Thread: Exclusive Psalmody congregations in PCA and OPC

I am wondering if PB members could provide links to congregations in the PCA and OPC which practice exclusive psalmody, as I wish to add them to the links on my blog.

They don't exist.

Here are some Reformed Baptist Church Websites who practice Exclusive Psalmody...

Reformed Baptist Church of Topeka
Web: RefBaptist.com is now Reforming Worship

Emmanuel Church
Salisbury England
Web: http://salisburyemmanuel.org.uk

Crosslanes Chapel
Ringwood
New Forest
Bournemouth England
Web: Crosslanes Chapel, Ringwood, New Forest, Bournemouth, UK



There are some others I have, but they do not have websites...

This is an excerpt from something i was reading on Presbyteriannews.org about a secession from the OPC concerning EP prior to seeing your post:

"However, within both the OPC and the Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA), there are congregations which
have maintained that stance. In the OPC, the churches in
Fall River, Massachusetts; Lisbon, New York; Laytonsville,
Maryland; and Landsdale, Pennsylvania, either have in the
past or currently do take that position. In the PCA, there
are at least four congregations which also maintain exclusive
psalmody for public worship: Covenant Reformed
Presbyterian Church, Aurora, Ohio; Brainerd Hills
Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Coeburn
(Va.) Presbyterian Church; and a mission work in Greenville,
South Carolina, under the oversight of Woodruff Road
Presbyterian Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina."

I was a member of an EP PCA congregation in North Carolina, which has since closed. I have also worshipped at an EP OPC congregation in Maryland, which has since closed. Currently, the only EP OPC congregation I am aware of is First Orthodox Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, CA.

Originally Posted by Josiah

This is an excerpt from something i was reading prior to seeing your post:

"However, within both the OPC and the Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA), there are congregations which
have maintained that stance. In the OPC, the churches in
Fall River, Massachusetts; Lisbon, New York; Laytonsville,
Maryland; and Landsdale, Pennsylvania, either have in the
past or currently do take that position. In the PCA, there
are at least four congregations which also maintain exclusive
psalmody for public worship: Covenant Reformed
Presbyterian Church, Aurora, Ohio; Brainerd Hills
Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Coeburn
(Va.) Presbyterian Church; and a mission work in Greenville,
South Carolina, under the oversight of Woodruff Road
Presbyterian Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina."

Puritan OPC in Laytonsville, MD is the one I had in mind. The former PCA mission work in Greenville, SC was indeed EP, and I've worshipped there many times. However, that congregation is now a member of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Originally Posted by Josiah

This is an excerpt from something i was reading prior to seeing your post:

"However, within both the OPC and the Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA), there are congregations which
have maintained that stance. In the OPC, the churches in
Fall River, Massachusetts; Lisbon, New York; Laytonsville,
Maryland; and Landsdale, Pennsylvania, either have in the
past or currently do take that position. In the PCA, there
are at least four congregations which also maintain exclusive
psalmody for public worship: Covenant Reformed
Presbyterian Church, Aurora, Ohio; Brainerd Hills
Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Coeburn
(Va.) Presbyterian Church; and a mission work in Greenville,
South Carolina, under the oversight of Woodruff Road
Presbyterian Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina."

Puritan OPC in Laytonsville, MD is the one I had in mind. The former PCA mission work in Greenville, SC was indeed EP, and I've worshipped there many times. However, that congregation is now a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (Continuing).

Why did they decide to leave the PCA for the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland?

Originally Posted by Josiah

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Originally Posted by Josiah

This is an excerpt from something i was reading prior to seeing your post:

"However, within both the OPC and the Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA), there are congregations which
have maintained that stance. In the OPC, the churches in
Fall River, Massachusetts; Lisbon, New York; Laytonsville,
Maryland; and Landsdale, Pennsylvania, either have in the
past or currently do take that position. In the PCA, there
are at least four congregations which also maintain exclusive
psalmody for public worship: Covenant Reformed
Presbyterian Church, Aurora, Ohio; Brainerd Hills
Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Coeburn
(Va.) Presbyterian Church; and a mission work in Greenville,
South Carolina, under the oversight of Woodruff Road
Presbyterian Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina."

Puritan OPC in Laytonsville, MD is the one I had in mind. The former PCA mission work in Greenville, SC was indeed EP, and I've worshipped there many times. However, that congregation is now a member of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

Why did they decide to leave the PCA for the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland?

It's actually the Free Church of Scotland Continuing. The former pastor, a dear friend of mine, moved away. The new pastor has close ties to another minister, who is in the FCC, hence the congregation moved in that direction.

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Originally Posted by Josiah

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Puritan OPC in Laytonsville, MD is the one I had in mind. The former PCA mission work in Greenville, SC was indeed EP, and I've worshipped there many times. However, that congregation is now a member of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

Why did they decide to leave the PCA for the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland?

It's actually the Free Church of Scotland Continuing. The former pastor, a dear friend of mine, moved away. The new pastor has close ties to another minister, who is in the FCC, hence the congregation moved in that direction.

Thank you Andrew

Originally Posted by Josiah

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Originally Posted by Josiah

Why did they decide to leave the PCA for the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland?

It's actually the Free Church of Scotland Continuing. The former pastor, a dear friend of mine, moved away. The new pastor has close ties to another minister, who is in the FCC, hence the congregation moved in that direction.

Thank you Andrew

You're welcome!

I've also been reminded by a dear friend that Knox OPC in Lansdowne, PA (near Philadelphia), where John Murray once worshipped, is (to the best of my knowledge) EP. Pastor Karl Hubenthal is the stated pulpit supply there currently.

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

I was a member of an EP PCA congregation in North Carolina, which has since closed. I have also worshipped at an EP OPC congregation in Maryland, which has since closed. Currently, the only EP OPC congregation I am aware of is First Orthodox Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, CA.

I assume that they did not close because of your presence (of course not). But, do you have any insight as to why these congregations were unable to continue? It has bothered me for some time that some of the flaky congregations grow like weeds wile many of the orthodox ones do not make it.

Originally Posted by DMcFadden

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

I was a member of an EP PCA congregation in North Carolina, which has since closed. I have also worshipped at an EP OPC congregation in Maryland, which has since closed. Currently, the only EP OPC congregation I am aware of is First Orthodox Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, CA.

I assume that they did not close because of your presence (of course not). But, do you have any insight as to why these congregations were unable to continue? It has bothered me for some time that some of the flaky congregations grow like weeds wile many of the orthodox ones do not make it.

Ha ha, I may not have the Midas touch, but these congregations closed after I was no longer around.

In the case of the PCA church in NC, that was a mission church that folded when the pastor retired; the Central Carolina Presbytery was not a big fan of our position on psalmody. Puritan OPC closed due to dwindling numbers, the pastor was in his 80s and is now deceased. There was just not enough bodies in the pews (the location was remote, one of the most scenic areas of Maryland that I've come across). It is certainly sad when such congregations dry up for whatever reasons. The Lord is sovereign over these things, and we pray that more congregations will take up the Psalter to sing his praises.

BTW, here is the link for the EP OPC congregation in Lisbon, NY.

Originally Posted by Josiah

This is an excerpt from something i was reading on Presbyteriannews.org about a secession from the OPC concerning EP prior to seeing your post:

"However, within both the OPC and the Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA), there are congregations which
have maintained that stance. In the OPC, the churches in
Fall River, Massachusetts; Lisbon, New York; Laytonsville,
Maryland; and Landsdale, Pennsylvania, either have in the
past or currently do take that position. In the PCA, there
are at least four congregations which also maintain exclusive
psalmody for public worship: Covenant Reformed
Presbyterian Church, Aurora, Ohio; Brainerd Hills
Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Coeburn
(Va.) Presbyterian Church; and a mission work in Greenville,
South Carolina, under the oversight of Woodruff Road
Presbyterian Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina."

The PCA church in Aurora, Ohio is no longer EP. It has not been so for a couple of years. I don't know if the Coeburn, VA is either, since the former EP pastor (Frank Smith) is now with another church (non-PCA) in Wisconsin. Brainerd Hills I don't know about.

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

I was a member of an EP PCA congregation in North Carolina, which has since closed. I have also worshipped at an EP OPC congregation in Maryland, which has since closed. Currently, the only EP OPC congregation I am aware of is First Orthodox Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, CA.

Why did these congregations close? Any connection with being EP? No agenda in these questions, just interested in your reflections.

Originally Posted by JohnOwen007

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

I was a member of an EP PCA congregation in North Carolina, which has since closed. I have also worshipped at an EP OPC congregation in Maryland, which has since closed. Currently, the only EP OPC congregation I am aware of is First Orthodox Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, CA.

Why did these congregations close? Any connection with being EP? No agenda in these questions, just interested in your reflections.

See post #12 above.

Sincere thanks to those who have left links; keep them coming if you can.

Originally Posted by Josiah

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Originally Posted by Josiah

Why did they decide to leave the PCA for the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland?

It's actually the Free Church of Scotland Continuing. The former pastor, a dear friend of mine, moved away. The new pastor has close ties to another minister, who is in the FCC, hence the congregation moved in that direction.

Thank you Andrew

Do you know the name of the church in Greenville, SC or it's location? I can't seem to find any reference to it on the web other than the pastor's name and some sermon downloads.

Thanks

Originally Posted by JBaldwin

Originally Posted by Josiah

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

It's actually the Free Church of Scotland Continuing. The former pastor, a dear friend of mine, moved away. The new pastor has close ties to another minister, who is in the FCC, hence the congregation moved in that direction.

Thank you Andrew

Do you know the name of the church in Greenville, SC or it's location? I can't seem to find any reference to it on the web other than the pastor's name and some sermon downloads.

Thanks

Here are the details, including location, for the Greenville Presbyterian Church (FCC). When it was a PCA mission, the church met both in Simpsonville and Greenville, and it's name was the Scottish Presbyterian Kirk of the Covenant (PCA).

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Originally Posted by Josiah

This is an excerpt from something i was reading on Presbyteriannews.org about a secession from the OPC concerning EP prior to seeing your post:

"However, within both the OPC and the Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA), there are congregations which
have maintained that stance. In the OPC, the churches in
Fall River, Massachusetts; Lisbon, New York; Laytonsville,
Maryland; and Landsdale, Pennsylvania, either have in the
past or currently do take that position. In the PCA, there
are at least four congregations which also maintain exclusive
psalmody for public worship: Covenant Reformed
Presbyterian Church, Aurora, Ohio; Brainerd Hills
Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Coeburn
(Va.) Presbyterian Church; and a mission work in Greenville,
South Carolina, under the oversight of Woodruff Road
Presbyterian Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina."

The PCA church in Aurora, Ohio is no longer EP. It has not been so for a couple of years. I don't know if the Coeburn, VA is either, since the former EP pastor (Frank Smith) is now with another church (non-PCA) in Wisconsin. Brainerd Hills I don't know about.

Isn't it also no longer in Aurora but in Twinsburg?

Originally Posted by SRoper

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Originally Posted by Josiah

This is an excerpt from something i was reading on Presbyteriannews.org about a secession from the OPC concerning EP prior to seeing your post:

"However, within both the OPC and the Presbyterian
Church in America (PCA), there are congregations which
have maintained that stance. In the OPC, the churches in
Fall River, Massachusetts; Lisbon, New York; Laytonsville,
Maryland; and Landsdale, Pennsylvania, either have in the
past or currently do take that position. In the PCA, there
are at least four congregations which also maintain exclusive
psalmody for public worship: Covenant Reformed
Presbyterian Church, Aurora, Ohio; Brainerd Hills
Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee; Coeburn
(Va.) Presbyterian Church; and a mission work in Greenville,
South Carolina, under the oversight of Woodruff Road
Presbyterian Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina."

The PCA church in Aurora, Ohio is no longer EP. It has not been so for a couple of years. I don't know if the Coeburn, VA is either, since the former EP pastor (Frank Smith) is now with another church (non-PCA) in Wisconsin. Brainerd Hills I don't know about.

Isn't it also no longer in Aurora but in Twinsburg?

last time I was at Brainard Hills they sang hymns.

You will find some EP congregations in the ARP. A fellow Maritime board member attends the ARP in Halifax NS, that is EP.

Originally Posted by Kevin

You will find some EP congregations in the ARP. A fellow Maritime board member attends the ARP in Halifax NS, that is EP.

Do they have websites?

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Originally Posted by JBaldwin

Originally Posted by Josiah

Thank you Andrew

Do you know the name of the church in Greenville, SC or it's location? I can't seem to find any reference to it on the web other than the pastor's name and some sermon downloads.

Thanks

Here are the details, including location, for the Greenville Presbyterian Church (FCC). When it was a PCA mission, the church met both in Simpsonville and Greenville, and it's name was the Scottish Presbyterian Kirk of the Covenant (PCA).

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Kevin

You will find some EP congregations in the ARP. A fellow Maritime board member attends the ARP in Halifax NS, that is EP.

I attend this ARP church in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The website is Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, Halifax, NS Canada

I can confirm that Brainerd Hills PCA in Chattanooga TN is EP. My dear friends there on session, Pastor Gary Roop, Elder Vaughn Hamilton, and Elder Peter Galiardi brought the congregation along to this understanding a few years back.

Originally Posted by Rev. Todd Ruddell

I can confirm that Brainerd Hills PCA in Chattanooga TN is EP. My dear friends there on session, Pastor Gary Roop, Elder Vaughn Hamilton, and Elder Peter Galiardi brought the congregation along to this understanding a few years back.

Thanks for the update. I knew Vaughn and Pete when I lived in Chattanooga and I still stay in touch with one of the deacons there.

I can't believe he never told me!!

In our presbytery, First OPC in San Francisco (and its mission work, Providence Chapel), are both EP; they are also both searching for a pastor.

First Orthodox Presbyterian Church, San Franciso

Originally Posted by beej6

In our presbytery, First OPC in San Francisco (and its mission work, Providence Chapel), are both EP; they are also both searching for a pastor.

First Orthodox Presbyterian Church, San Franciso

Thanks, although Andrew linked that one earlier.