First RPC

Location: Phoenix, Ariz.

Presbytery: Pacific Coast

Organization Date: 1949

Membership: 22 communicant; 14 baptized; 15 adherents

Pastor: Jon Maginn

Web Site: www.faithwebsites.com/firstrpcofphx

History

Phoenix RPC has a history of worldwide evangelistic outreach. Two former members, Elder Philip Martin and his wife, Jean (who has since joined her Lord in heaven), were involved in mission work in China in the 1940s. In 1949, the emerging Communist government expelled all missionaries and began persecuting the Christians who remained. A heavily pregnant Jean discovered that her full-term unborn child was dead after they crossed the border. However, their ministry was not in vain—an underground community of Reformed Presbyterians in China still remains.

Karen Reyburn is currently involved in missionary work through the Airdrie RPC in Scotland, with M.E.T. groups (Mutual Encouragement Teams), Sunday school for young people, 6:7 and 6:20 clubs on Friday nights for kids, prayer time prior to worship, outreach to neighbors, and witnessing to co-workers. From 2001 to 2007, Karen has been blessed to be part of God’s harvest in Airdrie, from seeing scattered families in pews to seeing an average of 50 warriors engaged in prayer before the morning service.

Hamlet and Anita Opazo were briefly members of Phoenix RPC before moving to Kuwait as teachers, using many opportunities to witness.

There have been many changes over the years, and although the congregation has recently been blessed with a number of new member families, the RP Church in Phoenix has struggled with smaller numbers over the last nine years.

Ministries

The Covenant Home School Resource Center (2001 offshoot of Covenant Christian School) is the largest homeschool resource center in the Southwest. In 2003, class membership peaked at 200 students.

Pastor Jon is heavily involved in ministry, including Bible studies through the Christian Archers Association, preaching of the Word through Prison Fellowship, and five Pacific Coast Presbytery committees. The ministry even includes occasional babysitting and church irrigation.

The Anseth family (Jenifer, Nathan, Madelyn, and Ameliya) regularly collect clothing and nonperishable food for the Mount of Olives food bank.

Community outreach in the past few years has included “10 Commandment survey” evangelism by the three winter mission teams and the congregation, Saturday “blitzes” of fliers inviting neighbors to worship, and a semiannual Volleyball-Barbecue Fellowship meeting.

The M.E.O.W. (Mutual Encouragement Of Women) group was born last September, inspired by the close bond of fellowship of the Seattle RPC women.

Prayer Requests

1. Pray for Kevin and Valerie Willson as they finalize the adoption of Josephine (4).

2. New members Jason and Holly Walsh (and their four children) are hoping to move to the RP Seminary in Pittsburgh in a couple of months if their home will sell.

3. The Phoenix RPC has been blessed with an influx of families leaving another group of believers in town. Pray for continued growth in the congregation, for new believers, and for wisdom for the leaders.

Fun Fact

Deacon Wade Borg’s wife, Karen, once had a midday race with “the church vacuum thief,” who barely escaped on his bike. (He stole a non-working vacuum.)