We are Taking Small Steps to Change Central London
A Center of Hope
Study The Bible With Us
Our History
The history of the Central London Church can be traced back to the evangelistic efforts of evangelist George Vandeman (Associate secretary of the General Conference Ministerial Association), in 1952. Pastor Vandeman’s series drew the greatest crowds ever seen at an Adventist evangelistic programme in Britain. His main programme took placed in London’s Coliseum Theatre. Some 10,000 people turned out on the first night. Attendance eventually levelled off to around 2,500. That initial series resulted in the establishment of the Central London Church. The Church was housed in the New Gallery Centre, 121 Regent Street, London, the lease being purchased from the Crown at a cost of £122,000, in 1953. The Gallery opened 25 October 1953 as the Central London Evangelistic Centre. In 1970 the main body of the Central London Church moved to Chalk Farm and became the Hempstead SDA Church.
The new Gallery continued to be a Centre for evangelism until it was replaced by the current Advent Centre, in May 1992. The resident Church at the Centre continued to be called the Central London Church (CLC). As a result of many direct and indirect evangelistic programmes the Church and the Centre have facilitated the birth of groups such as the Rumanian, the Pilipino, the Portuguese Churches and the Ethiopian group.
Our Mission
In harmony with the mission Christ entrusts to the SDA Church we perceive our mission as follows:
The mission of the Central London Church is to proclaim to residents of Central London, and all with whom we come in contact, the everlasting gospel in the context of the three angel’s messages of Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour, and unite with His Church, nurturing and discipling them in preparation for His soon return.
CLC desires to reach all people/cultural groups living in London. We believe that a Christ-Centred, loving, harmonious, Bible based Multicultural Church Community is best suited to fulfil our mission.
Our Method
We pursue this mission under the guidance of the Holy Spirit through:
Preaching: Accepting Christ’s commission (Matthew 28:18-20), we proclaim to residents of Central London, and all with whom we come in contact, the message of a loving God, most fully revealed in His Son’s reconciling ministry and atoning death. Recognising the Bible to be God’s infallible revelation of His will, we present its full message, including the second advent of Christ and the continuing authority of His Ten Commandment law with its reminder of the seventh-day Sabbath.
Teaching: Acknowledging that development of mind and character is essential to God’s redemptive plan, we promote the growth of a mature understanding of God, His Word, and the created universe.
Healing: Affirming the biblical emphasis on the well-being of the whole person, we promote the preservation of health and healing. With our limited resources, we seek to continue Christ’s ministry of compassion and restoration.
Discipling: Affirming the continued spiritual growth and development of all members, we nurture the newly converted, instruct them in righteous living, train them for effective witness, and encourage their responsive obedience to God’s will.
Our Values
Our sense of mission is driven by the realisation that every person, regardless of circumstances, is of infinite value to God and thus deserving of respect and dignity. Through God’s grace every person is gifted for and needed in the diverse activities of our Church family.
Our respect for diversity, individuality, and freedom is balanced by our high regard for community. We are multicultural family engaged in representing the reign of God in our world through ethical conduct, mutual regard, and loving service.