History

The Mission Begins

The first worship service was held on June 27, 1971, and was attended by 58 people. Worship services and Sunday school were held in the Orchards Elementary School cafeteria and at Covington Middle School for a period of time. The congregation was officially organized on October 24, 1971, with 52 baptized and 31 confirmed members. The church building was constructed with lots of volunteer labor. Services were held in a tent on the site several weeks before the completion of the first structure. The dedication and first service in the new building was on September 3, 1972. Read the complete history in our 40th Anniversary booklet here.

Sacred Land Story

In January 2021, a small group of St. Andrew people led by Michael Brown began meeting together by Zoom and covenanted to fight racism within ourselves and within our community. After two years of study, reflection, and action, we began participating in a program led by staff of the Oregon Synod of the ELCA entitled Reckoning with Racism. One of the early steps in our journey was to research and write a sacred story of the land stewarded by our church. This story continues to evolve as we learn more. Its purpose is to unveil the hidden racist history in our community as a first step in building relationships with the communities harmed by injustice. Our goal is to dismantle racism, build relationships, and seek repair, a never-ending process.

Drafts of the Sacred Land Story were shared with the Council in September 2023 and with an Adult Education class during January/February 2024. Our team included Michael Brown, Mark D’Evelyn, Debbie Kramer, Mike Leisle, Karol Maier, and Martha Maier. Our work continues.

Discover the Sacred Land Story for the ground where St. Andrew is built.