Our History
Montrose Church of Christ commenced in 1877 as a house church and was originally known as the Mooroolbark Church of Christ. It was in 1894, after several moves, that the believers gathered at the Montrose Primary School. Here, they organised Sunday School activities and held regular Sunday Evening Gospel Services. Tent Missions in the early 1900’s saw many come to faith in Jesus.
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The land in Leith Rd Montrose was purchased in 1905, and the first Chapel opened in May 1909. From around this time, the church was officially known as the Church of Christ Montrose. In 1914 the church purchased an adjoining block, which was transformed into a tennis court. This space is now used as a carpark, with the entrance off Walker Road.
In the early years, members shared the preaching along with guest preachers from other churches. Students from College of the Bible also served in a part-time capacity. The first full-time pastor was appointed in 1977, one hundred years after that initial gathering.
Montrose has initiated two church plants. In October 1921 two families commenced the Boronia Church of Christ, located at 59 Boronia Rd. In 1991, a new church plant commenced in the Upper Yarra Region. Montrose members provided oversight to this new fellowship, and were involved in leading services, speaking and providing music. Today this church meets in the Yarraburn Centre, Park Rd, Yarra Junction.
Interaction with other churches was intentional, as the church experienced rapid growth through facilitating life groups for Bible Study, discipleship, activities for children, youth and adults. The church also participated in local sport teams. In the early 1980s, it became obvious that the church had outgrown the 1909 chapel. The decision was made to rebuild. The last service in the original chapel was held on the 4th August 1985. Chateau Wyuna, 3kms down the road, purchased the old chapel and relocated it in their grounds. After much prayer and planning, the new chapel and building complex was opened on the 15th March 1986.
The fellowship has always taken seriously their desire to be a “Church in the heart of the community with the community at heart”. In making a difference in the community, the church has facilitated “A Drop-in-Centre”, cared for the elderly in retirement villages and run programs for people with special needs. Members have been involved with the Kids Hope mentoring program at the local primary schools, and the church facilitates the local community carols service at Christmas.
During the early 2000s the congregation comprised of mainly seniors, many of whom had faithfully served for decades. Naturally numbers decreased due to relocation, the need for aged care, and deaths, however the community has always been proactive in caring for each other and committed to connecting and partnering with others, both locally and globally.
In 2018 the Church Council started preparing for growth. They invested time and money in maintenance and updating of the facilities. In the very difficult year of 2020, they commenced a zoom prayer meeting on Saturday mornings, believing with a positive attitude that God still had a role for this community of faith, whatever shape that would take for the future.
In 2021, despite the continuing disruptions of COVID, an exciting new day dawned. We welcomed many new individuals and families into our fellowship, and began a new creative kids ministry. Followers of Jesus have been empowered to use their gifts to reenergise and develop a dynamic community of faith. God is at work in a very special way, and we are determined to be obedient to His call to make disciples, to love one another, and to serve our local community for His Glory.
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