Emeritus, the Rev. Dr. Larry G. Mininger, now retired, faithfully ministered as pastor to the congregation of Lake Sherwood Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) for forty-eight years. “It has been a great privilege to love and serve succeeding generations of the same family units, maturing in the faith together, while welcoming new people into our fellowship.”
II Corinthians 3:18—“And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
While at Lake Sherwood, Pastor Mininger mentored numerous seminary students, interns, and associate pastors who now minister in the OPC, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), and other denominations. Some serve in seminaries, missions, radio, and publications. During his ministry, Lake Sherwood Church helped establish new churches in the Presbytery of the South of the OPC, including our daughter church in Oviedo (Reformation OPC). Pastor Mininger served on the overseeing Session of several of these mission churches.
Regionally, over time, he served on the Home Missions Committee of the Presbytery of the South, the Candidates and Credentials Committee, the Visitation Committee, as chair of the Youth Committee, and several terms as Moderator of the Presbytery. In collaboration with the PCA, Pastor Mininger provided thirty years of leadership for Southland Student Conference, primarily as Director of the Middle School Camp in the Gainesville area.
Nationally, he was elected Moderator of the Sixty-sixth General Assembly of the OPC. Twice he represented the OPC as Fraternal Delegate to the PCA General Assembly. He served on the OPC Christian Education Committee, the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension, and as an Ambassador for Worldwide Outreach.
For several years Dr. Mininger taught preaching courses at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, as Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology. He was elected to the Boards of Trustees of Covenant College and West Orlando Christian School, the latter as president. For twenty years of his pastorate he also preached the Word of God monthly to the homeless and transients of the community at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission. He presently serves part-time as Campus Pastor at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Florida.
Rev. Mininger earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, the Master of Theology and Master of Divinity degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, and the Bachelor of Arts from Bob Jones University.
Pastor and his wife Gail have raised all five of their children while at Lake Sherwood. As adults these children now serve the Lord in four different states and one foreign country (Myanmar). The Miningers have been blessed with fourteen grandchildren. Pastor enjoys watching golf and football, dating Gail, and buying donuts for the grandkids!