History

A Short History of St. Andrew's

St. Andrew's Legacy of Worship

For hundred and twenty years, St. Andrew's was a place of joyful spiritual gathering, but was also used for countless celebrations, weddings, fundraisers, meetings, lectures, concerts and much more. It was a place where all were welcome, and although no longer home to a congregation, St. Andrew's United’s legacy of community, charity and inclusiveness can live on.

From the final St. Andrew's United Church website (still up at this writing at https://standrewsenderby.com/history)

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was built in 1906, the same year that Enderby was incorporated. Built largely by volunteers, it was constructed of bricks made by Enderby Brick Factory. The foundation was strengthened by the use of large rocks from the Shuswap River. Plumbing consisted of water brought to the church by members of the congregation and a little building was outside.

In time the finishing touches were completed so that by the year of 1925, the year of Church Union, the Methodist Church in Enderby decided that St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church building should become the home of the new St. Andrew’s United Church. Through the years, St. Andrew’s proved to be a church of great outreach always surpassing its Mission & Service goal. Its congregation was always ready to come to the aid of people in trouble. Many wonderful ministers guided the congregation in following God’s way.

During the last few years, the kitchen was renovated in order to bring it up to health standards, and the dining room was also renovated to produce the pleasant meeting and eating place that it is. The most recent addition to St. Andrew’s has been the installation of an elevator to take people up to the level of the sanctuary or down to the basement.

It was with heavy hearts and sadness that St. Andrew’s United Church will close its doors to worshipers and those seeking ministerial guidance on Dec. 31st, 2024.

A photograph of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church circa 1920 taken by A.C. Taylor Co.

More detail on the history of St. Andrew's

This wonderful historical detail about the church appears on the Enderby & District Museum & Archives Facebook page, with thanks to Jackie Pearase, Bob & Joan Cowan and the museum volunteer team. The Enderby & District Museum ( enderbymuseum.ca ) now has a display with more history of the church and a number of artifacts were donated to the museum after the closure of the church on Dec. 31, 2024.

The Presbyterian Mission was established in Spallumcheen in 1886, to service Lansdowne and Enderby, with Alexander Leslie Fortune being instrumental in coordinating the effort and starting the first Sunday School program in BC. Rev. Jaffary was the first minister, followed by Rev. John Knox Wright. The first Presbyterian Church in Enderby (built of wood) was built in 1891 at 706 George St. (before it was a thoroughfare) by contractor Samuel Bowell for $1,240.

The Spallumcheen Mission was divided into Enderby and Vernon missions in 1892. The Enderby Mission consisted of Enderby, Armstrong, Knob Hill, Hullcar, Lansdowne and Round Prairie. In 1911 Armstrong separated from Enderby.

The Methodists and Presbyterians met in the Presbyterian church until 1893 when the Methodists built their own frame church and manse at 715 Cliff St. in 1893.

The new St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (our building today) , made of Enderby brick, was constructed on Belvedere Street in 1906 by Simington and Barnett of Armstrong at a cost of $3,300. Bathia Fortune donated a bell for the church that was cast in New York.

In 1909 the Methodists built a larger brick church next to their original church at 713 Cliff St. with a distinctive bell tower and octagonal classroom.

The Methodist and Presbyterian congregations often held joint events like dinners, socials, teas, concerts, presentations and church services at their respective churches.

When the United Church of Canada was created in 1925 (with Methodists, 2/3 of Presbyterian churches, along with 2 other Protestant denominations), Enderby's Presbyterian and Methodist churches combined to become St. Andrew's United Church, and they met in the Presbyterian Church on Belvedere. The Methodist Church was torn down after unification in 1926, as it had structural issues with its foundation.

The pastoral charges for the United Church included Deep Creek, Hullcar, Grandview Bench, Mara, Kingfisher and Enderby. By 1970 it consisted of congregations at Sicamous and Malakwa, and in 1977 it continued on its own.

The AOTS (As One That Serves) church group purchased the Russell Large property at Mabel Lake for a children’s camp in 1950; it would become Mackenzie Camp, named after Rev. Guy MacKenzie, who was the well-loved pastor from 1946-1950.

A manse was built south of the church in 1951, and an education annex was added to the west end of the church in 1963. The annex cost $13,500 and included 1,000 hours of volunteer labour.

St. Andrew’s members spearheaded an ecumenical movement, the Pioneer Place Society, to develop Pioneer Place, a low-cost senior rental housing project just south of the church, in 1971. In 2000, the manse was moved from Belvedere to Waterside Road. This allowed the construction of the final phase of Pioneer Place. Today Pioneer Place includes 25 housing units (both 1 and 2 bedroom) and it is now owned and operated by the non-profit Turning Points Collaborative Society.

St. Andrew’s United celebrated 100 years in 2006, one year after the City of Enderby's Centennial celebrations.

After 119 years of operation, St Andrew's closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2024. The church property was returned back to the United Church of Canada, following legal and accounting arrangements.

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church circa 1906 - photographer unknown

The first and second Methodist churches at 713-715 Cliff St., circa 1909

A photograph of St. Andrew’s United Church 1998 Exterior retouched by Laura Paget