The Trench Town Seventh-Day Adventist (T.T.S.D.A.) Church has grown over fifty (50) years from a membership of 91 who were baptized on November 28, 1948, to presently over 600 souls in November 1998. These first members were the result of a tent crusade conducted by Pastor H.S. "Tim" Walters on the same spot that the Church is presently located.
The first Board Meeting convened on January 5, 1949, under the leadership of Elder Harold Fletcher, then a Bible Worker. By March of the year, the Church membership had grown to 144 souls under Pastor Harold Nemhard. Worship was conducted in a little tabernacle which soon proved inadequate to house the growing membership. By the end of December 1949, the membership had risen to 220. During that same year, the brethren began to look for a permanent site on which to construct a house of worship. This was realized in 1958 when 3 lots were secured from the Housing Department. During the ensuing years, the little tabernacle was expanded to accommodate the growing church membership.
The local leaders of the church in those early days were Brother Robinson, Brother Dennis, Brother Wilton Long and Brother Nelson. These local leaders, under God's Guiding and through the care of a stream of dedicated Pastors, oversaw the steady development of the church.
The decade between 1950 and 1960 saw the church consolidating its membership and achieving a steady growth. It was under Pastor A.G. Lawrence's tenure of service, that the three lots for the church were acquired and by 1962 construction commenced on the church building. Brother Winston Brown, a founding member and an able builder, undertook the task with the other members of a Building Committee to oversee the construction of the temple. Ground breaking took place on November 28, 1962, with the stone laying ceremony taking place on June 30, 1965. Progress on the construction of the building was slow but sure, and in 1970 the church was completed and dedicated for worship. At the end of Pastor Lawrence's term, Pastor Rupert Henry took over and continued in the same dynamic mold as speaker and evangelist; As a result, the growth of the church surged ahead as many souls were baptized.
Prior to the 70's, most of the members lived in communities adjoining the Church such as Trench Town, Jones Town, Rose Town and Whitfield Town. These populous areas were inhabited by people in the lower socio-economic strata and the members presence had a stabilization effect on the otherwise volatile community. A Health and Welfare Centre was constructed in 1977 from which significant assistance has been provided to the community's residents. The impact of the church's programmes over the years has been far reaching. To a great extent this has been achieved through dedicated leaders and members.
The church has also produced many outstanding individuals as Pastors, Engineers, Businessmen, Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Teachers, Builders et al Pastors include Harold Campbell, O.D., L. Orette Mitchell, Claude Brown and Earl Cameron.
The economic pressures experienced by the country in the 1990's continue to affect the church's membership and attendance. At the same time, inflow of new members from the community reduced significantly due to the adverse social conditions. Notwithstanding this however, the church, through its committed leaders and members, continues to provide the ministry to the people that God raised it up to do. The members have resolved that as a lighthouse for God, the doors of the Church must never be closed, comes what may.
Dedicated Pastors that have served the Church in the 90's include Pastor Eric Nathan, Linton Williams, Manley Phillips, Audley Allen and presently Errol Griffiths. Elders Errol Long, Alfonso Marshall and Winston Brown have served as first Elders during the period of the 70's to the 90's.
The Church was privileged to experience the joy of sharing with the birth of the Whitfield Town Seventh-Day Adventist Church when that congregation was officially organized by Conference officials on Sabbath, November 1997. This new congregation was the result of the Evangelistic Crusade which was conducted by Evangelist Errol Long and members of the Church in 1982.
The Church's commitment to Evangelism achieved encouraging results in May 1997 when a Tent Crusade, conducted by Pastor Audley Allen in the Trench Town community, resulted in over 90 souls being baptized, the second highest resulting from a single crusade in the long history of the church.
Many of the new members have settled down and have began to make their contribution. This augers well for the continued growth of the church as the membership from the community increases.
In September 1997, the Trench Town S.D.A. Church Basic School commenced operations with 40 students and 3 teachers, thereby opening another chapter in the range of services that the church is offering to the residents in the community who are gradually responding favorably to the call of the gospel.
The mid 70's saw many of the members migrating from the community, with some going abroad who eventually transferred their membership. The social and economic pressures also affected the faith of some brethren and consequently there was a significant increase in the number of apostasies. Another significant number transferred to a "daughter church, Ephesus S.D.A. located in Jones Town. Thus, by 1975 the membership fell to 553.
1976 was a watershed year for the churches political violence of intense magnitude wreaked havoc on the community. Houses were destroyed by rival political gangs. The Government, who had plans for re-development of the area, also demolished some homes. Thousands of people had to flee. The latter part of the 70's saw the church grappling with political, economic and social changes in the community and the country on a whole.
Before the 1970's church growth was due primarily through church-based Crusades conducted by the Pastors, ably supported by the Bible Workers. However, this approach was inappropriate in the 70's as there was no longer a populous community due to the dispersal of the people. Hence a new strategy in soul winning had to be developed. Lay Evangelists, with the support of Pastors and members, conducted Crusades in several locations in the surrounding communities. Elbassio McCloud was one of the outstanding laymen in the late sixties who blazed the trail of lay Evangelism. Through his efforts the Ephesus Church was established. In September 1975, Gladwyn Hall as the Evangelist, under God, won 45 souls under a tent pitched in upper Trench Town. This trend continued, and between 1977 and 1998, over eighteen (18) such Crusades were conducted in Rema, Tivoli Gardens, Whitfield Town, Rose Town, Arnett Gardens and Trench Town. Over 250 souls were added to the church through these efforts. Other Lay Evangelists who have led out in these crusades include Errol Long, Howard Johnson, Horace Currey, Bevin Brown, George Jobson and Clifford Watson. Arising out of these evangelistic efforts, a company was established in March 1982 at 12 Ashley Road, in Whitfield Town.
However, as members have been added to the church, others have left for reasons alluded to earlier. Therefore net gains have been virtually nil. The membership remained stable at about 600 over the last 18 years, with an average Sabbath attendance now at about 250 persons. In 1972, the membership reached its peak of 950.
Throughout its remarkable existence, the T.T.S.D.A. Church has manifested evidences of divine connections, helping to transform the lives of many people. As the Church presses on and looks forward with eager anticipation to the second coming of Christ, we are conscious of God's leading over the past 50 years and are confident of His continued guidance. He has assured the church of the companionship of His Warrior Angels whom He has commissioned to protect the members. Above all, He has promised that He will never leave nor forsake the saints. Ebenezer, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us". We now await, with great expectancy, the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour. Maranatha Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.