Presbyterians were among the first settlers in central Pennsylvania, however by the 1970’s there was no longer a reformed presence in Blair County. In God’s providence, Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian Church was soon to be born.
Mark Brown, a local native, attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. While there, he embraced the Presbyterian faith and affiliated with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. While Mark was a student he was encouraged by Pastor Dick Fisher to plant a Reformed Church in Blair County. By the spring of 1976 Mark and his wife Joan were making monthly trips from Philadelphia to Blair County so he could lead a Bible study in his parents’ home, supported by Trinity OPC in Hatboro, PA.
In the spring of 1977, the group began preparations to become an official work of the OPC Home Missions Committee. On June 5, 1977 a congregation of thirty-one people was the first to worship as Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian Church (WOPC) in Blair County. The church name had been chosen after the Westminster Confession of Faith, the statement of faith of Bible-believing Presbyterians.
Throughout the late 1970’s the Lord continued to bring new visitors to the church as the attendance climbed from the twenties to the sixties. In June of 1979, three acres of land were donated on Frankstown Road overlooking Hollidaysburg, and by December, WOPC elected its first ruling elders and became a particular church.
Ground was broken for the new church on April 20, 1980, and construction progressed steadily throughout the summer. On November 16, 1980 the first worship service was held in the new building. Having a building was a great blessing, and the church was blessed with many more newcomers. The Lord continued to add to the congregation over the following years, and through the 80’s and 90’s membership continued to increase and today there are approximately 200 members.
Pastor Brown served at Westminster for over forty years before his retirement, and in 2018, Rev. Chad Mullinix was installed as the second pastor of Westminster. Pastor Mullinix has continued building upon the reformed, biblical foundations laid in the early years and is leading Westminster forward into its next chapter of ministry.
Since Westminster’s inception, reformed preaching, teaching and worship have been hallmarks of the ministry. God’s Word continues to be faithfully preached every Lord’s Day at morning and evening worship and is taught in Christian education classes offered for all ages. Other ministries sustained through the years include the annual Thank Offering, a women’s ministry, summer Vacation Bible School, a book table with theologically sound Christian books partially subsidized by the church, a well-stocked Christian library, and pastoral internships.
Between 2010-2014 Westminster planted and supported a church in State College, PA. Resurrection OPC continues to witness to Christ’s saving power in State College. We hope to continue planting churches in Central, PA in the future.
In the last forty years, the church has been able to help prepare young men for the pastoral ministry by providing an internship program. Participants included Jim Day (1987), Bob Tarullo (1998), Chad Bond (1999-2000), Scott Johnson (2001), Jeremiah Montgomery (2010), Jonathan Cruse (2014-2017), Ben Woodring (2018), Joshua Valdix (2020) and Matthew Walker (2021).
Since 2018, the congregation has increased its ministries and continues to look for ways to prayerfully multiply discipleship and outreach. Believing that Jesus wants us to be “a house of prayer,” the elders began meeting monthly for special prayer and the congregation now holds regular, corporate prayer meetings. Multiple discipleship ministries for youth are now offered – a youth group for 6th-12th graders led by a part-time staff youth leader, an annual youth rally for all the youth in our presbytery, and mid-week catechism classes for children of all ages. More opportunities for discipleship and fellowship have also begun including weekly coffee fellowship, monthly fellowship luncheons, a men’s ministry, and regional home fellowship groups. The Lord has also opened the door for us to hold monthly outreach services in a local retirement home.
More recently in 2023, Westminster called an Associate Pastor, Jacob Cash. Pastor Cash was called with a special emphasis on outreach, fellowship groups, short-term missions, and Christian education classes.
Westminster thanks God for His providential care and blessing over the years, and we prayerfully ask Him to bless and grow the ministry in the future for His name’s sake.