OUR HISTORY
In 1853 Joseph Dunn came to Seguin where he and 6 communicants organized a mission parish under the name Church of the Redeemer. Subsequently the church changed its name to St. Andrew’s when it was discovered that there was another Church of the Redeemer in Texas.
Prior to the 1836 Texas Revolution, certain forms of worship other than Roman Catholic were not accepted under imperial Spain and the Republic of Mexico, which included this territory of Texas. The founding of St. Andrew’s as a mission of the Episcopal Church gave American settlers and European immigrants another possibility for religious expression.
For a number of years services were held in an upper room on Court Street called Temperance Hall and other locations around town. In 1875 three lots were purchased in the present location at a cost of $300.00 and a church was completed in 1876. It was designed by John White, an architect who had worked on the Capitol of Texas and by John Ireland, a former governor of Texas who was a member of the parish.
In 1886 a storm damaged the church and destroyed the bell tower. In 1900 a second storm broke some of the stained glass windows over the altar and demolished the roof. A beautiful new bell tower was dedicated in 1976 and still stands to this day. The stained glass windows were replaced and a new painted standing seam metal roof was installed to provide long life and enhance the beauty of the church. Over the years, the original church building at St. Andrew’s underwent other significant changes to fix damages caused by storms, to accommodate growth, and the other needs of the parish at that time.
The original church building constructed at its current location on East Nolte Street in 1876, was renovated in 2012 to continue its long history as a holy place for the people who are St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of Seguin. This building is now referred to as the Chapel at St. Andrew’s because a new church building was constructed in 1986 to accommodate growth.
In 1983-1984 a Master Plan for St. Andrew’s new church building was developed. The long range planning committee recommended that a new church be constructed as soon as possible. Alamo Lumber Company of San Antonio was selected as the builder and Ed Rehms was the contractor. On November 17, 1986, the dedication and consecration of the new church was held.
A repository that is filled with items of historical interest to the parish was given in memory of Mrs. Lottie Boquet. It originally stood in McKeogh Hall; then once the new church was built, it was moved to its narthex; it now stands in the church office so visitors and parishioners alike can take in a bit of St. Andrew’s history.
St. Andrew’s is the oldest church in continuous mission in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas and has continuously served God and mankind both in Seguin and around the world. As we near our 175th year, we rededicate ourselves to serving God and others from our historic location in Guadalupe County.
Join us in worship and in many service opportunities both locally and online. St. Andrew’s gathers in worship regularly on Sunday mornings worshipping in the tradition of the Episcopal Church and the Book of Common Prayer. At this time, we have two in-person services, one at 8:00 am in the Chapel which is our Rite I spoken service and our Contemporary service at 10:00 am in the newer church building and on our Facebook page.
VOLUNTEERS
There are lots of ways to get involved at St. Andrew’s, and we need your help! Take a look at the volunteer opportunities below and see what strikes your interest. Don’t worry if something is new to you or you don’t have any prior experience: We can help you learn and are always looking for new people!
VOLUNTEER WITH USSt. Andrew’s Episcopal Church is a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, a congregation of the Episcopal Church, and a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion.