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May 14 Today in OPC History

Fortieth (1973) General Assembly

2021

 

Meeting at the First Orthodox Presbyterian Church of Manhattan Beach, California, the commissioners to the Fortieth General Assembly gathered on Monday evening, May 14, 1973 for the opening service of worship. The Rev. Jack Peterson, pastor of Bethel OPC in Carson, North Dakota and moderator of the Thirty-ninth Assembly, preached and administered the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The Assembly then chose the Rev. Charles Ellis, pastor of Knox OPC in Silver Spring, Maryland, as its Moderator.

This was the first delegated assembly in the history of the OPC. Each presbytery sent ministers and ruling elders in proportion to the number of ministers on its rolls and the number of churches in its bounds. This was also the first assembly to provide a system of review by advisory committees for all matters on its docket. Each commissioner was assigned to one of these committees, and each committee focused on the particular portion of the docket assigned to it. The commissioners were divided on the value of the new system, but the Assembly determined to continue the new model the next year.

The Assembly's innovation also extended to the Assembly picture as the commissioners were divided into three groups and photographed in the same spot.

 

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