Timeline of the History of St. Andrew’s Church

YEAR	EVENT
June 1875	The Reverend Herbert C. Miller, rector of St. Philip’s, Wiscasset, begins weekly services, probably held in private residences. Services soon moved to the Taniscot Engine House.
1876	Services are taken over by The Reverend Henry Pyne, successor to Mr. Miller at St. Philip’s. It is recorded that he borrowed a handcar from the railroad and pumped his way to divine service.
August 1877	Bishop Neely presides at an evening service where five are baptized and at least one confirmed. Eight families and sixteen communicants
1883	Captain and Mrs. William T. Glidden offer to build a church on one- and one-half acres of land with the condition that the communicants must raise an endowment. Twenty-six individuals respond, raising $3,600.
November 22, 1883	St. Andrew’s Church is consecrated by The Right Reverend Henry Adams Neely and is named St. Andrew’s because the church’s consecration occurs near Saint Andrew’s Day. The simple Gothic building, constructed in the 18th century “half-timber” style, has the distinction of being the first parish church in this country designed by the eminent architect, Henry Vaughan. Henry Vaughan, recently arrived from England, had been engaged by the Gliddens to design St. Andrew’s. Later he would be one of the original architects of the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D. C.
1883-1889	Sometime during this period the gilded reredos, a London recreation of a 14th century Florentine triptych, is installed. The framework with hinged doors was executed in England, possibly under the supervision of John LaFarge who is said to have done the three painted wood panels.
1888	The pipe organ, a fine tracker-action Hutchings organ, is installed as a memorial to Mary S. Glidden by Charles Perkins Gardiner. The casework was designed by Vaughan and shows his exquisite handling of 15th century flamboyant woodwork as well as his devotion to High Church and the Arts and Crafts movements.
1889	The Reverend Charles Short is engaged as the first rector and presides over the formation of St. Andrew’s as a parish.
September 30, 1889	St. Andrew’s Church is incorporated.
November 1, 1889	St. Andrew’s Church is formally organized with “Articles of Association”.
October 14, 1891	The newly constructed Parish House, a gift of Emma Field Gardiner, is officially opened for use. This modest, quite attractive rectangular two-story building was built across the street from the church very close to Main Street.
1892	The beautiful baptismal font, designed by Henry Vaughn, is given “in loving memory of Katherine Cottrell Glidden” by her grandchildren.
1889-1894	With a score of communicants, the new rector launches a full program – a Women’s Auxiliary, a Junior Auxiliary, Church School, Girls’ Friendly Society, a sewing group and a Church Library. This wide range of interests was not always matched in succeeding years.
1895	A “vested choir of men and boys” is organized.
1905	The Reverend Charles Follen Lee leaves St. Andrew’s after ten years of ministry and the church begins a long period of slow decline.
1910-1913	Post of rector is vacant. Various supply clergy officiate at services.
1916	In the summer of 1916 Mrs. William R. Cabot presented the deed to a large Greek Revival house, at 30 Glidden Street, to the diocese for use as a rectory. This is given in memory of her mother and father, Mr. & Mrs. Charles P. Gardiner.
1917-1919	Post of rector is vacant. Various supply clergy officiate at services.
1917-1956	As several well-to-do members die, the budget grows critically small and St. Andrew’s struggles with financial issues during this time period. The Women’s Auxiliary since it’s beginning did important work for missions around the United States. At the close of World War I and the darkening financial picture of the parish, they shift their emphasis from raising funds for mission work to rescuing the church budget.
1920	The Diocese of Maine celebrates its Centennial. St. Andrew’s has a church building, a Parish House and a Rectory, but only 27 communicants.
1924-1927	Post of rector is vacant. Various supply clergy officiate at services.
1935	The Reverend Eric Robinson, who would become the longest serving rector, arrives at St. Andrew’s where membership consists of 33 families and 80 communicants. He served twelve years, leaving in 1947. Growth in communicants and finances is slow, due to the Great Depression and the strains of World War II.
1946	The number of communicants is 74.
1953	The bridge between Newcastle and Damariscotta is replaced requiring use of a temporary bridge and access. Access to the bridge on the Newcastle side is provided by a temporary road through St. Andrew’s grounds. Route One traffic is routed this way until the completion of the new bridge.
1954	The Reverend Nelson B. Gildersleeve, rector since March of 1947, died of a heart attack on May 11, 1954 plunging the parish into shock and mourning.
1954	The original Parish House is sold and the present Undercroft is built.
1955	The Undercroft is dedicated to the Glory of God by Bishop Loring on June 19, 1955. Church School registrations reach 61 in nine classes with nine teachers.
1955-1967	The Reverend Maurice W. Venno is the rector during this time period. In order to continue to run a family business in the summer he resigned his position to the Vestry each June and was reappointed each fall.
1956	St. Andrew’s is now firmly on its feet with a full program of worship, religious education, women’s contributions (now shifting gradually again to mission interests and other partly social concerns).
1956-2020	Membership, financial support, and church programs experience healthy growth.
October 8, 1976	St. Andrew’s Church is named to the National Register of Historic Places in the State of Maine.
1976	St. Andrew’s Memorial Garden was designed by Wolcott E. Andrews of Wiscasset, who was for many years with the New York Parks Department.
1980	The Memorial Garden is completed and dedicated as a place for contemplation, prayer and reflection.
1988	The newest addition to St. Andrew’s, consisting of the atrium, offices for clergy and secretary, choir room and the library is dedicated.
1994	Sean Fleming and Linda Blanchard are hired, as the Organist and Director of Choirs respectively, and begin their music ministry.
1999	The old rectory at 30 Glidden Street is sold and the Colonel White home at 16 Glidden Street is purchased for a parish house.
2000	The Rt. Reverend Chilton Knudsen, Bishop of Maine, dedicates the new Parish House. This lovely mid-nineteenth century home becomes the gracious site for meetings, receptions, church school, youth activities, counseling and storage for the annual summer Lawn Party and Auction which, in later years, becomes the Fair for Outreach.
2008	The Reverend Dr. Stephen J. White retires and concludes his twelve-year ministry as rector. His ministry placed great emphasis on inclusion and diversity and resulted in a noticeable growth of communicants from the gay and lesbian community. In the summer of 2008, Benjamin “Ben” Cooke and his wife, Justine, first visit the church and immediately began helping at the Lawn Party and Auction.
2010	The Reverend Lu-Anne Conner, the Assistant Rector of St. Elizabeth’s Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey, is called as the new rector.
2012	Benjamin “Ben” Cooke is hired as the Director of Christian Formation and commences a ministry of multiple and varied programs to children, youth, and adults in the congregation.
2016	In February of 2016 The Reverend John S. Neiman was appointed Priest-in-Charge for a three-year interim period concluding in January of 2019. Another milestone occurred in 2016 when the Parish House at 16 Glidden Street is sold.
2017	Anna and George Shaw initiated a matching challenge to the congregation to establish the Henry Vaughan Fund, a fund for the maintenance and preservation of our historic church building.
2018	The Vestry votes to use part of the proceeds from the sale of the parish house to establish a restricted fund, the income of which will be used for outreach. Proceeds were also contributed to the Henry Vaughan Fund and to the General Unrestricted Funds; the income from which is to be used for the general operation of the parish.
July 25, 2019	The Right Reverend Thomas James Brown, newly elected Bishop of Maine, celebrates at a special service of the Renewal of Ministry with the Welcoming of the New Rector for The Reverend Dr. Suzannah Rohman. Suzannah was called from St. Paul’s Church in Southington, Connecticut where she was the rector for 12 years.
2020	In early 2020 the world is crippled by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. St. Andrew’s makes every effort to stop the spread of the virus by suspending all in-person worship services and all other in-person activities. For the first time in the church’s history, services are broadcast on the internet via Zoom and Facebook Live as other group meetings switch to electronic gathering. On Sunday, August 30, 2020, the congregation bids fond farewell and Godspeed to Ben Cooke and his family as he concludes his full-time ministry at St. Andrew’s to enter the process for ordination to the priesthood.