Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church
516 West Third
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074
405-372-3357

History of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal church began in 1892 under the jurisdiction of the Right Reverend Henry Niles Pierce, Bishop of Arkansas.  Distance, age and the pressure of duties in Arkansas prevented Bishop Pierce from giving other than the slightest supervision and smallest fragments of time to Oklahoma Territory, which included Stillwater.  In 1891, Bishop Pierce had sent the Reverend Charles Whitcomb Tyler to establish missions to the white settlers in what was to become the state of Oklahoma.  Reverend Tyler lived in Guthrie and from there went to Stillwater, Chandler, El Reno, Kingfisher, Tecumseh and Norman.  The Reverend Gerald Francis Patterson, a classmate of Tyler’s from the seminary at Nashotah, Wisconsin, was based in Oklahoma City.  These two seminarians were the only Episcopal clergy in the territory. 

On his first visit to Stillwater in January 1892, Reverend Tyler found nine communicants and made plans for regular services.  Mr. H. E. Hand was lay reader and Professor A. C. Magruder of the Agricultural College was in charge of the music.  Reverend Tyler also organized a women’s guild and appointed a committee to buy lots suitable for a church building.  This would be a challenge for people so busy building a new state to take on the added burden of acquiring proper church facilities.  The Oklahoma and Indian Territory Churchman, a monthly newspaper produced and distributed by Tyler and Patterson, mentioned Stillwater in the March issue, 1892: the church had purchased land they needed.  By subscription from within and outside the area, they began raising money for the building of a chapel.  In the issue for April 1, 1892, the Stillwater Gazette noted that the church had purchased lots 5 and 6 in block 21 west of the courthouse (610 South Duncan, the present location of Strode Funeral Home).  The land had belonged to William J. and Catherine Hodges.  Meanwhile, H. E. Hand, a lay reader, held Episcopal services in the Presbyterian Church, beginning in August or September, 1892.

At this time two major events occurred in the life of the national Episcopal Church that would be significant for the church in Stillwater.  First, the National Convention created five new missionary districts, one of which included both Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory.  Second, the Right Reverend Francis Key Brooke became the first Missionary Bishop of Oklahoma on January 6, 1893.  Now that Oklahoma had its own bishop, he could administer confirmation more easily and frequently and thus increase church membership.  In April 1893, Bishop Brooke appointed a committee to oversee the building of the new church in Stillwater.  It took two months to complete the 20 by 40 foot building of native sawed oak and it cost $600.00.  To emphasize its purpose as a mission, the name chosen was St. Andrew’s, in honor of St. Andrew, the first missionary.  Edwin C. Witerell, a candidate for the priesthood, became vicar in September.  He then began conducting regular Sunday services at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., with Sunday school at 4 p.m.  On the morning of September 10, Bishop Brooke conducted the first service of Holy Communion in the new building.  He also confirmed two more members of the congregation.

On June 10, 1923, The Reverend Alvin Scollay Hock became vicar of St. Andrew’s.  Under his leadership the congregation moved the church building to a new site in 1925, where it would be known informally as “St. Andrew’s by the Campus.”  Both interior and exterior alterations occurred; on the inside there was a new chancel and extra space for a choir; on the outside, there were new, more ecclesiastical windows, plus a Tudor style half stone and half stucco facing over the original exterior.  Two new parish rooms and a new vicarage built onto the church completed the complex.  The entire relocation and remodeling cost $14,500.  Proceeds from the sale of the old property on South Duncan were applied to the new building fund.    Known to the whole community as “Father Hock,” he remained in charge of St. Andrew’s from 1923 to 1949.  He took an active part, not only in the life of the congregation, but also in that of the college and the town.  Besides teaching classes for college students at the church, Father Hock himself became a student and earned both a Bachelor and Master of Science degree from Oklahoma A&M.   

As the diocese flourished, so did St. Andrew’s.  After the Reverend Albert J. Ettling succeeded Father Hock as vicar on April 20, 1949, the church continued to expand its buildings and programs.  Since the Ettlings had several children and needed a larger home, the congregation purchased a new vicarage at 1303 West Fourth Avenue.  The old vicarage attached to the church new housed an office and church schoolrooms.  The new parish hall built in 1951 (at a cost of $5000) contained more rooms for classes.  Monthly teachers’ meetings were held in the Ettlings’ home.  To better serve the women of St. Andrew’s, the women’s guild divided into afternoon and evenings groups – St. Andrew’s Guild and St. Catherine’s Guild, respectively.  In addition, Virginia Murphy became the first director of the now independent Altar Guild.   On November 2, 1951, Dean Winslow Robert Chilton Powell of Omaha, Nebraska, was consecrated as the first Bishop Coadjutor of the diocese of Oklahoma.  Two years later, Bishop Powell assumed the office of Chief Bishop.  This same year, the Reverend Richard C. Allen, born in Cushing, became the first native-son priest to serve as vicar in Stillwater.  Under his leadership, St. Andrew’s realized a cherished goal when it achieved parish status January 26, 1954.  Changes in the facilities continue.  A new sacristy was built in 1953.  After a house at 2011 West Sherwood became the vicarage, the kitchen of the original vicarage at Third and Knoblock became the priest’s office in 1955 and the study became the church office.  On August 1, 1957 and on January 8, 1958, the Reverend Wayne N. Metz became rector at St. Andrew’s.

The increasing number of college students made it necessary to hire a chaplain to assist the rector.  From July 1958 to July 1962 the Reverend John Door filled this position.  The Reverend Edward Rankin served from September 1962 to June 1969.  Even with the expansion over the years, the old church only seated 150 to 170 people normally.  Furthermore, there was no space for two meetings to be held at the same time.  The congregation fortunately had purchased property just north of the church, the site of the old University Cleaners.  In addition to increasing the size of the building, a contemporary design was chosen to take the place of the old Tudor style church and appeal more to the students.  The architects were Phil Wilber, F. Cuthbert Salmon and Christine, his wife.  All three were members of St. Andrew’s.  Included in the plans was the church itself with seating for 300 persons, a university-educational wing, and a parish hall.  The total estimated cost was $350.00.  Groundbreaking ceremonies took place Sunday, October 6, 1963.  During the construction of the new church, services were held in the Methodist Student Center.  The first service in the new building took place on October 11, 1964.  On Sunday, February 21, 1965 the Right Reverend Chilton Powell, Bishop of Oklahoma, held the dedication of the new church. 

With enlarged facilities, the women of the church could now expand their activities, too.  They established St. Andrew’s Exchange, predecessor of the current thrift shop, in November 1966.  From one room in the basement of the educational wing, the shop later moved to the garage apartment next door.  In June 1970, the shop moved to its current location in the former rectory on West Third.  With the addition of a stockroom in 1983, the proceeds from the shop continue to support St. Andrew’s projects plus many city and state agencies.

In July 1970, the parish also welcomed the Reverend William V. Powell and his family to Stillwater.  Noted for his leadership in Christian Education, not only in the parish, but also as a member of the National Executive Council, Father Bill guided St. Andrew’s to new growth in its parish life and within the community.  After a tornado damaged the church on Friday, June 13, 1975, Father Bill had to conduct services in the basement of the educational wing for several months, but never missed a service.  On November 2, 1975 services resumed in the sanctuary.  Water damage to the organ required its replacement.  The new tracker action organ, built by Roy Redman of Fort Worth, was completed in December 1977 and dedicated on September 10, 1978.  With the construction of the parish hall in 1980, the original plans for the St. Andrew’s buildings were complete.

Major changes to the appearance of St. Andrew's also took place in the 1980s.  In the educational wing, a chapel was dedicated in December 1981, in memory of Dee Reyburn.  At the entrance to the Sanctuary, a stained glass "Eucharist Window," designed by Pepe Mendes and given as a memorial to Paula E. Maddox, was dedicated April 28, 1985.  Inspired by this, designs by Tom Philippe were chosen in 1986 for the ten stained glass windows and lamps found on the East and West walls of the Sanctuary.  Two years later, on November 6, 1988, Bishop Powell presided over the dedication of needlepoint kneelers for the altar rail.  The kneelers were worked by women of the church and given in memory of Clara Belle Woods.  The opening and dedication of "Narnia", the children's library on the second floor of the educational wing, took place September 17, 1989.

In 1987, the parish paid off the mortgage on the main buildings.  The same year Father Bill retired on December 31^st.

Our current priest is Reverend Robert Fellows, who arrived in August 1988.  One year later, Reverend Mary Hileman arrived to serve as part-time chaplain to the university students, while also serving as vicar at Ascension in Pawnee.  St. Andrew’s celebrated Reverend Mary’s ordination to the priesthood on December 16, 1989 and in July 1991 the diocese made her full-time chaplain for OSU.

In 2004, Saint Andrew's began remodeling the church buildings.  The first major renovation was the Parish Hall.  New floor tile was laid, the kitchen was completely remodeled with new cabinets and appliances, and both of the men and women's bathrooms were completely remodeled and updated to meet the new ADA requirements.

In 2005, the Education Wing began receiving its updates.  The first floor bathrooms were remodeled and retiled to meet the ADA requirements followed by remodeling the Canterbury Room.  New windows were installed on both the first and second floors.

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Copyright © 2002 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church
Last modified: 10/07/06