A glance at the identity of Saint Andrew's Church

     Even as Harriman was being born in 1890-91, the Episcopal Church's presence was brought here with the city's founders. Names such as Ayres and Byrd were prominent among those who brought the worship of the Episcopal Church to Harriman one Sunday in October of Harriman's first year. The first services were held in the Byrd's home and were led by laymen. Soon thereafter the little band of Episcopalians in the Utopia of Temperance sought and found the ministry of various visiting clergy. Ironically, the first resident clergyman in Harriman was one who, as a younger man, had been the photographer hired by the land company to record the beginnings of the new city as land was sold and the building began along streets of mud. Alexander Cassidy Killeffer, who had served churches in Fayetteville and Monterey, Tennessee, came back to Harriman as first resident priest of Saint Andrew's Church.

     Since Killeffer, there has been a long line of distinguished clergy serving the people of Saint Andrew's and surrounding area.  Our new rector, the Rev. Joseph Pinner, is with us, and hit the ground running on the Feast of Pentecost, May 23, 1999.

     All the talk of who we were must finally bring us to who we are. We all are ministers, sharing in a royal priesthood. We each have our own vocations, our calling from God. And we answer our calls in individual and corporate ways. The ministers of Saint Andrew's Church provide the area with significant servanthood to others. The parish maintains an emergency food pantry which provides thousands of pounds of groceries each year to area people who are in urgent need. Individuals of the parish serve as officers and just plain volunteers in very concrete outreach ministries such as Roane County Cooperative Ministries and Habitat for Humanity, FISH, Roane County Alliance for Mental Health, United Way, AA, NA, and others. Many ministries undertaken by the ministers of Saint Andrew's are anonymous and/or invisible, but are nevertheless there and serving the people of God, showing forth his love to others.

    Corporately, Saint Andrew's parish shares a common vocation to worship God in spirit and in truth, and to make that worship a true offering of self to God. One service [click for schedule of all services] of the Holy Eucharist is available on Sunday at 9:00 AM, followed by a time of refreshments and fellowship and Christian Education. On Thursday the Holy Eucharist is celebrated, and may be followed by a study period or other activity which may vary. The content or format of that discussion may change, depending on the needs of the parish, so check the link for schedule of services (above) to see what is current. Sharing God's love with the world, caring for each other, and worshiping God in the beauty of holiness may be said to sum up the life and ministry of the family of Saint Andrew's Church. Come and share. God will bless.

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