August 11 Today in OPC History

On August 11, 1957, Westminster OPC in Hamill, South Dakota, under the leadership of Pastor Donald Stanton, broke ground at a special service to mark construction of their new church building. In addition to Mr. Stanton, the Rev. Reginald Voorhees of Omaha, Nebraska, moderator of the Presbytery of the Dakotas, participated in the ground-breaking service. Members of the building committee were Blain Fenenga, Vernon Hossle and Glen Carlson of Hamill and Leo and Garrett DeJong of Kennebec. Others who took part in the ceremonies were Mr. H. E. Covey, a charter member of the church, and Mr. Leroy Hodge.

Recalled at the ground-breaking was the congregation's beginning in 1910 when worship services were first held in a hayloft on the McEachron farm located northeast of the town of Winner. One year later, the group was established as a church on April 2, 1911 with 29 charter members.

In 1936, both the congregation and Pastor Walter Magee joined the newly formed Presbyterian Church of America (renamed the OPC in 1939).

Picture: Donald and Lois Stanton