Saint Andrew's Church

About two years ago, a childhood friend of mine died suddenly of a heart attack. She was forty-five and a thoroughly good person. Although she had been baptized and confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church as a child, she had drifted away from it and dabbled in a variety of spiritual options, including Wiccan rites. At one point she contemplated a conversion to Judaism. She also intimated to me that she’d looked at some of the Protestant denominations. Nothing seemed to fit. And at the end of her life, I think her religious identity remained fragmented. Her funeral was held in a generic chapel at a funeral home, and she was dispatched with an impersonal efficiency that I found troubling and still do. She had no spiritual home. A lot of people don’t. They may seek, but sometimes their quest doesn’t pan out.
Not only am I a cradle Episcopalian, but a cradle member of St. Andrew’s. I was baptized at that font as an infant in April 1961; so the question for me is not why I chose to attend St. Andrew’s, but why I remain a member. After all, God can be worshiped in many places and most congregations provide a cordial welcome to newcomers. However, when visiting other churches or houses of worship, I never feel like anything other than a guest because I have had the benefit of long and consistent exposure to the loving witness embodied by this parish and feel blessed to call it my spiritual home.
St. Andrew’s is place to worship God and know his son, Jesus Christ as well as participate in the traditional rites of the Anglo-Catholic Mass in a beautiful and historic church; those of us who gather here find Christian fellowship, healing, compassionate pastoral care by the priests of this parish, as well as many true friends. At services, there is the beauty of the liturgy and the fine and erudite preaching of Fr. Alton and Fr. Gage. We are treated to splendid music offered up to the glory of God each week. We have a diverse and devoted membership. And St. Andrew’s is rich in tradition. Its doors have been open for 147 years, serving not only our congregation, but the community of Stamford. It is the oldest Anglo-Catholic parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut; St Andrew’s is a steward of that tradition. It was also the first free parish, which meant there was no pew rental—designated seats paid for by subscription was never a policy in this parish. Everyone is welcome: that is the hallmark of the worship practiced here.
Let me share another story with you about a different quest for a church. A well-to-do family with whom I am acquainted has a daughter who got engaged. They set the wedding date, booked an elegant and expensive venue for the reception, and then scouted round for a church for the ceremony. Yet, people who appear to possess everything did not have a church. Initially, when they came up empty-handed, the mother of the bride felt affronted that they weren’t accommodated and likened the experience to being denied membership at a private club. She bemoaned to me, “What do we have to do to get into a church?” I guess I wasn’t terribly sympathetic because I said, “You could attend services regularly at one, participate in parish life, and develop your faith.” My table assignment in Siberia during the lavish reception suggested that she probably didn’t appreciate my answer. Eventually, she solicited the church of her childhood two towns over from the place she now resides. The minister graciously allowed the wedding to take place there. It was a lovely ceremony. There was even a homily that proclaimed a church is more than a place to celebrate a happy occasion. But once the wedding was over, and they’d obtained their goal—the traditional setting for a wedding—they pretty much were done with church and probably will be until the next time they require something.
All that family sought in God’s house was a room to rent for a special occasion. Those of us who are fortunate to call St. Andrew’s our spiritual home understand that our church does not exist for our convenience. It is a place to worship and cultivate a faithful relationship with God that must be forged every day, especially on Sunday, in good times and bad. And when tribulation occurs, it’s a great comfort to have that ongoing relationship and a place such as St. Andrew’s to rely upon. My parents and I were especially thankful for that when my dad was so ill last year: all the prayers, ministry and encouragement from our parish family helped see us through that ordeal.
God gives much to us. Our relationship with him is a serious commitment and so is our connection to this church. We are asked to honor that commitment with gifts of our time, talent and treasure. All these offerings are valued, but pledging is a formal acknowledgement of support for our church. It allows St. Andrew’s and the diocese to see that we can be counted on—that we take our commitment to the continuing mission of this parish seriously. It is a sign that we are finding here what we seek.