Our Story

Prepared August 6, 2020, by Michael Joseph, MES (Second Revision November 15, 2020)

It was in 1985, about 30 members of the Toronto East Seventh-day Adventist Church (the mother church), came together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and lead by Brothers Washington Plummer, Wesley Tennant, his wife and children, Sister Keziah Miller, Pastor Fitzroy Maitland and others to raise a Branch Sabbath School in the Regent Park community of downtown Toronto. They rented a small United Church at 40 Oak Street for their meetings and reached out into the immediate surroundings, teaching and baptizing as commissioned in Matthew 28:19,20. The group grew steadily under the Holy Spirit’s leadership with additional senior pastors; Earl Cameron, and Whitford Shaw.

During the first two years at Oak Street, evangelism efforts were held to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the resulting outcomes saw moderate growth with all baptisms being held at the Toronto East Seventh-day Adventist Church, (the mother church). The following associate pastors from the mother church were given additional responsibilities for assisting and nurturing the Berea Company in the following order; Alan DeSilva, Frankie Lazarus, Ray Llewellyn and Edson Phipps.

In the spring of 1987, Berea outgrew the Oak Street space and by July 4 to be exact, they relocated a few blocks away to 353 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, where they remained until September 30, 2020. With the arrival of Pastor Ledford Morris in October 1988, the group now referred to as the Berea Company applied to the Ontario Conference to request autonomy in becoming a full-fledged church. This request was granted in 1994, and Berea Seventh-day Adventist Church has been holding the Beacon light for God’s lighthouse to all who enter downtown Toronto.

Berea has a strong community focus with its outreach ministries that offer help to persons and families seeking recovery from years of drug abuse. The church also assists with food and clothing drives, while also participating in feeding the homeless in the city collaborating with other community churches. In addition to various forms of outreach ministries, Berea has an active ministry to seniors with fitness walks and now conducting online exercise sessions. The children’s ministries of Pathfinders and Adventurers also build young people for service to the community.

Berea has grown over the years and continues today with a vibrant virtual ministry. It is a welcoming place for everyone, including the people in the city shelter-system, newcomers, tourists, university students and professionals alike. A notable trait of Berea is that it has remained a small but effective congregation because it facilitates initial space and opportunities for the development of transient groups. The Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist Church was started by one Ghanaian member in Berea and grew to thirty as a core group to gain Church Company status. Now they number in the hundreds. Also, the All Nations Seventh-day Adventist Church had its core members originating from Berea and then branching out to have their own congregation.

The leaders and members of Berea humbly ask; if anyone is willing to test their love for Christ and their commitment to His people, "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him". Ps. 34:8 KJV

In conclusion, Berea has had numerous pastors and head elders over the years. The following are the head elders in order of service; Washington Plummer, Maurice Kelly, Neil Holder, Michael Joseph and currently Madge Kelly. Berea is currently blessed with pastor David James and ably assisted in ministry with a very supportive pastoral staff.