Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

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MINUTES OF THE 1997 SYNOD OF THE
the Philadelphia region. An area Bible study in the home of a new member
as well as a new outreach to Swedenborgians is most encouraging to the
congregation. While the congregation prays for new elders, the congregationis
expectant for God's blessing and encouraged by the fellowship of the saints.
The Grace (Middletown, NY) mission church is under the care of the
Middletown Commission and church planter Mr. Leverne Rosenberger. Worship
services have been carried on regularly since July 1994. Currently six families are
committed to establish a Reformed Presbyterian Church in Middletown. Visiting
families who are considering uniting with us number three or four. We are eager
to organize as soon as the Lord brings in a few more families. Please pray that a
family who can sing will unite with us.
The Hazleton Area mission church is without a church planter. Preachingis
shared between Mr. Tony Olivieri and Mr. Jonathan Leach, members of the
Hazleton Commission. They have begun observing the Lord's Supper quarterly
and meeting midweek twice a month for instruaion and prayer. They are
beginning to look for quarters that allow a wider range of activities than the single
room in which they have been meeting. The 16 communicant and eight baptized
members regularly are joined by several other adherents.
The Lancaster mission churchis under the oversight of its temporary governing
body consisting of Anthony Cowley (moderator). Marshall Smith, and David
Ashleigh (clerk). The regular weekly worship of God has continued. Communion
was observed three times. God has blessed the congregation through the
preaching ofBill Cornell and others. The spirit of unity and mutual concern has
increased, and membership has grown from six to 19. A close relationship with
the Broomall Reformed Presbyterian Church continues. The mission church plans
to make a pastoral call in the near future.
The Ridgefield Park congregation has been without a pastor since September
1995.
The White Lake congregation receives the pastoral ministry of Mr. David Coon.
The Lord blessed the congregation in various ways in 1995: 1) through the
vehicle of Evangelism Explosion, God led people to positions of greater
responsibility as well as bringing many people to faith in Christ and follow-up; 2)
various programs of the church were strengthened - like Church School and
Pioneer Club; 3) our ministry at a drug rehabilitation facility was blessed through
on-site Bible studies and a good group participating in the life of the congregation;
4) improvement to the physical facilities - a ramp to the auditorium and new sign.
The Atlantic Presbytery maintains the credentials of four teaching elders who
currently are not serving as pastors of congregations:
1. Philip Coon is retired from pastoral ministry and lives in Gettysburg, PA;
2. William Cornell serves as a ruling elder on the Broomall RPC session and
preaches occasionally for congregations in the presbytery. He also assists in a
ministry to fellow professional truck drivers.