St. Andrew’s celebrates 200

Sriram V

The congregation emerging from St. Andrew’s after the special service celebrating the Kirk’s 200th birthday.

The foundation stone for this most handsome house of prayer, St. Andrew’s Kirk, was laid on April 8, 1818 and to commemorate this, a special service was held on Friday, April 8, 2018, at the Kirk.

The Rev. Isaac Johnson, Presbyter of the Kirk led the prayers. As part of the service, key members of the congregation spoke on significant features of the Kirk. This was done in a strikingly original manner, taking full advantage of modern technology. The lights were dimmed during this portion of the service and a spotlight illuminated the relevant aspect of the kirk that was being spoken of, even as the presenter made him/herself heard by way of cordless microphones. The key features dealt with included the foundation stone, the terracotta wells supporting the edifice, the pediment and the steeple, the stained glass windows, the wooden altar, the pulpit and the pipe organ. The last-named added to the magnificence of the prelude, the hymns and the concluding music. A special booklet highlighting the significance of the kirk was released on the occasion.

Though it was a warm evening, it was very cool and comfortable inside the kirk, and this was achieved by keeping all the doors and windows open. It just showed that air-conditioning is not the only solution for heritage structures. The kirk being set in a vast compound, traffic in surrounding busy Egmore did not penetrate the interior. A sole horn from an engine as it pulled a train from the neighbouring station only added to the magic. The architects, Thomas Fiott de Havilland and James Caldwell would have rejoiced that their creation is well taken care of by a very dedicated congregation.

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