Nathan Zinner
Nathan Zinner
A vision nearly a decade in the making became a reality as the Collegedale Spanish-American Church, affectionately known as the SuCasa Church, celebrated its dedication and grand opening on November 9, 2024. Nestled on the campus of Southern Adventist University, this church stands as a testament to faith, perseverance, and the power of prayer.
Four years earlier, after years of planning and despite the challenges of the COVID pandemic, members celebrated the groundbreaking for their new facility in October 2020. Four years later, members celebrated God’s blessing by dedicating their new temple to the Lord and recommitting themselves to the mission.
The journey to this moment was marked by both challenges and blessings, a process that united members, leaders, and the wider community. The grand opening, attended by Southern Adventist University (SAU) and Georgia-Cumberland Conference officers, highlighted the significance of this historic milestone.
The church, officially founded in 1982, has the distinction of being the first Hispanic Adventist church in Tennessee, and the first one planted on a university campus in the United States. It began as a result of Southern students meeting in small groups across campus with the main purpose of studying God’s Word and the Sabbath School lessons in Spanish. The church’s intentionality of reaching and serving students continues to be at the core of the church’s mission. This mission has grown with close to 30% of Southern’s students being of Hispanic descent.
For years, the church struggled with the difficulty of not having enough space to accommodate all the attendees during the worship services, despite having two different services. During that time, church members discussed the desire to build a new building that would not only allow worshipers to gather every Sabbath, but also serve as a multi-purpose place to bless students and the community at large with a practical and real Gospel.
The new church facility includes an outdoor worship area, offices for family counseling, and space to create video and audio podcasts, along with many multi-purpose spaces. Through this space, the intention is to offer a home away from home to Southern students. The goal is to create disciples who return to their home churches willing and motivated to contribute with their gifts, and the spiritual experience they gained at SuCasa Church.
Members are also passionate about serving the growing Hispanic community in the Collegedale, Tenn., and the surrounding area by providing English classes, finance seminars, and many other resources.
The newly constructed SuCasa Church represents more than just a building; it is a launching pad for mission, said church leaders. The dedication of the new church is not just the culmination of a building project but the continuation of a divine calling to serve and glorify God.
Georgia-Cumberland | February 2025
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