On Sabbath, April 23, 2022, the Richardson Seventh-day Adventist Church in Richardson, Texas, celebrated its 60th anniversary. Sue Mathieu, who faithfully served the congregation through music ministry for the past 35 years, led a reunion bell choir during the afternoon service.
Richardson Mayor Paul Voelker paid tribute to the important supporting role that houses of worship play in every community.
The 60th anniversary church choir, directed by Elphis Stirewalt and accompanied by Jackie Tucker, sang “How Great Thou Art,” and Linda Hanson sang “Bless This House,” accompanied by Mathieu.
Charter member Nikki Clark Allen recalled how she, along with 46 other members from the Dallas Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, founded the Richardson church on April 28, 1962. John Petchkurow shared highlights of the church’s history from the 1970s, then Don and Jody Beck presented details from the 1980s.
Leo Mathieu gave an overview of the 1990s, followed by recollections from Euree Estell about the church choir in the 2000s. Elsa Landazabal reviewed the 2010s, and Marlene Spady represented North Dallas Adventist Academy, which began in 1984 as Richardson Adventist School.
Former Richardson church pastor Byron Corbett, the newly elected Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists English evangelist, recognized 18 pastors in attendance, both past and current. He conveyed the church’s gratitude for their leadership during the church’s growth. Since 2000, Richardson church members planted 13 churches. One of those churches, in turn, planted four additional churches.
The Lord has mightily blessed this congregation of more than 1,000 members with a vision to tell the world about Jesus through church plants in several nearby suburbs. Now it is looking to plant a church in the Sachse/Wylie/Murphy area this year. Once completed, the total number of church plants in the past 22 years would be 14.
—Sharon Petchkurow is the communication director for the Richardson Seventh-day Adventist Church.
A version of this article appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of the Southwestern Union Record. You can find the online issues here.
