Home Missions Today

February 22, 2006

This is Richard Gerber reporting the February 22, 2006 edition of Home Missions Today. God is using your prayers to develop the ministries of Orthodox Presbyterian mission works across North America.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA—Christ Covenant OPC thanks our Lord for his faithfulness this past year, particularly for the oversight, prayers, and financial help of Redeemer OPC in Dayton, Ohio. Pastor Larry Wilson reports that the mission work is small in number and meets in a rented facility, but it is highly committed to faithful worship and to expository preaching. Some of the families have gone through or are continuing to go through great trials. Growth has come, but it has been slow. Praise God for the recent conversion of a woman and for the addition of a young family. Thank God that a number of the young people professed their faith this year and that two babies were born into the church. Pastor Wilson is sorry to report that the Sunday evening meeting was so poorly attended that it was put on temporary hiatus with the hope of reviving it again in time. On Wednesday evenings, a group meets at the Wilson's home to pray together. Every month Christ Covenant holds an evangelistic service at a rescue mission for men in downtown Indianapolis. The mission work is seeking other ways to raise its visibility and to reach out with the gospel to the community. The pastor is involved in the Reformation Society of Indiana and is a frequent Bible expositor at the pastors' luncheons the society sponsors. He meets weekly with Mark Melton and Tim Baker, pastor and associate pastor of the OPC in Kirklin, Indiana. The two churches have functions together to cultivate a close sister church relationship. This past November, the two congregations co-sponsored the Second Annual Indiana OPC Men's Retreat with the Rev. Alan Strange as the speaker, inviting the OP churches in Evansville and Walkerton to participate. Please persevere in praying that our Lord will work powerfully by his Word and Spirit to gather the people of his choice, to knit them together into a healthy Christ-exalting congregation, to reach out in the Indianapolis region with an evangelistic and reformational influence, to raise up leaders and workers, and to bring the mission work to the point where it can be a self-governing, self-supporting, healthy particular church.

HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA—The families of Trinity OPC continue to meet, worship, fellowship, pray, and work on their new meeting place in downtown Huntington. God has blessed the group with a good spirit and additional people. Trinity is under the oversight of Grace OPC in Columbus, Ohio. Intern Boone Leigh is starting a new members class for some who have become regular attenders. Plans are underway for further outreach in the Huntington area and on the campus of Marshall University. Pray that God would graciously call his own to faith and that the gospel would have an impact in Huntington.

NEW BERLIN, WISCONSIN—Remember to keep in prayer the congregation of Covenant Presbyterian Church and her pastor Jim Hoekstra. Covenant Church has completed its program of denominational financial assistance. Pray that God would bless the church in adding new families and visitors.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA—On March 3-4, the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension will sponsor the third "Readiness for Ministry in the OPC" seminar in 2006. This seminar is on the campus of Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Pray that the young men attending will be encouraged to join in the work of ministry in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Look for the next edition of Home Missions Today on Wednesday, March 8 or call 215/830-9424 ext. 46.