The Oldest Surviving Church South of Virginia

Old St. Andrew's Parish Church stands along Ashley River Road in the West Ashley area of Charleston, South Carolina, holding a place in American history that no other parish can claim. The simple, elegant cruciform building was constructed in 1706, the same year the South Carolina Church Act established ten Anglican parishes in the colony, and it remains the oldest surviving structure used for worship south of Virginia. It is also South Carolina's only remaining colonial cruciform church.

The parish was founded to serve the Anglican planters along the Ashley River, a thriving tidal waterway that connected their Lowcountry plantations to the city of Charles Town. Today the church still stands just across Church Creek from the river, surrounded by a historic graveyard whose oldest markers reach back to the colonial era. Inside the cream-colored walls, the parish continues to follow the Book of Common Prayer (1979), to welcome children and visitors, and to offer three Sunday services and a Wednesday Eucharist with healing prayer.

Father Marshall Huey, the nineteenth rector, summarizes the parish motto plainly: "Welcoming All, Worshiping Christ, Witnessing God's Love." With more than 650 active members, the congregation gathers around a liturgy that has changed little in form since the colonial period, even as the wider Anglican world has shifted considerably around them. In 2013, after a deliberate process of discernment, Old St. Andrew's voted by a three-to-one margin to leave The Episcopal Church and align with the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, which is itself now part of the Anglican Church in North America.

Against All Odds: Three Centuries of Survival

The parish has titled its story "Against All Odds," the name of a 399-page history by resident historian and parishioner Paul Porwoll, and the phrase captures the unusual continuity of a building that has been written off for dead more than once. Rice, indigo, and enslaved labor brought early prosperity to the lands along the Ashley, and the church was expanded into the shape of a cross in 1723 to accommodate a growing congregation. A major fire in the 1760s gutted the interior, but the brick walls stood and the church was rebuilt inside them.

By the time of the American Revolution the parish had begun to decline. Ministry increasingly focused on the enslaved population, served at the parish church and at three plantation chapels. From 1851 to 1891 the Rev. John Grimke Drayton, the renowned horticulturalist at Magnolia-on-the-Ashley just to the north, served as rector. After Drayton's death the parish lay dormant for fifty-seven years. The church was one of the few buildings along the Ashley that Union troops did not burn at the end of the Civil War. It reopened only in 1876 and was severely damaged again by the Great Earthquake of 1886.

The dramatic recovery began in 1948. Episcopalians moving to West Ashley suburbs reopened the dilapidated building on Easter Day, March 28, 1948, with sixty-seven worshippers and the Rev. Stanley Jeffery officiating. The original parish house was built, then expanded twice in quick succession. Hurricane Hugo caused major damage to the graveyard in 1989. The most extensive restoration in the church's history began in 2002 after architect Glenn Keyes issued a sobering assessment; services continued inside the work zone for three years until the building was rededicated on Easter Day 2005.

The most recent chapter, recounted in the 2024 revised edition of "Against All Odds," involves a decade-long legal struggle that began when the parish voted to align with the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina in 2013. Twice the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled against the parish, declaring that The Episcopal Church owned the property. A final appeal was successful, and on May 24, 2023, the court reversed itself, allowing Old St. Andrew's to retain its buildings and grounds. "The church is a monument to faith," Father Marshall says. "Faith in God, faith in its people, faith that, no matter the odds, we would prevail and we would continue to grow. And we have."

A Cruciform Church, Viewed in Three Dimensions

Inside, visitors see a beautifully restored building that hides a past that has left it for dead many times. The cruciform plan, with its low galleries and lofty vaulted ceiling, was once common in colonial South Carolina but survives nowhere else in the state. A detailed walk-through guide called "Surprises at Every Turn" describes each feature as if a visitor were on a personal tour, and an interactive 3D tour built by Charleston 3D Advantage lets anyone with an internet connection wander the nave from anywhere in the world. The only scheduled public tours are held during the two weeks of Tea Room each spring; special requests are handled through the parish office, but anyone attending a worship service is welcome to see the interior.

On Sundays the building is set for worship, with congregational seating in the nave and the choir and musicians leading from the rear gallery or chancel. Coffee and pastries are served in Gilchrist Hall after the early service; refreshments follow the eleven-fifteen service as well. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Three Sundays, One Wednesday, and the Family Service

Old St. Andrew's offers four regular services each week, all conducted according to the Book of Common Prayer but each with its own character.

• 8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I (spoken). A traditional spoken service without music, suited to the early riser. It concludes around 8:45, with coffee and pastries in Gilchrist Hall afterwards. Nursery care is not available during this service.
• 9:00 am Holy Eucharist, Family Service. This is where most of the children are. Readings are taken from the SPARK Bible for easier understanding. All children are welcome, even the noisier ones; nursery care is available if desired. The service ends near 10:00, with Sunday School classes beginning at 10:10.
• 11:15 am Holy Eucharist (with choir). A traditional service similar to the 8:00 but with congregational hymns, special music from the Parish Choir, and service music on piano or organ. Refreshments follow in Gilchrist Hall. Nursery is available through the end of the service.
• Wednesday 10:30 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I (with Healing Prayer). A traditional spoken service that concludes around 11:00, followed by a Bible Study for those who wish to continue in fellowship. Nursery care is not available during this service.

Occasional Evensong services are offered from August through May by the choirs of St. Andrew's or guest ensembles. Weekly services are livestreamed at 9:00 and 11:15 am on the parish's YouTube channel and Facebook, and recordings remain available afterward. Old St. Andrew's also livestreams on a recurring schedule for those who cannot attend in person.

Music at Old St. Andrew's

Music is an essential part of what is central to the parish as Anglican Christians: worship. For 320 years the historic walls have been made glad by the praises of God's people. Three choirs and a professional ensemble support that tradition.

Director of Music David Acres came to America in 2013 after meeting his wife Judith in the summer of 2012 at Wells Cathedral in England. He trained under Lionel Dakers and Robin Gritton, sang with ensembles across Europe, and founded the critically acclaimed chamber choir Counterpoint in the United Kingdom. He and Judith together co-run and direct The King's Counterpoint, a Charleston-based professional choir that serves as Artists in Residence at Old St. Andrew's.

The Parish Choir sings at the 11:15 am service, with Judith Acres among its section leaders. The Handbell Choir is also directed by Judith. The Family Service Team leads music at the 9:00 am service year-round, a half-band-and-half-singers ensemble playing worship music from the last fifty years alongside gospel, hymns, and ancient tradition. Rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 6:15 in the church. Organist and pianist Kevin Uppercue, who holds a Master of Music in Music Theory and has taught at the collegiate level, accompanies services and serves as a cellist, classical guitarist, and vocalist when needed.

The Zimmer organ anchors the music program in the gallery, and occasional Evensongs and concert programs round out the musical calendar.

Becoming a Member: OSA 101

Anyone exploring membership at Old St. Andrew's is invited to OSA 101, a series of Sunday afternoon classes led by Father Marshall. The classes cover why the church matters, the history of Old St. Andrew's, Anglicanism, and the confirmation vows themselves. Those completing the classes may be confirmed, reaffirmed, or received by the bishop. A separate confirmation track is offered for fifteen-year-olds, who attend the OSA 101 sessions along with their own classes.

Christian Formation from Nursery to Adults

Christian education runs from the Sunday after Labor Day through the Sunday preceding Memorial Day. Classes meet between services from 10:15 to 11:00 am in the education building behind Magee House.

• Nursery. Available from 9:00 am until the end of the 11:15 am service for infants and toddlers under three, on the first floor of Magee House.
• Children. Sunday School classes for ages two through fifth grade use the SPARK curriculum from Augsburg Fortress. Children under two may stay in the nursery while older siblings attend class.
• Youth. Sunday School for grades six through twelve meets at 10:00 am upstairs in the Youth Room and focuses on the weekly Lectionary. Youth Group for grades six through twelve meets most Sundays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Non-parishioners and guests are always invited.
• Adults. Adult Christian Education classes run from 10:00 to 10:45 am on Sunday mornings.

Director of Christian Education Brenda Rindge, a member of Old St. Andrew's for nearly twenty years and a former reporter at The Post and Courier, leads the parish's work with children, families, and women.

Pastoral Care from the Font to the Grave

From Holy Baptism to Christian Burial, Old St. Andrew's supports members through all the stages of life. The clergy are available for premarital, marriage, and individual counseling. The Canons of the Church require premarital instruction for couples to be married: four counseling sessions if neither party has been married before, six if either has been divorced. Christian Matrimony is described in the parish's own booklet as a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God.

Clergy are available to visit parishioners who are locally hospitalized, and lay Eucharistic visitors bring communion to those who are homebound or unable to attend services. Clergy and lay volunteers also work together in the Prayer Ministry, which maintains a confidential prayer list, and in the Homebound Ministry for those who cannot easily come to church.

The Grief Support Group gathers parishioners who are walking through loss. For those arranging a burial, the historic Old St. Andrew's Graveyard remains an option for parishioners and their families.

From the Pulpit: A Bishop in Residence and an Historic Clergy Team

Father Marshall Huey became the nineteenth rector on October 1, 2006, and was formally installed by the Bishops of South Carolina at a festival Eucharist that November. A graduate of Duke University and Vanderbilt Law School, he practiced law for fifteen years before entering seminary at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, in 1998. He serves on the Board of Trustees for Sewanee and the Board of Trustees for the Diocese of South Carolina, is the Bishop's Representative to Cursillo, and serves on the board of the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic.

The Rev. Richard Giersch, Associate Rector, has been involved with the Diocese of South Carolina since 1992 and in youth ministry since 1988. The Rev. David Alwine, Assisting Priest, retired from active ministry in 2014 and returned to Charleston, where he had begun his priestly ministry. The Rev. Canon Douglas Peterson also serves as Assisting Priest. The Rev. Lee Hershon, Deacon Emeritus, was ordained a deacon in 2021 after a long career as a board-certified orthodontist; he converted from Judaism and was baptized in 1999, and brings a particular interest in the Jewish origins of Christianity.

The Rt. Rev. William J. Skilton serves as Bishop in Residence. Born in Havana, Cuba, he came to the United States in 1957, attended Dreher High School and The Citadel, and graduated from the School of Theology in 1965. He and his late wife Lynda were missionaries in the Dominican Republic from 1965 through 1972, where he founded the Liceo Episcopal "Todos los Santos" high school. He was consecrated Bishop Suffragan of South Carolina in 1996 and continues his active involvement with the Dominican Episcopal Church; the Dominican church's Retreat Center in Boca Chica was named the Bishop Skilton Conference Center in his honor.

The Dominican Republic Mission in Boca Chica

Old St. Andrew's maintains a mission relationship with San Jose Episcopal Church in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. Parish teams travel regularly to assist with construction, Vacation Bible School, and other projects. In July 2014 a team of youth and adults painted the Bishop Skilton Conference Center and ran a Vacation Bible School for local children; funds were raised to help build a kitchen in the center that enables San Jose School to feed 400 children a hot lunch every day.

The Bishop Skilton Conference Center is a large two-story building across the street from San Jose Church, and the partnership is especially meaningful because Bishop Skilton served as a youth minister at Old St. Andrew's during his college days at The Citadel. Net proceeds from Paul Porwoll's 2018 book "In My Trials, Lord, Walk with Me," which explores the antebellum parish register and the relationship between Old St. Andrew's and St. Andrew's Mission, support the ministry of St. Andrew's Mission.

St Mary's / St Agnes Guild and the Women's Fellowship

St Mary's / St Agnes Guild is one of Old St. Andrew's oldest women's organizations. Members describe themselves as sisters in Christ who offer fellowship, communal worship, friendship, love, and support to one another. The Guild visits shut-ins, offers prayers, and raises funds for parish needs. Meetings are held the third Monday of every month at 10:30 am in Gilchrist Hall; all are welcome.

The Seniors Program: Helping Across West Ashley

The Seniors Program, for adults 50 and older, is built around the principle of Seniors Helping Seniors. The Steering Committee typically meets the first Wednesday of each month for lunch at a different West Ashley restaurant, with themed dinners and entertainment throughout the year. Three service projects anchor the program: gift bags and a Christmas party for residents of Canterbury House; the Back to School Project, which collects supplies and backpacks for kindergarten through fifth-grade students at Springfield Elementary School; and a Senior Mentoring Program that pairs volunteers with students for a half-hour each week. The Sunshine Program sends cards and greetings to seniors who are ill or hospitalized.

Scouting at Old St. Andrew's

The parish sponsors a robust scouting program that has served the West Ashley community for more than sixty years.

• Cub Scout Pack 63. Open to boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grade, with the pack meeting on the fourth Thursday of each month (September through May) from 7:00 to 8:00 pm in Gilchrist Hall. Dens meet twice a month in addition.
• Scouts BSA Troop 63B. For male youth ages 10 to 17, sponsored by the parish since 1963. Meets every Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 pm in Gilchrist Hall.
• Scouts BSA Troop 63G. For female youth ages 10 to 17, sponsored by the parish since 2019. Meets every Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 pm in the Choir Room.
• Venturing Crew 63. Co-ed program for youth ages 14 to 20, sponsored since 2022. Meets every other Sunday evening at 5:30 pm at the crew advisor's home.

No prior scouting experience is required for any of the programs. Contact information for each unit is available from the parish office.

The Historic Graveyard and Parish Registers

The Old St. Andrew's Graveyard, founded in 1706, surrounds the church on three sides and contains graves from every period of the parish's history, including the marble tomb of Charlotta Drayton, daughter of Lieutenant Governor William Bull, erected by her husband John Drayton in 1743. A recent survey registered its occupants, and a complete alphabetical directory organized by surname is available online, with inscriptions updated as of April 20, 2026. The graveyard accepts applications to purchase burial plots from parishioners and their families.

For those researching ancestors, the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century parish registers have been transcribed into searchable electronic format. A separate Registry of the Enslaved lists the people baptized, married, confirmed, and buried on the Ashley River plantations between 1830 and 1859. The parish's book "In My Trials, Lord, Walk with Me" weaves these entries into a larger story about race, reconciliation, and the relationship between Old St. Andrew's and St. Andrew's Mission, the African American congregation that grew out of one of the antebellum plantation chapels and today sits just a mile and a half down Ashley River Road.

Visiting Old St. Andrew's

Old St. Andrew's Parish Church is located at 2604 Ashley River Road in West Ashley. From downtown Charleston, Highway 17 crosses the Ashley River and forks immediately to the right onto SC Highway 61; following Highway 61 north for about three miles and then forking right onto Ashley River Road leads to the church 2.8 miles later, just across Church Creek on the right. From Summerville, take State Route 165 south to Highway 61 south for about ten miles; after the traffic light at Bees Ferry Road and the railroad bridge, the church will be on the left. Watch for the "Old St. Andrew's Parish Church" signs on both sides of the road.

Ample free parking is available on site. The church and office buildings are wheelchair accessible. Visitors are always welcome at any worship service, and PDF versions of the most recent bulletins are posted online so newcomers can follow along ahead of time. Online giving is available. For weddings, baptisms, counseling, hospital visits, or to be added to the prayer list, the parish office can be reached at (843) 766-1541 or office@oldstandrews.org.