Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1995 - Rparchives.org

J4MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THEoverseeing the mission church, providing preaching and shepherding of thosein attendance. Pastor Tony Cowley leads a Bible study in Lancaster weekly.Mr. Leverne Rosenberger's early work of door-to-door recruitment forBible classes has borne profitable studies yielding the conversion and growthof several in Middletown. The mission church has located a suitable worshipfacility in Middletown and began weekly worship services on July 3, 1994.Their eleven communicant and nine baptized members are joined regularly byseveral adherents and visitors. Outreach efforts have included newspaperadvertisements, word-of-mouth, Genesis classes utilizing videotapes from theInstitute for Creation Research, and other Bible classes. On February 19,1995, the mission church observed the Lord's Supper for the first time. Thepresbytery is grateful to the Lord Jesus for providing His church with men ofChristian zeal and grace such as Mr. Rosenberger.The Hazleton mission church sprang up in the providence of God in partto meet a felt need for Biblical worship on the part of two Hazleton areafamilies: the Tony Olivieris and the Jonathan Leaches. The two families,frequently joined by other visitors, began meeting for worship on May 1,1994 in White Haven, PA until a suitable facility was found in downtownHazleton. The Hazleton Commission examined Mr. Olivieri and approvedhim to share the preaching responsibilities with Mr. Leach and visitingpreachers monthly on the weekends Mr. Leach is away with military chaplainduties. The twelve communicant and seven baptized members are joined inworship by several regular visitors, bringing the average weekly worshipassembly to about 25 souls. On May 7, 1995, the mission church plans toobserve the Lord's Supper for the first time.Five of our six congregations receive pastoral care from their ownteaching elders: Broomall, PA; Cambridge, MA; Elkins Park, PA;Ridgefield Park, NJ; and White Lake, NY. Our Coldenham-Newburgh, NYcongregation is without a pastor.The Broomall congregation receives the pastoral ministry of Dr. WilliamEdgar. Dr. Edgar continues teaching math full time in a local high school.The congregation has been blessed with an eagerness to serve and work in avariety of ministries. There is a continuing desire and burden to reachunconverted family members and friends, and the congregation also takesgreat encouragement from newcomers and regular visitors to services.Afternoon services include regular instruction in the Shorter Catechism, andan evangelistic Bible study recently has been inaugurated. Retired elder RalphJackson, who served the congregation for many years, was received to hisheavenly rest in December 1994.The Cambridge congregation receives the pastoral ministry of Mr. JamesKern. The congregation will observe its centennial anniversary in July 1995with a program featuring Dr. Bruce Stewart, who began his ministry here.The congregation has experienced a somewhat disappointing year, but itsconcern for outreach and growth is undiminished. Charles F. Millicanentered his heavenly rest on March 19, 1995, having served almost 59 yearsas an elder and 69 years as a deacon.