About Us

About the Hill

The Hill Church has its roots as far back as 1885, when it was founded, with services starting on September 19, by Elder DF Lindsey and 15 members. There was an old spring in the woods, with a Sanitarium we operated then close-by, and a small room at the bathhouse of this institution became the meeting place for this first group of Advent believers, for about 2 and 1/2 years. They then moved to the Fairgrounds dining room, just adjacent to the Sanitarium, with the first meetings conducted there, on April 8 1888. A building committee was brought to life, but abandoned plans for building, even for a small church - 18' by 26' - (a room smaller than the present Kindergarten room) when not enough money (it would have cost about $500.00) could be raised.

In 1889 the church received the right, for a contribution of $2500.00, to use a room in the gymnasium of the Sanitarium, where they worshiped for some years. In the meanwhile, the Sanitarium, by counsel of Ellen White, became an Academy (1893). It was turned into a senior College (1905), then in 1915 again into only an Academy. In 1927 the old Sanitarium building burned down, and the believers found a new place in the present Admin building of the Academy complex to continue their worship.

It was now that things began to happen for the church. 1933 - 1947 brought great gains. The International Nutrition Laboratories, later to become Loma Linda Foods, was started in the Mount Vernon area. It brought many Adventist’s to the vicinity as workers in the plant. So did the school, which had 240 pupils attending. Evangelistic outreaches also brought in new members, and by 1945 2 services was held on Sabbaths. 

A new study committee was called to life exploring a possible own church in 1951. On September 18, 1955 ground breaking ceremonies was conducted, and although not fully finished, The Hill Church held it’s first baptismal service on March 17, 1957. Sabbath, November 18, 1961 saw the dedication of the building, debt free, and 618 members strong. As built, it could seat 676 in the church, 108 on the balcony, 56 in the Mothers Room, 62 in the Choir Section - a total of 902. 

Over the years many things grew and maintained the church. An elementary school was put into place, and drew members interested in a Christian Education for their children, and also in the rural setting of Mount Vernon. The establishment of the Conference Office in town brought the high ranking officials of the Church into the arena. Various other industries were established that made it possible for people to live and work here, while getting their children the Christian education they strived for. There was a bakery, an industrial Laundry, the Academy had a farm, there was a Greenhouse, and then there were Adventist businessmen who also provided jobs for other Adventist’s - especially in the building/construction trade, and to a fair degree, in the healthcare sector.

As a mother church, The Hill birthed 2 daughter churches in its close proximity over the years it operated in Knox County. Within 7 miles at the furthest, you’ll find the Fredericktown Church; the Mount Vernon City Church continued until it disbanded in 2018. Both were part of the legacy of what was started here at the Hill, many, many years ago.

Nearly 22 years ago we expanded our building to incorporate easy access to our handicapped community, installing an elevator that allows wheelchair access to both the lower and sanctuary level of our church.

Today we still serve our community in special ways. We operate the ACTS Center Thrift Store, not only selling clothing and other odds and ends, but ploughing back into our community the profits we make, supporting a food program through which we feed hundreds every month. We have an elementary school that reaches out to our community. 

We have set our goal to be this – connecting the gospel of Christ to the needs of our community. We are still exploring, and finding more ways through which to do this. And cannot wait for the task to be done, so Jesus can come and we can be with Him forever.