Enid Reformed Presbyterian Church

Location: Enid, Oklahoma

Organized: Aug. 27, 2010

Pastor: Noah Bailey

Membership: 12 communicant; 11 baptized

Presbytery: Midwest

Website: www.enidreformed.org

Looking Back

Enid Reformed Church (ERC) is something of a new start and something of a homecoming. The Land Run of 1893 established the city of Enid, Okla., and brought the first Reformed Presbyterians to Billings, Okla., just 35 miles northeast of Enid. Although the congregation in Billings eventually closed, Christ saw fit to establish a Reformed Presbyterian Church in Stillwater, Okla., 20 years ago. From the beginning, the Stillwater RP Church yearned to plant more churches in Oklahoma, and in 2004 they began an outreach Bible study in Enid.

ERC began with a simple Bible study in the living room of Bill and Jeanne Wagner. After four years of patient and steadfast labor, the core group was ready for a church-planting pastor. They found a New Yorker finishing up his seminary training at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Noah and Lydia Bailey moved their young family to Enid just after graduation in May 2009.

Throughout the summer, Enid members traveled to Stillwater for weekly worship while the Baileys settled into a very different culture. In September weekly worship services in Enid were launched. Alan Noell (one of the founding elders of the Stillwater RPC) presided over the first service, and Pastor Bailey preached from Psalm 2. For a year the group worshiped with a guest family from Stillwater nearly every week. This greatly encouraged the saints and aided the singing.

On Aug. 27, 2010, just one year after starting weekly worship, ERC was organized into a particular congregation of the RPCNA. Bill Wagner and Noah Bailey were elected as elders and the Midwest Presbytery appointed Bruce Parnell to serve as a provisional elder to give wisdom and stability to the fledgling session.

Looking Forward

ERC is cultivating a two-part vision: a mission to the Air Force and a mission to Oklahoma. Since Enid is home to Vance Air Force Base, becoming a discipleship oasis for Christians in the Air Force seems natural. Also, ERC wholeheartedly shares Stillwater’s vision for church planting throughout Oklahoma. The group is eager to establish deep roots in Enid so that there is strength enough to co-labor with Stillwater for more church plants in Oklahoma. The weekly prayer meeting assaults the gates of heaven, pleading with King Jesus to send repentance, revival, and reformation to the city of Enid, the state of Oklahoma, and the United States Air Force.

Prayer Requests

ERC is largely made up of Air Force personnel, who come and go with their assignments; please pray that local families would join us and bring stability to our group.

ERC is hosting an RP Missions’ team this summer and holding a community-wide vacation Bible school at the local YMCA; please pray for opportunities to share the gospel and for courage to take those opportunities.

Little-Known Fact

ERC is one of the few RP congregations where long-distance pastoral visits are sometimes made by private plane.