April 3 Today in OPC History

On April 3, 1987, North River Presbyterian Church in Hixson, Tennessee, closed. Eight years earlier the congregation with thirty-two charter members had been received by the Presbytery of the South. At that time, the Presbytery appointed the Rev. Dr. Henry Krabbendam to serve as stated supply. Mr. Krabbendam took up the preaching and teaching ministry for the next two and a half years.

In 1981, the congregation called Mr. Barry Henning. He was ordained and installed as pastor on May 2, 1982. Mr. Henning's ministry was marked by an effort to reach out to the community as members were involved in such organizations as Alcoholics Anonymous, Bethany Christian Servicees, and Inner Cities Ministries.

Eight years after North River Church closed, Mr. Joe Fryar from the Hixson community contacted Jim Heemstra, regional home missionary of the Presbytery of the South. Mr. Fryar indicated that there were five families in the the community interested in starting an OPC congregation. A home Bible study soon developed into a core group and in 1996, Cornerstone OPC in Chattanoogna, Tennessee was established with the Rev. Robert Eckardt serving as the organizing pastor.

Picture: Henry Krabbendam