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April 22 Today in OPC History

Decatur, Michigan

 

Atonement Presbyterian Church of Decatur, Michigan was received into the Presbytery of Wisconsin on April 24, 1939. The previous year, Henry Kik, the pulpit supply at the First Presbyterian Church of Decatur had received notification from the Presbytery of Kalamazoo (PCUSA) that his services were being terminated because he had promoted his "own interests" rather than that of the Presbyterian Church in the USA. Mr. Kik's great "sin" had been teaching about the doctrinal error of modernism for which he was removed. Around one hundred members of First Church stood with him and withdrew from the PCUSA, but less than fifteen ended up joining the newly created Atonement Church. On April 22, 1941, Atonement Church was dissolved by the presbytery. Henry Kik left the OPC and joined the Reformed Church in America.

In 1994, New Hope Community Church in Decatur, Michigan was received by the Presbytery of the Midwest as a mission work with the Rev. Terry Thole serving as the stated supply. Pastors Timothy Bero and Dale Collison would each serve a short time before New Hope Church's closing in 1996.

Picture: First Presbyterian Church, Decatur, MI

 

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