PRESBYTERY  MINUTES

September  21, 2002 

Presbytery was opened at 9:00 AM with a welcome from the host church by Rev. Wagner, with prayer, and with the singing of Psalm 111A. 

The presbytery devotion was delivered by Rev. DeBoer.  The Scripture passage was 1 Peter 4:10-19 and the text was 1 Cor. 4:1-2.  Rev. DeBoer stressed that we are to be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ and faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, that is faithful stewards of the doctrines that we hold and confess. He stated that as taught in Isaiah 55:11 God will fulfil his eternal purposes in the proclamation of his word and that we are not responsible for the results, only for its faithful proclamation. Whether our ministry be as Jonah’s, with great success in Nineveh, or as Jeremiah’s, and met with rejection, persecution, and imprisonment, what is required of us is to be faithful. Rev. DeBoer reviewed the history of the American Presbyterian Church over the last 23 years and rejoiced that God has mercifully granted us a measure of grace to be faithful to his truth over these years. Nonetheless the church’s success is not based on our faithfulness, but on the faithfulness of God, on his faithful keeping of his covenants and promises and of his faithful keeping of his gracious purposes towards his elect in Jesus Christ. 

This was followed by the administration of the Lord’s Supper and the singing of Psalm 118C. 

ROLL CALL:
The roll was called and all members of Presbytery were present, except for Rev. Morrow on account of his illness, and Dr. Butler who also was not well.  Joel Butler, man under care, was also absent due to his attendance at the Reformed Presbyterian Seminary in Pittsburg, PA. 

THE DOCKET:
The docket presented by the moderator was approved as amended by the following changes.

VISITORS:
The Presbytery welcomed Deacon Barry Lyons of the Westminster congregation and Rev. David Elmer of the Manasquan Reformed Bible Church was seated as a visiting brother. 

SUBSCRIPTION TO THE STANDARDS:
All members of Presbytery present resubscribed to the standards of the American Presbyterian Church. 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
Elections were held for all Presbytery offices and the results were as follows, with all present officers being reelected. 

Moderator:                   Robert Colbeck
Vice-Moderator:            Harold Forney
Clerk:                           Louis DeBoer
Treasurer:                     Raymond Dymond 

MINUTES OF PRESBYTERY:
Minutes of presbytery for April 27, 2002 were read and approved as read.  

THE  CLERK’S  REPORT: 
The clerk read the following communications  to Presbytery.

·        The clerk reported on an inquiry from a gentleman in the Los Angeles, CA area interested in having us establish a congregation in that area. The people there seemed interested in establishing a conservative Presbyterian Church, particularly holding to six day creation. The clerk’s communications ceased when the gentleman lost interest on discovering the particulars of our doctrine of worship, particularly exclusive psalmody and no instruments.

The Clerk’s report was received. 

THE TREASURER’S REPORT: 
The Treasurer’s report was presented and received.  

THE REPORTS OF THE CHURCHES:
The reports of the churches were read and approved.  The following items were noted.

·        Presbytery held a season of prayer for Pastor John Morrow.

·        Presbytery voted a contribution of $1000.00 towards Rev. Morrow’s medical expenses. 

THE INTERCHURCH COMMITTEE REPORT:   
Rev. DeBoer reported on his contact with Dr. Bacon of the American Reformation Presbyterian Church. Dr. Bacon sends us his fraternal greetings and expressed his desire that an observer from the ARPC could have attended our meeting. He also wanted to share with us a report on his mission work in Myamar (formerly Burma). He expressed his concerns about many of the groups of “reformed” Christians over there and the problem with “rice Christianity.” He has expanded his contacts and is now working with a total of 11 “Reformed” groups that profess some allegiance to either the Westminster Confession or the Three Forms of Unity. He is challenging them to stand for the faith in their country even in the face of potential persecution and to militantly proclaim Jesus Christ as the only hope for Myamar. He is engaged in extensive seminary level training over there for their leaders. He is desirous of bringing young ministerial candidates from Myamar over here and giving them personal seminary level training by sound Reformed pastors. He invited us to participate with him in this endeavor and to send a pastor with him on his next trip to Myamar if possible. 

Dr. Bacon’s proposed addition [section 10-3(1) through 10-3(4)] to the Form of Government of the Synod that we have jointly formed was discussed and approved. 

(At this point Presbytery was recessed for lunch by prayer led by Rev. Wagner and reconvened after lunch by prayer led by Elder Forney. ) 

The issue of how the voting should be conducted at the Synod, raised by Dr. Bacon, was also discussed. It was approved to recommend to Dr. Bacon that voting delegates should consist of one teaching elder and one ruling elder from each presbytery represented in the Synod. The remaining issue raised by Dr. Bacon with respect to what would constitute a sufficient vote to carry a motion was also discussed. It was approved to recommend to Dr. Bacon and the ARPC that voting should be by a simple majority in any judicial case brought before the Synod, but should be by a three-quarters super majority in the case of any proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Synod. (Note: The question of whether any vote to receive new presbyteries into the Synod should be unanimous was not discussed.) 

Finally, the Clerk was instructed to contact Dr. Bacon and present the APC’s desire that the Constitution state that in the case of a judicial vote the representatives of the presbytery from which the appeal arose be recused from voting on the appeal. 

It was MS&A to receive the report of the InterChurch Committee.  

THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN PRESS REPORT: 
Rev. DeBoer reported on the APP’s publication ministry, noting two books that have gone out of print and listing the eight that currently are in print. He also reviewed the plans for future publishing as the Lord enables particularly three projects that are being worked on…

·        The publication of his book, “Hymns, Heretics, and History.”

·        The publication of an extract from Charles Hodge’s “Constitutional History of the PCUSA” covering the Great Awakening and the Schism of 1741, containing his defense of the Old Side.

·        The publication of an abridged version of Frederick Nolan’s, “An Inquiry into the Integrity of the Greek Vulgate” which constitutes one of the best defenses of the Textus Receptus against current textual criticism.

 He also gave a report of the websites and presented the statistics for the number of “hits” to each web site for 2002 to date.  The traffic to the websites has greatly increased throughout this year and now totals 3000-4000 hits per month. This was attributed to the mass of new material, especially on Presbyterian Church history and to the continued advertising of the sites. It was MS&A to grant $528.00 for the expenses of the websites and for additional advertisements. It was MS&A to receive the report of the American Presbyterian Press.  

THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE REPORT:  Rev. Dymond, the Treasurer gave the report of the Investment Committee which was approved.  

OLD BUSINESS:
·        Calel Butler’s trials for licensure were postponed until the next meeting at his request.

·        The discussion of a special fund to support retired ministers in need was tabled. Dr. Butler who was absent was to have delivered the Presbytery sermon on the subject of the church’s Biblical responsibility for retired ministers, and it was decided that we ought not to proceed without having the Scriptural mandate for such a fund presented. 

NEW BUSINESS:
As items 1 and 2 of New Business were related to the proposed fund for retired ministers they were also tabled. Item 3, the publication of our standards was discussed. Rev. DeBoer presented detailed cost estimates for the publishing of our constitution in a variety of ways. As the minimum run for a short run book printer is 200 copies, and as the standards are subject to amendment, he recommended that we only publish a limited number of copies as needed. This will significantly increase the unit cost but lower the total cost and will enable us to always print the most current version of the standards. It was approved to publish up to 30 copies of the standards as soon as they can be prepared for publication. 

TIME & PLACE OF NEXT MEETING:
It was MS&A to meet, D.V., in Bordentown, NJ at 9:00 AM on Saturday  December 7, 2002.  

ADJOURNMENT:
Presbytery was adjourned by the singing of Psalm 90D and with prayer offered by Rev. Dymond.