birthed out of revival

Our History

ASCEND Church has its origins in a church with a 100-year story. We celebrate our beginnings in one of the oldest Pentecostal churches of Australia.
Our roots go back to 1916 when Charles (C.L.) Greenwood and his wife Frances began holding prayer meetings in their home in Sunshine, Victoria, a northern suburb of Melbourne. For nine years, that prayer gathering grew and expanded to multiple nights of the week where a small group of hungry and faithful saints cried out to the Lord for an outpouring of His Spirit.
In 1925, after nine years of consistent and fervent prayer, this faithful couple obeyed a call from the Lord to begin gathering as a new church called the Sunshine Gospel Hall. Not long after, during a two-week series of outreach meetings with American evangelist A. C. Valdez, a small revival broke out. Over 200 people were added to the church and together they began to grow in faith.
Later that year, the church moved to Richmond Theatre on Bridge Road, not far from the Melbourne CBD. The church then became known as Richmond Temple, and…
continued to grow to become one of the most influential churches in the city. Years later the church became known as Richmond Assemblies of God, and then later as Bridge Church, and then Neuma Church. Over its 100-year history, the church has raised up and sent out hundreds of church planters and missionaries across many continents.
In late 2020, Pastors Jason and Olivia Staggers, with their six kids, were sent out to launch a Neuma Church location in Perth. In late 2024, our sending church leaders released us to form our own local church governance team and relaunch as ASCEND Church.
After meeting in Bentley since our planting back in early 2021, in mid-2024 we began gathering in Central Perth to better position ourselves to love and serve a broader range of people.
Every Sunday morning we gather to worship in the presence of God at The Platform – Level 3, 256 Adelaide Terrace, Perth.