Casper RP Mission Church

Location: Casper, Wyo.

Presbytery: Midwest

Organization Date: mission church

Membership: 6 communicant; 12 baptized (and 2 on the way)

Pastor: Sam McCracken

Web Site: casperrpchurch.org

Casper RP mission is a church plant of the Midwest Presbytery (MWP) of the RPCNA. Located in central Wyoming on the banks of the North Platte River and at the foot of Casper Mountain, Casper is the second largest city in the state and is its business capital. A major thoroughfare during pioneer days, Casper grew around Fort Caspar, the railroad, and ranching. The latter half of the 20th Century brought intermittent bursts of growth, largely through the mining industry.

In 2010, Morgan and Lianne Hespe and their children from the Laramie RP Mission Church, located over two hours to the south, moved back to Casper after attending the University of Wyoming. They began exploring the possibility of planting an RP Church. Bob Hemphill conducted Bible studies with interested individuals and families. In summer 2012, Pastor Wade Mann (Shawnee, Kan., RPC) and his family spent the summer in Casper and conducted worship services and outreach. A commission of the MWP was formed that oversaw continued preaching in Casper and sought to move the work forward. In 2013, the small group of families and the Casper Commission began searching for a church planter. In early 2014, a call was placed upon RPTS student Sam McCracken.

Sam accepted the call and moved with his family to Casper that July after finishing his studies in Pittsburgh, Pa. Regular, weekly Lord’s Day worship services began. The Casper fellowship was established as a mission church of the MWP at the end of July and an ordination and installation service was held for the elected church-planting pastor. Nearly 80 people were in attendance. Three families were received into membership as the charter members of the Casper RP Mission Church. Now, attendance at the worship services averages 24 with 4 or 5 regular visitors.

The congregation meets at the Evansville Community Center at 10 a.m. for worship and afterwards enjoys fellowship over coffee and refreshments. On the first Lord’s Day of the month, they share a fellowship meal together after morning worship. On Lord’s Day evenings, the group meets for prayer, singing of psalms, and fellowship. Recently they have begun studying the Holiness of God teaching series by R.C. Sproul. Evening meetings average 18 in attendance. Visits from friends within the MWP, relatives, and several local families and individuals have been encouraging.

A women’s Bible study is held every other week, attended by members from the church as well as other Christian, unchurched, and unbelieving friends. A college Bible study began in 2014 under the leadership of Nick and Kathryn Rayes and has been attended by several students from Casper College. There is a weekly men’s breakfast for fellowship and study.

Other outreach efforts include ads in a local paper and magazine, a church web site, Sermon Audio, and a Facebook page. A psalm sing was held for friends and visitors in December on the theme of Christ in the Psalms. The congregation is also active in networking, praying for, and seeking relationships for the building of the local church.

The Casper RP Mission Church is overseen by a provisional session made up of Pastor Bob Hemphill (Laramie, Wyo., RPC), Jeff Bechtold (Salt & Light [Longmont, Colo.] RPC), Pastor Shane Sapp (Westminster, Colo., RPC), and Pastor Sam McCracken. The church plant is grateful for the care, wisdom, and oversight of this session.

Prayer Requests

• Pray that God would raise up local elders and deacons in due time.
• Pray that the Lord will bring local families and individuals that have been invited to the church. Ask that new contacts would be made.
• Pray that the many young, covenant children would grow and be nurtured in the faith.
• Pray that studies and meetings will foster growth and fellowship, as well as reach out to those in need of the gospel and a local church home.