Edge Church

Edge Church (formerly Southside Christian Church) is a Pentecostal Christian church affiliated with Australian Christian Churches, the Assemblies of God in Australia. It is considered the second largest Church in South Australia, Australia, with a weekly attendance of around 5,250. fact|date=June 2008 The Church is pastored by Danny Guglielmucci and his wife.

History

Establishment

Edge Church International was originally called Southside Christian Church when it was established in 1994. Danny Guglielmucci established Edge Church South in May of that year, with just 80 people in a small building at O'Halloran Hill.

During the next 18 months the church prospered and grew at an incredible rate. Filled to capacity, new premises were desperately needed. The church relocated to what had previously been the Old Reynella Markets in Old Reynella. The owners, who had originally built the markets to become a community centre agreed to a lease arrangement with the option to purchase at a later date. In 2001, over AUS$640,000 was given by the congregation in one offering enabling the purchase of the property.

Church merger and acquisition

Also in 2001 a second congregation, Edge Church City, was established. Initially meeting at the Wonderland Ballroom in Hawthorn, the City congregation was forced to move seven times in two years as it too experienced rapid growth. Finally, in 2003 the church took up residence in the former Investigator Science & Technology Centre building at the Adelaide Showgrounds and the City congregation found a permanent home.

After enjoying a strong friendship with Edge Church for many years, Westside Assembly of God at Findon became Edge Church West in 2006. Edge Church has some association with Tabor College Adelaide, as Gugliemucci was involved in its foundation. The Church also plans to plant a congregation in the United Kingdom in 2008, which is being founded by Pastors Nick Resce and Jason Gowland.

Michael Gugliemucci controversy

In August 2008 it was revealed that pastor Michael Guglielmucci, who inspired hundreds of thousands of young Christians with his terminal cancer "battle", had been exposed as a fraud. [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24216087-5006787,00.html] Earlier that year, Guglielmucci released a hit song, Healer, which was featured on Sydney church Hillsong's latest album and had become an an album of faith for those battling with their own terminal illnesses. [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24216087-5006787,00.html] [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24212817-5006301,00.html] Later he released a statement claiming that he created the cancer scenario as a diversion to his addiction to adult pornography. [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24233308-5006301,00.html]

Community involvement

Danny Guglielmucci has grown a strong large pentecostal church that operates through partnership on several projects with many other churches across Adelaide. For example, the church has worked with over 30 other churches to renovate Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital and the Adelaide Women's Prison.

Finances

In its 2007 annual report the church recorded a 12 per cent rise in revenue to $5.53 million. In addition, the 2007 annual report showed a net asset base of $11.56 million, up from $4.01 million the previous year, in part helped by the $4.5 million donation of the land and property of Findon-based Westside Christian Church. [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24265180-5006301,00.html]

Attendees to the church contribute a Tithe of one tenth of their income to support the church. [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24265180-5006301,00.html] Church members contributed $3.12 million in tithes in the 2007 financial year, up from $2.64 million the previous year. [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24265180-5006301,00.html]

Membership

The Reynella church has a database of 3400 people, while the Goodwood campus is expanding into the city at the Greater Union site in Hindley St. and the Findon, South Australia location has a congregation of more than 250. [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24265180-5006301,00.html]

References

ee also

*Youth Alive
*Australian Christian Churches
*List of the largest churches in Australia
*Churches affiliated with Australian Christian Churches
*Michael_Guglielmucci

External links

* [http://www.edgechurch.com/ Official website]