Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1995 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ?5Board for $5,000 of Exploratory Development Funds and thePresbytery give $2,000 from its New Works Funds for the firsttwelve months Brian is in Michigan.The Southfield congregation declined the counsel of Presbytery andpetitioned it on June 5 to show cause why the presbytery had not proceededwith the ordination of Mr. Schwertley. The presbytery has referred thatpaper to Synod for action.In an explanatory statement from the Great Lakes-Gulf Presbyteryaccompanying the paper from the Southfield Session it is recognized that Mr.Schwertley had been sustained in his licensure exam on Evidence of Pastoraland Evangelistic Gifts in Atlantic Presbytery. However, the Great Lakes-GulfPresbytery notes that "the examination, ordination and installation of ateaching elder belongs to the Presbytery alone" and that it was justified inpostponing the ordination because of "concerns related to Mr. Schwertley'sabilities to minister effectively to people."JudgmentIt is the judgment of this committee that the Great Lakes-Gulf Presbyteryhad the right to give their counsel to the Southfield congregation but woulderr if it failed to proceed with the ordination and installation of Mr.Schwertley for the reasons given since he has met all the requirements in theBook of Church Government. The Presbytery, on September 14, had theright to decline to forward the call to Mr. Schwertley on the basis of theDirectory for Church Government, D., 6., c, (3): "A conviction on thepresbytery's part that establishing the relationship would not be wise."However, once the call was forwarded by Great Lakes - Gulf Presbytery,received, forwarded and presented by the Atlantic Ad Interim Commission,accepted, and Mr. Schwertley's examinations for ordination sustained, it wasnot proper to fail to proceed on the basis of "concerns" about Mr.Schwertley's abilities. The interruption of the ordination process at this latestage would require more serious and more clearly defined reasons.The Committee is also concerned about the harsh tone of language usedin the Southfield communication to its presbytery.Recommendations1. That Synod return Paper 95-3 and the accompanying communicationto the Great Lakes-Gulf Presbytery;2. That Synod encourage the Southfield congregation to work with thePresbytery in a spirit of conciliation and cooperation that the church plantingeffort in Lansing might go forward with God's blessing;3. That Synod admonish the Southfield Session to temper its expressionsof concern so as not to cause offense by the use of inflammatory language;4. That Synod commit itself to pray for the Southfield congregation, theGreat Lakes-Gulf Presbytery, Mr. Schwertley and the Lansing church-plantingministry;5. That Synod confirm the propriety of the Ad Interim Commissions ofall presbyteries notifying members of the presbytery in each case that a call