Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1993

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 67together of the grace of etemal life. This church and Christ requiresservice of women as the Scriptures direct."Accordingly, this Committee reminds sessions that they should recognizethe legitimacy which our church allows to various functions ofwomen in the service of the church. Women should be encouraged to makefull and biblically appropriate use of their gifts in the life and ministry ofthe church within the context of the pastoral oversight of the session. Thismeans that it would be appropriate for women to engage in such things asholding office in the congregation, renderingservice on the deacon boardor the board of tmstees, or leading discussion in Bible study groups. To mlesuch things out is contrary to the position of the church, may be a denialof Christ's intent for the use of the gifts that He has distributed, and mayinvolve a lessening of service to Christ.Respectfully submitted,G. Duncan LoweKenneth G. SmithKenneth ThompsonJ. Renwick WrightA. Wayne Duffield, ChairmanThe report of the Psalm Translation Committee was taken up,approved and is as follows:REPORT OF THE PSALM TRANSLATION COMMITTEESix years ago Synod first appointed this Committee and it was anotheryear before other branches of the Reformed Presbyterian Church (inIreland and Australia) could appoint translators and the work could begin.So this is the fifthfull year of our work. And we are now working on Psalms40-100. One man (ProfessorHugh Blair in Ireland) is working on Psalm 119.Your Chairman has sometimes wondered how long it took (i.e. over howmany years) for David to write these Psalms, and if it will take that longto translate them FOR SINGING. And he has sometimes wished he could"kidnap" the translators and hide them away in some castle the way Lutherwas carried off to Wartburg, to do nothing but translation for one wholeyear. If only Luther had been as careful to translate Psalm 46, and all theothers, FOR SINGING, as he was careful to translate them for readinginstead ofjust paraphrasing them for singing, we might not now need to dothis. But it has not really been done before. And it is a responsibility worthy