Orlando, Fla., RPC

H.P. McCracken, pastor

A new group has formed for college-age adults, led by Tom Forest. Dubbed the Agape College and 20-Something Group, its mission is to provide a forum for discussion as well as brainstorming possible solutions to the issues these young adults face. It links them directly to help where needed and to support and to prayer consistently.

On Sept. 16, new members were welcomed into our fellowship: Nolan Fox as well as Jonathan and Samantha Baity and their children, Ambrose, Benjamin, and Edith, who was baptized Sept. 30.

A local Christian radio station, WTLN Orlando features a Church of the Week every Sunday at 2 p.m. On Oct. 7, the Orlando RP Church was featured. A sermon was selected from Pastor McCracken’s archived sermons (as listed on ReformedVoice.com) to broadcast on the air.

An annual joint Reformation Day worship service was held with Lake Sherwood OP Church in Orlando on Oct. 28.

The fall-outreach social event called Movie in the Lot took place on Sat., Nov. 3, in the church parking lot. Flyers had been passed around the neighborhood prior to this event. Attendees were asked to bring chairs and/or blankets; refreshments were provided. The movie featured was Jungle Book. Around 50 people attended, including 20 guests.

—Louise Turmenne, correspondent

Sterling, Kan., RPC

Brian Wright, pastor

The Sterling RPC celebrated the 50th anniversaries of two special couples in August. John and Phyllis Wilkey were married on Aug. 2, 1968, in Beloit, Kan. Don and Linda Reed were married on Aug. 10, 1968, in Lisbon, Iowa.

John was a deacon and elder at the Sterling RPC for many years before health issues forced him to resign from the session this past year. Don is still an elder in the church and has been for many years. Phyllis and Linda are longtime members of the deacon board. The church is grateful for the leadership of these two couples.

The Reeds and Wilkeys have been members of the Sterling Church for 46 of their 50 years of marriage.

—Susan Reed, correspondent

Atlantic Presbytery

Rest and refreshment for weary pastors at White Lake

The pastors and pastors’ wives of Atlantic Presbytery gathered at White Lake Camp in New York for three days. The retreat was held midweek to allow pastors to minister to their congregations on the Lord’s Day. All of Atlantic Presbytery’s active pastors and pastors’ families were able to attend with one exception (owing to a new baby), along with a student under care and a retired pastor. An able team of young women from Elkins Park, Pa., RPC, Broomall, Pa., RPC, and White Lake, N.Y., RPC supervised the 30 children present, allowing parents to focus on time together and giving many mothers a welcome break.

Activities in this brief gathering included Archery Tag, a trip across White Lake in pontoon boats, swimming, an enormous bonfire, and meals of unusual magnificence prepared by Jonathan and B.J. McDonald (who had just returned from Germany after Jonathan’s retirement as a master sergeant in the Air Force). Pastors took turns leading devotions after meals, discussions, and times of prayer.

Pastors and their wives discussed of how each congregation is doing, how the presbytery as a whole is doing, church-planting opportunities, raising children in the pastorate, and the experience of being pastors’ wives. We prayed together for the needs and opportunities that arose during these conversations. This time together allowed us to reflect on God’s providence concerning our churches over the last 40 years. Some pastors present had served since the late 1970s, while others had been in the pastorate only a few years.

Our communicant membership is younger than it was decades ago. By God’s grace the presbytery is no longer focused on mere survival. From a “trough” around 1990, the presbytery has grown significantly (though still small). Of the eight church-planting efforts since 1980, two have survived. Although geographically compact, Atlantic Presbytery is culturally diverse, and church plants seem to do best when the churches nearest them (rather than the presbytery as a whole) take responsibility for nurturing them. We work best by being humble, realistic, and careful in our ambitions rather than through false optimism. This is “the day of small things” (Zech. 4:10) but we do have “a little strength” (Rev. 3:8), and we should use it to further the kingdom.

These discussions were helpful especially for younger pastors and pastors’ wives to hear what truths had kept their older brothers and sisters strong through decades of ministry: the sovereignty of God, the knowledge that He works all things together for good, and that “Through trouble though my pathway be, Thou wilt revive and comfort me.…Thy hand, O Lord, shall set me free, and perfect what concerneth me; Thy mercy, Lord, forever stands; leave not the work of Thine own hands” (Psalm 138B, The Book of Psalms for Singing).

Held July 2018, this was our first pastors’ retreat in 27 years. Credit for a fruitful, refreshing, much-needed time away belongs to Deacon Bob Allmond of Elkins Park RPC. As early as 2014, Bob expressed concern that the pastors he knew weren’t getting dedicated time for rest and fellowship, and he approached the presbytery with a proposal. Bob has been serving as director of White Lake Camp (centrally located in the Catskill Mountains of New York and owned by Atlantic and St. Lawrence Presbyteries) for many years, so there was no mystery as to where the retreat would be held.

The pastors of Atlantic Presbytery hope to make this retreat a frequent event. We are grateful to Bob Allmond and the incredible crew of chefs and babysitters that made this possible. We pray that through times of refreshment and reflection like this we will become stronger and more able to carry out the good work God has given us.

—Daniel and Esther Howe