March 22 Today in OPC History

On March 22, 1961, Trinity Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Lewiston, Maine, was organized as a particular congregation by the Presbytery of New York and New England. The Rev. Charles Stanton was installed as the organizing pastor of the congregation made up of ten communicant members and four covenant youth. A gift of $2,500 that same year allowed the congregation to purchase a building to be used for worship.

In 1963, Trinity Church called Bernard (Chip) Stonehouse as its pastor. Mr. Stonehouse would serve for seven years. In 1971, the Rev. Donald Miller accepted a call to Trinity Church. Mr. Miller would serve as pastor for the next twenty-three years before stepping down in 1994 and then renouncing the jurisdiction of the OPC in 1995. The church would be closed a year later.

Picture: The Presbytery of New York and New England in 1966 with Charles Stanton (far right) and Chip Stonehouse (fourth from the right).