May 19 Today in OPC History

On the Lord's Day of May 19, 1996, Emmanuel OPC, Wilmington, Delaware, held a centenary worship service marking one hundred years of God's grace to the congregation. 235 members and friends attended the service. Former pastors of Emmanuel Church, Robert Eckardt, Rollin Keller, Arthur Stelzer and Jonathan Peters joined Pastor Robert Letham and Associate Pastor Edd Cathey in participating in the service. Pastor Letham preached from Revelation 11 emphasizing that the church was united with Christ in suffering, death, resurrection and ascension. Pastor Cathey led the congregation in the morning prayer according to the pattern found in the Westminster Assembly's Directory for Worship. Ten new members were received and one covenant child was baptized.

Around 200 people attended a banquet in which Pastor Letham recalled God's providential leading of Emmanuel Church into the OPC in 1936. In particular, he remembered the events surrounding the Presbyterian controversy and the calling of John Clelland as pastor of Emmanuel Church. Clelland would help Emmanuel Church join the OPC as a charter church and would serve as pastor from 1936-1954.

Picture: Front row, left to right: Edd Cathey, Robert Letham, Rollin Keller; middle row: Robert Eckardt, Arthur Steltzer; top, Jonathan Peters.