About Us

Our Mission is to be a family of believers who:

Know Jesus

Love People

Treasure Truth

Our Beliefs

The Apison Seventh-day Adventist Church is part of the world-wide Seventh-day Adventist denomination. We celebrate the Sabbath on the seventh-day of the week (Saturday) as a reminder of God’s creative and redemptive power. We also look forward to the imminent return of Jesus to take us to heaven. As we wait for His glorious appearing, we seek to honor God through sharing His truth and serving those in need.

Use the buttons below to learn more about Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, Request FREE Bible Studies, or Contact Us with any questions you may have.

Meet Our Pastor

Pastor Brian Burges

Brian Burgess is a native of Upstate New York and has served as a minister in the Seventh-day Adventist Church for 25 years.

Brian’s most important education has come from learning to walk with God and serve His people.  He is learning that the ups and downs of life; the opportunities and disappointments; the failures, temptations and victories in life, all serve to drive us closer or farther away from God and fellow human beings.

He has a special interest in discovering the relevancy of God’s Word and Holy Spirit in our daily lives as well as help people grow emotionally and spiritually in their walk with God.

Brian is married to his wife, Janice, and has two children, Josh and Angelina.

Apison Church History

The Apison Seventh-day Adventist Church has a long and blessed history. Check out the timeline below to see some of the ways that God has blessed our church family through the years!

Student Missionaries To Apison

Southern students make missionary trips to the Apison area, distributing Christian literature and conducting in-home Bible studies.

Before 1916

Apison Branch Sabbath Schools

George N. Fuller begins holding branch Sabbath Schools in the Apison area.

1917

First Apison Area Convert to Adventism

Elder Albert Dickerson comes to the Apison area as a 17-year-old Southern student. He attends branch Sabbath schools. Along with his sister (Lettie) he gives Bible studies and wins the first convert in the Apison area. He and his sister travel by mule with a spring wagon.

1921

Worship In Music

Hollis Olsen provides music for branch Sabbath Schools on a portable organ. Virgil Watson (the “Sweet Singer of Israel”) leads in the music and singing.

1936 and 1938

Land for a Church

Mr. W. W. Swisher (a branch Sabbath School member) and Ella B. Swisher deed the land the church is located on to the conference as a donation. There is a stipulation that a church must be built within 25 years, otherwise the land will revert back to the Swisher family.

September 8, 1936

The Apison Church is Officially Formed

Sixty-three people form a church and are voted into charter membership with Mr. and Mrs. George N. Fuller and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Beans as the founding leaders.

April 8, 1961

The First Anniversary Celebration

The first anniversary of the church is celebrated. Elder Roy Thurmon has the morning service in the Tallent School where the church is meeting, and Elder Horace Becker has the afternoon service at the site of the proposed new church. A building fund is started.

April 14, 1962

A Place To Call Their Own

The church members begin meeting in the church basement, built by Mr. Russell Williams.

May 26, 1962

The Church Building is Finished

Church building is finished and ribbon is cut.

September 3, 1966

Pastor Lester Coon

Elder Lester Orville “Bishop” Coon becomes the church pastor.

1968

Land Purchased for School

Thirteen acres of land adjacent to the church are purchased and a school is built.

1971

Community Services

A large trailer is purchased for Community Services (“Dorcas”). Mary Watkins leads “Dorcas” for 18 years as they make quilts and give out food baskets.

1974

Church Dedication and Mortgage Burning

Dedication service is held for the church building and the mortgage is burned.

April 24, 1976

Pastor Harold Keebler

Elder Coon becomes the Revivalist for the Conference and Elder Keebler serves as primary Apison Church pastor.

1981

Pastor Trevor Hoover

Elder Trevor Hoover becomes the Apison Church pastor.

Fall 1985

Dedication of Expanded Church Building

Expanded church building is dedicated.

March 15, 1991

Pastor Fred Fuller, Jr.

Elder Fred Fuller, Jr. becomes pastor, but leaves to serve as Conference Youth Leader after a few short months.

1995 or 1996

Pastor David Hakes

Elder David Hakes becomes pastor of the Apison Church.

June 1996

Timeline information based on 1996 document submitted by Theda H. Linn.