June 3 Today in OPC History

The history of Park Hill Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Denver, Colorado dates back to June 3, 1879, when it was organized as the Second Congregational Church. The congregation quickly grew in membership and a new auditorium was dedicated in 1890 with Mr. C. I. Scofield preaching.

Forty-eight years later, however, the membership was in severe decline when ruling elder John Robertson reached out to Westminster Seminary graduate Benson Male to serve as pulpit supply. Mr. Male agreed, and shortly thereafter he was called as the pastor. Under Mr. Male’s ministry, the congregation became doctrinally Reformed in conviction and Presbyterian in polity and joined the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1944.

In 1956, the Rev. Elmer Dortzbach succeeded Mr. Male as pastor of Park Hill Church. During Mr. Dortzbach’s eleven years of ministry, Park Hill Church reached out to the ethnically diverse East Denver community with evangelism and helped oversee a new mission work in Grand Junction, Colorado, led by Mr. Male’s son, Jonathan.

Pastors following Mr. Dortzbach included Larry Conard (1968–73), Jim Bosgraf (1973–79), Rodney Alexander (1980–81), Leonard Coppes (1982–87), Jack Unangst (1988–90), Jonathan Male (1991–96), Matthew Kingsbury (1999 - 2019), and Eric Cuer de Andrade since 2020.

Picture: Elmer and Marjorie Dortzbach at Park Hill Church in 1967.