Local, state and federal politicians came together with past and present church members to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fairfield Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sydney, NSW, on Sabbath, August 3.
Federal MP for Fowler Dai Le, State MP for Fairfield Dr David Saliba, Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone and Fairfield councillor Kevin Lam attended the anniversary service, giving speeches and cutting the celebratory cake. Greater Sydney Conference general secretary Pastor Cheonneth Strickland provided the spiritual message and blessing.
During the service Fairfield church pastor Edison Akrawi provided a brief history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its institutions, then gifted the politicians with a copy of The Desire of Ages and information about the Adventist Church.
The service was attended by former members of Fairfield church including those who were children 70 years ago, as well as current members and members of Cabramatta Fijian church who also worship in Fairfield. A photo slideshow was presented of the church’s history and some of its members through the past 100 years. The service was followed by a lunch and cake-cutting ceremony.
“We have been told by Dr David Saliba’s office that the centennial anniversary of Fairfield church including the involved pastors will be cited in NSW Parliament,” Pastor Akrawi said. “To God be the glory.”
Fairfield church history
The church’s history began with Arthur Shannon, a dedicated member of Stanmore Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sydney’s inner west. In 1919, Mr Shannon alongside a fellow Stanmore Missionary Volunteer Society member launched an evangelistic series at Fairfield School of Arts. It was followed by a successful tent mission run by Pastor F Knight around 1922. The majority of those who attended the tent meetings accepted the message.
On August 2, 1924, Pastor J M Cole officially established the Fairfield Company of Believers as a church. This group of Adventist believers met at the home of Albert Baglee. Since the new believers were outgrowing their existing meeting place, they decided to acquire a church building. They purchased land at 34 Wrentmore St, Fairfield, and gathered pledges for the building fund.
A building of around 9 by 6 metres was constructed entirely by voluntary labour. The total cost of £250 covered the land and furnishings besides a large portion of fencing. After many weeks of toil, their labours were rewarded with the church building dedicated on March 29, 1925. Sydney Conference president Pastor A H Piper ran the dedication service, assisted by Pastors Mitchell, Kent and Whittaker, and brother Govett. The church was dedicated almost free of debt, except a loan owing to the Conference.
Since then, the church has been renovated several times and a hall was added at the rear of the building. Due to flooding issues, the church was rebuilt in 1998 with a loan from the Conference. Church services in the new building commenced at the beginning of 1999.
The current church building.
