First (Durham, N.C.) RPC

Kent Butterfield, pastor

Since August, God has blessed our fellowship. We have welcomed 8 new communicant members and 9 baptized members. The precious reminder of our own vows was joyously accompanied in January by the blessing of seeing 6 baptisms in one day.

Our congregation could most use prayer as we pursue a church plant in southern Wake County, N.C., from which several of our members drive more than 45 minutes. South Wake Reformed Presbyterian Church transitioned in September to twice-monthly evening worship (first and third Lord’s Days) at Grace PCA in Fuquay-Varina, N.C.

The elders at First RPC need wisdom as our South Wake exploration faces challenges—more than needing additional church officers and resources to sustain two congregations. More specifically, all of our South Wake families have exper­ienced hard providences and attacks in recent months, and the elders must discern whether 1) God is seeking to providentially hinder our plans, in which case we need to pause and regroup; or 2) the devil is seeking to thwart us, in which case we should be encouraged to persevere.

—Andrew Branch, correspondent

Orlando, Fla., RPC

Nathan Eshelman, pastor

Mark and Debra Goerner celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Feb. 18 at a local venue in Celebration, Fla. The event included outdoor games, snacks, a taco dinner, and wonderful fellowship with the entire church family and friends.

Having expressed his desire for ministry, Joe Johnson has been taken under the care of presbytery and our elders have been shepherding him well. He has aptly taught our adult Sunday school class and delivered well-prepared sermons. His morning worship sermon on Nov. 20 was titled “Wilderness Thanksgiving,” on John 8:22–59 and Exodus 16. His evening worship sermon on that same day was titled “The Aim,” and his texts were Psalm 119:1–8 and 1 Timothy 1:1–11. His morning sermon on Nov. 27 was “Wilderness Waiting,” and his texts were Romans 8:18–25 and Deuteronomy 2:23–29. His evening sermon on that same day was, “Wage the Good Warfare,” and his text was 1 Timothy 1:12–20. His morning sermon on Mar. 5 was titled “God’s Good News,” and his texts were Isaiah 40:9–11 and Romans 1:1–7.

Joe has a keen mind and displays great potential. He did well during his preliminary exams before the Great Lakes–Gulf spring presbytery that met at Southside Indianapolis, Ind., RPC on Mar. 2–4. He hopes to take more exams before the summer presbytery meeting. We have full confidence God is preparing his way and will guide and bless Joe in his future life along with Jayna, his wife, and their growing family.

The Gainesville, Fla., congregation, with Rev. Tom Reid and his wife, Genevieve, is doing well. Now, another opportunity and location has presented itself, with our elders’ approval. It will begin as an evening worship service (an extension of our own) in Celebration, Fla. Elder Mark Goerner, who lives in Celebration, is in the hunt for a venue to host the worship service, scheduled to start in mid-March at 4 p.m. on Sunday evenings. Our congregation will likewise advance our own evening worship time to 4 p.m. to coincide with theirs.

Since returning to central Fla., our former pastor, Rev. James Wright has recently transferred his membership from Covenant Fellowship (Pittsburgh, Pa.) RPC (while he was living at the RP Home) back to our congregation.

We also received the transfer of membership for Stephen and Rachel Jennings from Grace (State College, Pa.) RPC. We welcome them as communicant members, along with Elijah and Elaina as baptized members.

Watson Eshelman, Lucy Goerner, and Jaemin and Grace Song were welcomed into communicant membership on Dec. 25, along with the Songs’ sons, Ezra and Kian, who were baptized immediately after.

Rev. Ray B. Lanning, an editor for Reformation Heritage Books in Grand Rapids, Mich., preached on two consecutive Sundays. His morning worship sermon on Feb. 12 was titled “The Old-Time Religion,” and his texts were Genesis 17:1–14 and Romans 4:1–12. His evening worship sermon on the same day was titled “Benefits in This Life,” and his text was Romans 5:1–11; 8:1–11. His morning sermon on Feb. 19 was titled “The New Age Religion,” and his texts were Acts 2:29–41 and Ephesians 1:3–14. His evening worship sermon on the same day was titled “Benefits at Death,” and his texts were Philippians 1:1–26 and 2 Corinthians 4:13– 5:9.

Dr. Joel Beeke, president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, preached on Mar. 5. His evening worship sermon was titled “Our Great Office Bearer Who Meets All Our Needs After Communion,” and his text was Luke 22:14–34.

—Louise M. Turmenne, correspondent