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Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church 1903 - 2005

Humble Beginnings

The first Seventh-day Adventists to worship at Wahroonga did so in a tin builder's shed on the construction site of the Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital in 1899. From there they graduated to a larger tin shed in 1901. Following that, Sabbath meetings were held in the hospital gymnasium for 8 years. [Photo 1: Gymnasium] On May 23, 1903 Pastor William Woodford organised the company into a church and so began our Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church whose Centenary we celebrate this weekend. There were 19 charter members and a Sabbath School membership of 45. The first baptism and ordinances were celebrated on July 2, 1904 and the Young People’s Society was organised on November 20, 1907.

Recognising the need for a church building, the members, with assistance from missionaries in the South Pacific and the Union Conference, raised the money to build a church in Fox Valley Rd, where the current Fox Valley Medical Centre now stands. The church, which had a seating capacity of 250, was opened and dedicated on Sabbath 12th July and Sunday 13th July 1913. [Photo 2:1st Church building] At that time the Sabbath School membership was 115. The first baptism was conducted in the church on September 20, 1913. Prior to that, baptisms were held in a pond in Coup's Creek, which is behind the current church. In 1918 some Wahroonga Church members began meeting in the home of a Mrs Duffy in Thornleigh. Three years later a church was organised in that area

Within 10 years the church was full and an extension seating a further 200 people was built at a cost of AU£900 and dedicated on 9th June 1932. This was built by church member Reg Branster. [Photo 3: Extension] Again the membership continued to grow and the need for a larger church became apparent. In 1934 a building fund was started to raise funds for a larger church. Times became difficult during WWII with building permits not allowed and prices rapidly increasing. Nevertheless over the years the fund steadily grew with regular donations from church members and special appeals. By the early 1950s the membership passed 600 and in 1952 a committee was formed to draw up plans for a new church building, the church we worship in today. Fundraising continued with innovative ideas such as church members buying bricks for 2 shillings each. (The completed building was to contain 338,000 bricks!)

On 9th September 1956 the foundation stone for the new building was laid engraved with the words To the Glory of God and in memory of the pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia€�. The foundation stone can be seen today at the entrance to the church. [Photo 5: Foundation stone] It took just over 2 years to build the church. Due to the contribution of skills and talent of the church members the cost was only about AU£75,000. Without the dedication of the church members the cost would have been around AU£120,000! [Photo 6. Scaffolding inside church] Part of that voluntary work done by church members was the dismantling and rebuilding of the pipe organ brought from the Burwood Palatial Theatre by E.M. Baldwin and his sons. One of those sons, Franklin Baldwin, continues this commitment to Wahroonga Church today as an organist and in his work on the refurbishment of the organ. Others who played an important role were the original architect William Torode, building supervisor Norm Marchant, builder Eric Satchell, bricklayer Ray Skinner and quantity surveyor Esmond Stockton. One of Mr Skinner’s and his apprentice Ray Jackson’s tasks was to make sure the brickwork was in perfect alignment when the spire was lifted on by a crane and it was.

Our Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church building was officially opened on Sunday 23rd November 1958. By the time it opened, church member Vic Rudge had made enough pews in the workshop at his home in Elizabeth Street to seat 600 people and comment was made that it there was finally enough room for all the members. In a speech of appreciation C.W Tinworth noted Many heads, hearts and hands have been dedicated to the task of bringing this project to fruition. [Photo7: church building] Many of the features around the new building had been donated by members and friends, including the carpet and all the windows. Members at Wahroonga in 2003 are still benefiting from that generosity.

On August 13, 1966 the Church was dedicated debt free. Mr Rudge had been hard at work again and there was now a seating capacity of 850, which complimented the membership of 846! The seating in the gallery of the church came from the original wooden church. An excerpt from the Act of Dedication says As a tribute of gratitude and love from those who have tasted the cup of Thy salvation and experiences the riches of Thy grace, we bring this house as a freewill offering to our God, and dedicate this entire building to the cause and service of God.� [Photo 8: Dedication brochure]

Recognising a need for a church on Sydney’s northern beaches, Wahroonga Church members began planning to start a church in that area in 1986. The following year, 30 Wahroonga members began meeting in what was to become the Mona Vale Seventh-day Adventist Church.

At a historic meeting held on the 3rd December 1995 it was voted that two churches be formed from the Wahroonga membership. Today, 100 years after the first church was organised on the Fox Valley Rd campus, two congregations worship in the Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Fox Valley Seventh-day Adventist Community Church. [Photo 9: members of the newly reorganised church]

“A Growing Church For a Living Godâ€� In 2003, 100 years since the first church was organised on this campus, the Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church remains committed to sharing the three angels messages and continues to seek to serve the community. Our church looks forward to the second coming of Jesus and together with our community we want to be ready to meet Him.  We are a family church and our Sabbath School programs are vibrant, interesting places to be and to participate in, where little children through to adults have a chance to meet Jesus in Bible study. Our church services feature powerful, Bible based messages and we have a vigorous evangelism programme. Many people are giving their hearts to Jesus and finding the truth in Adventism. Our church is growing rapidly and we thank God for His blessings and grace towards us.

1.Ray Anderson. (2003). Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church Centenary 1903 – 2003. Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church.
2.Australasian Record 24/1/21, p. 8.
3.Programme, Dedication Service Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church August 13, 1966. Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church Archives.
4.(Unknown). (c.1983). History of Wahroonga S.D.A. Church. Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church Archives.
5.A.G. Stewart. (1958). Let Them Make Me a Sanctuary. Speech from opening of new Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church, 23rd November 1958. Adventist Heritage Centre, Cooranbong.
6.Australasian Record. Opening and Dedication of the Wahroonga Church. 11/8/13, p. 4.
7.Australasian Record. Stone-Setting Ceremony, Wahroonga Church. 15/10/56, p. 3.
8.C.W. Tinworth. (1958). Speech from opening service of the New Wahroonga Seventh-day Adventist Church 23rd November 1958. Adventist Heritage Centre, Cooranbong.