Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA 29
community. The Lord has also blessed the congregation with an additional
Mr. Kevin Plummer. His presence on the Session will enable us to provide for a
Bible Study to begin soon in Pulaski.
The Oswego congregation was greatly blessed last summer with the visit of Dr.
Edward Robson and his wife, Gretchen. Dr. Robson conducted a weekend seminar
on the subject of "Man and Woman in the Garden." Pastor Swartz and his family
are well and continue to prosper in faith and health.
The Ottawa congregation has had a strong focus on the preparation of students
for ministry, and has seen several of them go out into ministry. This past year they
have been involved in the beginning of a new work in Bancroft, Ontario, and are
considering the possibility of starting another new work to the Southeast of
Ottawa. A number of Bible studies are continuing in the congregation. The
Sabbath School has now grown to twelve classes, two of which are for adults. One
new deacon was elected and installed, and plans are under way for the election of
more deacons.
In the spring of 1996 the Ottawa Session became aware of several families in
the Bancroft, Ontario area, including the Van Noppen family from the Ottawa
congregation, who were interested in a new church work. Worship services were
started in the late spring with students Andrew Stringer and Matt Dyck providing
much of the preaching. In the fall, the Stringer family moved to Bancroft to begin
full time work. Andrew was ordained and installed as Associate Pastor of the
Ottawa congregation for the work in Bancroft on April 4, 1997.
The Rochester congregation continues to wait upon the Lord to provide a
pastor. With the election of Peter E. Robson and William H. Pihl as ruling elders,
the congregation now has a resident session (augmented by provisional elders
George Hueber and Gene Huggins). Regular preaching is currently provided by
Pastors Edward Robson, Harold Harrington, and William Pihl. The congregation
continues to meet at the Rochester Christian School on the Lord's Day. A
midweek Bible study is held in one of the homes. A solid core group has been
established during the past several years, and the congregation seeks to grow as the
gospel spreads in Rochester and the surrounding communities.
The Smiths Falls congregation gives thanks to God for the continuing love and
unity enjoyed by its members. The congregation continues its practice of monthly
communion and monthly fellowship meals, midweek Bible studies in three different
locations, as well as an outreach study for young teens meeting weekly in Smiths
Falls. Men's and women's studies also meet once a month. The teens organized a
Winter Retreat this year, which the Lord greatly blessed. The congregation
continues to draw people from a large geographic area. They continue to ask the
Lord to provide for the planting of another congregation, perhaps in Kingston.
In the summer of 1996 the Syracuse Congregation took on Associate Pastor
Brian Coombs in an effort to extend their mission by establishing another preaching
station in Greater Syracuse. So in November, another worship service was begun