December 28 Today in OPC History

On December 28, 2003, Roswell Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Roswell, New Mexico dissolved. Four decades earlier in 1974 the Rev. W. Benson Male had conducted worship services, led Bible studies and organized outreach. The next year the core group of members reached out to Abilene Orthodox Presbyterian Church, pastored by Jonathan Male some 300 miles away, about the possibility of becoming an OPC mission work. The Abilene OPC then called the Rev. Robert K. Churchill to serve as an associate pastor of Abilene assigned to labor in Roswell. In 1977, the Rev. Glenn Jerrell arrived and four years later on April 8, 1981, the Presbytery of the Dakotas received Roswell OPC as a particular church and installed Mr. Jerrell as pastor. Mr. Jerrell would serve faithfully the next 18 years leading Roswell Church. In 1999, the Rev. Richard Shaw became pastor of Roswell Church and served until 2003 when he accepted a call to serve as a chaplain in the Philadelphia area.

Picture: From right to left, Jonathan Male, Dennis Prutow, Glenn Jerrell, Glenn Black, Hank Krammeraad and Mike Mahon in the late 1970s.