The Morristown Seventh-Day Adventist Church is a multi-cultural, multi-racial congregation, made up of families and individual believers with varied backgrounds and experiences. We are united in our love of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Redeemer and Friend, and in our service of the community of Morristown and surrounding areas. We invite all individuals to visit on any occasion and spend time with us. You will be a visitor only once; the next time, you will be our friend!
Morristown Seventh-Day Adventist Church: A Brief History (written by Elder Robert Hand)
In 1958, the decision to start a church in Morristown, NJ was put into action. Elder M.K. Eckenroth, the President of the NJ conference of SDA, together with Edward Herzel, pastor of the Rockaway, NJ church, and worker Jack Blanco, conducted evangelistic meetings at the Women's Club in the heart of Morristown. They were aided by dedicated members of the Rockaway, Newark, and Plainfield (Lake Nelson) churches, who had left the fellowship and security of their home churches to unite and form the new Morristown group.
On January 3, 1959, Morristown was officially chartered as a church with 37 members. Elder A.M. Ragsdale, who had just returned from mission duty, became its first Pastor, with Jack Blanco as a helper. Jack Blanco worked tirelessly in the search for new church property so a church could be built. The result is this current church property consisting of 7 acres that was purchased from Princess Farid as a bargain price.
The decision was made to erect a parish house first, using the lower level as a church sanctuary, and the upper apartment as living quarters for the Pastor.
Elder Ragsdale soon left Morristown for another call, and Jack Blanco became the new Pastor. The first Sabbath service in the new sanctuary was held on November 26, 1960. The church was richly blessed with many baptisms, and on June 17, 1961, the church was dedicated debt free. During his pastorate at Morristown, Jack Blanco was ordained at Camp Meeting on July 8, 1961.
In April 1963, Jack Blanco accepted the call to the Woodbury church, and while there, he completed his doctorate. He was replaced by Gordon Blandford who also returned to Morristown later to serve a second term, and the only Pastor to do so.
Even though the parish house sanctuary was satisfactory, and was blessed, the need and desire for a separate church building were growing. With the leading of Karl Steinbacher, a member and contractor, and other church members and friends volunteering their services, this new church was built.
The opening service was held on March 22 1969. The church was dedicated debt free in May 1973. The Morristown church also became a working cosmopolitan church with a congregation consisting of African-American, West Indians, and Asians blending with all the other heritages.
During the 1980's a church school was also held at Morristown to provide its children with a Christian education.
In 1992, the parish house sanctuary was used to start up the Spanish work in Morristown. The group used the facilities for several years until they were able to purchase a church building of their own.
The Morristown Church owes its success as a light on the hill to the following pastors:
A. Ragsdale J. Blanco G. Blandford
J. Staples L. Meyers W. Barrington
E. Grentz R. Cathell M. Ortel
J. Fine J. Freedman J. Williamson
M. Jonakin D. Bozarth J. Schachinger
J. Smith M. Thorp I. Jean-Leon
J. Hooker M. Jagitsch
Our current Pastor is John Lee
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.