Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

184 MINUTES OF THE 1997 SYNOD OF THE
IN, and Columbus, OH. We continue to pray for new work in Ocoee and
Okaloosa Co., FL. The two Michigan groups have men currently working on site.
Lie. Brian Schwertley and Elder John McCarthy are at Lansing, and the Rev. Roger
Adamsis at Iron River.
Again there have been few changes in personnel in the past year. After
examination, we received the Rev. Roger Adams as a member of Presbytery. He
had held ministerial credentials in the Independent Fundamentalist Churches of
America. The Rev. Thomas Reid, who currently serves a Free Church of Scotland
congregation in Edmonton, AB, while retaining his and his family's membership at
Multiracial, will soon be moving to Pittsburgh to take up his new dutes as Librarian
and Registrar at the Seminary. We were privileged to have the Rev. Prof. W.
Norris S. Wilson in our midst for several months. Rev. Wilsonis the pastor of the
Dervock congregation of our Irish Synod and the Old Testament professor at the
Reformed Theological College in Belfast. He and the Rev. Philip Pockras of Belle
Center exchanged pulpits for the summer, to the benefit of all parties. We
appointed Rev. Pockras as our fraternal delegate to the Northern Presbytery of the
RPCI. Lie. John McFarland was called as the church planter in Orange County,
CA, and we sent his credentials to Pacific Coast Presbytery. We anticipate hearing
good things from there.
Our membership statistics have been generally good. We record numerical
growth for another year, by the grace of our God. The net total increase for the
Presbytery comes to 86. Church attendanceis up by 44, Sabbath Schoolis up by
25, but CYPU membership is down, showing a decrease of 25. On the other
hand, we have a new active college and career work in the Presbytery that involves
about 35 young adults in their early to mid 20s. Generally, we believe that these
show continued committment of our people. Of our growth, 31 were by baptism
and 29 by profession of faith. Further, 15 of our baptized members personally
professed faith in the Savior. We seem, too, to see a greater influx of Christians
from other denominations. The net gain in this category was 30.
Finances this year were mixed. Most categories were up. This included gifts to
RP M et M, although "Other RP Work" was down slightly. "Other Income" was
down substantially, as several congregations transferred funds for the remodelling,
expansion, construction or purchase of meeting places. We mention with concern
that the finances of several congregations are either precarious or soon will be.
Please pray with us that the God Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills will
continue to provide for the fiscal needs ofall our churches.
Two congregations are currently vacant: Hetherton and Oakdale. The Rev.
Milton Harrington continues to serve as Stated Supply at Hetherton, while Oakdale
enjoysits arrangement with the Rev. Raymond Morton. Due to growth, Columbus
congregationisstill seeking a new building. Southside Indianapolis will soon begin
construction on greatly expanded facilities, and West Lafayette has finallyfound a