With the constant threat of summer thunderstorms and amid the warmth of Columbia, South Carolina the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church met for their 217th annual meeting of General Synod this week, June 8th - 10th. Even though we had more contested votes than I can remember in one session (and along with my compatriot, the sainted Rev. Mark Miller, we were blessed to count each of them) the beauty of the ARP is that even in the midst of difficult conversation there is a laughing collegiality and trust which permeates the room. Even if you are on the “losing side” it is quickly forgotten and all move on to the next point of business where there is unanimity. It is something that makes the ARP special, and something I hope never changes in our denomination. We ain’t much interested in fighting for fighting’s sake. We care much for the Lord’s work, and while we are certainly desiring that our particular point is followed, it never comes at the cost of friendship and brotherhood. There are some very hard discussions to come on Deaconnesses, Masonry, and further structural changes in the coming years, but the prayer, if the past is anything to go by, is that this will not change. We were mightily well-led this week by Moderator Rev. Patrick Malphrus of Steeles Tavern, Virginia.
If there is one word to describe the week it would be, “reconstruction”. Not exactly a word that brings fond memories to mind in the capital of the Palmetto State, but it does do well to capture the spirit of the decisions made by the body. Between the need to make hard calls on the defined benefit plan retirement crisis, or the report of the Special Committee on Net Asset Reallocation (SCONAR), or the aptly named Special Committee on Reconstruction we had amendments to the amendments aplenty. By the end of the week the Synod had voted to dissolve the Christian Education Ministries agency/board, reorganize the camps and conferences previously run by CEM to a new committee under the authority of Synod, and spun off Camp Joy (the ARP’s special needs ministry) into its own entity, and moved the Adult Quarterly to the administrative committee of the Executive Board. We also dissolve the committees on Campus Ministry Oversight and the Committee on Worship. Also we approved Mr. Bill McKay as moderator for 2022. Mr. McKay is a ruling elder in Grace Presbyterian Church in Woodstock, Ontario. Though retired, Mr. McKay is active in short term mission work in Pakistan. As his vice moderator, he selected the Rev. David Lauten, associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC.
When it comes to the Retirement issues there is much to be thankful to God for in regards to the men who spent countless hours pouring over numbers and figures that are way outside my competency. Through their diligence there is not just a solution on the horizon, but it is already with us. While the danger is not fully clear, it is in the rearview mirror. Those of us who are younger are taking a bit of a hit, and pastors in middle-age are going to need to make some difficult decisions, but the men who have faithfully served our denomination for decades will be in position to keep their retirement. I won’t get into too much detail here, primarily because math is sorcery, but the details are available here for those interested. In an incredible example of the brotherly love detailed in the opening paragraph we received reports of the sacrificial giving from our boards and agencies, our churches, individuals, in order to meet the over $8 million shortfall in the current retirement plan. Much more to be done, but we are in a vastly better position to deal with the question than we were a year ago.
The other “major” issue dealt with this year a Synod was a Memorial (our version of an overture for you PCA people) from First Presbytery asking the Synod to reverse the current position on the local-option policy on Deaconesses and return to the pre-1968 position of the denomination. The Form of Government allows local congregations to decide if for their church the office of Deacon is either men-only (which is the position of the church I serve) or one in which women can also serve. There are a lot of reasons why this is now becoming a hot issue in the ARP. For some, this is a question of biblical fidelity, for others there is a pragmatic motivation to make the ARP more attractive to PCA churches looking to swap bodies, for others it is tradition, and for some the question is also pragmatic in regards to how their local congregations will react to the decision of the Synod. As expected by myself the Memorial was referred to a special Moderator-appointed committee for study and reflection to report back to the 218th General Synod (2022) at Bonclarken. Be in prayer for this committee as they have much to do, and need spiritual protection from a party-spirit and the temptations of the flesh as well as the unneeded pressures bearing down from outside the committee.
The only other pieces of business worth mentioning for curious outsiders and insiders is that a special committee is to be put together by the Moderator to examine the current boundaries and compositions of our presbyteries in order to better serve our churches and grow the ARP in the future. Also a Memorial was passed to make it explicit in our Form of Government that ministers be trained in Greek and Hebrew. We also approved a new Book of Discipline and a Directory of Private and Family Worship.
Lastly, the Synod meeting this year was blessed with excellent preaching from Rev. Brian Taylor of Springfield, Missouri, Rev. David Walkup of Melbourne, Florida, Rev. David Lauten of Columbia, South Carolina, Rev. Rob Patrick of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, Rev. Clint Davis of Chester, South Carolina, Rev. Stephen Jordan of Lugoff, South Carolina, and myself. It was an honor and a privilege to bring the word from the historic pulpit of Benjamin Morgan Palmer, J.H. Thornwell, and many, many faithful pastors of 1st Pres. Columbia. It is such a mercy and grace to be fed with the word of God, along with the glories of fellowship and the robust singing of psalms and hymns. It is always a wonderful aspect of our Synod meetings.
In closing, as I noted in the subtitle there is much irony that in meeting at 1st Presbyterian Church of Columbia that we took a definitive Thornwellian turn. For those who may not know their church history in the 19th Century there was a great discussion within the Presbyterian world, one side led by James Henley Thornwell, and the other by Charles Hodge over the nature of church government. Is it lawful for the General Synod/Assembly to form boards and agencies to oversee the business of the Church, or are committees approved by the Synod (in our case) sufficient to operate the extra-curricular activities of the body. Without getting too much into the weeds and boring you with the introspective details there is no question that the ARP is distinctively moving in a Thornwellian direction. For more background on this here is a place to go for information.
I am very thankful for the privilege to serve Christ’s Church at the Synod, Presbytery, and the Congregational level. It is a mercy and something I take very seriously. Our Synod works so well because we think it be important and necessary. If you have any other questions please feel free to give me a holler or send me an email at pastor.glaser@bethanyarp.org.
However for me the greatest part of the General Synod was having the privilege of listening to my dear wife give a charge and a presentation on the work of women's ministries as president of ARP women since January 2021.
Something to add here at the end is a huge thank you to 1st Columbia for hosting Synod for the second time in 9 months. They are excellent hosts who have fed us well.
Blessings in Christ and thank you for your prayers!