Former Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church - Montague, MA
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neoc1
N 42° 36.256 W 072° 33.415
18T E 700410 N 4719764
Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church merged with St. James Episcopal Church of Greenfield to form Saints James and Andrew Church. Saint Andrew's Church now serves as a chapel located at Prospect and 7th Sts. in the Turner's Falls village of Montague, MA.
Waymark Code: WM13XTA
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 03/09/2021
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The Tutor style Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church open as a mission church under the control of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts on November 30, 1921. In 2017 the Church of St. Andrew merged with the Church of St. James of Greenfield, MA. The St. Andrew has been put up for sale. In the meantime it is functioning as an Episcopal chapel. Visit Link
According to the website for the new St. James and St. Andrew Church: Visit Link
"St. James and St. Andrew’s have existed as “sister churches” across the river from one another since the founding of St. Andrew’s in 1921, St. James’ having providing Episcopal worship and ministry in Franklin County since 1812. During our almost-century of relationship the parishes have collaborated in various ways, including sharing clergy leadership in the early years after St. Andrew’s founding and in the latter decades of the 20th century.
The changing landscape of church membership and ministry impacted both congregations. Our increasing sense of clarity in our call to outreach and service in the Greenfield and Turners Falls communities coincided with decreasing resources available for those ministries in terms of membership numbers, participation, and financial support. In the fall of 2016 we began explicit conversation about the possibility of merger, understanding that combining the gifts, strengths, traditions and resources of the two congregations (including human faithfulness, energy, and creativity as well as material and financial assets) had the potential to result in a faith community that is stronger and more dynamic than the sum of the parts.
As exploratory conversations took place, it was quickly evident to both the leadership and members of St. James and St. Andrew’s that what we had to gain in merging our two parishes represented much more than we would lose in coming together. In March of 2017 the members and Vestries of both congregations voted to merge, situating the new parish in the Greenfield campus previously occupied by St. James, and putting the St. Andrew’s property up for sale. Even as we acknowledged the deep loss that many felt both in surrendering a beloved sanctuary and in letting go of familiar ways of doing things as we integrated the practices of the two congregations, we believe that God is at work in our midst; we have felt a new sense of purpose, excitement, and enthusiasm as “things which had grown old are being made new”."
The Tutor style St. Andrew's Chapel has a slate covered gable roof and a stucco exterior. The side facing Prospect Street has a set of steps leading to a projecting red double door entrance on the east side which is covered with a gable roof. The entrance has a single window on the east side. A second entrance on the west side is located in a wing that projects from the building. In between are a two sets of triple rectangular windows. A third set of such windows is beyond the west wing. The 7th Street side of the building has a zig-zag ramp leading up to an auxiliary entrance. Above and to the right of the entrance is a large triple window.