Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA 93
motion and adopted. The Preface and each of the Chapters as they appear in
attached Revision were unanimously approved by the Committee.
You will notice that we changed the name of the document to The Directory of
Worship for the Public Worship of God. In this document we are focusing our
attention on the public worship of God's people. This in no way lessens our
concern for the place of individual or family worship. In fact, we are
recommending that Synod see to the preparation and publication of new materials
for guidance and encouragement in private and family worship. There is much
more in the way of counsel and instruction needed for individuals and families than
we had considered in The Directory for Worship.
We have followed the precedent of the Committee to Revise the Form of
Church Government in making the proposed Directory for Worship a manual of
definitions, procedures and guidelines for congregations in their corporate worship.
The proposed Directory upholds the doctrinal position of the Church regarding
worship, but relegates the argumentation of that doctrine to the Westminster
Standards and our Testimony.
The Revision of the Directory for Worship must be approved by a two-thirds
vote of the Synod, and by overture to the Sessions of the Church.. When
approved, the revised Directory is to be received as a subordinate standard
declaring the law and order of the Church. Following its adoption, the Directory
may be amended by any Synod by a two-thirds majority vote. If, however, Synod
considers that the item before it should have the consideration and discussion of
the Sessions,it can by a simple majority vote decide to use the procedure of
sending proposed amendments down in overture. Such amendments must be
adopted by a two-thirds vote of the Synod before they can be sent down in
overture to the Sessions.
Recommendations:
I. That the proposed revision of the Directory for Worship be received by the
Synod for action.
2. That following the precedent in handling the Revision of the Testimony and the
Revision of the Form of Church Government, that 30 minutes be allotted for floor
discussion and debate on each chapter of the proposed Directory for Worship, and
that individual speakers be limited to 3 minutes. No amendments shall be allowed
from the floor. Each chapter shall be voted on in its entirety. Approval requires a
two-thirds vote.
3. That failure to receive a two-thirds majority vote on any chapter will have the
effect of returning that chapter to the Committee for revision in light of the floor
discussion.
4. That when each chapter has received the necessary two-thirds vote of the
Synod, the entire Directory for Worship be submitted to the sessions in overture,
and that the sessions be asked to vote on each chapter separately, thereby allowing