Celebrating 50 Years of Our Lord’s Faithfulness

This coming Lord's Day, July 17, 2023, will mark the 50th anniversary of the organization of our Presbytery. It would still be another five months before the PCA itself would come into formal existence.

As Reported by TE Norman Bagby in the Minutes of the 162nd Stated Meeting:

On July 17, 1973, at Camp Westminster, located about ten miles south of Monticello, Mississippi, representatives of thirteen congregations that had just been dismissed from the Presbytery of South Mississippi of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, gathered to organize a new presbytery which would be identified with the "Continuing Presbyterian Church" movement then underway.

Those congregations represented were: FirstCrystal Springs; Ellisville; Bethany-Gloster; Hoyte Memorial-Gloster; Leakesville; Magee; Sharon-Magee; Calvary-Mize; Mt. Olive; First-Picayune; Prentiss; First-Taylorsville; First-Woodville.

Ruling elders representing these congregations included W. Arnold Lee, W.D. Carmichael, Dewitt Smylie, Sherman Powell, M.A. Yelverton, James O. Yelverton, C. G. McCallum, John W. McNair, W.B. Herrington, Max Kennedy, Sr., and James E. Wilkerson, Jr.

There were only six teaching elders present as organizing members of the new presbytery: Norman A. Bagby, Jr., Bill Combs, Joe Gardner, Jr., Doyle Hulse, Ron Swafford, and French W. Tripp.

Others present for the occasion were: Ed Cunningham, student Pastor at Magee; M.F. Little, ruling elder alternate from Calvary-Mize; Robert M. Neill, alternate from Ellisville; Guy Oliver, Professor at Reformed Seminary; Harold Richardson, student Pastor at Woodville; L.B. Stockett, Jr., ruling elder alternate from Woodville; Byron Snapp, student Pastor at Leakesville; and A.C. Yllander, ruling elder alternate from Bethany-Gloster. The Reverend Larry C. Mills, who was supplying the Bethany and Hoyte Memorial Churches at the time was also present and signed the resolution to form the Presbytery on behalf of the Hoyte Memorial Session, though he was not yet a member of the seceding group.

The first Stated Meeting of Grace Presbytery was held at Mount Olive, on the 6th of September 1973. It would still be another three months before the PCA itself would come into formal existence.