History

   1885   A small group of Seventh-day Adventists were worshipping in Sorrento, Florida.  This was the first group of Seventh-day Adventist believers in Central Florida.
 

   1890   March 30, a group of 14 members was organized in Orlando, population 2,500.  The congregation soon increased to 25 and met in the home of one of the members before renting the Armory building on Court Street.
 

   1908   A lot was purchased for $250, and a white frame sanctuary, 24 x 36 feet, was constructed at the corner of West Central and Terry Streets.  The church cost about $800.  The church was called “Central Church” and also had a church school.
           

            The Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists* was looking at a piece of property located in the Formosa Avenue area of Orlando.  The conference purchased an existing sanitarium for $9,000.  It sat on two beautiful lakes and included 72 acres.  On the first of October the sanitarium was opened as the Florida Sanitarium and Hospital.
 

1922    A small group of hospital employees began to hold weekly services on Saturday afternoons at the hospital, conducted by the pastor of the Central Church.
 

1926    September 24, the Florida Conference organized those attending the hospital services into a new church with services held in Winyah Chapel.
 

1948    The membership had grown to 146, and a new sanctuary was built at 800 Lake Estelle Drive, Orlando.  Today, this is the building housing the library for Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences.
 

1960    A transept for additional seating and the education wing for children’s classes and community service activities were built as an addition to the Lake Estelle facility.
 

1971    The church sanctuary was completely redecorated.
 

1981    The church name was changed from Florida Sanitarium Church to The Seventh-day Adventist Church at Florida Hospital.
 

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*              The Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was organized in September 1893.  The new conference began with three ordained ministers, two licentiates, and 139 members.