1890 |
The church that became St. Andrew's began its life in College Park. The first service took place in a small room over a store known as "Calvert's Hall" at the intersection of the B&O Railroad and Calvert Road. The church grew from a small core of dedicated Christians and was directly related to serving the students of the Maryland Agricultural College, now the University of Maryland at College Park. |
1894 |
Mr. John Oliver Johnson, a real estate developer in Washington, bought 125 acres of land in 1889 and named the subdivision College Park. In 1894 a small congregation began to use a brick building of his that had been built for a tabcco barn, then used as a stable, and for a few years by a Presbyterian congregation as their "church." St. Andrew's in Washington, D.C. gave its old pews and so the chapel was named St. Andrew's. |
1896 |
In June of 1896 the first wedding took place. John Oliver Johnson's daughter, Emily, was married to W.T.L. Taliaferro. In the same year Biship Satterlee, the first bishop of the Diocese of Washington, performed St. Andrew's first confirmation service. |
1901 |
St. Andrew's is put under the jurisdiction of St. John's, Beltsville. Mr. Johnson and the rector at St. John's worked together to have a full schedule of services at St. Andrew's. |
1904 |
A vested choir first took part in the services. |
1907 |
Stained glass windows were installed at St. Andrew's. |
1909 |
Part of the church lot was exchanged for a strip of land which gave the church a corner lot. At the same time it became necessary to make repairs and additions were also built. |
1912 |
Bishop Harding consecrated the remodeled St. Andrew's chapel. |
| 1920 |
Bishop Harding purchased lots one block from the College Gate, where he hoped eventually to have adequate buildings errected. |
| 1923 |
The Convention of the Diocese of Washington separated College Park from St. John's, Beltsville, and St. Matthew's, Hyattsville, and defined the boundaries of the mission. |
| 1930 |
In 1930, with the help of Bishop Freeman and the Phillips Foundation (which was concerned with the construction of churches in college towns) the present church was built on lots previously purchased on College Avenue. Bishop Freeman dedicated the building in October of 1930. More than 600 attended the dedication, making it the largest congregation ever assembled in College Park. |
1953 |
St. Andrew's became a full and independent parish and held its first congregational meeting. The Rev. Nathaniel Acton (vicar from 1940-1953) became the first rector (1953-1956) and the Rev. William Beal the first assistant rector. |
1954 |
A parish house was built and one of the rooms was reserved for the use of the Episcopal students, who were still an active part of the congregation. |
| 1967 |
Ground was broken to build a substantial addition to the parish hall. |
| 1969 |
The vestry approved the installation of 24 stained glass memorial windows. They were dedicated by Washington Diocesan Bishop William Creighton in November of that year. |
| 1986 |
The congregation of St. Andrew's formally adopted the mission "to be a welcoming and supportive community of faith which offers itself to the Lord Jesus Christ in coporate worship; which has a special care for all of God's children in the neighborhood; and which stimulates its members to be open to God's call to risk, to grow, and to use their gifts in service to others." |
| 1990 |
The official celebration of St. Andrew's centennial took place in September and the new organ was installed in time for the event. |
| 2005 |
A new organ console with several digital stops was added enabling the organ to better accompany the choir and play organ music of all periods and styles. |
| 2006 |
Episcopal Student Center (ESC) opened, transforming the former rectory into an intentional, residential Christian community and the primary meeting place for the Episcopal/Anglican Campus Ministry. |
From: Centennial Celebration - St. Andrew's Episcopal Church - 1890-1990 - "Living the Good News"
|
College Park, Maryland 20740-3302 
