On May 1, 1986, the Bishop of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church appointed Robert Hasley to organize a new church in a growing area of Plano. Sponsored by Highland Park United Methodist Church and Lover's Lane United Methodist Church, St. Andrew began its formation with an organizational meeting held later that summer at Shepton High School to discuss the needs of the community and the goals of the church for meeting those needs. The first service of St. Andrew was held at Shepton High School on September 8, 1986, and attended by 500 people including guests. By the end of 1986, St. Andrew had 250 members.
St. Andrew received 5 acres of land at the intersection of Mira Vista Boulevard and Plano Parkway in 1986, and ultimately purchased an additional 16 acres adjoining the site, creating the present campus of 21.214 acres. The sanctuary was completed in 1991. As the areas served by St. Andrew grew, so did the membership of the church. By 1996 it was decided additional classroom and worship space was needed and fundraising efforts began to expand the church with the Festival Hall addition. This was dedicated on September 10, 1997, expanding the facilities to 70,000 square feet.
We entered the new millennium facing another milestone growth. A record-breaking capital campaign has allowed for the construction of a new sanctuary, classroom space, parking and other facilities on property owned by the church across a scenic pond. The entire facility is connected by bridges and allows St. Andrew to reach out even further to people and better serve the community. Our new sanctuary and education, music and nursery wing were completed spring 2003.
Helpful Links
To find out more about the history and beliefs of the United Methodist Church, go to www.gcah.org (General Commission on Archives & History), www.umc.org (The People of the United Methodist Church), or ntcumc.org (North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church).