Our Church's History
From a small group of 51 immigrant West Indians to a vibrant congregation of well over 900 – God has certainly led the Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist church ‘a mighty long way’. In a little over 30 years, we have accomplished so much – purchasing a large tract of land, erecting what at the time seemed like a monstrous church building, starting an elementary school, constructing a building to house that school, and the list goes on. We have been blessed with excellent youth leaders – our Pathfinder Club reigned atop the Allegheny East Conference for years. Our youth choir has England and the Caribbean. We have been blessed with excellent musicians – we had the first church-based steelpan orchestra in this area – a group that has dazzled audiences throughout North America and Europe. Our health professionals give willingly of their time and expertise to those in our surrounding communities, and to those ‘back home’ in the Caribbean. Our community service department is known far and wide for its dedication and hard work in assisting disadvantaged members of our church and community.
Significant Dates in Metropolitan's History
- May 1973: New congregation started regular services at Chillum Community Church on Riggs Rd
- December 1973: Church officially accepted into the Allegheny East Conference of Seventh-day Adventists as the Caribbean Seventh-day Adventist Church (J. Glenn Roberts, pastor)
- 1974: Church's name changed to Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church (Milton Neblett, pastor)
- February 1978: Metropolitan purchased 9.2 acres of land two blocks north from the Chillum Community Church (Adrian Westney, pastor)
- September 1983: Stephen Richardson named church's first associate pastor
- September 1984: Ground breaking ceremony for new church building (J. LeCount Butler, pastor)
- Summber 1985: Metropolite Pathfinder Club released debut album - A Symphony Unto God (Augustus Ogiste, pastor)
- September 14, 1985: First Sabbath service in new church building (Bruce Flynn, pastor)
- August 1987: Metropolitan, First, and Brinklow Seventh-day Adventist churches launched G.E. Peters elementary school, using church's side rooms as classrooms (J. Glenn Roberts, pastor)
- July 1991: Health Association professionals started annual summer health care trips to the Caribbean
- April 1992: Ground breaking ceremony for $1.3 million building for G.E. Peters school
- October 1992: Metropolitan Symphony Steel Orchestra's debut recording - MSSO Live (David Campbell, director)
- October 1993: G.E. Peters school building completed
- September 1996: Daughter church - Glenridge - organized, with Amos Hosten as its first pastor
- September 2000: First female associate pastor - Brenda Billingy - installed
- September 2001: Metro Praiz's debut recording - Metro Praiz (Miguel Davis, director)
- June 2003: Pastor J. Glenn Roberts retires after 17 years of dedicated service. Pastor Michael R. Bernard installed
- September 2003: MetroSingers debut album - Anchored? - released (Myron Ottley, director)
- September 2003: Second daughter church - Mitchellville - organized, with Alan B. Johnson as its first pastor
- July 2004: Second service added on Sabbaths to ease overcrowding
- September 2004: Capital Stewardship Campaign launched to secure funding for $3.5 million Activity Center