Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

194 MINUTES OF THE 1997 SYNOD OF THE
that all things would do well the date for his ordination to the Gospel Ministry
his installation as the organizing pastor of the Orange County Ministry was set for
March 9, 1996, in Orange County.
Things did go as planned and Kenneth Orr was installed as Pastor of the Los
Angeles Congregation on March 8, 1996, and John McFarland was ordained and
installed as Pastor of the Orange County work which has taken the name Christ
Our King Fellowship.
Each congregation reported encouragement and a good spirit in them. The San
Diego Congregation has been without a settled pastor since Andrew Schep
accepted the call to pastor the congregation in Columbus, Indiana. Michael
Campbell had been serving the congregation in an informal pastoral manner as he
was preparing for ordination to the gospel ministry in the RPCNA. But he was
stricken with cancer and was taken to be with the Lord early in 1995. Though his
life was shortened the Lord had been pleased to minister to many through his life.
The memorial services for him were a testimony to the grace of God in and
through him. We miss him but rejoice in his freedom and new health. In his place
Robert Tweed has been serving as the stated Supply for the San Diego
Congregation. He has spent about three weeks out of the month in San Diego and
returned home to Winchester, Kansas, for a week then returned for another time.
This has worked out very well and God has prospered the ministry in San Diego
during this time. Professor Wayne Spear will be spending some time with the
congregation this summer.
Another matter of encouragement to the San Diego Congregation and to the
Presbytery is the plan for a team to be headed up by two families from the Seattle
Congregation to go to San Diego and spend two weeks doing much-needed repairs
on the San Diego Church's Building. The plan grew out of our family conference
held at the Furs Conference Center in Bellingham, Washington, in August of
1995. There was an excellent attendance and spirit at the conference. Pastor
Andrew McCracken challenged us from God's Word on the work of renewing
existing congregations.
The Fresno congregation continues to struggle under the concern for their
building. The Phoenix congregation is gaining greater stability and is better able to
meet its financialobligations. Though the death of Esther Martin brought sadness
and disappointment to the congregations there are many ways in which this has
served to spur many on to greater devotion and service to the Lord Jesus. The
Seattle congregation continues to be a source of great strength to the Presbytery.
They very graciously hosted many from the Presbytery congregations on the
weekends surrounding the conference. We trust that the Lord will bless them as
they bear this extra burden for the Presbytery.
Besides the settle pastors, Philip Martin is retired and serves on the Phoenix
Session; James D. Carson serves in the Administration at Westminster Seminary in
Escondido, California; Glenn McFarland is teaching in Orange County and is a