Profile of the Orlando Reformed Presbyterian Church
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Profile of the Orlando
Reformed Presbyterian Church
About our Congregation ....
Our Mission and Vision Statements •• Core Values •• A Brief History
•• Our Leadership and Membership •• Our Ministries and Activities
•• Our Facilities and Location •• Our Community
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Church Address & Web Site
324 E. Livingston Street, Orlando, FL 32801
Church Office: (407) 843‐4361
contact@orlandorpc
Web Site: www.orlandorpc.org
Our Vision
To glorify God by communicaVng the truth of Holy Scripture to our community, while
expecVng believers to become fully
dependent on Jesus Christ and
obedient to His infallible Word.
Our Core Values
We, the Orlando Reformed
Presbyterian body of Christ, value
reformed truth, teamwork, clear and
open communicaVon and loving care
in our efforts to grow spiritually and,
through evangelism, numerically.
In a pastor, we value a loving
Shepherd and leader who relates well with all ages, models Christ in his own life, and provides
vision and direcVon in a team‐oriented approach that moVvates and unifies the flock.
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Brief History
In the fall of 1916, when the Lord led J. C. McKnight and his family of four from Olathe, Kansas,
to Orlando, Florida., they did not know He was calling them to plant a church. They came so
that his daughter, Ada, might abend Rollins College. Over Vme, seeing the need for Covenanter
convicVons south of the Mason‐Dixon line, Mr. McKnight began to invite other Reformed
Presbyterians to come and see the locaVon, experience the warm climate, and appreciate the
agricultural and business opportuniVes in Orlando. The first service was held March 21, 1920
and on Dec. 2, 1920, the church was officially organized with 49 charter members.
The present building was completed in 1926 and has maintained a witness in downtown
Orlando for over 80 years. In the early 1980’s, feeling a need for larger faciliVes, and because
many members has moved toward the suburbs, property was purchased in Ocoee, west of
Orlando. A covered pavilion and restrooms were built and the property was used for recreaVon
and outreach. However, the historical designaVon of the downtown building limits possible
changes and uses, and the congregaVon was unable to sell it. Believing that God was calling us
to remain in our present locaVons, the Ocoee property was sold to another church and we have
moved ahead with renovaVons to make our faciliVes as funcVonal and abracVve as possible.
Some of the ministries which God has brought to us over the years include sharing the building
with a Korean Presbyterian Church for several years, a very acVve Mothers of Preschoolers
(MOPS) ministry in the 1990’s, and various ways of meeVng the needs of the homeless in the
downtown area. Currently, we are seeking ways to increase our witness to the neighborhood
and to draw in more visitors.
Previous Pastors:
1928‐41 Wilbur D. McBurney 1969‐70 D. Raymond McCracken
Stated Supply
1928‐41 David B. Russell 1970‐97 James M. Wright
1942‐55 Alvin W. Smith 1992‐2000 D. Ray McCracken
Associate Pastor for Outreach
1956‐60 Donald W. Felker 2004‐09 David R. Smith
1962‐69 Keith E. Copeland
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Our Worship
Our Lord’s Day acVviVes begin with an informal coffee hour and visiVng in the Fellowship Hall.
Prior to corporate worship, we welcome visitors and highlight announcements that are
significant to the social, prayer and worship life of the congregaVon. Our children are invited to
come to the front of the sanctuary for a special instrucVonal Vme focusing on a key scriptural
lesson. The choir then transiVons our abenVon to the worship of our Lord through an
appropriate Psalm and the congregaVon is called to worship by the presiding elder. The reading
and preaching of the Word of God is central to worship as is congregaVonal singing from the
new ediVon of the Book of Psalms. Occasionally, we include within the worship service,
responsive reading, praying the Lord’s Prayer together, or The Apostles Creed. The
congregaVonal prayer Vme focuses on the great and holy God, his works most wonderful among
us and our thankfulness for his grace. Prayer is also offered on behalf of mission work, our
governments, our church courts, individual needs and congregaVonal mabers. Personal prayer
requests are listed on the back of the bulleVn and addressed during corporate prayer.
During the school year, with the excepVon of Communion services, a “Children in Worship” Vme
is planned for children ages three through first grade. This separate Vme, under the oversight of
the Session, is led by a group of trained teachers from the congregaVon. The older children
remain in the worship service and are provided “Kid’s Pages” to encourage their focus on the
message and parVcipaVon in worship.
Evening programs provide a less formal Vme for Bible study, praise and prayer, Mission night
emphases and fellowship for all age levels. On special occasions, we join with other reformed
churches within our community for worship or fellowship. Evening programs are not usually
held on major holiday weekends and during peak vacaVon Vmes in the summer.
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Our Leadership
Elders: Joe Worsham, Jonathan Schaefer
Elder Emeritus: Ed Forest
Moderator Pro Tem: James Pennington
ConsultaVve Elders: James Wright and James Pennington
Deacons: Scob Bailey, Chuck Bloom, David Tacey
CongregaVonal Officers
President: Steve Garrow
Vice‐President: Jonathan Schaefer
Recording Secretary: Mary McCracken
Co‐Secretary: Peggy Terry
CongregaVonal Treasurer: Bob Terry
Our Membership
The members of our congregaVon range in age from 90 years to preschool‐aged children.
Although small in number, we desire to do things well. The core group is commibed to one
another and to the congregaVon’s ministries. Our youth and children abend ChrisVan schools,
public schools and others are home‐schooled. Adult demographics include families, couples,
singles and reVred people. Though a number of our adults are reVred, this group provides a
core of experienced and available workers.
Year Total Average Communicant BapVzed
Membership Abendance Members Members
2010 60
2009 108 55 80 28
2008 108 58 80 28
2007 114 58 81 33
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Our EducaVonal Ministry
ChrisVan educaVon is an important part of the ministry of the Orlando Reformed Presbyterian
Church. The educaVonal program for all age groups is supervised by a ChrisVan EducaVon (C.E.)
Board appointed by and under the oversight of the Session. A session member is the chairman
of the commibee. The adult educaVonal plan is developed by the Session with other age levels
developed by the C.E. Board and approved by the Session. Bible studies are under the direcVon
of Session and currently include a Women’s study on Tuesday morning, a Wednesday study
each week at the church and a bi‐weekly study in the west part of the community. AddiVonally,
a men’s breakfast meets the last Saturday of each month.
The C.E. Board presents a Bible to each child
entering second grade and a Psalter to each
child entering third grade.
The CE Board plans summer educaVonal
acVviVes. In recent years, different families
have hosted a one‐day special event in their
homes at various Vmes throughout the
summer. The events are Ved together by a
common Biblical theme and have been an
effecVve way to reach out to our
neighborhoods, to focus on a parVcular
theme of instrucVon for the summer, and to
provide opportuniVes for service to the
community.
The CE Board also oversees the raising and distribuVon of funds to help members abend
Presbytery conferences as well as the quadrennial RP InternaVonal Conference. In recent years,
we have been able to pay the enVre cost of camp registraVon for anyone choosing to abend a
summer conference.
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Social ‐ Fellowship Ministry
Fellowship is an important part of our church life here at Orlando RPC. We enjoy being together
at various planned social events each year. Those planned this year include a Bunco Party, a
Fondue Dinner, a Memorial Day picnic, a Progressive Dinner and a Christmas Party. We try to
focus on outreach for at least one of these events although we always encourage inviVng others
to our social acVviVes. We honor recent graduates at a Night‐On‐the‐Town dinner. Other Vmes
of fellowship occur at weekly Bible studies, monthly men’s breakfasts, fellowship dinners, movie
nights, youth acVviVes, the Stepping Stones summer program for children, and special events
such as the Walk for Life, Presbytery camps
and conferences.
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Our Care Ministry
In addiVon to pastoral care and deaconal ministries, we have the following opportuniVes:
Meals: We prepare and deliver meals to those in the church body who need help with meal
preparaVon for a variety of circumstances such as a new baby, recuperaVon at home amer
hospitalizaVon, dealing with a serious illness or hospitality needs around a death in the family.
Cards and Flowers:
A member sends cards and notes when anyone in the church body needs addiVonal
encouragement or a word of thanks. Birthdays and Anniversaries are also recognized with a
greeVng card. In addiVon, we have a birthday celebraVon once each month (following worship)
to honor all who celebrated birthdays during the current month. Flower arrangements are sent
when individuals are hospitalized for illness and when there are special events to celebrate.
Bible Study and Fellowship Groups:
Throughout the week there are Bible studies conducted both at the church and in homes in
various neighborhoods. Currently, we have one bi‐weekly evening Bible study/fellowship
meeVng in a home on the West side of Orlando, and one weekly evening study/fellowship
group meeVng at the church. In addiVon, a weekly women’s Bible study is held at the church
every Tuesday morning, and a men’s breakfast group meets monthly on Saturday mornings. In
addiVon to prayer and Bible study, the groups are designed to offer support and
encouragement as needed.
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Our Outreach Ministries ‐ Local and World Missions
In response to the Great Commission given to us by Jesus before his ascension in Mabhew
28:19, the Orlando Reformed Presbyterian church desires to be a part of spreading the good
news of salvaVon through Jesus Christ our Lord and making disciples in Orlando and throughout
the world.
Prayer needs for missions are listed in the bulleVn each Lord’s Day and prayed for faithfully from
the pulpit. WMF organizes several Fellowship Meals on selected Sabbath evenings throughout
the year at which we present the work of a parVcular mission work. On these occasions a
congregaVonal offering is received in support of that mission.
The Women’s Missionary Fellowship meets regularly to keep current on the work and needs of
our denominaVonal mission works, both home and foreign. We support the “plan of work”
suggested each year by the RP Women’s Synodical by praying for and supporVng financially our
missionaries as well as other boards and organizaVons, such as ReformaVon TranslaVon
Fellowship, the Reformed Presbyterian Home in Pibsburgh, PA and the Board to Address
Disability Concerns.
For many years, we have sponsored an Annual Rummage Sale each fall and donate the majority
of proceeds to the Reformed Presbyterian Home for the Aged. We also support the work of the
local Prison Chaplain Ministry by meeVng two or three Vmes each year to prepare folders with
paper and pens to be used in Bible classes and correspondence at a local women’s prison.
We seek to keep the congregaVon aware of local ministries by bringing in speakers and/or
providing literature about organizaVons such as the Prison Ministry, the Gideons, a local pro‐life
organizaVon, Wycliffe, and Campus Crusade. In recent years, the congregaVon has parVcipated
in the annual ‘Walk for Life’ (a pro‐life fund‐raising walk) around nearby Lake Eola.
Our Junior group supported a Rwandan girl through World Vision for several years and currently
supports a member of the military in Afghanistan through lebers and gims.
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Orlando Church Profile July 2011
Our FaciliVes
The Orlando RPC faciliVes consist of two buildings and a parking lot located on the corner of
Broadway & Livingston Street in downtown Orlando. The locaVon is in the heart of the city in
the Lake Eola Heights historic district. The area is beauVful and provides opportunity for
connecVons with the community.
The main building is a two‐story building with
the upper level containing the sanctuary,
offices, a vesVbule with an adjacent nursery “cry
room” and a restroom. To accommodate
individuals with disabiliVes, there is an outside
ramp leading to the sanctuary. The downstairs
area consists of a newly remodeled fellowship
hall and kitchen, restrooms, storage rooms, a
lovely new library, and a children’s recreaVon
room called “The Fold.”
These areas are used for classes and fellowship
on the Lord’s Day, fellowship dinners, Tuesday
morning women’s Bible Study, Men’s Breakfast
meeVngs, commibee meeVngs, and social events
during the year.
The other building is what we call “The Annex.”
It consists of classrooms, a nursery, storage
areas and a restroom. The annex faciliVes are
used for children’s classes, youth group
meeVngs and acVviVes, nursery, and child care
during the Tuesday Women’s Bible Study and
on other occasions when child care is needed.
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Our Community: Orlando City Profile
Orlando is located in the central region of the state of Florida
and is the 5th largest city in the state. The Greater Orlando
metropolitan area has a populaVon of 2,100,000 while the city
itself has 230,000 residents. The Orlando Reformed
Presbyterian Church is located on the edge of the Eola Heights
Historic District, with older residences surrounding it on the
east, and major commercial office buildings, including the
county courthouse to the west.
Originally Orlando was the center of citrus and ranching in
Florida, but is now an urban city with a variety of industries. The
area is the 3rd most visited American city and is the home to
Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, and Disney World Resort and AbracVons. Although the
Orlando economy relies heavily on tourism, it is home to a rapidly growing technology industry
with more than 150 internaVonal companies represenVng 20 different countries.
The populaVon of the Orlando is culturally, economically and socially diverse. Fimy‐seven
percent of the populaVon is white, 16% Hispanic and 26% black. There are 90,000 households
in the city with 24% having children under age 18 and 9% over age 65 and living alone. The
median family income is $41,000.
The public educaVonal system is administered by the Orange County Public School System and
there are numerous private and ChrisVan schools in the area. Orlando is the home to the
University of Central Florida, Valencia Community College and Florida A&M Law School. In
addiVon to these public insVtuVons, Orlando has two major Seminaries: Asbury Theological
Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. Orlando is also home to Campus Crusade for
Christ, Ligonier Ministries and Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc.
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