December 31 Today in OPC History

When the merger of the United Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in the USA took place in 1958, Pastor William Bomer of the Northminster UPC in Oklahoma City announced to the congregation that he intended to leave the denomination for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Several families joined Pastor Bomer in the exodus. At the same time, the Christian Reformed Church mission work had voted to discontinue. The two groups came together and formed Knox OPC.

The congregation grew under the pastoral ministry of Carl Ahlfeldt during the decade of the 1960s, and even planted a mission work in Tulsa in 1970. However, a division occurred in 1977 that threatened the continuance of the church. Through the joint ministry of Herbert Swanson and Roger Gibbons healing took place in the church. Mr. Gibbons would go on to pastor Knox Church until his retirement in 2001. Ten years later on December 31, 2011, Knox Church held its final service before closing its doors.

Picture: Roger Gibbons