May 21 Today in OPC History

On May 21, 1942, Grace OPC in Carson, California, was organized as a particular congregation of the Presbytery of California. The Rev. Floyd Hamilton served as the organizing pastor, but the next year accepted a call to serve as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education. The congregation called the Rev. Robert Graham, and its membership grew so quickly that a tent had to be erected to accomodate the Sunday School of more than 150.

In 1949, the Rev. David Calderwood became pastor and the church changed its name to Greyfriars Memorial. During Mr. Calderwood's tenure, three sons of the congregation, Rollin Keller, David Moore and Mike Stingley took turns preaching during the evening service. Each became an ordained OPC minister. From 1983-2003, Mr. Keller would serve as pastor and the name changed back to Grace OPC. Since 2013, the Rev. Joshua Lyon has served as pastor.

Picture: Sunday school in the tent at Carson in the mid-1940s.