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Milestones: 1904 to 1945 |
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1904 |
Construction of St Andrew’s Church began with HK$35,000 financed by Sir Catchick Paul Chater | |||
1906 |
St Andrew’s Church completed and consecrated on 6 October. The first Vicar was Rev A. J. Stevens. | |||
1909 |
Vicarage completed, also financed by Sir Paul Chater. The second Vicar, Rev H. O Spink was its first occupant. Rev Spink founded the first scout troop in Hong Kong. | |||
1912 |
Rev N. C. Pope arrived and St Andrew’s was equipped with the first telephone! Opening of the old church hall, financed by Sir Paul Chater | |||
1913 |
Diocesan Girls School moved to 1 Jordan Road and began a close link with St Andrew’s. | |||
1914 |
First World War; St Andrew’s Church struggled financially | |||
1919 |
Canon G.R. Lindsay served as vicar and stayed for 8 years and witnessed St Andrew’s putting down firm roots as Kowloon began to develop rapidly. | |||
1927 |
Our sixth vicar, Rev W. W. Rogers, arrived. The St Andrew’s choir achieved a high reputation under organist and choirmaster Rupert Baldwin; a new organ was built in the south bay of the chancel. Ceiling fans were installed. | |||
1934 |
Rev J. R. Higgs arrived. Money had to be raised for repairing the vicarage and hall, which had been eaten by white ants. | |||
1937 |
Refugees streamed into Hong Kong due to war in China; relief dinners organised together with All Saints Church Mong Kok. | |||
1940 |
Rev H. A. Wittenbach took over as acting Vicar; interned during the Japanese occupation. | |||
1942 |
All Saints Mong Kok used St Andrew’s for services as their church and rice store | |||
1945 |
St Andrew’s Church was used as a Shinto shrine and the old vicarage used as a Japanese magistrate’s court until the war ended on 15 August. On 20 August a small group of Christians – British, Chinese and Japanese – attended a Communion thanksgiving service at St Andrew’s, conducted jointly by Rev Samijima, a Japanese minister sent from the Japanese government, and Rev Tsang Kei Ngok, vicar of All Saints. | |||
1945 |
Canon Wittenbach left St Andrew’s in November. Care of the church was left to three laymen. | |||
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Milestones: 1946 to 1999 |
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1946 |
Rev J H Ogilvie appointed as Vicar, and stayed for 9 years. Rev Ogilvie was an energetic widower in his 60’s and previously a chaplain to the armed forces. | |||
1947 |
St Andrew’s started their first ever Sunday school; one of the first non-Chinese Sunday Schools to function after the war. There were around 100 children who attended. | |||
1954 |
50th Anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone; the Lych Gate and steps were inaugurated, attended by Governor Sir Alexander Grantham. Another influx of refugees from mainland China, St Andrew’s participated in a lot of relief work. | |||
1955 |
Rev J H Ogilvie died suddenly in June; Rev Eric Hague took over and stayed only until 1957. A fundraising concert during Rev Hague’s time featured 120 members of the Russian Orthodox Choir – many White Russians had come to Hong Kong from Shanghai at this time | |||
1957 |
Rev Owen Eva was installed as the 11th Vicar of St Andrew’s Church. Rev Eva was from Liverpool. He was a prisoner of war in Thailand, and curate under Canon Lindsay. Work on repairing the roof of the church began and was finished in time for Christmas 1959. | |||
1961-1968 |
Rev Jocelyn Michell succeeded Rev Eva as Vicar. The church hall and verger’s house were badly damaged and needed repair. A proposal to build a European primary school on the site was voted down and finally the hall was repaired in time for the 60th anniversary, at a cost of $66,000. The 1st St Andrew’s Scout Troop helped with the fundraising and sold over 600 hot dogs at their annual campfire. The church spire was removed in 1966 as it had rusted through and was no longer safe. | |||
1969 |
Rev Bob Hyatt became Vicar; great expansion in the life and work of the church, from ‘Star Ferry Witness’ to the expansion of the clergy team. | |||
1975 |
St Andrew’s congregation committed to raising $1 million for a new building (Christian Centre) with an outstanding $1.2million to be raised by other means. | |||
1977 |
The foundation stone was laid for the Christian Centre, dedicated ‘To the Glory of God and to present the Good News of Jesus’. | |||
1978 |
St Andrew’s Christian Centre opened. The 6-storey building houses a new church hall, offices, a new vicarage and facilities for other Christian organisations. | |||
1978 |
Rev Ken Coleman from Australia became the first non-UK Vicar to join St Andrew’s. | |||
1983 |
Daughter church planted in Clearwater Bay with Rev John Menear as the minister in charge | |||
1985 |
Rev John Menear became Vicar at St Andrew’s Church after Ken Coleman left; Rev Dale Hanson joined in 1987. | |||
1989 |
Rev John Menear left St Andrew’s and returned to Australia. He was succeeded by Rev John Aldiswho was instituted as Vicar in September; he served St Andrew’s for 10 years until 1999. | |||
1990 |
Daughter Church planted in Shatin | |||
1994 |
St Andrew’s started an outreach in Chung King Mansions, working with Southeast Asian minority groups, which later became Inner City Missions Ltd. | |||
1995 |
Daughter church planted in Tuen Mun | |||
1997 |
Handover Sunday morning service, ‘Our Transition and Hope’, broadcast on BBC World Service; Reconciliation Service with local Chinese Churches in the evening | |||
1998 |
Sheng Kung Hui Province of Hong Kong and Macau inaugurated | |||
1999 |
St Andrew’s started the ‘Stephen Ministry’ programme – the training of lay care-givers to people going through difficult times – the first church to do so in Hong Kong. A survey showed that St Andrew’s remained an international church with people from many cultures and countries; a survey done of the congregation mix revealed that Chinese composed of 58%, Caucasian, 26% and others, 19%. | |||
[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”Milestones: 2000 to Now” tab_font_select=”default” body_font_select=”default”]
Milestones: 2000 to Now |
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2000 |
Rev Paul Kenchington became Vicar; planning began for Centenary celebrations. | |||
2004 |
Celebrations for the Centenary of St Andrew’s Church began | |||
2005 |
Rev John Menear returned to St Andrew’s as Vicar | |||
2006 |
St Andrew’s received an Award of Merit from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The central theme of the Centenary celebrations was thanksgiving – One Sows, Another Reaps. St Andrew’s began to pray and plan for ways to build on its wonderful heritage for future generations. | |||
2007 |
As the children and youth ministries grew, space needs became increasingly urgent. After sustained prayer, the 6th floor of the Kai Fong Association was leased. It was renamed YouthWorX – which provides space for Youth ministry, as well as mid week meetings and additional office space. | |||
2009 |
The St Andrew’s Christian Centre was refurbished and finished in a colour scheme consistent with the heritage nature of the site. The need to bring everyone to maturity in Christ demanded a growing staff team to develop existing ministries and form new ones. | |||
2009 |
The 2020 Vision campaign was launched. Fundraising began for the new Life Centre and plans began to roll out for the 2020 Vision ministries. | |||
2010 |
St Andrew’s Church began to host the Certificate in Theology, established the Men’s andWomen’s ministries and developed a comprehensive Family ministry. Series of initiatives launched to raise funds for the 2020 Vision building project. By September 2010, the first fundraising milestone was reached – $30 million. | |||
2011 |
St Andrew’s began new Sunday service times and grew from four to five church services. The ground floor welcoming area was renamed The Hub. The St Andrew’s Partnership course was launched and the Global Partners grew from 10 to 12. By September 2011, over $61 million was raised from within the congregation. A 2020 Vision Building Project Dedication Ceremony was held on 27 November, conducted by Archbishop Paul Kwong. | |||
2012 |
Construction of the ‘Life Centre’ commenced with a blessing ceremony conducted by the Rt Revd Andrew Chan, Bishop of the Western Kowloon Diocese on 29 June 2012. By the beginning of November, $72 million was raised. Ongoing prayer and fundraising initiatives until the target sum of $155 million is reached. | |||
2014 |
The Life Centre due to open. There will be church services in both the new auditorium and the main church building, while youth and children will meet in the underground floor and existing facilities. Depending on needs YouthWorX may continue to be used until 2018. | |||
2018 |
The St Andrew’s Christian Centre will provide additional space for ministries as tenant’s leases expire. St Andrew’s Church hopes to continue to lease out some of the space and review the use of others, as more are welcomed into His Kingdom. | |||
2020 |
As St Andrew’s Church will endeavour to preserve and develop its heritage site, the 2020 Vision will be to continue to impact the community and the world beyond from its strategic position in western Kowloon, Hong Kong. | |||
[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”Vicars at St Andrew’s” tab_font_select=”default” body_font_select=”default”]
| Rev. A.J. Stevens | 1906 – 1909 |
| Rev. H.O. Spink | 1909 – 1912 |
| Rev. N.C. Pope | 1912 – 1918 |
| Rev. A.T.W.Dowding | 1918 – 1919 |
| Rev. G.R. Lindsay | 1919 – 1927 |
| Rev. W.W. Rogers | 1927 – 1934 |
| Rev. J.R. Higgs | 1934 – 1940 |
| Rev. H.A. Wittenbach (Acting Vicar) |
1940 – 1945 |
| Rev. J.H. Ogilvie | 1946 – 1955 |
| Rev. Eric Hague | 1955 – 1957 |
| Rev. O.V. Eva | 1957 – 1961 |
| Rev. J.R.S.Michell | 1961 – 1968 |
| Rev. R.K. Hyatt | 1969 – 1978 |
| Rev. K.G. Coleman | 1978 – 1984 |
| Rev. J.L. Menear | 1985 – 1989 |
| Rev. J.A. Aldis | 1989 – 1999 |
| Rev. P.H. Kenchington | 2000 – 2005 |
| Rev. J.L. Menear | 2005 – 2015 |
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HISTORY
Christians have been meeting at St Andrew’s for over 100 years.
Construction on the St Andrew’s building began in 1904, financed by Sir Paul Chater. The church was completed and consecrated on 6 October 1906.
Over the years, through God’s wonderful provision, the church site at 138 Nathan Road has evolved. The Old Vicarage was finished in 1909. The Lych Gate and steps were added in 1954 to mark the 50th anniversary of the laying of the church foundation stone. In 1978, the St Andrew’s Christian Centre (a 6-storey building that includes apartments, offices and a hall) was opened. Finally, the St Andrew’s Life Centre was opened in June 2015.
Throughout this time, the community of St Andrew’s has been active in the life of Hong Kong. In 1913, a close relationship began with the Diocesan Girls School, which moved to 1 Jordan Road. The church community has experienced the ups and downs with Hong Kong – the church building even being used as a Shinto shrine during the Japanese occupation of WWII. St Andrew’s has always been heavily involved in refugee work, particularly after WWII, and during the 1950s and 1970s, and still today. The church community continues to be involved in various ministries around the city, and many groups also come to St Andrew’s to use the wonderful facilities.
Today, St Andrew’s is made up of people from over 30 nationalities, but is also around 75% ethnically Chinese. We have a vibrant partnership with our daughter churches, Resurrection Church in Sai Kung (planted in 1983) and Shatin Church (planted in 1990), as well as being in active fellowship within the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (Anglican Church of Hong Kong). Our continuing aim as a church (as stated in our ‘2020 Vision’) is that we will seek to grow in our love of Jesus, becoming more like him, and welcoming many more into his Kingdom.
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