St. Andrew’s is a diverse family of believers called to follow Jesus Christ, our Lord, on a journey of faith.

Our mission is to:
* gather together to give thanks to God
* seek renewal
* share hope and faith
* provide our time, talent and treasure for the enrichment of our community,
bearing witness to God’s love.


Who We Are

St. Andrew’s is a small, diverse, family-centered parish. We come together to give thanks to God, seek renewal, and share our hope and faith.

Like our beautiful Tiffany windows, St. Andrew’s people are of many different colors. Most of our members have been attending St. Andrew’s for over 10 years, having come through our doors by the invitation of friends and family. Once inside, they felt welcomed as valued members of the St. Andrew’s family.
We have added several new parishioners and families during this past year

Our parish is centered in the economically growing community of Beacon, located in the Mid-Hudson Valley, 60 miles north of New York City. Our parish is ready for growth. We are working towards financial independence while investing in our community through our outreach and youth groups.

In our recent parish survey we learned that:

*20% of our congregation is between 20 and 40 years of age; with 65% between
40-60 years old; and the remaining 15% are over the age of 60. The last group
is comprised of middle to upper middle class retirees.
*89% of our families are minority, 11% are non-minority
*We have an educated congregation: 25% have Master’s Degrees; 35% are
college graduates; and 23% have high school diploma with some college credit.
*Income levels range from 34% having incomes of $25-$49K and 53% with
incomes of $50-$99K.



Our History

In November 1898, a group of parishioners from St. Luke’s Episcopal Church gathered to consider the formation of a new church in Fishkill Landing. St. Luke’s Church was a considerable distance from the chapel and the large territory was an important point to be considered in the argument for the division. St. Andrew’s chapel of Fishkill Landing was formed as mission of St. Luke’s Church.

On June 1899, permission was given by the standing committee of the Diocese of New York for the chapel to be established as a separate Parish. On July 3, 1899 the male members of the congregation met at the chapel for the purpose of completing their organization. The Rev. Joseph P. Cameron was called as the first Rector of St. Andrew’s.

In 1965, when the Rev. Thomas A. Moneymaker was called to serve at St. Andrew’s the church was a predominately African-American congregation.

Fr. Moneymaker had been a youth worker at St. Andrew’s in 1962 and asked to come back after he was ordained. Rev. Moneymaker served St. Andrew’s for 32 years until his passing in November 1998.

It was a very big loss for the St. Andrew’s family.
 We have had one Vicar (Father Samual Reddimalla) and two interim priests (Mother Claire Woodley-Aitchison and Father Frank Alagna), since his passing. During this time, we have learned so much about our strengths and have come to appreciate what we have at St. Andrew’s. Healing has taken place and we feel we are finally ready to begin again. 


 Our Goals

1. Develop our youth programs
2. Attain financial independence through church growth and stewardship
3. Develop a strategy to maintain and renovate our buildings and grounds
4. Expand our outreach programs to better serve the needs of the community


What is Important to Us

Liturgy and Worship

• Feeling of warmth and Christian community
• Delivery and content of the sermon
• Congregational hymns and service music
• Eucharistic celebrations
• Healing services

Faith and Spiritual Life

• Prayer life outside of St. Andrew’s church
• St. Andrew’s as a place where children can develop spiritually
• The Sacraments

Christian Education

• Sunday school for children
• Confirmation preparation
• Involvement of youth in worship and in the life of the parish

Outreach (Local and Global)
• Community programs for youth and seniors
• Food Pantry partnered with St. Luke’s
• 12 Step and Healing Groups
• Inter-parish fellowship Initiative with St. Luke’s
• Sponsorship of the Carpenter’s Kids Program with St. Luke’s
• Lay Pastoral Ministry Team with St. Luke’s

Newsletter

Our newsletter is published on a quarterly basis and includes local parish news as well as Regional and Diocesan events. 

Website

Recently, we created a website for St. Andrew’s. Our website expands on stories in our newsletter and includes up to date notices and pictures. Find us at www.standrewsbeaconny.org.


Our Worship

St. Andrew’s has Sunday services at both 8:00 am and 10:00 am every week. St. Andrew’s uses the 1979 Prayer Book praying all the approved and alternative Eucharistic prayers during the course of the liturgical year. The 1982 Hymnal is used along with the “Lift Every Voice” songbook. Music is incorporated into our 10:00 service. It is traditional with a smattering of Gospel. The choir sings with full voice and enthusiasm each week.

8:00 Service: Rite II Eucharist

A dedicated group of between 10 to 15 parishioners attend this service every Sunday. When the services are combined at 9:00 am during the summer months, the people who attend the 8:00 get to sleep in a little longer and visit with old friends.

10:00 Service: Rite II Eucharist

The main service at 10:00 usually has between 35 to 45 parishioners. The music is traditional with the choir singing. After the services, there is a coffee hour in the undercroft.

The Sunday school meets at 9:45 am and joins the church service at the peace or just before the Eucharist so they may be recognized as members of the whole church and take part in the Holy Meal. They are an integral part of the service at the Christmas Pageant, the Procession on Palm Sunday and Easter. On Mother’s and Father’s Day they present gifts for all the mothers and fathers of the church.

Lent

The parish celebrates all the services provided in the BCP for the Holy Week Triduum: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Great Vigil of Easter. After the Maundy Thursday service there is a night watch before the reserved sacrament until midnight.

Christmas

The season of joy is always a fun time at St. Andrew’s. The children’s pageant is a highlight of the week before Christmas. This pageant has been presented during the church service on the fourth Sunday of Advent or the Sunday after Christmas.

The church is greened at the beginning of Advent. After services on Advent 4, the parishioners decorate the church with flowers and red bows for Christmas. The smell of pine and the warm light from the Tiffany stained glass windows makes for a wonderful setting. The Main Christmas Service is at 7:30 PM Christmas Eve. There is no service on Christmas Day. Following the Christmas Eve service there is a reception at the rectory hosted by the priest.


Our Ministries

Sunday School

St. Andrew’s values its children, and that shows in its Sunday school program. Sunday school is a microcosm of St. Andrew’s as a whole. The attendees are vibrant and varied. The teachers demonstrate the love of Christ in their extensive contributions. The Sunday school has an atmosphere of family, just like the church as a whole.

Many of the programs that define St. Andrew’s as a parish come out of the Sunday School: The Nativity Play, Shrove Tuesday Supper, Easter Day Brunch, Palm Saturday activities and activities around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Adult Education

In the past, we have had at times bible studies and workshops on topics of spiritual interest to out congregation. But our Adult Education needs to be developed. Fellowship is important to us. We host annual picnics, weekly coffee hours, Christmas celebrations, and holiday parties.

Youth Work

Youth are an important priority at St. Andrew’s. We are eager to meet
The spiritual needs of our school age children and teens attending
grammar, middle and high schools of our area.

We attend regional and Diocesan sponsored youth events. For the summer of 2002, we went on a mission trip where our youth worked alongside others from throughout the country, doing necessary repair work for low income seniors and families.

Outreach
Since 1965, the church has grown into an active church whose mission is to serve God’s people and the community of Beacon. The Martin Luther King Cultural Center (MLKCC) is an outgrowth of the summer programs begun in the 1950’s. It is housed in a building that was bought by the Diocese in the 1950’s to house the assistant priest and later the lay workers who worked at the church.
The Martin Luther King Center now operates an after school and summer program for elementary, middle and high school children, a summer employment program for teenagers.
In addition, they serve area senior citizens with their Dial-A-Van and Meals-on-wheels programs.
We recently started a Food Pantry and a Community Garden to assist those in the area. During the course of the year, we donate toiletries to a women’s shelter and toys at Christmas for kids.
This year, we initiated a Father Moneymaker Memorial Golf Tournament to fund our outreach ministries. This will be a yearly tournament.
Four NA and AA groups hold meetings regularly in the undercroft. This year, we added GE and ESL programs as well.

Clubs and Happenings

Men’s and Women’s Ministries

Our Men’s and Women’s Cubs are active and involved in annual community events. They usually meet on a monthly basis. The meetings are a time for bible study and sharing. The Women’s ministry sponsors yearly scholarships for our graduating senior high and college students and an annual bus trips to see a play. The Men’s ministry is famous for their breakfasts and dinners. They also enjoy an annual fishing trip where they typically sponsor some of our youth. Both clubs members take part in our clean-up day. Both clubs are active in annual fundraisers to support the Church.