Guest post by Zac Wyse, who is a licentiate in the United Reformed Churches. He’s a recent WSC graduate and he’s planting a new congregation in Cincinnati.

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We are a new church that belongs to a growing federation called the United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA). A year ago, a group of believers and our church-planter, Zac Wyse, got together to discuss this venture. In the months that followed, God put them in touch with other like- minded believers. Convinced that Christ was working, Zeltenreich Reformed Church (New Holland, PA) decided to plant this church in Cincinnati’s Westside and called Zac to be its church-planter. We are spending these early months digging into the church’s doctrine, learning some psalms and hymns, and becoming accustomed to its liturgy. We are worshiping in a small chapel right now and hope to launch services for the general public next year.

Sunday July 7 was an historic day for us. It was the first occasion when our core group gathered for Sunday services. We are working through the core doctrines of the faith, as outlined by the Heidelberg Catechism. The day’s sermons were Luke 24:36-49, The Christian Faith: A Gospel that Comforts and Romans 3:9-20, The Law Reveals Our Misery.

Cities often develop distinct regional cultures. This is surely the case in Cincinnati, where “The Westside” is known for its resistance to change, cultural Catholicism, German heritage, and regional pride. When my wife told a potential employer where we are looking to live, her interviewers exclaimed with a grin, “Oh! A Westsider!” Sadly, a small minority of churches in this region are committed to historic Protestantism, and there certainly aren’t any congregations that stand in the confessional Reformed tradition. Though there are some faithful Presbyterian churches elsewhere in the city, the Westside has lacked this sort of witness for years.

Zac was born and raised in Northwest Ohio. He was converted in college and, then, spent five years in Europe supporting Christian fellowships on college campuses (with Cru and IVF). During this time, he and K.C., a Cincinnati native, were married. He recently graduated from Westminster Seminary California (M.Div.) and is thrilled that God is answering his longstanding prayer to plant a church in Cincinnati. He is presently serving this plant under the oversight of Zeltenreich Reformed Church.

Please, join us in praying that our budgetary needs are met. We are over half way there and are urgently working to secure funding for the rest of this calendar year.

The current website has contact info. A new website is on the way. Services are being held at the chapel of Westwood First Presbyterian Church 3011 Harrison Ave., Cincinnati, OH,  Sundays, 2:00-4:15.