclosed hallway that serves as an art gallery. The renovated facility was dedicated in March 2022, the 30th anniversary of the building itself.
Ministers
As previously noted, St. Andrews’ was an outgrowth of First Presbyterian Church in Austin. Dr. Fred Brooks was the pastor at the time.
After establishing the new St. Andrew’s Congregation, the Reverend Charles L. Dickey, newly retired as a Navy Chaplain, preached the sermon at the first service on March 2, 1952. Dickey was a graduate of Trinity University and Princeton Theological Seminary. He had held pastorates at Canyon, Mesquite, Paris and Arlington. Upon formal recognition of the church by the Presbytery, Reverend Dickey was installed as the first pastor and served until December 1957. He left to work for the Synod of Texas and was replaced by the Reverend Robert E. Graham who served from April 20, 1958, until 1962 when he left to work with children afflicted with cerebral palsy.
The next pastor for St. Andrew’s came as a new graduate from Seminary, Reverend Robert E. Hendrix, who was originally ordained at St Andrew’s. He served from February 1963 to January 31, 1967, when he left to become educational director for the Texas Commission on Alcoholism. The Revered Harwell E. Norris Jr. moved from Colorado to assume the responsibility as pastor in November 1967 and left in June 1982. Rev. Norris was replaced by Dr. James Rigby, who left John Calvin Presbyterian Church in San Antonio as Assistant Pastor to assume the leadership role on December 1, 1982.
Enjoy this
video about St. Andrew's history, created for our 70th anniversary in 2022.