“I know that he served faithfully after his retirement by supplying pulpits within the Presbytery until his health prevented that. I got to know him a little when he supplied the pulpit at Christ RPCES in New Castle when we were without a pastor in the early 80s. I was always impressed with his faithfulness, his zeal for Christ, and his gentle spirit.” Jay Neikirk

TE Samuel S. Ward, the oldest member of Ascension Presbytery (PCA), passed away on Tuesday evening (April 24).

Like so many of the men who were leaders in the early days of the RPCES, Sam was born in Kansas (at Smith Center). He graduated from high school in 1931 in Dwight, KS; and from Sterling College, Sterling, KS in 1935, and attended Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1936, before doing missionary work for two years in Houston, KY. He married Rosalie J. McMillan, August 5, 1937. He completed his seminary work at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh and after two years received his BDiv on May 6, 1941

(As a historical note, the RPC split into two groups in 1833, known as the Covenanter Synod and General Synod. The distinction concerned participation in secular (state) government; the Covenanter’s continued not to allow their members to participate – including voting; the General Synod accepted involvement. Sam was part of the General Synod, although he attended the Covenanter Synod seminary – don’t think the General Synod had one at that time.)

Sam was ordained that year and installed as pastor of the RP church in Darlington, PA where he served for 6 years. In 1947 he took the call as pastor of the RP church in Coulterville, IL (just across the river from St. Louis) and remained there for 17 years. In 1964 Sam moved to become the pastor of the Calvin Presbyterian Church in North Huntingdon, PA (a still active congregation in Pittsburgh Presbytery).

Having been a member of the General Synod, Sam moved into the RPCES (a merger of the RPC (General Synod) and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (not the current one) in 1965. He had been elected as Pastor Emeritus at North Huntington in 1982, and moved with that status into Ascension Presbytery of the PCA at Joining and Receiving.

Pastor Ward served as the Moderator 125th meeting of the RPCNA,GS (125th, May 1948) which met at Clay Center, KS – just an hour away for his home town. He then served as Moderator of the 152nd Synod of the RPCES (they had kept the RPCNA,GS numbering) in May, 1974 at Elizabethtown, PA. He was very active on national boards of both those denominations.

Sam was preceded in death by his wife, Rosalie J. (McMillan) Ward on September 5, 1997, they had just celebrated 60 years of marriage on August 5, 1997; and a son, Timothy Carl Ward, February 1982.

He is survived by five children, Samuel Keith Ward, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Jean Ellen Ward, Cincinnati, OH; Mark Alan Ward, Dunnville, Ontario, Canada; Paul McMillan Ward, Darlington Township, PA and James Calvin Ward, Chattanooga, TN; 13 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and three brothers along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Most readers of The Aquila Report will recognize the name of Sam’s youngest son – James Ward – a well known Christian musician long associated with New City Fellowship in Chattanooga, TN.

Ascension Presbytery Stated Clerk Jay Neikirk, who probably knew Sam better than most of the Presbytery members, commented:

I know that he served faithfully after his retirement by supplying pulpits within the Presbytery until his health prevented that. I got to know him a little when he supplied the pulpit at Christ RPCES in New Castle when we were without a pastor in the early 80s. I was always impressed with his faithfulness, his zeal for Christ, and his gentle spirit.

There will be calling hours on Sunday evening (4/29) from 6-9 at the Campbell Funeral Home in Chippewa. The funeral will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Christ PC (mailing address is Beaver Falls but located just south of Chippewa). TE Larry Elenbaum, Pastor of Christ PC, has to be out of town so TE Jeff Noyes will be conducting the funeral.

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