June 1 Today in OPC History

When Charles and Donna McIlhenny moved to San Francisco in 1974, they never imagined they would be at the epicenter of America’s gay and lesbian sub-culture for thirty-two years. The daughter of a Baptist pastor, Donna studied at Moody Bible Institute, where she met Charles McIlhenny. After graduating in 1969, they married and Chuck became pastor of First OPC in San Francisco. She nurtured her three children, spoke at conferences, and served as director of a Crisis Pregnancy Center. The McIlhennys were plunged into the political spotlight after they discovered that their church organist was a practicing homosexual. On behalf of the church, Chuck fired him in 1978, setting off a hail storm of protest from gay activists. The organist sued the McIlhennys, First OPC, and the Presbytery of Northern California for employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. On April 3, 1980, Judge John Ertola ruled in their favor, citing that the congregation was within its rights to fire its organist, based on freedom of religion.

In the heat of struggle, on this memorable day in 1983, a fire bomb shattered their bedroom window at 12:30 a.m. and flames quickly spread to the church. They hastily woke the children and got them out of the house. Comforted by a neighbor, Donna was given a drink to calm her shaking. Alcohol soon calmed Donna when her family and their congregation were harassed with vandalism, daily death threats, and anonymous callers who threatened their children by name. At some point, alcohol stopped working for her and she prayed for deliverance.

After 32 years in San Francisco, they moved to Southern California in 2005, where Chuck became a healthcare chaplain. Donna was in and out of hospitals, ERs, rehab, and finally a second rehab. She prayed that God would let her go from her Christianity, but felt the Lord say, “No.” Peace overwhelmed her.

More than a decade has passed. A member of Calvary OPC in La Mirada, Donna now serves as an affiliate, non-ordained healthcare chaplain and substance abuse counselor. She enjoys being part of the Gary Bonner Singers and spending time with her three children and fourteen grandchildren. Chuck and Donna wrote a book about the trials of their congregation entitled When the Wicked Seize the City, published in 1993. Donna wrote the story of God’s care in the midst of her struggles in Choosing the Good Portion: Women of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, which is available on OPC.ORG here.

Picture: Chuck and Donna McIlhenny in 2004