June 8 Today in OPC History

The Presbytery of Ohio may strike some as a misnomer, as nearly half of the member churches are located in the neighboring states of Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. When it was first organized on September 14, 1936, it included churches in Cincinnati, Youngstown, and Marion, as well as Indianapolis and two Kentucky churches, in Newport and Buechel. It was named “Ohio” because that was its geographical center. Meanwhile, the Presbytery of Philadelphia included early OP congregations in western Pennsylvania.

On June 8, 1951, the Presbytery of Ohio was reorganized as only one Ohio church remained, Trinity Church in Cincinnati. The new boundaries extended to western Pennsylvania, including churches in Branchton, Harrisville, and Grove City. Over the next few decades, as more churches were established in Pennsylvania and Trinity Church closed, the Pennsylvania churches became the center of presbytery life. In the 1970s, the presbytery re-entered the state of Ohio with churches in Dayton, Alliance, and Columbus. In 2004, the presbytery re-entered the state of Indiana with the addition of Christ Covenant Church in Sheridan.

In describing the early years of the presbytery, the 1986 OPC semi-centennial history noted: “Two founding fathers of the OPC have left their lasting impact on the presbytery. Pastors Robert Atwell and Calvin Cummings were instrumental in planting many of the churches of the presbytery. Both were servant-leaders, and their lives exemplify the words of Paul, ‘Follow me, as I follow Christ.’”

Picture: Calvin K. Cummings