Volunteer Park Adventist Church, rooted in Seattle’s historic Capitol Hill neighborhood, celebrated its 60th anniversary on Aug. 15–16, 2025. For two days, the congregation gathered to remember, worship and give thanks, reflecting on God’s faithfulness and guidance through six decades of ministry.
The celebration began Friday evening with a night of worship in VPC’s newly upgraded sanctuary. Filled with music, stories and recorded testimonies, the service was captured for a live worship album planned to be released on music streaming platforms.
In the church lobby, guests were welcomed by a newly created history wall, curated under the leadership of Elias Fuentealba, VPC elder, and Sienna Hubin, VPC communication director.
The display turned the greeting area into a gallery of VPC’s resilience and Christ-centered mission, showcasing original newspaper clippings, blueprints, letters and photographs. Among its stories was the February 1962 fire, when arsonists burned down the original Seattle Central Church building on a Sabbath morning. Out of that loss, VPC emerged as a thriving city church, committed to loving and serving its community.
Sabbath morning was filled with anticipation and joy as past and present members gathered, including some who helped lay the foundation of the current church building in the early 1960s. Doug Bing, Washington Conference president, led a special prayer of dedication, while a highlight video featured community partners like Chelsea Dziedzic, Lowell Elementary School principal, who attended the celebration.
Dziedzic expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you for all the amazing things we’ve been able to accomplish together over the last several years. Thank you for your generosity, your kindness and your commitment to the Capitol Hill community and the students at our school.”
VPC also celebrated its partnership with North Capitol Hill Emergency Communication Hub. Kurth Guntheroth, co-captain, reflected, “VPC is supporting our mission to help our neighbors help their neighbors. We are so very glad that you are a part of our community!”
Celebrations like these help VPC guard against mission drift, reminding the congregation of its purpose and calling. This anniversary was a time to reflect on the church’s identity — not as a castle with a moat, but as a sending hub for mission. With renewed momentum, VPC plans to continue upgrading its 60-year-old space, including a kitchen renovation, while also leaning into church-planting initiatives that expand its reach across the city.
The weekend concluded with a banquet on the church patio and a gym night at Puget Sound Adventist Academy, where members enjoyed pickleball, volleyball, basketball and board games.
Through fires and floods, challenges and triumphs, VPC has survived and thrived — a testimony of God’s faithfulness, the sacrifices of its members and a mission to love and serve the city for generations to come.
The celebratory weekend kicked off with a worship evening filled with singing, powerful testimonies and inspiration.
Church members and friends visit the VPC history wall.
Current leaders thank and acknowledge the historic spiritual leaders and pillars of the church.
A joyful Sabbath worship remembered and highlighted God's faithfulness throughout six decades.
The weekend celebration included an outdoor patio lunch for the church community.
