About Cumberland Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church
History
In 1934, Mr. And Mrs. Roy Edmister and son Arthur moved from Portland, TN, and settled in what is now the Cumberland Heights area. “Pop” Edmister was an expert carpenter, and Mrs. Edmister had training in nursing. In partnership with Mrs. Edmister’s sister and brother-in-law, Mr. And Mrs. B. N. Milford, approximately 700 acres were purchased with a vision of bringing medical care to the county.
A small cottage was built and licensed as a convalescent home. With the passage of time, the facilities were converted to a health clinic. Dr. Lester F. Littell moved here from Lebanon in 1940, and saw as many as 60 patients a day. Eventually, “Pop” Edmister passed away and Dr. Littell moved his practice to Dayton. Mrs. Edmister retired and sold the facility to Dr. William Respres of Watertown, and Dr. Charles A. Littell, who already had a practice in Tracy City. Although it no longer exists, it grew to serve the community health needs as the Cumberland Heights Hospital.
Word spread of a lovely place to live, and soon many families moved to the area to live in the country. The Edmisters, Milford’s, Rosenthals, Nivisons, Lillies, McPhersons, Vogels, and others were all members of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination; so it was logical that as a group grew in number, they organized themselves into a church unit. In 1941, plans were made to construct a church building on land donated by the Edmister family. World War II delayed the completion on the church until 1945, but the first wedding of the church actually took place in 1943, when Arthur Edmister and Elda Lilie were married before the walls were in place. The “Little White Church” was completed and dedicated in 1945.
In time, the congregation grew, the church became too small and additions were made. The sanctuary has been expanded and remodeled and Sabbath school classrooms have been built. After the brick façade was added, it became the “Little Red Brick Church.”
The original members, as now, believed that the product of a Christian home should be a Christian child. Following the lead of the denomination, which provides a complete system of education, the Cumberland Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church maintained a grade school for children in the congregation and the community from 1946 until 2015. It was started in a room in the church until a separate building could be completed across the road. In 1964, a new school building was constructed next to the church. Believing that the church should not only be a source of spiritual help and growth to its members but should also be of service to all mankind, the old school site became a community services center that assists in cases of real need for Grundy County.
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.