Our History

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Vicars at St Andrew's

Click here to diplay all previous and current vicars at St Andrew's

Milestones

Milestones: 1904 to 1945

  

1904

   Construction of St Andrew’s Church began with HK$35,000 financed by Sir Catchick Paul Chater

1906

 St Andrew’s Church completed and consecrated on 6 October. The first Vicar was Rev A. J. Stevens.

1909

 Vicarage completed, also financed by Sir Paul Chater. The second Vicar, Rev H. O Spink was its first occupant. Rev Spink founded the first scout troop in Hong Kong. 

1912

 Rev N. C. Pope arrived and St Andrew’s was equipped with the first telephone! Opening of the old church hall, financed by Sir Paul Chater

1913

 Diocesan Girls School moved to 1 Jordan Road and began a close link with St Andrew’s. 

1914 

 First World War; St Andrew’s Church struggled financially

1919

 Canon G.R. Lindsay served as vicar and stayed for 8 years and witnessed St Andrew’s putting down firm roots as Kowloon began to develop rapidly. 

1927

 Our sixth vicar, Rev W. W. Rogers, arrived. The St Andrew’s choir achieved a high reputation under organist and choirmaster Rupert Baldwin; a new organ was built in the south bay of the chancel. Ceiling fans were installed. 

1934

 Rev J. R. Higgs arrived. Money had to be raised for repairing the vicarage and hall, which had been eaten by white ants. 

1937

 Refugees streamed into Hong Kong due to war in China; relief dinners organised together with All Saints Church Mong Kok.

1940

 Rev H. A. Wittenbach took over as acting Vicar; interned during the Japanese occupation. 

1942 

 All Saints Mong Kok used St Andrew’s for services as their church and rice store

1945

 St Andrew’s Church was used as a Shinto shrine and the old vicarage used as a Japanese magistrate’s court until the war ended on 15 August. On 20 August a small group of Christians – British, Chinese and Japanese – attended a Communion thanksgiving service at St Andrew’s, conducted jointly by Rev Samijima, a Japanese minister sent from the Japanese government, and Rev Tsang Kei Ngok, vicar of All Saints.

1945

 Canon Wittenbach left St Andrew’s in November. Care of the church was left to three laymen.

Milestones: 1946 to 1999

  

1946

 Rev J H Ogilvie appointed as Vicar, and stayed for 9 years. Rev Ogilvie was an energetic widower in his 60’s and previously a chaplain to the armed forces. 

1947

 St Andrew’s started their first ever Sunday school; one of the first non-Chinese Sunday Schools to function after the war. There were around 100 children who attended. 

1954

 50th Anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone; the Lych Gate and steps were inaugurated, attended by Governor Sir Alexander Grantham. Another influx of refugees from mainland China, St Andrew’s participated in a lot of relief work.

1955

 Rev J H Ogilvie died suddenly in June; Rev Eric Hague took over and stayed only until 1957. A fundraising concert during Rev Hague’s time featured 120 members of the Russian Orthodox Choir – many White Russians had come to Hong Kong from Shanghai at this time 

1957

 Rev Owen Eva was installed as the 11th Vicar of St Andrew’s Church. Rev Eva was from Liverpool. He was a prisoner of war in Thailand, and curate under Canon Lindsay. Work on repairing the roof of the church began and was finished in time for Christmas 1959. 

1961-8

 Rev Jocelyn Michell succeeded Rev Eva as Vicar. The church hall and verger’s house were badly damaged and needed repair. A proposal to build a European primary school on the site was voted down and finally the hall was repaired in time for the 60th anniversary, at a cost of $66,000. The 1st St Andrew’s Scout Troop helped with the fundraising and sold over 600 hot dogs at their annual campfire. The church spire was removed in 1966 as it had rusted through and was no longer safe. 

1969

 Rev Bob Hyatt became Vicar; great expansion in the life and work of the church, from ‘Star Ferry Witness’ to the expansion of the clergy team.

1975

 St Andrew’s congregation committed to raising $1 million for a new building (Christian Centre) with an outstanding $1.2million to be raised by other means.

1977

 The foundation stone was laid for the Christian Centre, dedicated ‘To the Glory of God and to present the Good News of Jesus’.

1978

 St Andrew’s Christian Centre opened. The 6-storey building houses a new church hall, offices, a new vicarage and facilities for other Christian organisations. 

1978

 Rev Ken Coleman from Australia became the first non-UK Vicar to join St Andrew’s.

1983

 Daughter church planted in Clearwater Bay with Rev John Menear as the minister in charge

1985

 Rev John Menear became Vicar at St Andrew’s Church after Ken Coleman left; Rev Dale Hanson joined in 1987.  

1989

 Rev John Menear left St Andrew’s and returned to Australia. He was succeeded by Rev John Aldis who was instituted as Vicar in September; he served St Andrew’s for 10 years until 1999. 

1990

 Daughter Church planted in Shatin

1994

 St Andrew’s started an outreach in Chung King Mansions, working with Southeast Asian minority groups, which later became Inner City Missions Ltd. 

1995

 Daughter church planted in Tuen Mun 

1997

 Handover Sunday morning service, ‘Our Transition and Hope’, broadcast on BBC World Service; Reconciliation Service with local Chinese Churches in the evening

1998

 Sheng Kung Hui Province of Hong Kong and Macau inaugurated

1999

 St Andrew’s started the ‘Stephen Ministry’ programme – the training of lay care-givers to people going through difficult times – the first church to do so in Hong Kong. A survey showed that St Andrew’s remained an international church with people from many cultures and countries; a survey done of the congregation mix revealed that Chinese composed of 58%, Caucasian, 26% and others, 19%.

Milestones: 2000 to Now

  

2000

 Rev Paul Kenchington became Vicar; planning began for Centenary celebrations.

2004

 Celebrations for the Centenary of St Andrew’s Church began

2005

 Rev John Menear returned to St Andrew’s as Vicar

2006

 St Andrew’s received an Award of Merit from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The central theme of the Centenary celebrations was thanksgiving - One Sows, Another Reaps. St Andrew’s began to pray and plan for ways to build on its wonderful heritage for future generations.

2007

 As the children and youth ministries grew, space needs became increasingly urgent. After sustained prayer, the 6th floor of the Kai Fong Association was leased. It was renamed YouthWorX – which provides space for Youth ministry, as well as mid week meetings and additional office space.

2009

 The St Andrew’s Christian Centre was refurbished and finished in a colour scheme consistent with the heritage nature of the site. The need to bring everyone to maturity in Christ demanded a growing staff team to develop existing ministries and form new ones.

2009

 The 2020 Vision campaign was launched. Fundraising began for the new Life Centre and plans began to roll out for the 2020 Vision ministries.

2010

 St Andrew’s Church began to host the Certificate in Theology, established the Men’s and Women’s ministries and developed a comprehensive Family ministry. Series of initiatives launched to raise funds for the 2020 Vision building project. By September 2010, the first fundraising milestone was reached - $30 million.

2011

 St Andrew’s began new Sunday service times and grew from four to five church services. The ground floor welcoming area was renamed The Hub. The St Andrew’s Partnership course was launched and the Global Partners grew from 10 to 12. By September 2011, over $61 million was raised from within the congregation. A 2020 Vision Building Project Dedication Ceremony was held on 27 November, conducted by Archbishop Paul Kwong.

2012

 Construction of the ‘Life Centre’ commenced with a blessing ceremony conducted by the Rt Revd Andrew Chan, Bishop of the Western Kowloon Diocese on 29 June 2012. By the beginning of November, $72 million was raised. Ongoing prayer and fundraising initiatives until the target sum of $155 million is reached.

2014

 The Life Centre due to open. There will be church services in both the new auditorium and the main church building, while youth and children will meet in the underground floor and existing facilities. Depending on needs YouthWorX may continue to be used until 2018.

2018

 The St Andrew’s Christian Centre will provide additional space for ministries as tenant’s leases expire. St Andrew’s Church hopes to continue to lease out some of the space and review the use of others, as more are welcomed into His Kingdom. 

2020

 As St Andrew’s Church will endeavour to preserve and develop its heritage site, the 2020 Vision will be to continue to impact the community and the world beyond from its strategic position in western Kowloon, Hong Kong.