When Cessnock City Church celebrates its 90th anniversary this Sunday, it will not just mark a significant milestone for the church, but for the Foursquare Gospel denomination in Australia.
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The Cessnock church was the first Foursquare Gospel Church in Australia, with its first services held in 1929 in a garage on the same North Avenue block where the church stands today.
South African evangelist Frederick van Eyk established the church in Cessnock after holding healing meetings in Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide.
The preacher received a calling from God to go to Cessnock while on a road trip to central NSW with fellow missionary Albert 'Bert' Banton, and the pair set out for the Coalfields.
Arriving during a coalminers' strike, van Eyk was ejected from a union meeting but was eventually permitted to speak to the miners.
The church was born from a revival meeting in the town, with 75 people reported to have been baptised in one day.
"The city was touched; a hotel closed and people started flocking to churches," Pastor Kembrey said.
Pastor Kembrey said the church continues to give back to the community as it did all those years ago.
It holds children's ministry, music, outreach and Bible study programs, as well as an annual breakfast with the Mayor and a combined Australia Day service in the TAFE park.
"We pray for our city and do what we can to help," he said.
"It was a move from God, and what God begins, he finishes, so we expect something will happen to see the city touched again."
Bert Banton's son Bruce, a mission director, will be a special guest at the Cessnock church this weekend.
Services will be held at 10am and 6pm Sunday, with a hot luncheon to follow the morning service, and youth and musical items in the evening.
Call 4991 1003 for more information.
