The 187th Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America convened June 26 with a time of worship, beginning with the singing of Psalm 103B from The Book of Psalms for Worship. The retiring moderator of the 2017 Synod, Rev. Jerry Milroy (Colorado Springs, Colo., RPC), delivered the keynote address on the week’s devotional theme, “The Steadfast Love of God,” focusing on Exodus 34:6-7 and its context. He also pointed out that the word translated steadfast love is used about 125 times in the psalter—about half the occurrences in the entire Bible.
Following the service, 16 men who are delegates to the Synod for the first time were introduced.
Officers were elected, including Moderator J. Bruce Martin. Pastor Martin became just the second person since 1950 to serve as moderator for more than one Synod, having served in 2016. (Paul E. Faris was moderator in 1983-84.)
Synod paused to acknowledge the deaths of several servants of the church, including Rev. Marion L. McFarland, Mrs. Robert (Elaine) Tweed, and Elders Seigo Kitani and Mike Tabon. Throughout the day, several selections of The Book of Psalms for Worship that were arranged by Mike Tabon were sung by the court, including 118A, 113C, and 95D.
The biggest agenda item for the week, timewise, is the hearing of an appeal by retired minister Bruce Hemphill who was suspended on two charges, including “believing and accepting a stance on women in the eldership, which is contrary to query four of his official vows of ordination….”
Tonight’s evening session was devoted entirely to establishing procedures for tomorrow’s appeal hearing. During the report of the Administrative Committee to Prepare for the Appeal, there was significant debate over 1) whether certain notes of a presbytery committee would be part of the record for Synod consideration, 2) which parts of the appeal documents will be read aloud at the beginning of the hearing, and 3) who are considered the parties to the case. On all those points the discussion often focused on what the RPCNA Constitution, particularly the Book of Discipline, says, and how it should be interpreted in this type of case. Perhaps the biggest debate was over whether the Presbytery of the Alleghenies, which is being appealed against, would be permitted to vote on the appeal. In the end the Synod voted only to exclude the prosecutor, appellant, and his counsel from participating in the decision.
There were many communications from the lower courts to this Synod, and many of them were dealt with today.
Communication 18-1 (from Bloomington RPC through Great Lakes–Gulf Presbytery) proposed adding a tenth query to the end of the Ordination and Installation vows, which would bring it into line with queries in the current baptism and membership vows: “Do you make these promises in the presence of God, in humble reliance upon His grace, as you desire to give your account with joy at the Last Great Day?” Synod approved this by a 2/3 majority, and it will go to RPCNA sessions for ratification.
Communication 18-2 proposes that repentance is owed to leaders involved with the former Park City, Kan., RPC for offenses occurring over 45 years ago after it was received into the RPCNA. The Business of Synod Committee recommended that the moderator appoint a judicial committee to investigate the matter and report to the 2019 Synod, but Synod decided to vote on the matter later this week.
Communication 18-3 asked Synod to approve an agreement between Great Lakes–Gulf and Alleghenies presbyteries regarding plans for a Birmingham, Ala., mission church. This was approved without dissent.
Communication 18-4 regards a complaint of Rev. Ron Stegall against Midwest Presbytery. All but one of the proposed procedures for the Thursday complaint hearing were passed. Later, Synod passed a measure 90-34 that Midwest Presbytery will be recused from deciding on the appeal when a vote is taken this Thursday, basing the decision on the Constitution’s language regarding complaints.
Communication 18-5 requested a transfer of the Shelter (Edmonton, Alb.) RPC from St. Lawrence Presbytery to Pacific Coast Presbytery and was unanimously recommended by both presbyteries. It was approved without objection by the Synod.
Communication 18-6 recommended some minor clarifications in the constitutional language regarding absentee voting in the election of church officers, which was approved without dissent.
Communication 18-7 came with the unanimous recommendation of Atlantic Presbytery and proposes changes to the Book of Discipline that would broaden the parties prohibited from voting when an action involving them is considered by a higher court. This portion of the current Constitution was at the center of one of the procedural discussions in the Hemphill case. During this debate, points were raised about the biblical nature of church courts v. civil courts, Robert’s Rules of Order, and the practice of sister denominations. Eventually a substitute motion passed that Synod create a study committee to examine the issue of recusal in church courts and report back to next Synod.
Communication 18-8 came from the Pacific Coast Presbytery, asking for Synod’s blessing of their policy of church membership “as it relates to repentant inmates whose sentences involve significant further time.” This regards the presbytery’s substantial involvement in prison ministry. After a couple of comments from men in other presbyteries doing prison ministry, a substitute motion passed to refer this to a five-man study committee to report back to Synod 2019.
Communication 18-9 is from Japan Presbytery as a response to the joint statement of the RP Global Mission Board and the Home Mission Board, and it will be taken up at a later time.
Special Study Committee on Divorce and Desertion—Arising from a communication in 2017, this Synod committee recommended some clarifications in cases relating to divorce, including: 1) That the 2018 Synod affirm the interpretation of RP Testimony 24.26 presented in Paper #17-2, which states that the word “departing” explains that desertion refers to an unbelieving spouse physically leaving the believing spouse and departing to live elsewhere. 2) That Synod affirm that physical departure in Testimony 24.26 does not necessarily exclude the case of a spouse who is forced to flee the home when in imminent personal danger, since there is historical support for assigning the guilt of “departing” to the threatening spouse. A motion by Pastor Michael LeFebvre passed to recommit the matter to the committee for further work.
Study Committee on Tithes & Offerings—This arises from a communication to the 2017 Synod about changing the Directory of Public Worship to allow for the collection of tithes and offerings to be done outside the context of the worship service. The committee agreed that there is no biblical requirement that the tithes and offerings be collected during the worship service but believes the directory does not prescribe the context and therefore leaves this to session discretion. Their recommendation passed “That the Synod affirm that the precise manner of presenting tithes and offerings is not prescribed by the Directory and therefore is at session discretion.”
Board of Home Missions—Current home mission works receiving reducing aid include Bryan, Tex.; Casper, Wyo.; Dallas, Tex.; and Harrisonburg, Va. Locations receiving exploratory funds include Birmingham, Ala.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Reno, Nev.; and San Antonio, Tex. Other works and ministries being supported include the North Hills (Pittsburgh, Pa.) Mandarin Church, the Central Valley, Calif., prison outreach as well as Christ Church’s (Providence, R.I.) resident in training, Terre Haute, Ind., RPC’s summer intern, and Presbytery of the Alleghenies’ regional home missionary. Other home mission works are going on in presbyteries that aren’t receiving HMB aid.
The HMB held its quadrennial church planter’s conference in April, with over 40 in attendance. Two pastors, Adam Kuehner and Craig Scott, attended a street preaching conference and have seen much fruit. There is a desire to see more church planting in the South, especially through the daughtering of existing congregations.
Board of Global Missions—The board hired a new executive director.
In Japan, the retirement of Pastor Charles and Susan Leach is anticipated in the fall, creating the need for a new pastor for Kasumigaoka RPC.
In Sudan, there is a need for a permanent missionary-pastor. Cush Christian School continues to grow there. Weer Bei Radio is now able to cover its costs through advertising and listeners. Recently Daniel and Natalie Faris announced that they plan to return to the States in May 2019 after a decade of work.
In one South Asian country, a mission church has been established and the translation of Reformed books is ongoing. A congregation in another South Asian country celebrated its first year of public worship. The first student of theology was taken under care by the South Asia Commission.
Over 100 participated in the past year’s RP Missions (short-term) work, with a growing number of participants electing opportunities that span a couple months or longer.
An exploratory team is working in Liberia. RP Global Missions is discussing with the Central and South America Committee of Synod (CASA) how they might assist one another.
RPGM met with the Home Mission Board Oct. 6 to discuss potential areas of overlap or confusion, given the increase in non-English-speaking work in the U.S. and Canada, immigration of people groups, etc. The boards recommended that Home Missions boundaries include everything in the U.S. and Canada and that Global Missions boundaries include everything else. They recommended that the RPCNA’s boundaries include only the U.S. and Canada.
The Central and South America (CASA) Committee was also granted commission status for the purpose of ordaining officers and organizing churches in Chile, since the work and opportunities have continued to grow there. The RPCNA is supporting one indigenous pastor there. Two observers from the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bolivia were welcomed.
Synod’s Committee on Vital Churches reported that benefits from traveling pastoral refresher retreats for husbands and wives have also helped to show the Vital Churches committee how they can better be of service.
The Presbyterian & Reformed Commission on Chaplains and Military Personnel reported that there are 285 chaplains being sponsored by them, including 3 from the RPCNA: Col. Kelly Moore, U.S. Army; Capt. Patrick Stefan, U.S. Army Reserve; and Capt. Derek Moore, Army National Guard.
A study committee on the Mediatorial Kingship of Christ will be continued, with two members added.
During the afternoon, each of Synod’s six North American presbyteries met for about an hour to conduct business.
Between reports today, a motion passed that the Business of Synod Committee provide means of electronic voting for Synod 2019 or as early as possible. A similar plan—with mechanical “clickers” rather than electronic voting—had been voted down about 10 years ago.
Tomorrow’s agenda is to consider the Hemphill appeal, with the Stegall complaint being heard the following morning; so regular Synod business will likely not resume until those are completed.
Drew Gordon, editor
RPWitness.org