On a residential block in Oostburg, Wisconsin, the Bethel Orthodox Presbyterian Church has gathered for worship, catechism, and the fellowship of the saints for nearly a century. The congregation was organized on September 11, 1936, and joined the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) on January 26, 1943. Today Bethel is one of the older continuous OPC congregations in the Sheboygan County area, shaped from the start by a commitment to the historic Reformed faith and to expository preaching.
Two Sunday Services and Sunday School for All Ages
The weekly rhythm of the church centers on two Sunday services. Morning worship begins at 9:00 a.m. and evening worship begins at 6:00 p.m. Each service typically lasts about 75 minutes and includes a sermon of thirty to forty minutes. After the morning service, Sunday School is offered for all ages, with classes for children beginning around 10:40 a.m.
The congregation is described by its leaders as a mix of married couples, singles, large families, and small families, with members ranging from a few days old to over eighty. Many live in Oostburg and the surrounding communities, and the church welcomes visitors who have no church background and no special Bible knowledge. Children of every age are welcome in the service; a volunteer-run nursery for children ages 0 to 3 is available in the basement during the service and Sunday School hour.
Music and Communion
Music at Bethel draws on the Trinity Hymnal and the Trinity Psalter Hymnal, with the congregation singing psalms, traditional hymns, modern hymns, and praise songs. Instruments regularly include piano and organ, with guitar, percussion, and occasionally woodwind, brass, or strings. Lyrics are projected on overhead screens so worshipers can follow along.
The Lord's Supper is observed at the church and is reserved for those who have, by faith, received Christ as Savior, who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God, who are not living in unrepentant sin, and who are members in good standing of a local gospel-preaching church. Baptism is offered both to believers and to the children of believers. Pastors and elders are glad to speak with visitors who are not yet ready to partake.
What to Wear, Where to Park
Bethel describes itself as a come-as-you-are community. Some members dress very casually and others dress up; no one is turned away over attire. The Sunday morning service is followed by a time of fellowship that allows newcomers to meet members without pressure.
A Reformed and Confessional Identity
Bethel is a confessional church in the Reformed tradition, often called Calvinism. Its system of doctrine is summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Heidelberg Catechism. The church also affirms the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort as faithful summaries of Scripture's teaching. These standards act as a safeguard to protect the church against error while leaving the Bible itself as the only rule of faith and life.
Six Core Values
Bethel organizes its life around six stated core values. The gospel is the power of God to change lives through the death and resurrection of Christ. The church is a covenantal community united by common union with Christ. Prayer shapes everything, from individual devotions to corporate gatherings. The Word of God has full authority, with the creeds and confessions serving as summaries under Scripture. Worship is the beginning and the end of the Christian life. Mission means being active in evangelism, home and global missions, and disciple-making.
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church was founded in 1936 in the aftermath of a dispute that led conservative Christians to leave the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. The OPC is a theologically conservative Presbyterian denomination committed to historic Christian orthodoxy, the Reformed faith, Christian missions, and church planting. Bethel belongs to this denomination and is governed by the OPC Book of Church Order.
Pastors, Elders, Deacons, and Staff
Bethel is led by two pastors who share the preaching and pastoral duties. Pastor Chris Allen came in January 2024 after serving four years as an associate pastor in Indiana; he earned his Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and previously worked for a decade as a union carpenter. He and his wife have three young boys. Pastor Curtis Payton joined Bethel in 2023 as pulpit supply during a pastoral search and stayed on when the Lord opened a continuing call. He also serves as a chaplain in the United States Army Reserves, holds a Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary, and lives with his wife Kaitlyn and their four children.
Lisa Roerdink is the administrative assistant, having served in the Bethel office for twenty-one years after joining the church thirty-two years ago. Sara Huisman serves in a creative and communications role after spending ten years in marketing and human resources locally.
The church is led by a session of elders that includes the two pastors and lay elders, with terms staggered in three-year classes. Deacons handle mercy ministry and practical service, and trustees oversee the physical property and ministry building.
Adult Ministries
Adult Sunday School classes meet after the morning service throughout the year, including a women's class and mixed classes. Small groups are described as a key part of growth at Bethel, with members encouraged to gather at least once a month for prayer, Bible study, and fellowship.
Men's Life meets on the first and third Saturday mornings of the month from 6:30 to 8:00 a.m. at the Ministry Building. The first Saturday focuses on Bible study and the third on fellowship and prayer. Men's Society meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. for Bible study and prayer. Both are open to men of all ages from Bethel and the surrounding area.
Women of the Word meets on the first Tuesday of each month, typically at 1:30 p.m., for study and fellowship. Knit 2tog is a women's craft and fellowship group that meets on the second Tuesday of the month, gathering for soup and stitching; finished items are donated to various organizations.
Children, Youth, and Family
Sunday School for ages three and up runs during the school year after the morning service. The nursery serves children from birth through age three during both the service and the Sunday School hour. GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior) is a girls' club for first through eighth grade that draws both churched and unchurched girls from the community. Vacation Bible School is hosted each summer and is open to children from Bethel and the surrounding area.
Middle schoolers have their own ministry called Koinonia, a name taken from the New Testament word for fellowship. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders meet on the third Wednesday evening of each month for Bible study, worship, and games, with an extra gathering each month for a service project or activity such as leaf raking, dodgeball against the session, mini golf, or camp outings.
High school students gather as CREW (Christians Ready, Equipped, Willing) every Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. CREW meets alternately at Bethel and at Breakwater Church in Sheboygan, partnering with another congregation to equip young people with knowledge and passion for Christ during a formative season of life.
The For the Family page gathers catechetical resources that Bethel recommends, including the First Catechism, Training Hearts Teaching Minds, Glorifying and Enjoying God, A Good Confession, the Westminster Shorter Catechism study manual by G. I. Williamson, Big Beliefs, Shorter Catechism Memory Cards, the Shorter Catechism To Go app, the Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism, and a YouTube and Spotify playlist that sets the Shorter Catechism to music. The Biggest Story podcast is also shared for family devotions.
Worship Music and the Psalter
Bethel draws its congregational song from the historic Trinity Hymnal and the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. The Worship Music page links to Spotify playlists that the church uses for personal and family singing, and the church's Spotify account also shares art and recordings connected to its worship life. The morning and evening services feature congregational participation with a mix of ancient and modern songs.
Missions and Outreach
Bethel states its mission as seeking to be a church that glorifies God by reaching the lost and discipling the found. The church supports the work of missions at home and around the world through the OPC denomination and other likeminded organizations. Bethel has long been active in supporting missionaries and sending its own sons and daughters to the field, with pastors Don Stanton and James Bosgraf as formative figures in shaping that vision. Local mercy work is carried out through the diaconate and connections to community ministries.
Sermons and Bulletins
The sermons archive stretches back many years and is searchable by series, speaker, topic, and book of the Bible. Recent series includes sermons through the Gospel of Luke, a Summer in the Psalms series through Psalm 119 and surrounding psalms, and Psalms of the Messiah. Audio of each sermon is available for download. Weekly bulletins are posted as PDFs and archived by year. Visitors who cannot attend in person can follow both Sunday services through the church's YouTube livestream.
History on Center Avenue
Bethel began as the Independent Presbyterian Church in 1936 with the Reverend Oscar Holkeboer as its organizing pastor. By January 1943 the congregation had affiliated with the newly formed Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and in 1945 the Reverend John Verhage moved to Oostburg to continue the preaching of the gospel. The church looks back on a lineage of pastors who loved the Word and faithfully preached the whole counsel of God, including a long-running internship program that shaped men such as Gordon Woolard, Jonathan Falk, and Douglas Clawson for ministry. The congregation gathers today on Center Avenue in a building that has served the church for many years, while some activities, including Men's Life, take place in the separate Ministry Building nearby.
What Visitors Should Know
Bethel invites first-time guests to come as they are. Morning worship begins at 9:00 a.m., evening worship at 6:00 p.m., and Sunday School follows the morning gathering. Dress is casual to business casual. Children are welcome in the service, and a nursery is provided for the youngest. Communion is offered regularly to those who meet the biblical requirements explained in the church's communion guidance. Sermons are livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend, and bulletins and sermon audio are posted for personal study and review.