OUR HISTORY
St. Andrew’s Reformed Episcopal Church was founded as an independent congregation in the Anglican/Episcopal Tradition in 1969 under the leadership of the Rev’d Ernest Risley to serve a particular need in Savannah, Georgia. From that time on, the parish received episcopal assistance from a variety of bishops in the Anglican communion who were sympathetic to St. Andrew’s convictions. In March of 2006, St. Andrew’s affiliated with the Reformed Episcopal Church and, therefore, changed its name from St. Andrew’s Church (Independent Episcopal) to St. Andrew’s Reformed Episcopal Church.
For thirty years, St. Andrew’s shared the faith at 112 Montgomery Street in Savannah’s Historic District. In the fall of 2002, seeking room to grow and a more central location in the city, the parish moved to its present spacious campus at 608 Hampton Street in midtown. Since the property previously had been home to another church, it included both a Parish House (fellowship hall) and a Rectory (the minister’s home) . Currently, all worship, programs and fellowship take place in the Parish House, and our rector and his family reside in the Rectory. It is our hope and desire to begin the planning and construction of a new church building adjacent to the Parish House in the next few years.
OUR FAITH
St. Andrew’s Reformed Episcopal Church is dedicated to the perpetual maintenance of the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Anglican Way, as outlined in the traditional Anglican formularies (Scripture, the Canons and Constitution of the Church, the Book of Common Prayer, etc.). We follow the simple outline of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of the Anglican Way, formulated by Anglican ministers at the time of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. The Church is based on one canon of Holy Scripture, in two Testaments, Old and New, which reveal a unified truth of the glory and mercy of God. That understanding of God is summarized in three ancient and ecumenical Creeds, the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian, and in the teaching of the first four Ecumenical Councils (at Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon). Finally, the general life of the Church is to be guided by the life of the undivided Christian Church of the first five centuries: in worship, discipline, ministry, and mission. Thus, as St. Andrew’s former rector, the Rev’d Louis Tarsitano says, “[T]he Anglican Way is a life lived in Christ under God the Father, with the Holy Ghost, and in unity with the historic Apostolic church.”
OUR WORSHIP
The Book of Common Prayer is a Scriptural manual of worship and life. First compiled in 1549 by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the Prayer Book is a summary of the faith and practice that Anglicans hold “in common” with each other and with the ancient Church. The worship at St. Andrew’s is conducted according to the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer, the King James Bible and the 1940 Episcopal Hymnal. If you are not familiar with liturgical or Prayer Book worship, it would be our honor to introduce you to this beautiful and dignified way of giving God the praise and honor that is His due.
Additionally, St. Andrew’s follows the traditional Western church calendar. For almost two millennia, Christians have ordered their worship and Christian life according to the church seasons: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, etc. Printed calendars are available to all in the foyer (the narthex) of the church.
We believe that Holy Scripture is the word of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. Therefore, St. Andrew’s is committed to Christian education and Bible study for all ages. We currently offer Sunday School for children and adults, as well as mid-week Bible Study. Additionally, we seek to help Christians live wisely in light of the challenges of modern culture. To that end, from time to time we will study and discuss issues that are of contemporary importance and interest. A clean, well-staffed nursery is available at all events.
PASTORAL AND CHURCH MINISTRY
St. Andrew’s offers the ministry of the Church at all of the important junctures in a Christian’s life: baptism at birth or conversion; holy matrimony to establish the family; visitation, prayer and the anointing of the sick or dying; and the funeral and burial of the departed. Please do not hesitate to call the church office if you have any pastoral needs.
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Church membership is available to all those who are baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity and have been confirmed in the Christian faith. If you or one of your family members are not baptized and/or confirmed, please see the rector.
A FINAL WORD
It is the goal of St. Andrew’s Reformed Episcopal Church to provide a traditional, biblical and evangelical expression of the Christian faith to individuals and families in the Savannah community. As theologian Peter Leithart says, The church is not a club for religious people. The Church is a way of living together before God, a new way of being human together. We invite you to visit with us and to consider becoming an active member of this local expression of Christ’s church.
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