Saint Andrew Lutheran Church

Journey with me back to the fall of 1978. Pastor Jim Sorenson knocked on doors in Centreville, Virginia. He shared exciting news about the formation of a new Lutheran church. Saint Andrew Lutheran Church held its very first service on December 3, 1978. The location was humble, the cafeteria of London Towne Elementary. Those gathered that winter chose the name Saint Andrew. He was one of the first disciples to answer Jesus’ call. The official organizational service for Saint Andrew Lutheran Church took place on Palm Sunday in 1979. The church began with 25 families and 82 baptized members. They continued to meet at the elementary school for two and a half years. Through generous financial support and tireless volunteer work, the congregation built its first church. This building, primarily a sanctuary space, stood at the entrance of the Chalet Woods neighborhood off Braddock Road. It was dedicated on November 1, 1981. The early days of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church were simple. They had temporary partitions, a shortage of chairs, donated paraments, and a borrowed altar. Yet, their spirit remained strong. By the mid-1980s, Centreville experienced rapid growth. Saint Andrew Lutheran Church grew along with it. The small space led to some creative solutions, like holding Vacation Bible School in army tents on the church lawn. A simple effort to offer childcare to Saint Andrew’s mothers blossomed into the Saint Andrew Preschool in 1984. This program served three and four-year-olds from the surrounding community. The church’s dedication to discipleship also took root in 1986. A small group of members pledged to practice and share the discipleship methods they were learning. In 1987, Saint Andrew Lutheran Church became financially self-supporting, marking an important milestone. As the church continued to thrive, the need for more space became clear. Another building program began, emphasizing Saint Andrew as a caring community. The dedication of this addition in March 1991 nearly doubled the worship space. While focused on building, the members of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church remained dedicated to serving others. They supported Namibian college students studying in the United States. They also forged a sister congregation relationship with Oniipa Lutheran Church in Namibia. Their outreach extended to sponsoring a refugee family from Afghanistan, providing housing, jobs, and support. Saint Andrew Lutheran Church has continued to evolve over the decades, always holding fast to its core values.