History
Starting With Prayer
The history of RPC begins in the mid-1990’s in a meeting of Apple Valley Presbyterian Church (AVPC), a congregation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. (OPC) in Neenah, WI. Somewhere in the minutes of that meeting, a reference is made to the church’s desire to see an OPC congregation established in the city of Oshkosh.
It was not until the early months of 2014, however, that the elders of AVPC made the deliberate choice to begin praying publicly each Lord’s Day for a mission work (church plant) to begin in Oshkosh. The elders were determined to begin with prayer and think about this huge undertaking, not according to their own feeble sight and sense, but in the light of God’s sovereign power and plan.
FORMING A CORE GROUP
One year later, in February of 2015, in answer to these prayers, two AVPC families declared their readiness and willingness to step out and begin a Sunday evening Bible Study in Oshkosh. Quickly, a committed core group of 12 souls was formed around these pioneers, including three men who were ordained ruling elders already serving as at AVPC.
A PASTORAL SEARCH
By August of 2015, the AVPC elders formed a pastoral search committee. In a few months, the search committee and the elders settled on Mr. Bob Holda as their candidate of choice.
Bob had recently graduated from Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, IN and was a licentiate in the OPC’s Presbytery of the Midwest. After the elders interviewed Bob and the congregation had an opportunity to get to know the Holda family, the AVPC session of elders presented Bob to the congregation. On July 17th, 2016, AVPC unanimously voted to call Bob as the church planter for the Oshkosh mission work and Bob gladly accepted the call.
RPC’s FOUNDING: Read More About The Birth Of RPC.
ORDAINING A MINISTER
On October 21, 2016, ministers and ruling elders of the Presbytery of the Midwest of the OPC gathered at AVPC in Neenah, WI and ordained Mr. Bob Holda as a Minster of the Word and Sacrament. They installed him as the Associate Pastor of AVPC, with the primary responsibility of planting AVPC’s daughter congregation in Oshkosh, Resurrection Presbyterian Church.
BOB’S ORDINATION SERVICE: Listen to Bob’s service of ordination and installation, which includes a sermon delivered by Rev. Bruce Hollister, a charge to Bob, given by Rev. Dr. Marcus Mininger, and a charge to the congregation, given by Rev. Dr. Alan Strange.
EARLY GROWTH
On December 4, 2016, RPC began gathering weekly on the Lord’s Day for public worship at the Christian Community Childcare Center at 3870 Jackson Street, Oshkosh, WI 54901. They worshipped there until July 8, 2018 and during those 19 months, the core group of RPC grew from 12 to 36 members. In addition, it was during this season that RPC sent out its first short-term missionaries to do disaster relief work in Houston, TX, following Hurricane Harvey.
A SENDING CHURCH: Read More About RPC’s Early Investment In Short-Term Missions.
FINDING A NEW HOME
On July 15, 2018, RPC began worshipping at the old, St. Jehosephat’s Catholic Church, located at 1205 Congress Avenue, Oshkosh, WI 54901. They are excited about the new ministry opportunities they have at this location with exclusive, 24/7 access to the building through a lease they maintain with the American Legion Cook-Fuller Post 70, which purchased the property from the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish of the Roman Catholic Church on December 29, 2017.
Having constant access to this building has given RPC a particular focus for their outreach in the surrounding neighborhood. It has provided Pastor Bob with an office and study throughout the week. It has made it possible for RPC to start a 5pm, Sunday Evening Study at the church, which began in January, 2019 and takes place on all but the first Sunday of every month. And it has given us the space to grow into a mature congregation of Christ, built up in love and truth.
DOOR-TO-DOOR OUTREACH: Read More About RPC’s Evangelistic Engagement In Their New Neighborhood.
ORGANIZATION
On Friday, October 22, 2021, RPC was officially organized as a particular congregation of the Presbytery of Wisconsin and Minnesota of the OPC, leaving her days as a church plant behind. During a “Service of Recognition and Organization”, RPC’s first Ruling Elders, Eric Johnson and Michael Smith, and RPC’s first pastor, Rev. Bob Holda, were also installed.
At her first Annual Congregational and Corporation Meeting, in February, 2022, RPC ordained and installed her first two Deacons, Richard Basiliere and Michael Marshall. At the same meeting, RPC established a Board of Trusteees composed of Ruling Elders Eric Johnson and Michael Smith.
At a Special Corporation Meeting in April, 2022, the Board of Trustees grew to include Deacons Richard Basiliere and Michael Marshall and lay members Jeffrey Brejwo and Charlene Messsenger.
Adding to RPC’s staff, the Board of Trustees hired Mrs. Ashley Heinen to serve as part-time Administrative Assistant to the Pastor in June, 2022, and Mrs. Terri Clausing to serve as our part-time Custodian in October, 2022.