July 13 Today in OPC History

On July 13, 1936, Paul Woolley, R.B. Kuiper, Francis Schaeffer, Charles Woodbridge, Thomas Galbraith and John Welsh Dulles were among those gathered at the Wurts's home in Germantown, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the meeting was forming a new congregation in the 30 day old Presbyterian Church in America (later renamed Orthodox Presbyterian Church). Eighteen persons signed a petition, and on July 29 the Presbytery of Philadelphia received Calvary Presbyterian Church of Germantown.

The next year the congregation called Mr. Cary Weisiger to serve as its first pastor. In 1951 the congregation moved to its new building across from Westminster Seminary in Glenside.

Senior pastors following Mr. Weisiger have included Theodore Jansma (1941-43), Eugene Bradford (1944-51), Robert Atwell (1952-1961), Larry Sibley (1963-67), Henry Coray (1967-71), Robert Drake (1972-77), Daniel Morse (1978-1980), Steven Miller (1981-1994), A. Craig Troxel (1995-2007) and J. Mark Sallade (2008-present).

Picture: Calvary pastors (from top left) E. Bradford, R. Atwell, L. Sibley, H. Coray, R. Drake, D. Morse, S. Miller, C. Troxel, C. Smith and M. Sallade.