May 6 Today in OPC History

On May 6, 1942, the congregation of Immanuel Presbyterian Church, West Collingswood, voted to seek affiliation with the Presbytery of New Jersey as a particular congregation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Nearly six years earlier on June 29, 1936, the congregation had renounced the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Church (USA), losing its property in the process, and became an independent church.

The Rev. William Strong served Immanuel OPC from 1936 until 1943 when he was granted a leave of absence to serve as a Navy chaplain. Following the completion of World War II, Strong did not return to Immanuel Church and resigned on November 28, 1945.

Strong was succeeded by the Rev. Edward Kellogg in 1946. Under Kellogg's ministry, Immanuel Church grew to become one of the largest congregations in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church reaching a height of 408 members in 1948.

Picture: The Immanuel Church building.