February 18 Today in OPC History

On this day the Rev. George Morton was born in Philadelphia. After attending Reformed Episcopal Seminary (BD, 1954) and Temple University (BA, 1957), Morton was ordained by the Presbytery of Ohio in 1962, and called to serve two western Pennsylvania churches, New Hope OPC and Faith OPC, which merged in 1966 to form Calvary OPC in Harrisville. After ministering three years in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, he returned to the OPC, ministering in Mechanicsville OPC chapel and then in Hatboro, PA.

While an evangelist at Trinity OPC in Hatboro, Morton served bivocationally (as he and his wife Ruth ran a home improvement business). He established a diaconal work, Kingdom Housing Ministry, under the oversight of Trinity and Emmanuel Chapel in Philadelphia. In the pages of New Horizons he explained that its goal was “to exalt Jesus Christ as Lord through loving acts and spoken word. We believe it is unjust for some to face poverty, homelessness, sickness, and death when others have the means to help them (Isa. 58:6,7).” Through these efforts, severe housing needs were met for battered wives, children with imprisoned fathers, and crisis pregnancy referrals.

Mr. Morton died and went to be with the Lord in glory on November 25, 2016 and Ruth followed on February 18, 2017.

Picture: George and Ruth Morton