About Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream 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.
About First Millsboro Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Many years ago, a Seventh-day Adventist church from Dover, Delaware sponsored a tent effort featuring an Elder Sceeny as the speaker. Howard Street, better known as "Uncle Patty" attended the meetings as did Catherine Norwood's Parents.
After the tent meetings, regular meetings were held among friends and relatives in the community.
"Uncle Patty" became his own evangelist as he shared his spiritual messages with community friends and relatives. He was never without some type of tract as he shared his spiritual messages at every opportunity.
On October 13, 1934, the Millsboro Church met in the home of Burton Street toofficially join the Chesapeake Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. officiating at the meeting were Conference President W. C. Moffett, Elder A. J. Evelyn, acting as secretary and Elder R. C. Crawford, the conference Missionary Secretary.
The 14 Charter Members were: Emery Wilson Norwood, Sarah Catherine Norwood, Mary Ellen Norwood, Carlos Edward Street, Howard Street, Burton Street, Clara Street, John Franklin Street, Ruth Evelyn Street, Mildred Street, Clara Jackson, Leon Street, Myrtle Street and Verneace Jackson.
On September 1, 1934, the church members and friends witnessed a baptism in the Indian River. Land was donated by Burton Street to be used to erect the new church and on Sunday, September 13, 1939, the Millsboro Church held its dedication service. They were joined in cele- bration by their sister churches in Milford and Dover, Delaware. ,·
Millsboro became aware of its responsibility toward Christian education and made plans to build a room adjacent to the original church for the education of its children.
Elder Nelson Bliss, who organized the Salisbury and Cambridge, Maryland churches, donated $500 toward the purchase of blocks for the new school which Thomas Burton helped to build. Teachers at the school included Mildred Jones, Eileen Wright, Alice Powell, Louise Mosby, Catherine Peterson, Frances Bliss, Corine Smith, Lucille Davis and Ruth Evelyn Street. A total of 226 people were baptized through the services of the following ministers: A. J. Evelyn, 1934 to 1937; William Cheatham, 1938 to 1945; Ercell I. Watson, 1945 to 1949; L. W. Brantley, 1949 to 1951; Alonzo Wagner; 1951 to 1954; Nelson Bliss, 1954 to 1960; John E. Collins, 1960 to 1964; J. Franklin Street, 1964 to 1974; Samuel Boynton, 1974 to 1977; Peter Campbell, 1977 to 1979; John Wright, 1979 to 1982; Alvin LA Count; William Ervin, 1983 to 1988; Carl Hinds, 1988 to 1991; Rudyard Lord, 1991 to 1997.
As the years, have been good to 1st Millsboro Seventh day Adventist Church, many of the pillars have passed away. The Pastors that have come to minister to the spirit and prepare those remain for the second coming of Christ are as follows: Oliver Cheatham, 1997-2002; Earl Blackwell, 8/2002-9/2002; A.R. Jones, 9/2002-2003; Colby Matlock Sr.: 10/2003-8/2010; R. Vincent Dehm, 10/2010-10/2012; Stephen Boyce, Sr., 11/2012 to 01/2021; Christopher Kady, 03/2021 to 01/2023, David Thorpe, Jr, 03/2023-