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We are a church, pointing all to faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
We are a family, growing together in grace and truth.
We are an equipping center, helping people find their gifts to serve with love.
We are a hospital striving to provide healing and solace for those in need of restoration.
We are a movement, declaring the soon return of Jesus.
We are sinners, grateful for Jesus’ forgiveness. We are saints, declared so by His Word.
We are disciples, taking seriously the commands of Christ and His Word.
We are a lot more than can be said in a simple website paragraph. Come take a look at our our beliefs, our history, our church staff. If you’d like to know what to expect at a typical church service, find out more here! Contact us too, if you have any questions.
Who Are Seventh-day Adventists?
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant church with approximately 19 million members worldwide, including more than one million members in North America. The Seventh-day Adventist Church seeks to enhance quality of life for people everywhere and to let people know that Jesus is coming again soon.
Adventists believe a Trinity of three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—make up one God. They made salvation possible when Jesus, the Son, came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem and lived a sinless life in accordance with the Father’s will. When Jesus was crucified for the sins of the people of the world and arose from the dead on the third day, victory was won for everyone.
When He returned to heaven following the resurrection, Jesus left the Holy Spirit to serve as our Comforter and Counselor. He promised to return to earth a second time to complete His plan of salvation and take His people to heaven. Adventists are among the believers who look forward to that day.
Adventists believe that God is concerned with the quality of human life, and that everything—the way we live, eat, speak, think, treat each other, and care for the world around us—is part of His plan. Our families, our children, our jobs, our talents, our money, and our time are all important to Him.
Seventh-day Adventists have a high regard for education, having one of the largest Protestant educational systems in the world. We also have a high regard for Religious Freedom, Service, and more.
Our History
In just a century and a half the Seventh-day Adventist Church has grown from a handful of individuals, who carefully studied the Bible in their search for truth, to a world-wide community of over eleven million members and millions of others who regard the Adventist Church their spiritual home. Doctrinally, Seventh-day Adventists are heirs of the interfaith Millerite movement of the 1840s. Although the name “Seventh-day Adventist” was chosen in 1860, the denomination was not officially organized until May 21, 1863, when the movement included some 125 churches and 3,500 members.
Our beginnings in the Grass Valley area go back 120 years to 1880 when just a few families met in their homes for worship. Though records are a bit sketchy, the church was formally organized in 1925 with Elder John R. Patterson being the first pastor. In 1935 a one-room building with a basement was built in the Glenbrook area and used for both a school and church services. By 1948 the school building was so crowded that the “Frank Buck Hall” on the present Episcopal Church site in Grass Valley was rented for services. Elder J. V. Schull was the pastor and membership had grown to 71.
After much planning, land was purchased on Alta Street for $3,000. The money was obtained by a short-term loan from a member, Ben Schafer. A quonset hut was erected and evangelistic meetings were held. Fifty-two people were baptized, nearly doubling the size of the congregation. Several years later the quonset hut was removed and a new church was built on that property. It was completed in August, 1956, and formally dedicated in August, 1958. The church on Alta Street was remodled in 1981, and about that same time a group of members decided to start a sister church in the Penn Valley area.
In the late 1980’s, discussions began regarding the purchase of property and the building of a new church in Grass Valley. The congregation had outgrown the Alta Street church and more room was needed, especially for social activities. As it was not possible to expand on that site, property was purchased on Colfax Highway in 1989. Plans were drawn, permits obtained and a buyer for the Alta Street Church was found. Fund raising began and by the summer of 1994 the new property was cleared, concrete poured and construction was well underway. Two years later, the first Sabbath services were held in our new church on September 16, 1995. It was a time of great rejoicing!
Throughout the past 120 years, God has graciously led this church. It was through the devotion of its members and dedicated leadership and with gratitude to our Heavenly Father, that the church on Osborne Hill Road was dedicated to God on March 15, 2003. This is not the end of the story — rather, it is only the beginning!
Where We're Headed
What’s the bottom line? More than ever, Grass Valley SDA Church is committed to fostering a church family built around hope and love. Hope for the Coming of Jesus. Hope in His transformative love. And as we move forward as a church family, inclusion and belonging remain at the center of who we are as followers of Christ.
What this means for you
What does this mean for you? Most importantly, you’re always welcome at Grass Valley SDA Church. We’re saving a seat for you. Wherever you’re at in your faith journey, you’ll always be accepted as part of the Grass Valley SDA family.
Beyond that, if you’re ready to plan your first visit, click here. If you want to learn more about our beliefs as a church, click here. Or if you’d simply like to get in touch with a person on our lead team directly, click the button below.