June 19 Today in OPC History

On the morning of June 19, 1978, the Forty-fifth General Assembly of the OPC meeting at Calvin College and Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan returned to its business after the rest of the Lord's Day. After the morning devotion from Larry Mininger, pastor of Lake Sherwood Church, Orlando, Florida, the commissioners were informed that Committee on Christian Education General Secretary Robley Johnston had submitted his resignation to the Committee at a special meeting held Saturday night. Mr. Johnston, General Secretary since 1953, had overseen the creation of the OPC's Sunday School K-12 curriculum in the decade of the 1960s and early 1970s.

A major item of business for the day was the adoption of the 1979 budget recommendation that the Worldwide Outreach goal be set at $750,000 for Christian Education ($185,000), Foreign Missions ($280,000), and Home Missions ($240,000).

It was also announced that the Rev. Messrs. Richard B. Gaffin and Meredith G. Kline had agreed to serve as the Orthodox Presbyterian representatives on the NAPARC study committee on Hermeneutics.

Picture: Robley Johnston (left) and John Tolsma working on Sunday School art.