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July 31 Today in OPC History

Jean Denton

2021

 

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Franklin Square, New York, gave Jean Wallace Denton a plaque on this day in 2013 to honor her for accompanying the congregation and Sunday school class with the organ and piano for 64 years. Her parents, Robert and Elizabeth Wallace, were charter members and her father was the first elder when the church came into the OPC in October 1939. Jean, the first baptized child of the congregation, was eight when she took her first piano lesson. At the time, Robert Vining served as pastor. When Jean was ten, Mrs. Vining asked her to play for the opening exercises of Sunday school. Mrs. Vining said, “Jean, you’ve been practicing hymns and this is a good day for you to start playing.” Jean recalls, “She was my pastor’s wife. She told me to do it, so I did it.”

At age fifteen, Jean was asked to take over playing the piano during the evening service because their accompanist could no longer play. When the church bought their first organ in 1958, Jean began playing the organ at either worship service after only two lessons. A plaque on their second organ reads, “For the Glory of God.”

Jean’s daughters, Barbara Denton Cerha and Susan Denton Hagan, also play the piano for their OP churches in New Jersey. Her husband, Robert Denton, went home to be with the Lord in 2009.

Homepage Picture: Jean Denton

Picture: Back row, left to right: Nathanael Hagan, Bob Hagan, Rachel Hagan, Bob Denton, Jean Denton, Joe Cerha, Jeremy Cerha, Jonathan Cerha. Middle row: Benjamin Hagan, Joshua Hagan, Susan Hagan, Matthew Cerha, Barbara Cerha, Daniel Cerha. Front row: Timothy Hagan, Elisabeth Cerha

 

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