For years, St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Montevallo was the little church that could, never giving up despite being twice destroyed.

Years of hard work and dedication are finally paying off as the church begins a major expansion project.

Thanks to an anonymous donation and numerous pledges, the church is expanding its parish hall. Plans are to add a nursery, classrooms and a rector&8217;s office.

The construction also makes the church more handicapped accessible by creating two large restrooms downstairs and providing a ramp to the fellowship hall.

St. Andrews, originally an English-style building, was founded in the 1860s, only to be destroyed by a hurricane 10 years later. A new Gothic-style sanctuary was built when only three Episcopalian families were living in Montevallo at the time.

Over the next 50 years, the church grew to around 25 members. However, tragedy would strike again in April of 1939 when St. Andrews was totally destroyed by a second storm.

Church members would continue meeting, holding services at the University of Montevallo until the present &8220;neo-Gothic&8221; structure was completed in the 1950s.

In the 1960s, the Rev. Charles Kettler Horn served as part-time Vicar and Dr. Hendrick van Tuyll, a professor of philosophy and religion at UM, preached on Sundays when Rev. Horn was not scheduled.

After more than 100 years in Montevallo, St. Andrews would finally get its first resident full-time Vicar, the Rev. Jack Keith Bush in 1971. Over the next 30 years, the church would continue growing, moving from an Organized Mission to Supported Parish with more than 80 baptized members.

Worship schedule

10:15 Sunday School

11:00 Worship

925 Plowman Street

Montevallo, AL

35115

205-665-166