Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1993

20 1993 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THEservants for Christ's Crown and Covenant. There are now five strongfamilies committed to the work, some being experienced beUevers, somebeing young in the faith, and some being brand new converts to Christ Wecontinue to see much encouragement at the Sycamore Fellowship missionchurch in Kokomo, Ind. Efforts to establish a new outreach in Ocoee, Fla.,continue. Multiracial congregation, our youngest estabUshed church, isalready looking to begin a daughter congregation in the Ft. Walton Beach,Fla., area as the Lord allows.Not all our news has been good. Satan still prowls about as a roaringlion, seeking to devour what he can. Ogemaw congregation was dissolvedon 18 October 1992, after a long period of difficulty. Ministry to the formermembers continues in several ways. The former pastor, the Rev. RobertLaMay, has moved to Clarinda, Iowa, to serve as the stated supply in thatcongregation.There have been some changes within our presbytery bounds. Mr. RickSutton was taken undercare as a student of theology on 16 April, 1993. Wehave ordained Andrew McCracken and Edwin Blackwood to the ministry.Rev McCracken was installed as associate pastor in the Bloomingtonchurch. Ralph Joseph, received from Midwest Presbytery, was installedover the Selma church. The Rev. D. Raymond McCracken was installedat Orlando as Pastor of Outreach on 15 April, 1993. We anticipate that Mr.Richard Johnston wiU be ordained and installed as associate pastor atSecond Indianapolis on 9 July, 1993, the day before the start of Synod. Hewas declared eligible to receive a call on 15 April, 1993, and was presentedwith the call at that time. Since last year's report, we have also received theRev. Robert Henning from Midwest Presbytery, who has retired toColumbus, Ind. R. Paul and Janet Mathews have been in Brazil much ofthe time since last Synod, working for Wycliffe Bible Translators insupport roles. They have had to return earlier than they had expected andhoped, as they could not obtain long-term visas from the Braziliangovernment. The life of one of our brethren has been gloriously transformed,although it has been sad for us. Donald WilUam Felker wastranslated from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant on 25November 1992. David Peachy, after much consideration and with muchcounsel over a number of years from presbytery, asked to be removed fromthe office of teaching elder. This was done without church discipline.Three congregations mourn the loss of ruling elders. Rev. Felker wasserving on the West Lafayette session at the time of his passing. BelleCenter misses J. Milroy Templeton and Bloomington, Ray M. Wampler.We are generally pleased with what our statistical report reveals of thework of our Mediator. We record a net gain of 30, a net increase of 100attending worship, 22 new baptized members, 6 covenant children making