Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

140 MINUTES OF THE 1997 SYNOD OF THE
down in overture." This Synod adopted the edited version of the stat
relationships.
The Clerk of the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland, Mr.
Andrew Stewart, has told us that their Synod did adopt the Declaration of
Relationships last year (1996). The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland
will be considering this Declaration again this year.
It is important to notice in all this how our relationships and communications
have developed. The Church in Scotland discovered, to our shame, that they did
not have a copy of the Testimony and Confession of the North American Church
(this Committee sent them a copy). They and we, as a committee, have also
requested and received from the Australian Church a copy of their new
Constitution, dated 1994. We have discovered that there is no arrangement for
the regular exchange of published Minutes among our churches. Individuals may
send or receive Minutes on a personal basis, but there is no plan for regular,
formal, official exchange of Minutes. Perhaps some of this communication could
be accomplished by the regular exchange of fraternal delegates. And the R. P.
Church of Ireland has set an example by making provision for sending a delegate
to the North American Synod each year. But we have not followed their example
and none of us have made provision for sending or receiving delegates with the R.
P. Church of Australia. The Synods of Scotland and Ireland are exchanging
delegates but so far as your Committee can find there are no plans or
arrangements between the Scottish and American churches for exchanges of
delegates.
Synod's original assignment to this Committee called for two things:
I. "To draw up a declaration expressing our present relationship."
2. "To draw up a statement of procedure expressing the regular working out
of this relationship."
We trust that the Church in Scotland will adopt either this version or some
edited version of it which we too can approve. But in any event we should move
on to the statement of procedure for the regular working out of this relationship.
We are proposing:
1. That the Clerks of all five Churches work out plans for the annual exchange
of one copy of the Printed or Published Minutes and that the Clerk or someone
whom he appoints, will make a brief review of those Minutes for the Synod each
year. The single copy would be held by the Clerk but made available to borrow by
other members of Synod as requested.
2. That the dates for the annual meetings of the Synods, Presbytery, and Session
be provided to the Clerks as early in advance as possible in order that Teaching and
Ruling elders who are traveling for any purpose might be appointed Fraternal
Delegates and arrange their travels in such a way as to represent us to each other.