Orlando RPC

Location: Orlando, Fla.

Presbytery: Great Lakes-Gulf

Membership: 82 communicant; 27 baptized

Organized: 1920

Pastor: Vacant

On Dec. 2 the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Orlando, Fla., will celebrate 90 years as a congregation.

In Sept. 1916, Mr. J. C. McKnight moved his family from Olathe, Kan., to Orlando, Fla. His daughter, Ada (Hall), wanted to attend Rollins College, a nationally recognized school.

Ada later wrote a historical sketch of the church for its 50th anniversary in 1970. Because of the added work of the church’s own historian, ClaraBell (Terry) Worsham, who kept meticulous records and journals, there is immeasurable information and detail available.

In 1916, there was no “covenant” church south of the Mason/Dixon line (below Maryland and Pennsylvania). Writing in the church paper, The Christian Nation, of the possibility of starting a covenant work in the Orlando area, Mr. McKnight easily convinced other families to move to Orlando. The fledgling congregation began with 12 members.

Rev. & Mrs. Wilbur J. McBurney came with their children in Oct. 1917 from Colorado. The church now had a preacher. Later, Rev. McBurney would be officially installed as the first pastor.

The church grew, and a small chapel was soon rented on West Amelia Street. In a short time the little chapel was overflowing with 49 charter members and 11 baptized members. The lot where the church building now stands was purchased and a building was completed in 1926. Over the past 89 years, the congregation has had 8 ordained ministers. The longest pastorate was that of Rev. James B. Wright, who remained in the pulpit 27 years, from Sept. 1970 to July 1997.

The church currently has no pastor, but put out a call in March 2010 for a pastor to fill the vacancy left by Rev. David Smith. Meanwhile, the congregation has not been wanting. Elder Jim Pennington graciously opens God’s Word each week. Other ministers who have preached have include John McFarland, Dean Smith, Jim Wright, and David Whitla.

Membership studies are led as needed by elder Jim Pennington. Two new members were added to the church roll on Easter Sunday as a result of their profession of faith: Lila Lucille (Lou) Woofter and Erin Elizabeth Schaefer.

The congregation’s social and outreach ministries include:

• Women’s Missionary Fellowship, which meets weekly;

• Two church groups that meet weekly and biweekly for Bible study, prayer and fellowship;

• A men’s breakfast held monthly. Food is prepared by the men, and elder Jonathan Schaefer leads a study and discussion of “Disciplines of a Godly Man”;

• The annual “Walk for Life”—a spring pledge drive and participation walk to benefit True Life Choice, a local crisis pregnancy and abortion intervention clinic (see news article in this issue);

• A session-planned program for the National Day of Prayer on May 6, with assistance from several church members. Other local churches invited to participate include Lake Sherwood Presbyter-ian.

In January the session and the congregation held a grand birthday party in the fellowship hall for its oldest communicant member, Rita Benedix, in recognition of her 90th year. The outlying structure of a church is much mortar and brick, wood and plaster, a few nails and a bucket or two of paint. But the heart of a church is its people. This congregation may be small, but it has a big heart and a deep, abiding love for the Lord.

Now they look forward to their own 90th anniversary celebration and pray that it is a wonderful time of reflection as they anticipate another 90 years.

Prayer Requests

• God’s provision and clear leading in their search for a new pastor to minister His Word to them, to minister among them and alongside them.

• Members and friends who are suffering from various illnesses and financial stress.

• Each congregant’s individual study of God’s Word and personal walk with Him.

• The elders, that they remain sensitive to God’s direction.

• Ready ears to hear God’s voice; ready hearts to express God’s love; ready hands to do God’s will; ready feet to walk God’s way; ready eyes to see God’s work; ready tongues to speak God’s truth.

—Louise M. Turmenne, Photos by Dianne Schaefer