Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

58 MINUTES OF THE 1997 SYNOD OF THE
Kilpatrick have been placed in nomination. The Board waits upon the
Synodical Missionary Fellowship for a nominee to replace Sandra Johns.
2. That the Board be granted $65,000 from RPMetM to help meet its 1998
Budget of approximately $254,800.
3. That Synod's Trustees be requested to grant $50,000 to the Directors of the
Covenanter Book Store toward the expense of the Covenanter Church Center
and $25,000 to the Foreign Mission Board to investigate new mission fields.
4. That Bob Henning be appointed for one year as Executive Secretary.
5. That the denomination fervently pray for Teaching Elders to be raised up for
the Reformed Presbyterian pulpits in Japan.
6. That Bob and Cheryl Hemphill be upheld especially as they travel to Japan in
the Fall of 1997.
7. That names of persons who might serve in Japan be forwarded to Bruce
Backensto as the LORD may lead any of you presbyters to suggest in 1997-98.
8. That Bob Henning be heard on behalf of the Board for up to ten minutes.
The report of the Representatives to the Presbyterian and Reformed
Joint Commission on Chaplains and Military Personnel was taken up. The
report was discussed. Item 1 was adopted. In keeping with this item,
Chaplains Jonathan Leach and Stan Copeland were recognized and Synod
delegates applauded to express their appreciation for the work of the
chaplains. Shigeru Takiura informed the Synod that because of matters of
conscience regarding church-state relations in Japan he must abstain from
voting on item 2. Items 2-5 were adopted. In keeping with item 2, Ken
Smith led Synod in prayer for the chaplains. The report as a whole was
approved and is as follows:
REPORT OF THE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE
PRESBYTERIAN AND REFORMED JOINT COMMISSION
ON CHAPLAINS AND MILITARY PERSONNEL
We rejoice in God's blessing on the lives and ministry of our missionaries to the
uniformed services throughout another year. Our Reformed Presbyterian chaplains
continue to benefit from our membership in the Joint Commission and our
affiliation with the NAE Commission on Chaplains.
CHAPLAINS
Our roster of chaplains includes two on active duty (Copeland, Moore), one
with the National Guard (Leach), and one in the Reserves (Pihl). Kelly Moore
continues his assignment in Panama as pastor of the Protestant chapel at Fort
Clayton. Stan Copeland is Family Life Chaplain at Ft. Leavenworth. Bill Pihl has
applied for Active Duty status and is awaiting word on that application. As of
February 1997, the chaplain forces endorsed from four denominations by the
Joint Commission include seventy Active Duty, twenty National Guard, forty-three
Reserves, forty Other (Civil Air Patrol, VA chaplains, etc.), twelve Chaplain