SAINT ANDREWS

UMC CHURCH

HISTORY

1888 - 2025

SAUMC
CHURCH
HISTORY

1888 - 2025

A Legacy of Faith & Architecture

A Rich History . . .

SAINT ANDREWS UMC FTW
SAINT ANDREWS UMC FTW
Historic Designations:

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
City of Fort Worth Historic & Cultural Landmark

137 years of Service & Ministry

History & Heritage . . .

Founding & Early Years
Flanders’ Legacy
Founded in 1888 by Rev. James W. Moore and 15 members, Saint Andrews began on Ninth Street, later moving to Rosedale and hosting Southside Public School classes. The Ladies Aid Society, led by Gracie Echols, raised funds for pews, an organ, and pulpit furnishings.
Sullivanesque & Prairie Influences, yellow brick body, rusticated stone base, varied towers, arched windows, and a curved southeast entrance porch—all hallmark features of the church’s architectural elegance.
Acquiring the Missouri Avenue Church
The Akron Plan
In 1950, the congregation purchased the Missouri Avenue Methodist Church (built 1904), designed by architect James Edward Flanders. The first service there took place in 1951.
Originally designed with a semi-circular sanctuary and adjoining rooms that could open into the main worship space, entrance porch—all hallmark features of the church’s architectural elegance.
About James Edward Flanders (c. 1849–1928)
Milestones:
Born in Chicago; moved to Dallas in 1876. Designed notable Texas landmarks: HeardCraig House, Shackelford and Navarro County Courthouses, Grand Lodge Temple (Waco), and Masonic Widows & Orphans Home (Fort Worth). Known for varied towers, flared eaves, and intricate detailing—features seen in Saint Andrews.
1972: Name changed to Saint Andrews United Methodist Church following the national Methodist merger.
Played a role in education, community uplift, and civil rights, including Rev. Leonard L. Haynes serving as the first African American on the Tarrant County Junior College Board during integration.

Architectural Highlights

Dallas architect James Edward Flanders designed distinctive churches, usually for Methodist congregations, throughout North and East Texas. Typically, he stationed a tall tower at the corner. At this church, he instead inserted a curved porch that spans towers of different heights. The taller tower is clad in metal shingles on its upper stages and has round corner buttresses that rise to pinnacles alongside the spire. The shorter tower, built of the same buff brick as the rest of the church, has a pyramidal cap that flares out to become a widely projecting eave, all signature Flanders features. Horizontal eaves and emphatic stringcourses reflect the influence of the Prairie School, even though some windows have pointed Gothic arches. Like most of Flanders’s Methodist churches, the building is based on the curved seating arrangement of the Akron Plan. A contiguous room could be opened onto the worship area if extra space was needed. This layout was changed with a remodeling in 1950, St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church. The education building to the west was added in 1915.

Saint Andrews UMC building in 1908.
Saint Andrews UMC building in 1908.
Saint Andrews United Methodist Church

was organized in 1888 with a small membership of 15. As the membership grew, the church moved locations three times due to the need for additional space. In 1950 we moved to our present location on the Historic South Side Area of Fort Worth, Texas.

Over the years church members have been strong supporters of education in the community. Church members have served as principals, teachers, nurses, doctors, University Board of Trustee members, and civil rights leaders. For 125 years Saint Andrews United Methodist Church has led the community through education, music, mission, and worship.

The church housed, at one time, a child care center, and a Boy Scout Troop, and provided a safe community space in its gym for youth parties, lock-ins, and basketball games. In recent years, we have conducted a children/youth program called Sidewalk Sunday School.

Presently we partner with our community school, Van Zandt-Guinn Elementary School in several youth activities, provide spiritual and social activities at a local apartment complex HOME SERVICES SERVE ABOUT CONNECT for HIV/AIDS patients, provide a community garden, participate in outreach activities for the homeless, and participate in the “clothes closet” at Bethlehem Center.

The church received designation as a historical landmark in 2002. We have a Board of Trustees who services the legal and corporate needs of the church and an Administrative Council of elected leaders who give final approval for all matters and directs all mandates.

Cornerstone - St. Andrews Methodist Church

May 20 1951. J.H. Carruthers, Pastor.

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