Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1993

114 1993 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THERP Church of Ireland. And the Presbytery of Australia appointed AlastaMcEwen and Lynsey Blakston to represent the RP Church of Australia.Later last year, your Chairman met in Australia with Lynsey and Alastair,and they agreed to prepare the initial statement of the proposed Declaration.This year, when your Committee received the proposed Declarationfrom our brethren in Australia, we forwarded it to the Committees of theother two Synods and expect to hear from them after their Synod meetingsthis summer.Now we are presenting this Declaration with the recommendation thatyou approve it with your suggestions. We would anticipate furtherresponses from our brethren in Scotland and Ireland and then look forwardto bringing the results of their deliberations to you next year. YourChairman (Lord willing) will be in Scotland and Ireland in September ofthis year on other business, and would anticipate talking with the twocommittees at that time. We would hope that all four branches of the RPChurch could adopt the finalstatement of the Declaration in 1994.Respectfully submitted,Bob McCrackenRoy Blackwood, ConvenorRecommendations1. (REFERRED) That Synod approve the proposed declaration2. That Synod reappoint this committeeADECLARATIONOFRELATIONSHIPAMONGTHERP CHURCHESOF AUSTRALIA, IRELAND, SCOTLAND AND NORTH AMERICAAND A STATEMENT OF PROCEDURE FOR THE WORKINGOUT OF THIS RELATIONSHIP"God our Father in heaven, thank you for rescuing us from the penaltyof our sins and saving us through the work of your Son among us, and forthe power of the Holy Spirit convincing us of our need of holiness andturning our hearts to your ways."Thank you for the faith you have given us together to accept theauthority of your written word and the understanding of its teaching as setout in the Westminster Confession of Faith and in the Larger and ShorterCatechisms."Thank you for the encouragement you have given us to worship youaccording to your word alone, and for the love of Christ you have given us