St. Andrew’s Heritage Church
Our heritage church was built in 1911 and it, along with the cemetery, holds an important part of the history of the Mission area. This beautiful old church, steeped in prayer, is finding its ministry for this century as a space for small group and individual retreats. Our main church was built in 1986 and its design incorporates the style of our heritage church. The heritage font is also in our main sanctuary.
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St. Andrew
Andrew was a Galilean fisherman. He first met Jesus when John the Baptist, of whom he was a disciple, point to Jesus and said “Behold the Lamb of God!”. Andrew then followed, asking Jesus if he could know where he lived and who he was and Jesus answered him: “Come and see.” From then on, Andrew chose to follow Jesus and brought his own brother Simon Peter to him. It is believed that Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel and there was put to death on an X-shaped cross. St. Andrew is the patron saint of Russia and Scotland.
This icon is a wall painting, or fresco, from a church near Athens, Greece. The bright blue colors so prominent here are unusual in iconography and this is one of several frescos from this same church. Here, Christ is telling St. Andrew and St. Peter in their boat, who had been cleaning their nets when Jesus approached them, to let down their nets, even though they had not taken any fish the previous night. St. John and James can be seen on the shore still cleaning their nets with their father Zebedee.
The creative Word of God, “…by Whom all things were made…” as we say in the Nicene Creed, is Jesus Christ come in the flesh. If He speaks, Creation responds most positively. When the net is lowered, such a shoal of fish is immediately caught that they call their partners John and James, and even together their boats almost sink under the weight. It was the most impressive moment of fishing in their lives, yet immediately on coming to land they left all that they had, as Jesus called them to discipleship and to become fishers of people. We, too, are called, to discipleship, so O Lord bless that we respond right away with love.
This icon is given to the glory of God, in thanksgiving for 5 years serving St. Andrew’s and
our wonderful distilling process through which we heard Christ calling us to discipleship.
From the Rev’d Anne Privett + July 2020