The two steeples of First Presbyterian Church rise above the quaint town of Mount Dora, Florida, nestled under giant oak trees and overlooking beautiful Lake Dora. We are a part of Central Florida Presbytery and the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. Officially organized by the North Florida Presbytery in May 1954 with 18 members, Dr. Charles A. Carriel served as our first pastor. Rev. Kenneth W. Book pastored between 1962 through his retirement in 1984. We have steadily grown through three pastorates to approximately 450 members today. Pastor, Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Biery came to us in 1986. He retired February 14, 2021. Our new interim Pastor, Rev. Dr. Michael L. Andrews came to us on February 23, 2021. In 2003 we completed a $1.7 million campus expansion adding a beautiful chapel, large fellowship hall, spacious youth room, administrative offices, central courtyard, and renovated Sunday School classrooms. This augments our beautiful Sanctuary, which was renovated in 2000. Groundbreaking was held in September 2001 and we moved into our new facilities in October 2002. The Dedication Worship Service took place on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2003. We reached our Golden Anniversary in 2004 and celebrated with a Founder’s Day Homecoming and 50th Anniversary Celebration. On Sunday May 16th during 50th Anniversary Worship Service, we remembered and celebrated those people and events which began our journey as First Presbyterian Church of Mount Dora. Other activities included an historic display of church items at the W. T. Bland Public Library, and the sale of commemorative items at the church and the Founder’s Day Cookout. In 2005 we opened our top rated Preschool as a mission/ministry to young families in our community. God has blessed us with a rich history, a beautiful location and church campus, and with a faithful and friendly congregation that seeks to worship and serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
About Our Pastor:
The Rev. Dr. Michael Louis Andrews is a native of Charlotte, NC. He was born into the Presbyterian Church. He graduated from Presbyterian College in South Carolina, received his M. Div. from Columbia Theological Seminary and his D. Min. from Pittsburgh Seminary. Mike sensed a call to serve the Lord in his early years and, after fighting it realized that indeed, God was calling him to the pastorate.
Upon graduating from seminary he moved to Sarasota Florida and served the Whitfield Church, the first Drive-in Church in an Associate position. When the Senior Pastor retired he became the Associate of the First Presbyterian Church of Tampa, Florida, where he served for seven years.
His first solo pastorate was the St. Andrews in Apopka, Florida. It was here he met and married his wife Anne, a Surgical Technician and they began their family of three children. Michael junior (Luke) now lives with his wife in Savannah, Ga., Rachael Aldrich who lives with her husband and three children in Longwood, Florida and Stephanie who lives with her husband and step daughter in North Augusta, SC.
After serving this church for seven years, the family moved to Merritt Island, Florida where Mike served through a transition of relocating the sanctuary to a larger campus and sanctuary. Following this, the family moved to North Myrtle Beach, SC where Mike served the Ocean Drive Church. This was followed by a pastorate in the Fairview Church in North Augusta, SC where he served as Senior Pastor for 13 years.
Upon retirement Mike returned to Merritt Island, Florida and served as the Interim at his former church. Following this he served as Interim Pastor in the Markham Woods Church in Lake Mary. Then he returned to his former church in Apopka, St. Andrews for another Interim position. His next Interim position was at St. Mark’s Church in Altamonte Springs. Following this, Mike served the Palmdale Church as Interim before moving to Apopka to be near their grandchildren. Last year he completed the most recent Interim Pastorate at the Rockledge Presbyterian Church in Rockledge, Florida.
Mike has served as Presbytery Moderator, Chair of the Committee of Ministry, and various other committees of the Presbytery and Synod. He and his wife reside in the Lake McCoy Forest development in Apopka, Florida.
Director of Music & Programs
Pianist Randall Frieling has performed throughout North America as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. He holds memberships in the college Music Society, American Guild of Organists, Music Teachers National Association, Association of Disciple Musicians and the Presbyterian Association of Musicians. He received his undergraduate degree from Calvin College and his Master’s Degree in Piano Performance from the Indiana University School of Music. He completed his Doctorate at Ball State University.