Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1995 - Rparchives.org

118 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THEthe inauguration of the "Time to Plant" program. We praise Him also fothe renewed emphasis and commitment to growth and new works thatispermeating our denomination. The Covenanter Witness article of January1995 gives more of the details. The nine new works are: Stillwater, OK,Pensacola, FL, Waldorf, MD, Kokomo, IN, Evansville, IN, Fulton, NY,Lancaster, PA, Middletown, NY, and Midland, TX. Our numerical "faith"goal was "7 More by '94". We are thankful that the Lord of the Harvest isnot limited by our faith nor by our numbers! Since we truly believe Jesuswhen He taught that, "No one comes to Me unless the Father draws him"(John 6:44), we know thatall of thisis His doing. Join with us in giving Himall the praise for this progress in His Kingdom work.Since Synod last year Kokomo, IN and Fulton, NY have both becomeFully Organized Congregations, having progressed through the MissionChurch stage to the point of electing their own elders and calling their ownpastor.Present Situation as of April 1995Hazleton, PA was organized as a mission church on April 1 by AtlanticPresbytery. Sid Van Camp has just been appointed organizing pastor inMidland, TX. All of the cities where organizing pastors are on site have nowbeen organized as mission churches. There have been two mission churcheswhich did not appoint an organizing pastor, a situation which the HMB doesnot usually recommend. Normally the work is organized as a mission churchafter the arrival of the organizing pastor. The mission church in Lancaster,PA has lost its church planter but the Presbytery is hoping to find areplacement very soon. This means that there are presently two missionchurches without organizing pastors - Lancaster, PA and Hazleton, PA. ThePresbyteries are actively looking for church planters for these two works.Exploratory development workis well along in the following areas:- Lansing, Ml (Southfield Session) Licentiate Brian Schwertleyintends to move there shortly.- Orange, CA (Orange Commission of Pacific CoastPresbytery) - They continue to look for an organizing pastor.Thereis some exploratory development ministry underway in thefollowing areas:- Wichita, KS (Midwest Presbytery) - Bible study- Montreal, Quebec (Smiths Falls RPC Session)The prayer and initial contacting stage of exploratory development isunderway in the following areas:- North Central area of Indiana (Great Lakes-Gulf Presbytery) -contacts are being made in the Goshen, Elkhart, South Bendarea.- Eastern area of Ottawa, Ontario (Ottawa Session) - Biblestudy- Toronto, Ontario (Ottawa Session)- Chittenango, NY (Syracuse Session)