About us
“One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.”
What we believe
Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as the only source of our beliefs. We consider our movement to be the result of the Protestant conviction Sola Scriptura — the Bible as the only standard of faith and practice for Christians.
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God
We believe that God loves
God is love, power, and splendor — and God is a mystery. His ways are far beyond us, but He still reaches out to us. God is infinite yet intimate, three yet one, all-knowing yet all-forgiving.
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Humanity
We believe that God creates
From neurons to nebulae, DNA to distant galaxies, we are surrounded by wonder. Yet the beauty is broken.
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Salvation
We believe that God redeems
Love. Harmony. Perfection. Once, all creation sang the same glorious song.
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Church
We believe that God inhabits
Jesus left His followers with an epic mission: tell the world of His love and His promise to return. Also, they should love people the way He loved them.
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Living
We believe that God transforms
God’s law in the Ten Commandments shows us how to live and makes clear our need for Jesus. Though the law shows us the path to follow and convicts us of sin, it’s about far more than just toeing the line.
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Restoration
We believe that God triumphs
From the Garden of Eden to the Tower of Babel, the destruction of Sodom to the Exodus from Egypt, God has always investigated before taking action.
Introduction
As we welcome our new pastor, I want to take you back for just a moment — because sometimes we forget what this church is… and what it’s been over the years.
Our history
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1973
A small group began meeting here in Surrey. Not in a building — but in homes, prayer meetings, and rented spaces. It was small, but it was intentional.
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1985
Ground was broken for this church. And it wasn’t built by outside crews — it was built by members. People in this church gave their time, their skills, and their money to make this happen.
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Late 1980s
Services were already being held here.
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1991
The church was dedicated… debt-free. And after that, things didn’t slow down — they picked up.
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1993
A major evangelistic series at Massey Theatre.
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1995
Another large series that brought in new members.
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1996
Net ’96 with Mark Finley — global evangelism by satellite.
And also in 1996, something significant: we were part of a metro-wide series led by Pastor Schreven, where our sister churches came together, and the message was translated live by our own local pastors into Korean, Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese.
That’s not small. That’s a church reaching a whole community — at the same time.
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1998
Net ’98.
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1999
Another major series at the Surrey Arts Centre.
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2002
Members travelled to Trinidad for a six-week evangelistic effort.
More of our history
Growing, and planting
During this era, the church continued to grow — big enough to hold two services.
Around that time, the Radiant Living team was formed — a group of Bible workers who not only trained members, but also went door to door, gave Bible studies, and built real relationships in the community.
And the church didn’t just grow — it became strong enough to plant another church. The Guildford Church came out of those efforts.
Beyond Surrey
Pathfinders and Adventurers from the early years until now. Their mission work reached beyond Surrey — to places like the Philippines. Others participated in Maranatha projects, building churches and schools.
There were years when the Yugoslavian church held services downstairs… and later the Spanish group as well — worshipping at the same time as us.
How outreach looked
When doing door-to-door evangelism, we didn’t have GPS or Google Maps — we had large maps, and we would colour in the areas we covered.
Soup kitchen outreach was a big part of church life. Every two weeks, we were in the kitchen making sandwiches and putting together winter kits — gloves and socks — for those in need.
Another highlight in our history was the many home Bible studies led by deacons, deaconesses, elders, and our women’s and youth ministries. There was more than one to choose from — we even called them Berean Bible studies.
Through the 90s and 2000s, the Dorcas Society set up kiosks in malls, selling knitted and crocheted items, but also connecting with people and witnessing. Those efforts supported community services, which consistently served those in need week after week.
A different method, the same mission
In more recent years, especially during the pandemic, we saw the Holy Spirit continue to move in a different way.
Under Pastor Mellas, our online presence grew — from about 71 subscribers to over 2,000. Different method. Same mission.
Looking ahead
And the results of all that? They’re not just history. They’re sitting here.
There are many here — some of us who have been here 25, 30 years — who have seen firsthand what God has done through this church. Seeing people come in, grow, and then go on to lead and serve.
As we welcome our new pastor, you join a church already shaped by faith, service, and love. Together, we look forward with gratitude for the past and hope for all that lies ahead.
Meet Pastor Elvis Dumitru