Gympie Seventh-day Adventist Church in Queensland celebrated a belated 100th year anniversary recently.
Gympie company was first organised into a church in 1922 with 26 members. Major flooding and restrictions in 2022 made the 100-year celebrations impossible, so the event was postponed to March 25, 2023.
South Queensland Conference president Pastor Brett Townend and his family joined in the anniversary occasion and reflected on their historic family roots in the district. Also in attendance was Jessie Cole (baptised in 1951), the longest surviving member of Gympie who still attends today. She is pictured below with the youngest attendee, Rachel Cloete and her mother, Rujinah.
Other highlights included the ordination of some of the young (and young at heart) deacons; the collection of a special offering for planned renovations and extensions to the current church hall; and a shared lunch that included homemade, beautifully decorated celebratory cupcakes.
The Gympie church hall was originally constructed in 1957 at the Gympie church site in Crown Road. The timber for the hall floor and walls was provided by Dave and Jessie Cole from their farm in Amamoor. The hall was moved in 1961 to its present location.
The current church was originally built in 1970 and the first service in it was conducted by Pastor Roger Vince in March 1970.
“A special thanks to all who helped organise and those who attended this milestone event!” said a church representative. “[We are] Praising God for His leading in the past 100 years and in the future of Gympie church.”
