September 17 Today in OPC History

On September 17, 1956, First OPC, Sunnyvale, California, was received as a congregation by the Presbytery of California with the Rev. Henry Coray serving as the organizing pastor. A year earlier, the Presbytery had asked Henry and his wife Betty to move from Long Beach to the San Francisco peninsula to begin a mission work. Once relocated, Henry made contact with William and Marlys Patapoff and Fred and Betty Jane Hoelzel and invited them to attend a summer Bible conference. There, Henry taught them the Reformed Faith and explained the origins of the OPC, and the families made a commitment to establishing an OPC congregation around Sunnyvale.

These three families then devoted themselves to prayer that the Lord would add to their number. Gloria Larson soon joined the group, as did Clarence and Bob den Dulk. By the end of 1956, the group had grown to 32 communicant members and 18 covenant children.

Henry Coray would serve as pastor until 1967. He was followed by Henry Krabbendam (1968-73), Robert Atwell (1975-77), Sal Solis (1979-90), Donald Buchanan (1991-98), Donald Owsley (2000-2006), John Belden (2010-2011), Ryan McGraw (2012-2015). In 2016 Calvin Goligher was ordained and installed as pastor of First OPC.

Picture: Henry Coray (left) in 1967.