Featured Parish: St. Andrew Orthodox Church + Lexington, KY
St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Lexington, KY had its beginnings with 5 pioneering families meeting at a members home on the Feast of St. Andrew Nov. 30, 1979. Later the community asked the Archdiocese for the patronage of St. Andrew due its founding significance. From the beginning St. Andrew has been a Pan Orthodox, multi ethnic, English speaking, and mission minded community desiring to share the Orthodox faith with the greater Lexington area. From its humble origins of 5 families it has grown to serve a community of more than 100 familles with origins in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Greece, and converts from many Western European roots. Its diversity in ethnicity's are united by its Christ centered allegiance and the mission to both live out and spread the teachings of the Gospel.
Over the past 30 years a number of milestones have been reached. St. Andrew was officially founded in 1980 and received our antimension, as well as, the first priest in 1981. Property was acquired and the first phase of Church construction was completed in 1987. It hosted the Midwest Parish Life Conference in 1991 and with the guidance and help of Metropolitan PHILIP raised the funds necessary to complete the Church's beautiful interior and begin its ongoing worldclass iconography project. The building was consecrated on Pentecost 1995 by Bishop BASIL (Essey). It was at this service that parish cofounder Dn. Ben Mann was ordained to the Holy Diaconate. The parish Mortgage was burned in 2002 with Bishop Demitri (Khoury) presiding. St. Andrew once again hosted the Midwest Parish Life Conference in 2007.
St. Andrew has been blessed and is now known for having superb Egg Tempera Iconography written by Ksenia Pokrovsky. In 1993 she completed the iconostasis which was her first in the United States. Other Icons were completed over the years and in 2005 and 2006 both the north and south walls were magnificently covered to inspire our ascent to God's Kingdom.
The priest who have served at St. Andrew are Fr. George York 1981-84, Fr. Barnabas Van Alstine 1984-87, Fr. Basil (now Bishop) Essey 1987 interim, Fr. Dennis Lajoie 1987-88, and the Very Rev. Thomas Gallaway 1988-present. St. Andrew continues to keep its eye on the future and in 2002 purchased 10 acres only a few miles from its current location to insure its ability to continue its missionary growth. Our diversity is celebrated annually at our Heritage Festival for all of Lexington to enjoy. we invite you to come celebrate the Divine Liturgy with us.