The "main event' every week is worship.  Currently, we have one worship service at 10 am on Sunay mornings.  It lasts about an hour.  In it, we have music, sing songs, read from the Bible, pray and listen to a sermon that connects real life to the stories of the Bible.

Twice each month (1st & 3rd Sundays) we also celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.  On the first Sunday, we pass individual servings of bread and cups of grape juice to the congregation in their seats.  On the third Sunday, we serve by "intinction", when people are invited to come forward, tear a piece of bread from the loaf and dip it into a large chalice of grape juice before eating it.  Also, because we believe that this is the Lord's Supper, and not ours, you don't have to be a member of St. Andrew or a Presbyterian church to receive it.  This is a part of God's grace, given by God who loves us, and something that none of us can earn or deserve.

All kinds.  We believe that every kind of music belongs to God.  On any given Sunday at St. Andrew youll hear traditional hymns of the church, some contemporary praise choruses, gospel tunes, jazz and music from around the world.  Whatever type of music it may be, we strive for it to be excellent and inspirational.

Whatever you want.  God takes us as we are and transforms us into something better.  You will find most people at St. Andrew dressed in "business casual", but you will also find folks in jeans and shorts and a few in ties and dresses.

No.  We collect a weekly offering as part of worship.  It is a way for the members of the St. Andrew community to express their thanks to God and support our collective ministry and mission together.  However, if you are new to St. Andrew, please let the offering basket pass you by.

And we won't randomly show up at your house or harass you on the phone, either.  On Sunday mornings there are "Guest Welcome Cards" that you can complete giving your contact information and allowing you to sign up for our weekly email newsletter.  Feel free to share as much, as little, or no information as you would like.

"Presbyterian" literally means "ruled by elders".  It is a way of describing the way we make decisions, led by people who have been chosen by the congregation. These leaders, as well as our pastors, can be adult men or women of any age.  We believe that the best way we have of connecting to God is with other people, to be connected to a community.  Because of this, every decision in a Presbyterian church is made either, by the whole congregation, or by representatives ("elders") whom the congregation has elected, rather than by any single individual.  St. Andrew is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the original and largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States.

Come anyway.  People are people.  It's the church that is Presbyterian.  Like Jesus, we welcome all people, regardless of their background.  The Christian Church is diverse, made up of lots of different traditions and histories.  We believe that diversity is good and God-given, rather than a source of division.  As a Presbyterian church, we are only a part of that diversity and don't claim to be "the only game in town".  Instead, we work to connect and cooperate with other Christians from other traditions.  Yet, because there are so many other "types" of churches, we also think it is important to say where we come from.

Historically, Presbyterians have always tried to write down and state clearly what they believe.  These beliefs do not come from any one person, but from our best attempts to collectively discern what we believe together, as a community.  Here is a link to one of the most recent belief statements written by the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Brief Statement of Faith.

Because these beliefs come through consensus, there is also room for our own individual perspectives.  We work to listen to and consider different opinions.  Even if your beliefs are different, even if you don't consider yourself a Christian at all, we welcome you to worship with us and be involved in our ministry and mission.

Come worship with us.  That's the center of what we do and who we are.  You are also welcome to get involved in the various parts of our ministry and mission - from small groups and studies to service projects.  Even if you don't consider yourself to be a Christian, you are welcome here.

If you would like to take that connection one step further and become a member of the St. Andrew community, we welcome you to do that as well.  The only requirements for members is that they be or have been baptized in this or any other Christian Church, Presbyterian or otherwise, and that they profess their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.  Members of the St. Andrew community collectively support the ministry and mission of St. Andrew through financial giving and offering their own time, skills and talents.  They also commit to nurture their own spiritual lives through regular worship, study and fellowship.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a member of the St. Andrew community or attending an upcoming informational class, "St. Andy 101", contact our pastor, David Shelor at david@saintandy.com.

 

Jesus welcomed the children and so do we.  At St. Andrew, children are important. 

For children under 3 years old, we provide a professionally staffed nursery.

Children 3 years old through 5th grade are encouraged to sit with their parents at the beginning of worship.  Within the first 15 minutes, we include a special time with our children, after which they are invited to attend age-appropriate classes.  In those classes, they will explore the same Scripture for the day that is used in worship in ways they can understand.
Children who aren't sure about leaving their parents in a new place are certainly welcome to stay with them.