If you drive through Road Street on your way to and from Columbia, you might see new construction going on at a church on your left or right.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church located at 106 S.Road Street had been undergoing some new construction as of an interview on June 11

“The handicap access ramp is not yet complete. There will be a concrete pad poured at the foot of it as soon as the weather permits. Then there will be a walkway that will go behind the rear entrance to the parish house. There will be a pad that will come up to the step. Then the walkway will go up to the parking lot. This was built so that handicapped people can have access to the parish house and the church, ” said Terry Everett, junior warden at the church.

There was a temporary ramp in front of the parish house. But since the church was built in 1909, it did not have a good handicapped access.

“Electrical and some carpentry work still needs done. Some work on the different doors and the installation of three fixtures on this side and the opposite side of the narthex or entrance to the church still needs done,” said Everett.

William Smyth, priest-in-charge at St. Andrew’s, discussed some of the history of the church.

“This parish house was completed in 2012. So it is relatively new in the history of St. Andrews. St. Andrew’s was established as a congregation in 1729. This is its third location,” said Smyth.

Cahoon and Kasten Architect’s plans for construction included a cloister to link the 1909 church to the 2012 parish house.

“This was so there that will be a fascade across the front. This would not only the link the two areas, but present an attractive view from Road Street. It creates a sense of unity between the two buildings. It serves the aesthetic purpose and the practical purpose,” said Smyth.

Smyth mentioned the help needed to make the new construction possible.

“It was the generosity of a number of people of not only our own parishioners but the extended St. Andrew’s family that made possible the construction of both the parish house and the cloister,” said Smyth.

Everett elaborated on the church’s historical connection to Tyrrell County.

“When this county was created in 1729;The act that created this county, the next paragraph created St. Andrew’s Parish. The Anglican Church was the established church. The boundaries of St. Andrew’s Parish were the same boundaries as Tyrrell County. St. Andrew’s Parish was called St. Paul’s, but it was known as Spruill’s Chapel,” said Everett.

An estimated 25 members attend St. Andrew’s.

“Then we have people that are active in this church,but are not actually confirmed members. A lot of people who grew up in church went away and went to other places. But they have been very generous to this parish,” said Everett.

Everett explained that a junior warden is basically responsible for the property of the church.

Janet Walker is the senior warden of the church. She is responsible for the business of the church.

A vestry of four members elected by the congregation serve on rotating three-year terms.

The vestry and the priest-in-charge make decisions about the congregation.

Smyth explained that St. Andrew’s sees its principal ministry as enriching the life of the entire Tyrrell County community.

“That has a first claim on our energy for why we are here. For years St. Andrew’s has sponsored a community gathering after a community Christmas Eve Service. In former years, it was at the home of the senior warden. In recent years we have been able to hold the celebration and it is open to all in the parish house after the nine o’clock Christmas Eve Service,” said Everett.

Smyth explained that St. Andrew’s finds partners in the community like the Pocosin Arts Folk School who they see as attempting to enrich the life of Columbia and Tyrrell County.

“We try to join with them in partnership. For example, we have welcomed guests staying at the Scuppernong Lodge to come here and eat supper and meet the interesting people that belong to St. Andrew’s,” said Smyth

Smyth mentioned hosting Dr. Christine Avenarius and her group of ECU Students on June 5

“We did first because she and her students are seeking first to understand our community. Then to try to show us here are the riches of your community. Here are some of the ways that you are understanding them,” said Smyth.

Smyth mentioned Avenarius’ visit will give people in Tyrrell County into how much the area has to offer.

“We also have an annual blessing of the animals near October 5. We invite people from the community to bring their animals for a brief prayer. This is a way to celebrate our being a community in which people enjoy their animal companions,” said Smyth.

Smyth mentioned two groups that are regularly hosted in the parish house.

“We host knit night. This is a group of women who knit on Tuesday nights. They come here and it is a variety of ages,interests, and denominations. On Wednesday nights, the Alligator String Band rehearses here. It is also made up of people who are not parishioners at St. Andrew’s,” said Smyth

Smyth mentioned these examples as way to show that St. Andrew’s ministry is a ministry to the whole community.