IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF 1964 A SMALL GROUP OF SEVENTH-day ADVENTIST BELIEVERS BEGAN MEETING IN THE AMERICAN LEGION BUILDING ON AIRPORT ROAD IN TAPPAHANNOCK. PREVIOUSLY, THEY HAD HELD THE SABBAITH SERVICES IN THE HOME OF ELDER AND MRS. CAMERON A, CARTER (RETIRED MISSIONARY FROM CHINA), IN WARSAW, VA. MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS COMPRISED IN THIS GROUP WERE EMPLOYED IN THE TIDEWATER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL OPERATED BY THE SDA MEDICAL GROUP FOUNDATION WITH HEADQUATERS IN RIVERDALE, MD.

TAPAHANNOCK COMMUNITY OFFICIALS CONTACTED THE MEDICAL GROUP STATING THE URGENT NEED OF A HOSPITAL FACITILTY IN THIS RURAL AREA WHICH APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES EAST OF RICHMOND. AFTE AN AGGRESSIVE FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN, THE HOSPITAL WAS BUILT AND STAFF WERE RECRUITED FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND SEVERAL ADJACENT STATES. ADVENTIST WERE NEW TO THE AREA AND ALTHUGH THE COMMUNITY WAS FULL OF PRAISE FOR THE HOSPITAL'S SERVICES, THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH WERE MISUNDERSTOOD.

THE CHURCH SOON OUTGREW THE AMERICAN LEGION BUILDING AND MOVED THE SABBATH SERVICES TO THE BASEMENT ASSEMBLY ROOM IN THE NEW HOSPITAL. ON MARCH 26, 1966, THE TAPAHANNOCK SEVENTH-day ADVENTIST CHURCH WAS OFFICIALLY ORGANIZIZED WITH 31 MEMBERS. ELDER CARIS H. LAUDA, POTOMAC CONFERENCE PRESIDENT, AND PASTER THOMAS M. KOPKO OFFICIATED AT THE ORGANIZTION SERVICE.

BECAUSE OF THE STRONG DESIRE OF THE MEMBERS TO PROVIDE A CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THE COMMUNITY, A TWO-CLASSROOM SCHOOL BUILDING WAS ESTABILISHED AND DEDICATED IN NOVEMBER 1967. AFTER YEARS OF USE, THE LITTLE SCHOOL HOUSE EVENTUALLY OUTGROWN AND NOW HOUSES THE CHURCH'S HEALTH FOOD STORE, "THE VEGGIE CORNER". A NEW LARGER SCHOOL BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1973. CHURCH SERVICES WERE MOVED TO THE TAPAHANNOCK JR ACADEMY EDUCATION BUILDING WHICH WAS DEDICATED ON NOVEMBER 19, 1977.

THE TAPAHANNOCK CHURCH HAS ALWAYS CONDUCTED AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY SERVICE MINISTRY. FOR YEARS THEY OCCUPIED RENTED QATERS IN TOWN. MR H.C. CLOPTON, A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN, DONTANTED PROPERTY IN MEMORY OF HIS WIFE FOR THE CONTRUTION OF A NEW COMMUNITY SERVICE BUILDING AND CHILDRE'S DAY CARE CENTER. THE SPAIOUS CHILDREN'S DAY CARE CENTER CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 140 CHILDREN.

THE COMMUNITY SERVIVES BUIDING STORES EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES AS WELL AS CLOTHING AND FOOD. THEY COOPERATE WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS AND DISTRIBE SURBLUS FOOD TO AS MANY AS 375 INDIVIDUALS MONTHLY.L AS THE YEARS PASSED, PLANS TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH WERE IN THE MAKING. THAT DREAM BECAME A REALITY WHEN SITE PREPRATION BEGAN IN OCTOBER 1988. ON JUNE 10, 1989, THE FIRST CHURCH SERVICE WAS HELD IN NEW SANCTUARY. CONSECRATION AND OPEN HOUSE SERVICES WERE HELD AUGUST 19, 1989. THE MEMBERSHIP HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS TO AS HIGH AS 200 MEMBERS. OUR CURRENT MEMBERSKIP IS ABOUT 155 AND GROWING.

THE CLOSE TIES OF THE HOSPITAL WITH CHURCH ACTIVITIES WERE SEVERED IN 1989 WHEN THE HOSPITAL WAS SOLD TO A FOR-PROFIT HOSPITAL CORPORATION.

WE PRAISE GOD FOR HIS LEADING AND FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS HE HAS GIVEN TROUGH THE YEARS.