A Church Born from Two Heritage Communities
Saint Andrew's United Methodist Church sits on Fort King Road in western Henrico County, near the intersection of Three Chopt and Pemberton Roads, just south of the Parham Road interchange off Interstate 64. The congregation that gathers at 9801 Fort King Road took shape in 1968, when two very different United Methodist communities came together to form a new church. One of those predecessor congregations was Laurel Street United Methodist Church, a historic downtown Richmond church that had suffered a tragic loss in a fire. The other was Grace United Methodist Church, a younger church plant in what was then the remote outskirts of Henrico County. Saint Andrew's grew from the joining of those two heritages, blending an established city congregation with a newer suburban one. The pastor and members often point to that origin as the foundation for who they are today: a community shaped by both the old and the new, by city roots and country setting, and by the long Methodist tradition of forming disciples of God's spirit.
From that beginning, Saint Andrew's has remained a steady presence in the Henrico community. Many of its people have found the church to be a place that shares in their joy and comforts them in their times of struggle. The church describes its life in three intertwined rhythms: connecting with God through worship and study, uniting together in community to support one another, and serving near and far through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Anyone walking onto the property will find a rear lot with a spacious parking area, including handicap-accessible spaces, and a side-door entrance that opens directly into the sanctuary.
Sunday Morning at Ten
Saint Andrew's gathers for one Sunday morning worship service each week, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The worship style draws from the denomination's liturgical heritage and centers on the classic hymns of the church, supported by organ and piano. Communion is celebrated on a recurring schedule as part of that liturgical setting. Adult and children's ensembles, instrumental music, and solos add variety throughout the year, and the chancel choir leads special music at services including the annual Christmas and Easter cantatas.
Pastor Mark Richardson preaches and presides at the worship service. The music program is led by Jean Edwards, who has served as Director of Music at the church for more than forty years and plays both piano and organ. The bulletin is prepared each week by the communications and administrative assistant, who also lines up lay readers, acolytes, and other volunteers who help worship run smoothly. Communion is offered on a regular schedule, and the service follows patterns familiar to United Methodists across the region.
Those who cannot attend in person, or who are feeling unwell or homebound, can join the service online. A livestream of the 10:00 a.m. worship service is broadcast each Sunday on the church's main page and through its Facebook page, with no Facebook account required to watch. Archived services are also available online for those who want to catch up later. For those without an internet connection, a phone-only option lets listeners dial in to hear the service live. Worshippers are invited to wear what feels right; the dress on Sunday mornings runs from jeans to khakis to dresses and suits with ties, and the full range is welcome.
Filling Hungry Bellies: Kidz Kupboard and Community Outreach
The signature outreach of Saint Andrew's is Kidz Kupboard, a ministry that provides healthy weekend meals to local students at Pinchbeck Elementary, Pemberton Elementary, Quioccasin Middle School, Wilder Middle School, and J.R. Tucker High School. Volunteers shop for, assemble, and deliver weekend food to identified children anonymously throughout the school year, ensuring that students who might otherwise go hungry on weekends have something to eat. The Kidz Kupboard is funded largely by the proceeds of the church's twice-yearly consignment sales and by direct donations from members.
Beyond Kidz Kupboard, Saint Andrew's partners with several organizations that share its commitment to feeding neighbors. The church works closely with Henrico County Public Schools through the Office of Family and Community Engagement, contributing to back-to-school drives at Pinchbeck Elementary and John Rolfe Middle School. Members also support Welborne Food Pantry, a ministry of Welborne United Methodist Church that serves Henrico families in need, through weekly food collection and a dedicated month each year of giving through the Cup of Cold Water offering. That weekly offering, gathered at every worship service, is directed each month to a Ministry of the Month partner, with past recipients including Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child, and Rise Against Hunger, the international hunger-relief organization with which Saint Andrew's has held inter-generational meal-packing events.
Saint Andrew's also reaches beyond the immediate neighborhood. Members partner with Shalom Farms, a Richmond-area organization that works to ensure access to healthy food through sustainable food production and hands-on experiences at the farm and in the city, by serving on workday crews and contributing from the Cup of Cold Water offering. Heart Havens, a Richmond-based nonprofit that provides residential support for adults with developmental disabilities, receives volunteer labor and financial support from the congregation; each year, the church hosts Heart Havens residents for a Sunday worship service and lunch at the start of the year.
Ride Match is another way Saint Andrew's shows care in the community. Members of the congregation offer rides to fellow members and to neighbors who need transportation to church services or to medical and other appointments. The service depends on volunteer drivers and is shaped by what those volunteers can offer and where they can go.
Children, Youth, and Upward Basketball
Children are central to the life of Saint Andrew's. Tondra Atkins serves as Director of Youth and Children's Ministries, having taken on the role of children's director in 2023 after first joining the staff in 2022 as the nursery worker for the church's "Littlest Angels" nursery. The children's wing of the church includes a nursery for infants and toddlers through age two, available during Sunday worship. Sunday School meets at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays, with a curriculum designed to help children grow in their Christian walk in an encouraging and welcoming setting.
During the 10:00 a.m. worship service, children join the congregation for a brief children's message near the beginning of the service. After the message, children age three through second grade are invited to Children's Church, where leaders from the children's ministry lead an age-appropriate program that lasts through the end of the service. Each summer, the church hosts Vacation Bible School, a week-long program for children ages three through fifth grade, running Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. with a new theme each year, Bible lessons, crafts, games, and snacks. The program also includes a mission component chosen by the children to support with their offerings.
For children in kindergarten through fifth grade, Saint Andrew's partners with Trinity United Methodist Church to host a winter season of Upward Basketball and Cheerleading. Registration details are posted on the Trinity United Methodist Church Upward ministry's Facebook page each fall. The spring and fall consignment sales, meanwhile, draw families from across the region to shop gently used children's clothing, toys, gear, and maternity items, with proceeds going back to Kidz Kupboard to keep the weekend-meal program stocked.
The youth ministry at Saint Andrew's is designed to help middle and high school students build a foundation of faith through mentoring, encouragement, and opportunities to explore their gifts. The youth group meets regularly for biblical study, recreation, missions, service, and retreats, and the church calendar lists regular youth gatherings alongside the youth Sunday School class at 9:00 a.m. Each summer, the youth group takes part in a mission trip, and they also join other United Methodist youth for a seasonal retreat designed to draw them closer together in faith. Working on community and missions projects together is a regular part of the rhythm, giving young people a chance to put faith into practice.
The Happy Wanderers and the Adult Community
Saint Andrew's has long been home to the Happy Wanderers, the congregation's senior fellowship group. The Happy Wanderers meet for lunch at the church on the second Tuesday of most months at noon, often in Rooms 101/108, and they travel together to concerts, plays, trolley tours, and luncheons around the Richmond area. Recent outings have included trips to see "Tarzan" at the Lora M. Robins Theatre at the Steward School, "Alice in Wonderland Jr." at the Cultural Arts Center in Glen Allen, and "The Play That Goes Wrong" at the VA Repertory Theatre, plus a summer day trip that combined a tour of Monticello with lunch at Michie Tavern and a stop at Carter Mountain Orchard. Church transportation is available for most off-site events, making the trips accessible to members who no longer feel comfortable driving.
Each September, the Happy Wanderers host the Churchwide Birthday Party, a covered-dish supper in the fellowship hall that celebrates every church member's birthday with a dozen birthday cakes, one for each month of the year. Members who enjoy baking contribute the cakes, and the evening ends with the singing of "Happy Birthday" and the cutting of the cakes.
Beyond the Happy Wanderers, adults at Saint Andrew's find fellowship and study through Sunday School classes at 9:00 a.m. and small groups for adult discipleship that meet throughout the year on a quarterly and yearly basis. The chancel choir sings at worship services and at the annual Christmas and Easter cantatas, and new members are always welcome; no experience is required. The United Methodist Men (UMM) gather for breakfast at Golden Corral on Gaskins Road in Glen Allen on a regular Saturday morning schedule, and the Busy Bees crafting group makes the items sold at the church's annual Holiday Bazaar. Anyone interested in any of these groups can reach the church office at office@saumcva.org for more information.
Annual Traditions That Bring the Church Together
The calendar at Saint Andrew's is marked by a handful of beloved annual traditions that draw members and neighbors together. Twice a year, the Fall Children's Consignment Sale and the Spring Consignment Sale fill the church with gently used children's clothing, toys, and gear, with consignors earning a portion of the sale price and the rest going to Kidz Kupboard. The summer Yard Sale fills the fellowship spaces with home furnishings, decor, electronics, toys, games, and books. The Holiday Bazaar each fall brings together local crafters and artisans selling one-of-a-kind holiday decor, alongside homemade apple dumplings, Brunswick stew, sweet pickles, and pickled watermelon rind; proceeds from the Busy Bees crafts go to support the church's ministries.
For children, Trunk-or-Treat offers a friendly, never-scary Halloween alternative each October, with indoor games and crafts, a costume contest, and a trunk-or-treat in the parking lot. The annual Breakfast with Santa, with proceeds also going to Kidz Kupboard, brings Santa himself out for a pancake breakfast, photos, and special surprises. In the spring, the Easter Bunny Breakfast draws families for pictures with the Easter Bunny, an egg hunt, games, and food. Holy Week is observed with a Maundy Thursday service and an Easter Sunday celebration that begins with a 7:00 a.m. sunrise worship, an 8:30 a.m. breakfast, and the regular 10:00 a.m. Easter Sunday worship. Each year, the chancel choir presents an Easter Cantata and a Christmas Cantata, both of which have become highlights of the church's worship calendar.
Vacation Bible School fills a July week with songs, crafts, games, snacks, and spark-science experiments for children ages four through fifth grade, with a mission chosen each year by the children to support through their offerings. Game Nights offer a low-key gathering in Rooms 101/108 on Friday evenings, an open evening of cards, board games, and fellowship for anyone who wants to drop by.
Supporting the Mission
Saint Andrew's is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations to the church are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Online giving is available for both one-time and recurring donations by credit, debit, or checking account through a secure online giving portal. Checks can be made payable to "SAUMC" and mailed to the church at 9801 Fort King Road, Henrico, VA 23229, with special designations noted on the memo line. The church also participates in the Kroger Mid-Atlantic Community Rewards program, where shoppers can designate the church (organization number NL789) as the beneficiary of a portion of Kroger's annual giving; in a single recent year, this yielded more than $800 for the church's ministries.
The church office is typically open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with occasional exceptions to the regular schedule. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead at 804-270-2869. Prayer requests can be submitted through a form on the church's care page, and staff and lay leaders are happy to follow up. A weekly e-newsletter, prepared by the communications team, keeps members and friends connected to the life of the church throughout the week, and the Facebook page carries the most up-to-date announcements and livestream links.
From its founding in 1968 to its present-day work feeding Henrico students through Kidz Kupboard, hosting consignment sales and a holiday bazaar, and gathering each week for Sunday worship at ten o'clock, Saint Andrew's United Methodist Church has remained a steady presence on Fort King Road. Its story is one of two congregations joining to form a third, of children and seniors sharing space in the same building, of meals packed and rides given, and of a community that finds its center each Sunday in word, song, and sacrament.