In a clearing among the trees Mr. H.C. Dennis faced his congregation of seventeen, probably late in 1893. This was the year when the Dandenong Village Settlement was opened for selection. The Settlement of Land Act 1893 had provided for the establishment of village communities, homestead associations and labour colonies, through which families with no knowledge of the bush were encouraged to settle in little communities, in the wilderness and become self-sufficient.

After the clearing of the bush came a draughty, leaky, smoky bark hut, a wooden church set on the allotment at the corner of David Hill and Moxams Roads, land paid for by Mr. James Griffiths of Griffiths teas. The Monbulk Methodist Church was built from local materials by volunteer labour. This church was opened on 3rd August 1903. Then came the church we have now which opened on 29th July 1973. This was the home of God's people in Monbulk, seeking to serve God in this place.

Open Door Community Church History

"See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Isaiah 43:19).

In December 2004 the Council of The Patch Church of Christ wrote to the Council of Monbulk Uniting Church, as they were considering relocating to Monbulk. They asked if they could join with Monbulk Uniting and form one church, as they already had a presence in Monbulk in the form of the Care Network.

The development of Open Door Community Church was a two year process; the product of prayerful direction, conversation, good will and great leadership. Combined services, prayerful consideration and lots of conversations helped to develop the necessary structures for a fully functioning combined congregation. The name was settled on and Open Door Community Church came into being on 2nd April 2006.