A Beacon on Gansevoort Road
Set a short drive south of the village of South Glens Falls on Route 32, Saint Andrew Lutheran Church carries a self-described mission "to be a beacon to our community, actively and consistently proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ." The small congregation has rooted itself in this stretch of Saratoga County with a particular reputation for the breadth of its welcome and the size of its singing.
Reconciling in Christ and Truly Inclusive
Saint Andrew is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The phrase "All are welcome, all may worship, and all are loved" appears repeatedly in the congregation's writing, and Pastor Andrew Nelson emphasizes that the language is lived out: "We truly welcome all to share in the life and ministry of Saint Andrew Lutheran Church regardless of age, race, socio-economic status, physical or mental capabilities, or sexual orientation."
The pastor himself is a member of Proclaim, the ELCA's professional network of LGBTQ+ rostered ministers and seminarians, and sings with the Albany Gay Men's Chorus. A pride flag flies on the property, and visitors driving in will see the message before they reach the front door.
Worship at Ten, In the Round
Sunday worship begins at 10:00 AM with a weekly Eucharist. The congregation follows the Revised Common Lectionary, walking through the three-year cycle of Gospel readings that joins Lutherans with Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians, and many other traditions. The sanctuary itself is arranged in the round, a deliberate choice Pastor Nelson says "enhances the intimacy of the worship experience, always reminding us that we are a community. Once here you are no longer a stranger."
Worship bulletins are written to guide newcomers step by step, and the community invites curiosity from every age and background. Masks are not required, though complimentary masks are laid out on the narthex table for anyone who wants one, and members are encouraged to mask if they are feeling unwell in solidarity with fellow singers. Hand sanitizer stations sit in several locations around the building.
Fellowship follows most Sundays in the parish hall. The first Sunday of each month is a Potluck Fellowship, and the third Sunday of the month brings the Church Council into the same space for an open meeting after the meal. Once a month, up to four Saint Andrew members also join residents for worship at the Home of the Good Shepherd at 198 Bluebird Road, South Glens Falls, an assisted-living ministry the congregation has carried for years.
A Singing Congregation
"We are truly a singing congregation" - that is how the congregation describes itself, and music is treated as essential to the worship experience. The volunteer church choir sings the most beautiful and challenging music the congregation can offer, a chime choir adds another layer of sound during the program year, and soloists and instrumentalists regularly share gifts from the chancel. Pastor Nelson brings his own vocal background from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and from his continuing work with the Albany Gay Men's Chorus. For a small congregation, the music program punches well above its weight, and members frequently describe it as what first made them feel at home.
Faith Formation for Adults
An Adult Forum and Bible Study gathers after worship on most Sundays, often layered into the same hour as the First Sunday potluck. Recent and recurring topics include Bible 101, mysticism in the Gospel of John, praying the Psalms, and open brainstorming about ministry opportunities in the community. The group describes itself as much a fellowship as a class, with everyone invited to bring questions and topics of their own. Confirmation classes are offered on a regular basis as needed.
The congregation also walks through Scripture week by week. Readings for each day are posted online, and reflections on the coming Sunday's texts are shared on the Saint Andrew Facebook page on Sunday mornings in time for the service, so that members at home or traveling can follow the same lectionary as those in the pews.
The Community Garden and the Welcome Inside
Worship, members say, "begins here in our church garden and extends from our grounds." Saint Andrew tends a Community Garden on its property, with the harvest going to WAIT House, the local organization that supports homeless youth in need of stable housing. The garden is a working mission as much as it is a landscape feature, and the connection between the soil and the soup kitchen across town is part of what gives the property its meaning.
That focus on hospitality has shaped the building itself. In recent years the congregation completed a small but powerful expansion of the welcoming area at the front entrance and enlarged the kitchen downstairs, so that the language of welcome has a visible home before anyone walks into the nave.
Reaching Out Across South Glens Falls
Saint Andrew's outreach calendar is full and varied, anchored by long-term commitments to local and global partners.
- Volunteers serve meals regularly at the Open Door Soup Kitchen.
- Congregants make and ship quilts through Lutheran World Relief.
- Each Christmas the church supports families and organizations serving homeless youth and veterans through Hy C House.
- Annual gifts support the ELCA Malaria Campaign, helping prevent malaria across sub-Saharan Africa.
- The Saint Andrew Annual Garage Sale, held with eight tents of donated goods and a packed Fellowship Hall, raised around $5,000 in its most recent year for charitable causes.
- A Change for a Dollar drive runs from early September through Thanksgiving, with the congregation voting on a local charity to receive the pooled change.
- A Scout Troop-led collection gathers nonperishable food and personal-care items for area food pantries year-round, with the basket sitting in the narthex.
- A monthly Pancake Breakfast is folded into the wider Sunday fellowship tradition.
- Donations flow regularly to H.O.P.E., or Homes for Orphaned Pets Exist.
- The congregation has given more than $2,275 through ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response for victims of the war in Ukraine, designated to the Eastern Europe Crisis Response and matched in part by a wider ELCA matching gift.
Members also support the ELCA World Hunger Fund and a wide range of other local charities, frequently serving in hands-on roles as well as giving financially.
Welcomed Online, Worshiped in Person
For those who cannot attend in person, Saint Andrew keeps a thoughtful online rhythm. Readings and a short reflection on the coming Sunday's texts are posted on the Saint Andrew Facebook page on Sunday mornings by the time of the service, and a "Worshiping in the Home" resource is emailed to members so that the same lectionary and the same prayers shape the week no matter where someone is. The Weekly Scripture Readings page carries the full daily readings the congregation is walking through together.
Meet the Pastor
Rev. Andrew Tobias Nelson, who uses he/him and they/them pronouns, is a 2012 graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He has served in parish ministry, hospital chaplaincy, and summer camp ministry, and he currently serves part-time at Saint Andrew while also working as Office Administrator for the Albany Medical Center Chaplain's Office. A lifelong singer, he performs with the Albany Gay Men's Chorus and is an active member of Proclaim, the ELCA's professional network of LGBTQ+ rostered ministers and seminarians. His correspondence to the congregation often opens with "Dear Siblings in Christ," reflecting the community he leads and the welcome he models.
Carole Glidden serves as Parish Coordinator and is a steady point of contact for pastoral needs. A Church Council elected by the congregation - currently led by Jessie Lennox as President and including officers and members at large - meets on the third Sunday of each month after fellowship, and Council meetings are open to anyone who would like to attend.
Finding the Church
Saint Andrew sits at 600 Gansevoort Road (Route 32), South Glens Falls, NY 12803, a quick and easy drive from anywhere in the Glens Falls area. From Route 9 South, turn left onto Gansevoort Road at the blinking yellow light and continue 0.9 miles; the church is on the left. From Interstate 87 via Exit 17 North, take Route 9 North, turn right at the light onto Bluebird Road, then left onto Gansevoort Road; the church is on the right. Sunday worship begins at 10:00 AM, the parish hall is open afterward for coffee and conversation, and the words that greet every arrival are the same: all are welcome, all may worship, and all are loved.