April 8 Today in OPC History

On April 8, 1952, the Presbytery of Wisconsin held its spring meeting at Bethel Church, Oostburg. The seven established congregations in the presbytery at that time included Westminster OPC, Evergreen Park, Illinois (Pastor Robert Eckardt), Westminster OPC, Westchester, Illlinois (Pastor Lawrence Eyres), First OPC, Waterloo, Iowa (Pastor Oscar Holkeboer), Calvary OPC, Cedar Grove, Wisconsin (Pastor Robert Churchill), Old Stockbridge OPC, Gresham, Wisconsin (Pastor John Davies), and Bethel OPC, Oostburg, Wisconsin (Pastor John Verhage).

Mr. Davies, pastor of Old Stockbridge Church, was elected moderator of presbytery, and Mr. Eckardt, pastor of Westminster Church, Evergreen Park, was elected stated clerk. Mr. Holkeboer, pastor of First OPC, Waterloo, spoke at the popular meeting held in the evening.

The major item of business was instituting a visitation plan for the presbytery to follow. Each church in the presbytery agreed to be visited by a committee of presbytery, which would inquire into the spiritual health of the congregation and report back to the presbytery.

HomePage Picture: Oscar Holkeboer

Picture: Left to right, Oscar Holkeboer, John Davies with family, Robert Churchill, Robert Eckardt, John Verhage and Lawrence Eyres