St. Andrews United Methodist Church dates back to 1845. The church, then part of the Cumberland Circuit was meeting at the Long Hill School. On April 28, 1849 a motion to erect a structure was approved and a building was completed in the fall of that year. The land on which the church stands was Rose Hill Plantation owned by Malcolm James Buie (1801-1879). Most of the lane was eventually divided among his eight children and Malcolm donated the land on which the church now stands. Malcolm J. Buie’s portrait presently hangs in the Narthex.

No explanation can be given for the origin of the name “St. Andrews” except for the traditionally strong Scottish Highlander Presbyterian influence along the Cape Fear River valley.

Malcolm Buie, his brother Duncan, Foster Mason, Peter Bolton, Nathan King, and Henry King built the plain little frame building along traditional lines with poles down the center aisle. The poles served a dual role. First, they supported the roof and second, they separated the men from the women in the congregation.

In the earliest history of the church, the pastor was in charge of a circuit of ten or more churches. He had to travel from one church to another by horseback and it is likely the pastor preached only once every other month at each of the churches in the circuit. For twenty years, from 1884-1904, the pastor lived on Lillington and served St. Andrews and Manchester churches in the Fayetteville area.

The decade from 1857-1867 proved to be one of the most difficult for the Fayetteville Circuit. These were the years preceding and during the Civil War which began in 1861. During the war years the black membership declined, but the white membership increased even though there was a general apathy among all the people. The cotton mills around Fayetteville were Union targets was were the railroads. This was a low period for the church. The Second Quarterly Meeting that year told of “coldness, indifference, and inactivity” on the part of the people.

St. Andrews was able to withstand the war years being one of the only churches able to even maintain a Sunday School. Of course most Sunday Schools closed for the winter because the churches were not furnished with stoves.

The first Quarterly Conference was held at St. Andrews on January 19, 1867. Foster Mason was elected a steward and Malcolm J. Buie, Henry McKay, M.I. McKay, James King, and Foster Mason were elected trustees.

While the Rev. Isaac Avent was pastor of St. Andrews Church in 1876, he listed a number of members who were added to the growing church to include Henry R. King, Neil A. McKay, Virginia C. McKay, Martha A. Buie, Bethania E. Buie, Chloe A. McKay, G.G. King, Archibald R. Mason, Lorena McKay, Louisa Whitehead, and Henry A. McKay. The McDuffie-Buie Cemetery, just south of Methodist College, and the St. Andrews Church Cemetery contain the remains of many of the early members of the church.

Another prominent member of the time was George A. McKay. He was born in 1830 and married Margaret Buie, daughter of church founder Malcolm J. Buie. George McKay always opened the doors of his house to the Methodist preachers for food or lodging and was a friend to all men. He was elected a trustee of St. Andrews Church for the first time in 1870 and represented the church at the Fayetteville District Conference at Camp Ground Church in 1873.

In 1873 George A. McKay, Foster Mason, John R. Buie, William R. King, and Henry A. McKay were elected trustees. These were some of the people who stood up with determination when the most positive remark that remains in the church records to describe the year was, “The spiritual condition of the church is hopeful notwithstanding the demoralized state of the country.” It was difficult to hold things together in the churches. The pastor’s salary was $360.84 and in this year it fell to $317.14. Even the Sunday School was on the decline and it temporarily ceased to exist.

Over the years St. Andrews has grown through many building projects. The original building was constructed in 1849 after meeting in a school for 4 years. It was later destroyed by a fire and the chapel was built in 1910. In 1966 the current worship center and classrooms were built. In 1983 the kitchen, commons area and additional classrooms were built. Three years later the parsonage was constructed. In 1991 the worship center was remodeled and enlarged; and in 1996 the gym and more classrooms were finished.

St. Andrews has withstood. It has remained a stronghold through the years and while it has not supplied the ministry with any of its native sons, St. Andrews continues to grow and meet the needs of its members and the surrounding community in North Fayetteville and stands as a “beacon upon a hill” to give glory to our Father in heaven.