How The Church Began
The Apostolic Church Of God 7th Day, Worldwide Missions Outreach with its International headquarters located at 24497 Fraser Highway, Langley B.C. Canada, was founded on July 11 1951, and incorporated in the province of British Columbia on October 15 1953.
The establishment of this church was the result of Edward and Evelyn Saunders coming from Vernon B.C. in May of 1951 and holding a series of revival meetings with a small group of Sabbath-keepers who were meeting together in the home of Brother and Sister Issac Dyck on the Brown Road in Langley B.C.
God graciously poured out His Spirit in these meetings. There was a wonderful, Spiritual awakening and an immediate interest created in the area for the establishment of a full-Gospel Sabbath-keeping Church uninhibited by denominational legislation. Consequently, meetings were continued in the Vasa Hall in Aldergrove B.C. where once again God sent a visitation of His Power and an outpouring of His Spirit.
In the meantime, Brother and Sister Saunders had purchased 2 acres of property where the church building is currently located and a half (1/2) acre of that land was donated for the construction of the building. On February 10 1952, plans were laid for the construction of the church building which was soon erected and the building was dedicated on November 28, 1953. Many instances of Divine providence were experienced in providing the necessary means for the erection of the fine building.
The founding of the church was the outgrowth of the Church of God in Vernon B.C. from where Brother and Sister Saunders had come as Evangelists. The church in Vernon had its beginnings in 1939, Brother and Sister Saunders being involved as some of the founders of the work and assisted in various ways in establishing the Church of God there.
The earliest association with any other Church of God people was in connection with the Church of God, Salem, West Virginia, U.S.A. who traced their history back to the beginning of the 1800's and even earlier than that.
In 1984 - 85, Pastor Saunders and his wife Evelyn Saunders embarked on a tour around the world, as a result of the numerous calls from different parts of the world.
The tour began on September 22, 1984. From Vancouver BC they traveled through London, Nigeria and Kenya. Several other doors were opened in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, The Cayman Islands, Haiti, the Philippines, New Zealand, Hawaii and several other countries too numerous to mention.
Today, the church has grown and therefore has been grouped into regions in the continents of the world. They include: The African Region, The Asian Region, The European Region, The Caribbean Region, The North American Region, The South and Central American Region.
The founding Pastor, Edward Saunders, was finally called home by the Lord on April 7th 1999 and laid to rest on April 14th 1999 at Murray Ville Cemetery in Langley, B.C. Canada. His wife, sister Evelyn Saunders died February 2020.
