The Church has established a Socio-economic Development Society with a school in the year 1977 for the children with a sincere concern for the poor, down trodden and the under privileged.

Ever since, it has been standing tall as the symbol of the spirit of the people, an edifice of character of strong Christian faith and a landmark in the city. Over 145 years have passed since the Scottish regiment began worshipping in this monumental church and now the community has grown to encompass a large multi-denominational St. Andrew’s family, bearing testimony to the grace of God and the faith of all its members, as it has seamlessly integrated a multilingual Indian population into its fold.

Years of wear and tear and the unprecedented downpour of rain last year have caused damage to the bell tower and the portico. The foundation of the bell tower has slowly sunk causing a gentle incline of the building cracking the surface of the front portion of the church.

The Church Renovation Implementation Committee constituted by our Bishop with the technical advice of professors of Structural Engineering from the Indian Institute of science has decided to go ahead and complete the task of restoring the heritage building back to its glory at the earliest, solely with the willing and sacrificial contribution of every congregation member of this sanctuary. With the overflowing and continued support from every corner of the church, the total restoration work of the church has been completed in record time and the church building has been brought back to its original glory and splendour. It is the congregation, which is responsible for this stupendous achievement we have realized in bringing back the church to its century-old magnificence.

Retrospection of the whole efforts and task undertaken by the church provides a great occasion to the congregation for recognition and joy as the congregation members of St. Andrew’s church will be celebrating its 142nd anniversary on the 26th of November 2006, coinciding with its restoration work, rededicating the church to its continued worship and ministry.

The Church Pastorate Committee places on record its gratitude to the authorities of the Diocese, the benevolence and guidance of our beloved Bishop with his technical team of the Diocese, the advice of the professors from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore who gave us the right direction to proceed with, the contractor for the meticulous execution of the work, all our committee and sub committee members for devoting their time, toil and talent, and engineers and Chief engineer from our Bangalore Corporation authority for their consultancy and also experts from outside occasionally associated themselves with this task of renovation whenever required to make it successful. We owe our gratitude to all concerned, involved and cooperated with their concern and support in all ways possible during the restoration work.

As the years rolled on, the century old pipe organ in St. Andrew’s Church, Bangalore installed on 3.5.1881 by its builders PETER GONACHER AND CO., HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND started showing signs of wear and tear due to age and use over a period of 126 years and was seen to be certainly not at its best as it was in the beginning. The Pastorate Committee took up the onerous task of renovating and restoring the Pipe Organ to its old grandeur and M/s Middle Organ Company, UK was entrusted with the renovation work. The Organ Company known for its reputation in renovating old pipe organs have completed the total work of renovation and restoration in record time, with a few more new features added to it. It is a great achievement for the whole congregation and felicitation to the music lovers of the city that such an old monumental treasure has been preserved and restored back to its glory!

Commemorating this great event in the history of St. Andrew’s Church, an eminent organist and a music laureate Prof. Dr. Richard Marlow, Director of Music, Trinity College, UK has been invited to perform an Organ Recital on this renovated Organ on the 4th of January, 2009, along with a worship service of rededication of our century old treasure that day evening.

We ever remain grateful to Almighty for having enabled our congregation to make yet another significant contribution towards the church music, declaring that Christian faith is a singing faith with a century old Pipe Organ being rededicated to the glory of God again with an international expert on its console.

The church with its long period of history for nearly one a half century presents to us today a look of long and deep-rooted tradition with its community committed to the prime goal of worship as one congregation in unity ever through, with more emphasis on out reach work, mission and evangelism through social activity in the latter years to project the image of Christ through the friendly interaction with the present context of the society around, ever heralding its faith and bearing witness to: “Thy hand O God has guided Thy flock from age to age”

Editor
St. Andrews Church