Presbyterians Week Headlines
[1] Christian Observer Magazine Moves to the Web
[2] Calvin Synod Central Classis Fall Meeting 1 November 2008
[3] The Economist Examines Denominational Unification and Schism
[4] Presbyterian Church in Iraq General Secretary to Discuss Iraqi Christians at SUNY Cortland 30 October 2008
[5] Classis of Holland Ordains Norma Knoll Hook as Minister of Word and Sacrament
[6] Baxter United Reformed Church in Kidderminster, England Secures Grant to Refurbish Spire
[7] Scottish Government Denies Plan to Establish Sharia Law Courts
[8] Trinity Reformed Church of Visalia, California Joins Classis Pacific Northwest of the United Reformed Church
[9] Presbyterian Coalition Prepares to Defend Fidelity and Chastity Amendment During Presbytery Voting
[10] Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Hinsdale, Illinois Seeking Pastor
[1] Christian Observer Magazine Moves to the Web
On Reformation Day, 31 October 2008, the monthly Christian Observer magazine will return to publication as an Internet website at www.christianobserver.org.
In addition to many of the monthly articles and features familiar to readers of the printed Christian Observer, a rich body of biblically solid Presbyterian, Reformed, and other applicable resources will be accessible on the website, beginning with commentaries and sermon notes on the Reformed Confessions and Catechisms.
Please check out the November 2008 Christian Observer on the 491st anniversary of Martin Luther posting his influential debate syllabus.
+ Christian Observer, 9400 Fairview Avenue, Manassas, Virginia 20110, 703-335-2844, christianobserver@christianobserver.org
[2] Calvin Synod Central Classis Fall Meeting 1 November 2008
The Fall meeting of Calvin Synod Central Classis is scheduled for Saturday 1 November 2008 at the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Homestead, Pennsylvania. Registration will begin at 9:30 AM, with the opening worship to take place at 10:00 AM. The meeting is anticipated to conclude by 2:00 PM.
The focus of the Fall meeting will be the theme: “Evangelism and Worship”. The Rev. Dr. Joseph Posta will make a presentation and then lead discussion on the topic of “Evangelism and Worship”.
+ Magyar Református Egyház
+ Calvin Synod, C/O Rt. Rev. Koloman K. Ludwig, Bishop, 7319 Tapper Avenue, Hammond, Indiana 46324, 219-931-4321, kkludwig@aol.com
[3] The Economist Examines Denominational Unification and Schism
In a 16 October 2008 article titled “Mergers, Acquisitions and Spin-offs,” The Economist examines recent developments surrounding merger efforts and splits in several denominations.
Merger efforts between the black and mixed-race South African reformed churches and the white Dutch Reformed Church are described as having been furthered because of the Dutch Reformed Church’s eschewal of apartheid, and hampered by their objections to the 1986 Belhar Confession.
In the Netherlands, the 2004 merger of the two largest reformed denominations with a smaller segment of Lutherans is described as the culmination of 40 years of merger efforts. In reaction to this merger, churches representing 60,000 people in the Dutch “Bible belt” from the Zeeland islands to the eastern border have established a new Restored Reformed Church (RRC) professing true Calvinism.
Willem van Vlastuin, an RRC church pastor who serves 1,300 in the town of Katwijk is quoted as saying: “We pledged to follow the original Reformist path, and it is a biblical calling that you must continue to do what you promised.”
The Free Church of Scotland and the Free Presbyterian Church are described as having eschewed an amalgam between Scotland’s main Protestant churches a century ago through what The Economist describes as “a slight blurring of theological edges.” The two denominations are further characterized as “Scotland’s hardline Protestant sects” that have been wracked by personal and theological squabbles.
The article additionally states that the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster avoided splitting in 2007 only after their founder the Rev. Ian Paisley resigned.
+ The Economist, 25 St. James's Street, London SW1A 1HG, England, 44-0-1444-475647, Fax: 44-0-20-7839-2968/9, letters@economist.com
+ Dutch Reformed Church, Posbus 13528, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa, 27-0-12-342-0092, Fax: 27-0-12-342-0380, algemenesinode@ngkerk.org.za
+ Free Church of Scotland, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 2LS, 0131-226-5286, Fax: 0131-220-0597, catherine@freechurchofscotland.org.uk
+ Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
+ Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
[4] Presbyterian Church in Iraq General Secretary to Discuss Iraqi Christians at SUNY Cortland 30 October 2008
On 30 October 2008 at noon in the Jacobus Lounge in Brockway Hall at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Cortland, New York, Yousif Al-Saka, General Secretary of the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Iraq will present a lecture on “Christianity in Baghdad, Iraq: Separate and Unequal.”
The program is supported by the SUNY Cortland Interfaith Center Board and Christ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Cortland.
+ SUNY Cortland, Post Office Box 2000, Cortland, New York, 607-753-2011
+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005
[5] Classis of Holland Ordains Norma Knoll Hook as Minister of Word and Sacrament
On Sunday, 19 October 2008, Norma Knoll Hook was ordained by the Classis of Holland as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America in a service at Christ Memorial Church in Holland, Michigan.
+ Holland Sentinel, 54 West 8th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423, 616-546-4200, Fax: 616-393-6710, peter.esser@hollandsentinel.com
+ Reformed Church in America, 4500 60th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, 800-968-6065, questions@rca.org
[6] Baxter United Reformed Church in Kidderminster, England Secures Grant to Refurbish Spire
The Baxter United Reformed Church in the Bullring area of Kidderminster, England has received a grant to help with their UK£140,000 spire restoration and roof repair project.
The cash grant will help meet the costs of reinforcing the inside of the 140 feet tall spire where the ironwork has rusted causing the stonework to crack.
+ Express & Star, 51-53 Queen St, Wolverhampton WV1 1ES, England, 01902- 313131, newsdesk@expressandstar.co.uk
+ Baxter United Reformed Church, 33 Mason Road, Kidderminster DY11 6AF, England, 01562-754839, info@baxterurc.org.uk
+ United Reformed Church, Church House, 86 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RT, England, 020-7916-2020, Fax: 020-7916-2021, urc@urc.org.uk
[7] Scottish Government Denies Plan to Establish Sharia Law Courts
Scottish government ministers on 9 October 2008 denied claims that there are plans to introduce Sharia law in Scotland, the day after an 8 October report that the organization behind five Sharia courts in England, the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal, was hoping to establish similar entities in Scotland. The Scottish ministers said that Islamic law has “no jurisdiction” in Scotland, and rejected the prospect of a dual legal system.
Sharia courts in the United Kingdom were invested with legal powers by the Arbitration Act of 1996. Under the legislation, which applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland only, the Sharia courts are classified as arbitration tribunals whose rulings are binding in law as long as both parties involved agree to be directed by the court.
+ The London Times, Times House, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1TT, England, 44-0-20-7782-5971, pressoffice@thetimes.co.uk
[8] Trinity Reformed Church of Visalia, California Joins Classis Pacific Northwest of the United Reformed Church
On 14 October 2008, Trinity Christian Reformed Church (formerly CRC) of Visalia, California was welcomed into Classis Pacific Northwest of the United Reformed Churches in North America.
Classis conducted and sustained a colloquium doctum of Trinity’s minister Adrian Dieleman, approving Rev. Dieleman as a minister of the Word in the federation.
+ United Reformed Churches in North America, C/O Mr. Bill Konynenbelt, 5824 Bowwater Circle Northwest, Calgary, Alberta T3B 2E2, Canada, 403-286-0521, Fax: 403-286-0759, urcna@shaw.ca
[9] Presbyterian Coalition Prepares to Defend Fidelity and Chastity Amendment During Presbytery Voting
At the 13-15 October 2008 meeting of The Presbyterian Coalition (TPC) in Newport Beach, California called Gathering XI, the major focus was on the upcoming vote in all 173 PCUSA presbyteries on whether or not to amend the constitution (Amendment “B” (p.3)) to replace the requirement that church officers practice “fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness” with a standard that ties ordination decisions more closely to the ordination vows currently in the church’s Book of Order without singling out a sexual conduct standard.
TPC has made available Resources for the Debate on Amendment B to prepare church officers to fight the ratification of the amendment in their presbyteries. Additional resources for the Campaign to Defeat Amendment B are also available. Resources from Gathering XI including Terry Schlossburg’s presentation Winning the Presbytery Vote -- Again and the transcripts of meeting workshops additionally are available on TPC’s website.
+ The Presbyterian Coalition, 4604 Grove Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23226, 804-615-3243, office@presbycoalition.org
+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005
[10] Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Hinsdale, Illinois Seeking Pastor
Trinity Presbyterian Church (TPC) which meets at The Community House in Hinsdale, Illinois is seeking a pastor to develop the spiritual lives of the members of the congregation through teaching and preaching of the Word.
TPC currently has 40 families and 90 communicant members.
+ Trinity Presbyterian Church, 4707 Willow Springs Road, Suite 208, LaGrange, Illinois 60525, 708-352-2788, Fax: 708-352-2789, office@trinityhinsdale.com
+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org
