November 2 Today in OPC History

On November 2, 1936, Presbytery of Iowa of the Presbyterian Church of America was formed. It was the tenth presbytery of the new denomination, and it consisted of one church (in Princeton, Iowa) and two ministers. At its inaugural meeting at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Waterloo, Iowa, the Rev. Peter F. Wall of Waterloo was elected moderator and the Rev. V. V. Wortman was elected clerk.

As the Presbyterian Guardian previously reported, Wortman submitted his resignation to the Presbyterian Church of Princeton and to the Presbytery of Iowa City. His letter read, “The modernistic and radical element in the Presbyterian Church in the USA has become so firmly entrenched in the place of authority that it is no longer possible for a minister who believes the Word of God and who protests against unbelief, to continue within her gates.” The Princeton church refused to accept his resignation. Instead it voted to join with him in leaving the denomination, adopting a resolution affirming that the congregation “shall continue to function as the Princeton Presbyterian Church organization, the elders and trustees being responsible to the congregation.”

The tiny Presbytery of Iowa was formed in anticipation of other congregations joining its number. The Guardian described the Princeton church as the “first church in the state to withdraw” from the PCUSA, adding that “other churches in this territory are expected to separate from the Presbytery of Iowa City.” However, in June 1937, the Guardian reported that both of the ministerial members of the Presbytery of Iowa signed the Act of Association with the Bible Presbyterian Church, numbering among the 14 ministers who left the OPC within a year of its founding, Mr. Wortman taking with him the Princeton flock. In the minutes of the fourth General Assembly, note was taken that the Presbytery of Iowa ceased to exist.

And yet, even before the departure of the Princeton church, the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension appointed the Rev. Edward Wybenga to labor in Waterloo. His efforts led to the particularization of what is now Covenant OPC in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on March 24, 1939. Currently there are four OP congregations and mission works in the Hawkeye state.