ARP Magazine - Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
ARP Magazine - Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
ARP Magazine - Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
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DECEMBER 2011<br />
Celebrating<br />
Advent
Contents December 2011<br />
FEATURES<br />
3 Advent – a special time of year<br />
A time when we look back at our Savior’s birth and look ahead for<br />
his return.<br />
—Rev. Ben Wingard<br />
Ready for Christmas Ready for Christ<br />
As Christians, it is Christmas that gives us hope.<br />
4 Santa Christ<br />
MINISTRIES<br />
19 Christian Ed Ministries<br />
20 Bonclarken<br />
21 Erskine<br />
EVERY MONTH…<br />
22 Outreach North America<br />
23 World Witness<br />
—Lois Bell<br />
Jesus is not to be identified with Santa Claus; just as worldly thinking<br />
is not to be confused with biblical truth. —Dr. Sinclair Ferguson<br />
6 His Government & Peace<br />
His leadership brings hope and change we can believe in. —Rev. Tony<br />
Locke<br />
7 The Miraculous, Ushered in by the Unexpected<br />
God’s miracle of providing salvation took place in the most<br />
unexpected way.<br />
—Rev. Meredith Cavin<br />
8 Moderator’s Focus<br />
Seek the Lord, then get involved!<br />
—Rev. Andrew Putnam<br />
9 Synod Emphasis: The Free Offer of the Gospel<br />
The Gospel and the College Campus. —Rev. Paul G. Patrick<br />
24 <strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries<br />
COVER<br />
PHOTO<br />
The Tribble family lights a candle on<br />
the Ora <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong> Advent wreath.<br />
From left, Ann Marie, Kathryn and Bill.<br />
ISSN 0362—0816<br />
THE ASSOCIATE<br />
REFORMED<br />
PRESBYTERIAN<br />
VOL. XXXVI NO. 10<br />
Delores P. McDonald, Editor<br />
Susan L. Tanner, Assistant Editor<br />
Advertising rates on request; ask<br />
for current rate card. Advertising<br />
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of the <strong>Associate</strong> <strong>Reformed</strong><br />
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Publication of advertisements<br />
does not necessarily constitute an<br />
endorsement by this magazine.<br />
BOARD OF THE ASSSOCIATE<br />
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN<br />
Dr. Oran Smith (2013), Chairman; Walter F. Payne<br />
Jr. (2012), Vice Chairman; Rev. Charles Hammond<br />
(2014); Leslie Milling (2013); Joel Reed (2015); Rev.<br />
Sam Roper (2017); Charles Walden (2015); Gail<br />
Fowler (2017); John Wingate (2017); Martha Waldrop<br />
(<strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries representative).<br />
The <strong>Associate</strong> <strong>Reformed</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong> (Publication No.<br />
USPS 414770) is published monthly by the Board of<br />
The <strong>Associate</strong> <strong>Reformed</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong>, One Cleveland<br />
St., Ste. 110, Greenville, SC 29601-3696. Telephone<br />
(864) 232-8297, Ext. 236. Subscription rates: $20 one<br />
year, $38 two years, $54 three years. For churches in<br />
the <strong>Church</strong> Club Plan: $16.50 a year (90% participation)<br />
or $17.50 a year (75% participation). Periodicals<br />
Postage paid at Greenville, SC 29601, and additional<br />
mailing offices.<br />
POSTMASTER: Send address correction notices to<br />
The <strong>Associate</strong> <strong>Reformed</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong>, One Cleveland<br />
St., Ste. 110, Greenville, SC 29601-3696.<br />
10 Family Pages<br />
12 News in Brief<br />
15 Prayer Calendar<br />
28 All in Our Family<br />
31 Classified Ads<br />
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible<br />
Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.<br />
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway<br />
Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.<br />
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2 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
Advent – a special time of year<br />
By Rev. Ben Wingard<br />
What a wonderful time of<br />
the year – as we enter into<br />
the celebration of our dear<br />
Savior’s birth!<br />
The Advent Season is a special<br />
time when we look back at the birth<br />
of Jesus Christ and look ahead for<br />
his return.<br />
Even in all the busyness of parties<br />
and purchasing gifts, we, as Christians,<br />
are reminded of the heart of<br />
the message, which is at the heart of<br />
the Bible!<br />
The very central theme of Scripture<br />
is God’s love for humanity and<br />
thee story of his relentless love for his<br />
chosen people.<br />
God’s desire for all of creation was<br />
to make a people for himself. God<br />
did this in the beginning and this will<br />
come to final fulfillment in the new<br />
heavens and earth! Throughout the<br />
Old Testament, God sought his people<br />
and promised a coming Messiah<br />
to deliver them.<br />
In the story of Christmas, we see all<br />
those promises of the Messiah coming<br />
to fulfillment as the Son of God<br />
enters the world in human flesh – to<br />
meet humanity in their sinfulness,<br />
commonness and neediness.<br />
In the Christmas story, we see the<br />
whole story of God’s love for his<br />
people tied together in the birth of<br />
the most important child who was<br />
ever born!<br />
In the Christmas story, the meaning<br />
of Genesis through Revelation<br />
– and everything in between – is clarified<br />
completely!<br />
In the Christmas story, we see<br />
what a wonderful Savior and Lord<br />
we really have. Won’t you come and<br />
worship him this Christmas season<br />
Won’t you come and bow down<br />
before the One who is the King of<br />
Kings, who came to us and still comes<br />
to us today<br />
Won’t you invite someone to<br />
come and discover what a wonderful<br />
Savior Jesus Christ really is<br />
Rev. Ben Wingard is pastor of<br />
Crowders Creek <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>.<br />
Ready for Christmas Ready for Christ<br />
By Lois Bell<br />
While looking through some back copies<br />
of The <strong>ARP</strong>, I came across this December<br />
1984 WSU Spiritual Life devotion to share<br />
with you. It’s by Lois Bell of Due West<br />
– wife of the late Dr. Jim Bell.<br />
Merry Christmas! May this be<br />
the most joyful Christmas<br />
you have ever experienced!<br />
No matter your circumstances, you<br />
can celebrate with real joy – if you are<br />
a Christian. Even if Christmas finds<br />
us this year in the midst of sickness,<br />
bereavement or other sadness, our<br />
joy can be real, because it is Christmas<br />
that gives us hope.<br />
How will we celebrate<br />
Sometimes I think the Martha<br />
shows up in us more at Christmas<br />
than at any other time. We are so anxious<br />
to have the house decorated to<br />
the hilt, the food ready and tempting,<br />
the bows tied just right, etc. We want<br />
so much to have things nice for our<br />
loved ones, but in so doing, don’t we<br />
sometimes squelch the Mary in us<br />
too much<br />
Maybe our loved ones would like it better, and our Lord be better glorified,<br />
if just sometimes we would sit down with our family for a cup of tea and some<br />
kind words, or read a child a story, or give Grandpa an extra pat on the shoulder,<br />
or have family devotions – even if the house isn’t perfect.<br />
My husband found this little poem by an anonymous author several years<br />
ago. He wrote it on a scrap of paper. We have no idea who published it. It is<br />
food for thought.<br />
Ready for Christmas<br />
“Ready for Christmas,” she said with a sigh<br />
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high,<br />
Then wearily sat for a moment to read<br />
Till soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.<br />
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,<br />
“Ready for Christmas, what do you mean<br />
Ready for Christmas, when only last week<br />
You wouldn’t acknowledge your friend on the street<br />
Ready for Christmas, while holding a grudge<br />
Perhaps you’d better let God be the judge.”<br />
She woke with a start and a cry of despair.<br />
“There’s so little time and I’ve still to prepare,<br />
Oh Father, forgive me, I see what You mean!”<br />
To be ready means more than a house swept clean.<br />
Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree,<br />
It’s the heart swept clean that He wanted to see,<br />
A heart that is free from rancor and sin.<br />
So be ready for Christmas and ready for Him.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 3
SantaChrist<br />
By Dr. Sinclair Ferguson<br />
I<br />
took the hand of my toddler son<br />
(it was several decades ago now)<br />
as we made our way into the local<br />
shop on the small and remote<br />
Scottish island where earlier that year<br />
I had been installed as minister. It<br />
was Christmas week. The store was<br />
brightly decorated and a general air<br />
of excitement was abroad.<br />
Without warning, the conversations<br />
of the customers were brought<br />
to a halt by a questioning voice from<br />
beside me. My son’s upraised index<br />
finger pointed at a large cardboard<br />
Santa Claus. “Daddy, who is that funny-looking<br />
man” he asked.<br />
Amazement spread across the<br />
faces of the jostling shoppers;<br />
accusing glances were directed at<br />
me. Such shame — the minister’s son<br />
did not even recognize Santa Claus!<br />
What likelihood, then, of hearing<br />
good news in his preaching at the festive<br />
season<br />
Such experiences can make us bewail<br />
how the Western world gives<br />
itself over annually to its Claus-mass<br />
or commerce-mass. We celebrate a<br />
reworked pagan Saturnalia of epic<br />
proportions, one in which the only<br />
connection with the incarnation is<br />
semantic. Santa is worshiped, not the<br />
Savior; pilgrims go to the stores with<br />
credit cards, not to the manger with<br />
gifts. It is the feast of indulgence, not<br />
of the incarnation.<br />
It is always easier to lament and<br />
critique the new paganism of secularism’s<br />
blatant idolatry than to see how<br />
easily the church — and we ourselves<br />
— twist or dilute the message of the<br />
incarnation in order to suit our own<br />
tastes. But, sadly, we have various<br />
ways of turning the Savior into a kind<br />
of Santa Claus.<br />
Santa Claus Christianity<br />
For one thing, in our worship at<br />
Christmas we may varnish the staggering<br />
truth of the incarnation with<br />
what is visually, audibly, and aesthetically<br />
pleasing. We confuse emotional<br />
pleasure — or worse, sentiment —<br />
with true adoration.<br />
For another thing, we may denigrate<br />
our Lord with a Santa Claus<br />
Christology. How sadly common it<br />
is for the church to manufacture a Jesus<br />
who is a mirror refection of Santa<br />
Claus. He becomes Santa Christ.<br />
Santa Christ is sometimes a Pelagian<br />
Jesus. Like Santa, he simply<br />
asks us whether we have been good.<br />
More exactly, since the assumption is<br />
that we are all naturally good, Santa<br />
Christ asks us whether we have been<br />
“good enough.” So just as Christmas<br />
dinner is simply the better dinner we<br />
really deserve, Jesus becomes a kind<br />
of added bonus who makes a good<br />
life even better. He is not seen as the<br />
Savior of helpless sinners.<br />
Or Santa Christ may be a Semi-<br />
Pelagian Jesus — a slightly more<br />
sophisticated Jesus who, Santa-like,<br />
gives gifts to those who have already<br />
done the best they could! Thus, Jesus’<br />
hand, like Santa’s sack, opens only<br />
when we can give an upper-percentile<br />
answer to the none-too-weighty<br />
probe, “Have you done your best this<br />
year” The only difference from medieval<br />
theology here is that we do not<br />
use its Latin phraseology: facere quod<br />
in se est (to do what one is capable of<br />
doing on one’s own, or, in common<br />
parlance, “Heaven helps those who<br />
help themselves”).<br />
Then again, Santa Christ may be a<br />
mystical Jesus, who, like Santa Claus,<br />
is important because of the good experiences<br />
we have when we think<br />
about him, irrespective of his historical<br />
reality. It doesn’t really matter<br />
whether the story is true or not; the<br />
important thing is the spirit of Santa<br />
Christ. For that matter, while it would<br />
spoil things to tell the children this,<br />
everyone can make up his or her own<br />
Santa Christ. As long as we have the<br />
right spirit of Santa Christ, all is well.<br />
But Jesus is not to be identified<br />
with Santa Claus; worldly thinking<br />
— however much it employs Jesuslanguage<br />
— is not to be confused<br />
with biblical truth.<br />
The Christ of Christmas<br />
The Scriptures systematically strip<br />
away the veneer that covers the real<br />
truth of the Christmas story. Jesus did<br />
not come to add to our comforts. He<br />
did not come to help those who were<br />
already helping themselves or to fill<br />
life with more pleasant experiences.<br />
He came on a deliverance mission, to<br />
save sinners, and to do so He had to<br />
destroy the works of the Devil (Matthew<br />
1:21; 1 John 3:8b).<br />
Those whose lives were bound up<br />
with the events of the first Christmas<br />
did not find His coming an easy and<br />
pleasurable experience.<br />
Mary and Joseph’s lives were<br />
turned upside down.<br />
The shepherds’ night was frighteningly<br />
interrupted, and their futures<br />
potentially radically changed.<br />
The magi faced all kinds of inconvenience<br />
and family separation.<br />
Our Lord Himself, conceived before<br />
wedlock, born probably in a<br />
cave, would spend His early days as<br />
a refugee from the bloodthirsty and<br />
vindictive Herod (Matthew 2:13-21).<br />
There is, therefore, an element in<br />
the Gospel narratives that stresses<br />
that the coming of Jesus is a disturbing<br />
event of the deepest proportions.<br />
It had to be thus, for He did not<br />
come merely to add something extra<br />
to life, but to deal with our spiritual<br />
4 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
insolvency and the debt of our sin.<br />
He was not conceived in the womb of<br />
Mary for those who have done their<br />
best, but for those who know that<br />
their best is “like filthy rags” (Isaiah<br />
64:6)—far from good enough—and<br />
that in their flesh there dwells no good<br />
thing (Romans 7:18). He was not sent<br />
to be the source of good experiences,<br />
but to suffer the pangs of hell in order<br />
to be our Savior.<br />
A Christian Christmas<br />
The Christians who first began<br />
to celebrate the birth of the Savior<br />
saw this. Christmas for them was<br />
not (contrary to what is sometimes<br />
mistakenly said) simply adding a<br />
Christian veneer to a pagan festival—<br />
the Roman Saturnalia.<br />
They may have been doing what<br />
many Christians have done in marking<br />
Reformation Day (which happens<br />
to fall on Halloween), namely,<br />
committing themselves to a radical<br />
alternative to the world’s Saturnalia,<br />
refusing to be squeezed into its mold.<br />
They were determined to fix mind,<br />
heart, will, and strength exclusively<br />
on the Lord Jesus Christ. There was<br />
no confusion in their thinking between<br />
the world and the gospel, Saturnalia<br />
and Christmas, Santa Jesus<br />
and Christ Jesus. They were citizens<br />
of another empire altogether.<br />
In fact, such was the malice evoked<br />
by their other-worldly devotion to<br />
Christ that during the persecutions<br />
under the Emperor Diocletian, some<br />
believers were murdered as they<br />
gathered to celebrate Christmas.<br />
What was their gross offense Worship<br />
of the true Christ — incarnate,<br />
crucified, risen, glorified, and returning.<br />
They celebrated Him that day for<br />
giving His all for them, and as they<br />
did so, they gave their all for Him.<br />
One Christmas Eve in my teenage<br />
years, I opened a book a friend had<br />
given to me as a present. I found myself<br />
so overwhelmed by its teaching<br />
on my recently found Savior that I<br />
began to shake with emotion at what<br />
had dawned on me: the world had<br />
not celebrated His coming, but rather<br />
had crucified Him.<br />
Doubtless I was an impressionable<br />
teenager. But should it not cause us<br />
to tremble that “they crucified my<br />
Lord” Or is that true only in song,<br />
not in reality Are we not there when<br />
the world still crucifies Him in its<br />
own, often-subtle ways<br />
The truth is that unless the significance<br />
of what Christ did at the first<br />
Christmas shakes us, we can scarcely<br />
be said to have understood much of<br />
what it means, or of who He really is.<br />
Who is He in yonder stall<br />
At Whose feet the shepherds fall<br />
‘Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!<br />
‘Tis the Lord! the King of glory!<br />
At His feet we humbly fall,<br />
Crown Him! Crown Him, Lord of all!<br />
And we might add:<br />
Who is He on yonder cross<br />
Suffers for this dark world’s loss<br />
‘Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!<br />
‘Tis the Lord! the King of glory!<br />
At His feet we humbly fall,<br />
Crown Him! Crown Him, Lord of all!<br />
Let us not confuse Jesus Christ<br />
with Santa Claus.<br />
From Ligonier Ministries and R.C. Sproul.<br />
(c) Tabletalk magazine.<br />
Website: www.ligonier.org/tabletalk.<br />
Email: tabletalk@ligonier.org.<br />
Toll free: 1-800-435-4343.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 5
His Government<br />
& Peace<br />
Rev. Anthony R. Locke<br />
For unto us a child is born, unto<br />
us a son is given: and the government<br />
shall be upon his shoulder:<br />
and his name shall be called Wonderful,<br />
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting<br />
Father, The Prince of Peace. Of<br />
the increase of his government and peace<br />
there shall be no end, upon the throne of<br />
David, and upon his kingdom, to order<br />
it, and to establish it with judgment and<br />
with justice from henceforth even for ever.<br />
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform<br />
this (Isaiah 9:6-7 KJV).<br />
Ronald Reagan once joked that<br />
“The nine most terrifying words in the<br />
English language are: “I’m from the<br />
government and I’m here to help.”<br />
Washington’s short-lived solutions<br />
for small town problems erode liberty,<br />
foster codependency and diminish<br />
self-reliance. The solution is often<br />
worse than the problem.<br />
Our nation is quickly learning that<br />
big government can’t bring peace to<br />
the world. Every American president<br />
for the last 50 years has worked to<br />
bring peace to Palestine, North Korea<br />
and Cuba, but to no avail.<br />
World peace won’t be created by<br />
the DC establishment or United Nation<br />
members. We need someone who<br />
isn’t tainted by the political machine,<br />
by money and the poison of bitter<br />
partisanship. We need a hero.<br />
We need a Savior<br />
And following our moral failure in<br />
the Garden of Eden, God has promised<br />
just such a Savior. God’s nominee<br />
has no scandal waiting to burst<br />
out onto the front page and ruin Him.<br />
He is morally fit for the task.<br />
God has chosen someone who<br />
might be considered a commoner. He<br />
is a plain-spoken, blue-collar worker<br />
who is going to make good. He comes<br />
from humble beginnings, but rises to<br />
the pinnacle of power and influence.<br />
This Savior will bring radical<br />
change to government. He will transform<br />
all social structures and bring<br />
lasting peace to the world.<br />
And God the Father has given us<br />
His name. He is wonderful. He is<br />
hope. He is change that we can believe<br />
in. He is the desire of the nations.<br />
And His name is Counselor. He<br />
has the necessary insights into world<br />
affairs and the human condition. He<br />
can see a path out of the mess we are<br />
in. He can outline a road map to sustainable<br />
prosperity.<br />
And His name is Mighty God. Lots<br />
of political leaders have ascribed the<br />
activities of deity to themselves. Mere<br />
mortals have assumed they could<br />
lower the sea levels, end world hunger<br />
and stop wars by the power of<br />
their personality.<br />
God’s man also ascribes to Himself<br />
these powers. And He is not self-deceived.<br />
God’s recommended Savior is<br />
the Everlasting Father.<br />
This title is clear – God is talking<br />
about God. And this person who is<br />
God will also be a man. He is one of<br />
us. For unto us a child is born, unto us<br />
a son is given... (Isaiah 9:6). This Son<br />
of Man has absolute moral perfection.<br />
He is perfect humanity. He is the sinless<br />
Son of God.<br />
God the Father will place on God<br />
the Son, our Savior, the full responsibility<br />
of government. And His government<br />
will be big. Of the increase of<br />
his government there shall be no end...<br />
(Isaiah 9:7).<br />
Every day the Kingdom of God<br />
gets bigger and bigger. Every day<br />
the expanse of His power grows. You<br />
might say that Jesus doesn’t believe<br />
in limited government. But alongside<br />
His power is everlasting peace.<br />
Not peace through a rod of iron, or<br />
a clenched fist, but love and joy. His<br />
leadership brings hope and change<br />
we can believe in.<br />
Absolute Power<br />
Jesus has aspirations to sit in the<br />
seat of absolute power and rule with<br />
an everlasting dominance. He has aspirations<br />
to reorder the universe as it<br />
was before sin and before the rebellion.<br />
Jesus comes to reorder the world<br />
with true judgment and justice from<br />
henceforth and forevermore.<br />
He will lift the social welfare for<br />
every one. The rising tide will lift all<br />
boats. Everyone will see the glory of<br />
our blessed Savior and be blessed.<br />
These future events will happen<br />
according to the predetermined will<br />
of God. You could say that God is excited<br />
to make these prophesies a reality.<br />
He is passionate about the glory<br />
of Jesus being displayed before all nations.<br />
God is filled with zeal to lift up<br />
Jesus and draw the world to Himself.<br />
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform<br />
this.<br />
Are you filled with zeal for Christmas<br />
this year God is passionate<br />
about the Christmas season. We join<br />
with the passion and zeal of God<br />
when we celebrate the glory of His<br />
Son, our Savior, born in a manger on<br />
Christmas morn.<br />
And as we submit to His governance<br />
in our life, we embrace more<br />
than just His leadership, we invite His<br />
peace to enter our life and our soul.<br />
Tony Locke is pastor of First <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Tucker, GA.<br />
6 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
The Miraculous, Ushered in<br />
by the Unexpected<br />
FALL 2011 ARTS CALENDAR<br />
By Dr. Meredith Cavin<br />
we do just that. We try to figure things unimportant virgin Jewish girl would<br />
Therefore the Lord himself will give out, down to the details, and when conceived and bear a Son – and was<br />
Please join us for the arts at Erskine this season.<br />
you a sign: The virgin will conceive<br />
and give birth to a son, and sibility of something happening which save his people from their sin.”<br />
they do not add up, we deny the pos-<br />
told to name him Jesus, “... for He will<br />
will call him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). For cannot be empirically determined.<br />
Theater Productions<br />
Those who were wise in their own<br />
to us a child is born, to us a son is given, Our problem with disbelieving understanding completely missed out<br />
and the government will be on his shoulders.<br />
And he will be called Wonderful<br />
the virgin Erskine birth and Players the coming present of Shakespeare's on this unbelievable The Tempest and earth shattering<br />
4, 7:30 event. pm My prayer is that we would<br />
the Messiah is secularism. November We tend to 3 &<br />
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,<br />
Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of<br />
equate Jesus with Santa. Our culture<br />
November 5, never 2:30 grow pm tired of hearing this good<br />
cannot tolerate anything which may<br />
news that Jesus, the promised Messiah,<br />
came fulfilling all scriptures, and<br />
his government and peace there will be no<br />
hint of the miraculous. The very words<br />
Visual Arts<br />
end. He will reign on David’s throne and<br />
Christmas and Merry Christmas offend<br />
the minds of those who desire to<br />
his desire is to live in our lives, so we<br />
over his kingdom, establishing and upholding<br />
it with justice and righteousness<br />
Through December care for us.<br />
Art Department Faculty would never Show forget his great love and<br />
see everything related to Christianity<br />
eradicated from the public scene.<br />
8<br />
from that time on and forever. The zeal of<br />
May we experience the Lord Jesus<br />
At the incarnation, God’s miraculous<br />
means of providing salvation<br />
the LORD Almighty will accomplish this<br />
in ways which allow us to sing a new<br />
(Isaiah 9:6,7).<br />
for the human race was taking place<br />
Music song of praise to our God!<br />
I sometimes wonder why those religious<br />
leaders at the time of our Lord’s<br />
Talich String Quartet Rev. Cavin is pastor of Brighton<br />
in the most unusual and unexpected<br />
way. A poor, completely unknown, <strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, Brighton, TN<br />
birth did not or could not understand<br />
Tuesday, November 15, 7:30 pm<br />
the reports that had come to their ears<br />
concerning the birth of Jesus.<br />
Dr. Craig Cramer, Organist<br />
Perhaps they were not expecting<br />
Thursday, November 17<br />
it. After all, hundreds of years had<br />
Masterclass – Choral Hall, 3:30 pm<br />
passed since the prophecies regarding<br />
the promised Messiah. It reminds<br />
Recital – First <strong>Presbyterian</strong>, Greenwood, 7:30 pm<br />
me of what Peter said regarding the<br />
last days: Above all, you must understand<br />
that in the last days scoffers will<br />
8 pm<br />
Erskine Student Chamber Music Ensembles<br />
FALL 2011 Friday, November ARTS 18, CALENDAR<br />
come, scoffing and following their own<br />
evil desires. They will say, “Where is this<br />
An Erskine Christmas<br />
‘coming’ he promised Ever since our ancestors<br />
Please join us for the arts at Erskine this season.<br />
Friday, December 2, 8 pm<br />
died, everything goes on as it has<br />
Saturday, December 3, 6 pm<br />
since the beginning of creation” (2 Peter<br />
(Ticketing Theater information: choirs@erskine.edu Productions<br />
or 864.379.8728)<br />
3:3,4). Perhaps they simply did not<br />
believe the Messiah would ever come,<br />
Erskine<br />
Women's<br />
Players present<br />
Chorale<br />
Shakespeare's<br />
Christmas Program<br />
The Tempest<br />
which would have meant they did not<br />
Tuesday,<br />
November<br />
December<br />
3 & 4, 7:30<br />
6, 11<br />
pm<br />
am<br />
believe God’s Word.<br />
November 5, 2:30 pm<br />
We too forget, as the religious<br />
leaders then forgot, what Isaiah reminds<br />
us: For my thoughts are not<br />
6, 7:30 pm<br />
Music Department Honors Recital<br />
Tuesday, Visual December Arts<br />
your thoughts, neither are your ways my<br />
Art Department Faculty Show<br />
ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens<br />
Through Opera Workshop<br />
December 8<br />
are higher than the earth, so are my ways<br />
Friday-Saturday, January 6 & 7<br />
higher than your ways and my thoughts<br />
than your thoughts (Isaiah 55: 8,9).<br />
As finite minds cannot comprehend<br />
the vastness of God’s doings, yet<br />
DECEMBER 2011<br />
Music<br />
For more information on arts events, call 864.379.8858<br />
Talich String Quartet<br />
Tuesday, November 15, 7:30 pm<br />
7<br />
Dr. Craig Cramer, Organist
Moderator of Synod<br />
Seek the Lord, then get involved!<br />
REV. ANDREW K. PUTNAM<br />
Moderator<br />
At the beginning of a new year,<br />
we can look back towards our<br />
past and know that as a denomination<br />
we are blessed.<br />
For more than 200 years, the Lord<br />
has been gracious in his provisions<br />
and has used the denomination to<br />
his glory. We have seen the establishment<br />
of new churches and new mission<br />
fields. We have grown from a<br />
regional church to a denomination<br />
with congregations on both coasts<br />
and in Canada.<br />
Our ministries have survived difficult<br />
times (financially and otherwise)<br />
and, despite our mistakes, we are still<br />
around! Clearly God’s hand has been<br />
on the <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>. As we look forward<br />
to the coming year, we should<br />
prayerfully ask the Lord to bless our<br />
efforts to serve him and minister in<br />
his name.<br />
We should not take the blessings of<br />
God lightly or for granted!<br />
As I have been saying, all of our<br />
statistics demonstrate a serious need<br />
for planting new churches and revitalizing<br />
many of our existing congregations.<br />
We need to be intentionally<br />
offering the Gospel to a lost world.<br />
Our programs, sermons, lessons,<br />
studies and activities need to be outreach<br />
and evangelistically focused. I<br />
realize that not every congregation<br />
can grow. Some are geographically<br />
bound (in the middle of no-where,<br />
with nobody around anymore) and<br />
(sadly) for others, new faces really<br />
aren’t welcome in the congregation.<br />
But we have a number of churches<br />
that can grow, can reach out, can evangelize<br />
their community. They have<br />
been given an opportunity to witness<br />
to their world for Jesus Christ. It will<br />
involve trying new things, bringing<br />
in folks that don’t look or act like the<br />
current members and it will be a step<br />
of faith for some. Faith that the God<br />
who has blessed you, will continue to<br />
bless you in a new venture.<br />
Challenge to Pray<br />
As we look forward to the coming<br />
year, we can see the need for growth,<br />
for change and for the church to be the<br />
church. So I want to challenge you to<br />
do something you may not have done<br />
in a while: pray for the <strong>ARP</strong> denomination<br />
on a daily basis.<br />
I’m asking for a serious commitment.<br />
If you can’t pray daily, commit<br />
to weekly prayer time for these issues.<br />
Begin by praying for the whole<br />
of the <strong>ARP</strong> and the ministry of the<br />
denomination. Specifically, seek out<br />
the prayer concerns of our boards,<br />
institutions and agencies. Lift up the<br />
employees, the missionaries (home<br />
and abroad), the mission developers<br />
and the leaders the organizations that<br />
make the <strong>ARP</strong> work.<br />
Pray for wisdom, growth, for occasions<br />
to share the Gospel or build<br />
up the saints. Also pray for the <strong>ARP</strong><br />
church to remain faithful to scripture<br />
while seeking to transform our world<br />
with the Gospel message. Then carry<br />
these prayers onto the local congregation<br />
you are involved with.<br />
Pray for the minister, elders, deacons,<br />
women’s and men’s leaders and<br />
the youth of your church. Lift up your<br />
Sunday school teachers, musicians<br />
and small group coordinators. Remember<br />
the “unsung heroes” of your<br />
church who labor out of sight (like<br />
the janitor, groundskeeper, cooks,<br />
etc). Change your prayer pattern, life<br />
and walk.<br />
The first step to revival of any congregation<br />
or denomination is prayer.<br />
Seek the Lord. Then, get involved.<br />
As a goal for this coming year, seek<br />
a new way to be used by God in your<br />
church. Perhaps giving up a long held<br />
position, so that you can have time to<br />
do something new and exciting for<br />
the ministry of your congregation.<br />
Take stock of the talents that Lord<br />
has provided and see what ministry<br />
opportunities are available. If none are<br />
available, create new ones. Try something<br />
new and let God do the rest!<br />
“The first step to revival<br />
of any congregation or<br />
denomination is prayer. ”<br />
8 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
The Gospel and the College Campus<br />
Synod Emphasis<br />
By Paul G. Patrick<br />
In June of 2011, I was called by the<br />
General Synod of the <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong> to<br />
serve as the first <strong>ARP</strong>-RUF Campus<br />
Minister at Erskine College, forging an<br />
affiliation and ministry relationship with<br />
<strong>Reformed</strong> University Fellowship (www.<br />
ruf.org).<br />
Though employed by Erskine as chaplain<br />
for the previous nine years, this change<br />
in my call to ministry was beneficial for<br />
several reasons, not the least of which<br />
were establishing a clearly defined ministry<br />
and job description and articulating a<br />
philosophy of ministry. I have been asked<br />
to share these, as well as why it is both important<br />
and strategic to have a ministry of<br />
the Gospel on a college campus.<br />
Why have a ministry specifically for<br />
college students<br />
The “college years” – the years in<br />
which young people mature through late<br />
adolescence into young adulthood – are<br />
crucial ones for a person’s education and<br />
development. They either significantly<br />
contribute, or fail to contribute, to the<br />
formation and maturation of a student’s<br />
Christian faith.<br />
These years also mark the first time<br />
students have left their families and<br />
church families; and when a student<br />
becomes fully exposed to new and competing<br />
worldviews, which swirl about<br />
on every college and university campus.<br />
During these years, students will not only<br />
encounter new ways of thinking, but will<br />
also determine what they believe to be<br />
true. Influential relationships, habits, and<br />
patterns of living, as well as their ultimate<br />
beliefs, will be formed; all of which shape<br />
their lives as future adults.<br />
Having said that, perhaps it obvious<br />
why it is both important and strategic that<br />
the church extend an arm of Gospel ministry<br />
to the college campus. It is an investment<br />
in the future health of the church to<br />
have the presence of ministry on the campus,<br />
which takes both the Gospel and the<br />
university seriously. Pastoring students<br />
through these years (rather than hoping<br />
they “figure life out” on their own) is an<br />
important and strategic work of ministry,<br />
which takes the nature and the mission of<br />
the church seriously.<br />
What is the ministry of RUF<br />
Within RUF, each campus minister<br />
is tasked to develop and maintain three<br />
avenues of ministry: Large Group, Small<br />
Groups, and One-on-Ones. Together,<br />
these avenues of ministry to students are<br />
what RUF “looks” like. Each is developed<br />
and maintained through real relationships<br />
with real students.<br />
As those students begin to grow in the<br />
grace and knowledge of the Gospel, they<br />
become the most effective means of ministering<br />
to the whole campus. This happens<br />
naturally as students take the Gospel<br />
with them relationally (in an unforced<br />
manner) as salt and light within the campus<br />
community.<br />
Large Group<br />
The hallmark of RUF at Erskine is<br />
our weekly large group gathering, which<br />
meets outdoors and in a barn. On most<br />
campuses RUF meets in a classroom or a<br />
lecture hall. Those settings usually feel<br />
stale and institutional, making us grateful<br />
we have the warm and inviting context<br />
of The Barn at Erskine. Our large<br />
group provides a weekly cookout, which<br />
enhances our fellowship before we sing<br />
together and hear the Gospel preached<br />
from Scripture by the campus minister.<br />
This semester we enjoyed a series titled<br />
Close Encounters with Jesus: The Gospel<br />
of Luke.<br />
Small Groups<br />
Each semester, RUF offers a variety<br />
of small groups for students on campus.<br />
Several of those are led by the campus<br />
minister and interns, while some are offered<br />
by older students. Small groups are<br />
beneficial, not only because they create a<br />
context for deeper relationships and fellowship,<br />
but because they allow students<br />
to have conversations about the Scriptures,<br />
their beliefs, their struggles and to<br />
actually pray for one another.<br />
One-on-Ones<br />
Meeting with individual students,<br />
whether over coffee or lunch, on a walk or<br />
a run, to intentionally talk about “how life<br />
is going” is yet another way in which students<br />
are growing and maturing in their<br />
faith. Now in my 10th year at Erskine, I<br />
have countless fond memories of meeting<br />
with individual students all over town<br />
for one-on-one conversations. Those conversations<br />
with students about the Gospel<br />
and the Christian life definitely highlight<br />
some of my ministry memories.<br />
It certainly has been my privilege to<br />
take the Gospel to the Erskine College<br />
campus for the <strong>ARP</strong> Synod!<br />
DECEMBER 2011 9
True Delight in the Gift Giver<br />
By Diamond Tam<br />
All gifts pass away – no matter<br />
what they are. Even expensive and<br />
valuable gifts won’t last forever. Gifts<br />
are temporary, never meant to last.<br />
Don’t believe me Think about it<br />
– that awesome new computer, your<br />
high tech 3D TV, your shiny brand<br />
new car, that sweet iPhone or iPad.<br />
They will all break, get old, wear out<br />
with time. They really aren’t meant to<br />
last forever.<br />
Likewise, physical and spiritual<br />
gifts pass away too. The gift of athletic<br />
ability obviously doesn’t last<br />
forever. With age, our bodies become<br />
stiff, and move more slowly. With age,<br />
we also become less mentally sharp<br />
– so that we actually think and speak<br />
more slowly. As I get older, the gift<br />
I have to perform surgery becomes<br />
more diminished.<br />
The Bible has a verse with a profound<br />
and life-changing message for<br />
us. “Every good and perfect gift is<br />
from above, coming down from the<br />
Father of the heavenly lights, who<br />
does not change like shifting shadow”<br />
(James 1:17).<br />
What’s the implied message<br />
It’s that every gift comes from God,<br />
but our delight should not be in the<br />
gifts we are given, but in the Gift<br />
Giver – the One who never changes,<br />
never loses His value, never falls<br />
apart with age.<br />
As a father of two kids, I think of<br />
this verse when I see my children engulfed<br />
in the pleasure of a new gift,<br />
captivated by something different to<br />
the point that they totally forget who<br />
gave them the gift. I think that we<br />
all far too often, are guilty of acting<br />
like children and forgetting Who it is<br />
who gives us our gifts. We easily forget<br />
that every good and perfect gift<br />
comes from above – every gift! How<br />
easy it is to delight in the gifts we receive,<br />
but forget the Gift Giver.<br />
It blesses my heart when my children<br />
turn around in the middle of<br />
enjoying their gifts and come to me<br />
with an expression of thanks. Nothing<br />
makes me want to give my children<br />
more gifts than when they express<br />
their delight and thankfulness<br />
for gifts I give them. And nothing<br />
makes me regret giving my children<br />
gifts more than if they show hearts of<br />
ungratefulness. I believe it is the same<br />
with our Father in Heaven. What joy<br />
and blessing He must receive when<br />
we turn to Him and delight in Him as<br />
the Gift Giver.<br />
I, too, need to remind myself to<br />
show gratefulness for the gifts I receive<br />
every single day. My family<br />
is a gift from God. My wife is a gift;<br />
my kids are precious gifts. They have<br />
been entrusted to me to care for, love,<br />
and guide. I delight in them, but my<br />
great delight is in the perfect One who<br />
gave them to me. All my gifts – my<br />
skills, my career, my talent – mean<br />
nothing if I fail to delight in the One<br />
who is the giver of the gifts.<br />
Let us remember each day, with<br />
every single gift we enjoy, to delight<br />
not in the gift but in the Holy One<br />
who gives the gifts. Every moment<br />
we live, and every breath we take is a<br />
gift from God. Let us allow the heavenly<br />
Gift Giver to fill our thirsty souls<br />
with every good and perfect gift.<br />
Diamond Tam works at Stanford University<br />
and writes for Challenger.<br />
Spread Holiday Cheer<br />
Sweet News – Bake some homemade Christmas treats<br />
and share with your neighbors. Be sure to let them know<br />
the true meaning of this special season.<br />
Favorite Foods – What are your favorite foods to eat<br />
during the holidays Ask your friends and family to<br />
help you collect canned and boxed food for your local<br />
food pantry.<br />
Singing from the Heart – Do you enjoy Christmas<br />
music Do you play an instrument Ask your family and<br />
friends to get together to sing Christmas carols to and<br />
with people who live in a retirement home.<br />
Snow Service – If you live in a snowy place, spread<br />
God’s love by shoveling your neighbors’ driveway and<br />
sidewalk for free.<br />
10 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
Incredible Edible Nativity<br />
By Laura Fennell<br />
Make this nativity scene to share with family members<br />
or neighbors. Don’t forget to share the miraculous story of<br />
Jesus’ birth as you give it away!<br />
What you need:<br />
A sturdy paper plate<br />
A plastic knife<br />
Two whole Graham crackers (unbroken)<br />
A can of frosting or a tube of royal icing<br />
A small marshmallow<br />
Keebler elf cookies or small gingerbread cookies<br />
Animal Crackers<br />
One handful of crushed shredded wheat (optional)<br />
Sprinkles (optional)<br />
What to do:<br />
• Break the Graham crackers in half and set aside the four<br />
half-pieces. If you wish, decorate them with colored<br />
frosting and sprinkles. Wait for the frosting to dry<br />
before continuing with the next steps.<br />
• Using a plastic knife, spread frosting along the edges of<br />
three of the crackers, and “glue” them together to form<br />
a three-walled stable. “Glue” the stable to the center of<br />
your paper plate with more frosting.<br />
• Take the remaining Graham cracker and place it on top<br />
of the walls of the stable to form a roof. Add more<br />
frosting if necessary.<br />
• Spread frosting near the entrance for the stable and<br />
place a marshmallow in front of the stable as a manger.<br />
• Place two Keebler elf cookies on either side of the<br />
manger. These cookies will be Mary and Joseph. Add<br />
more cookies if you want to include shepherds in your<br />
nativity scene.<br />
• Place a few Animal Crackers around the manger to<br />
represent the animals in the stable. Sprinkle shredded<br />
wheat around the nativity scene for hay.<br />
• Let your nativity scene dry completely, then cover in<br />
plastic wrap to give as a gift to someone.<br />
What a tasty way to share the Christmas Story!<br />
Mac and Laura Fennell are members of New Albany <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong> in New Albany, MS. They have twin boys,<br />
Andrew and Joseph, age 9.<br />
Family Memory Verse<br />
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother<br />
Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they<br />
opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold,<br />
frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11).<br />
If you or someone in your church<br />
has an idea for The Family Page<br />
please send your ideas to Susan<br />
Tanner at stanner@arpsynod.org<br />
or call 864-232-8297.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 11
News in Brief<br />
Presbytery Fall Meeting Highlights<br />
SECOND PRESBYTERY<br />
• Heard student sermons from Asaph Din<br />
and Sungjune Kim.<br />
• Heard a report from Erskine College<br />
Chaplain Paul Patrick about his ministry<br />
and how it’s now an official RUF campus.<br />
• Approved the <strong>Church</strong> Extension Committee’s<br />
working with the Newberry <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong> to establish a RUF ministry with<br />
Newberry College. This will be in<br />
conjunction with ONA. The RUF candidate<br />
is Rev. Seth Starkey, who currently serves as<br />
an associate pastor in the PCA.<br />
• Heard a report from Mr. Starkey about<br />
these plans and the need for such a ministry<br />
at Newberry College.<br />
• Heard a report and greetings from the Moderator<br />
of General Synod Andrew Putnam.<br />
• Adopted the report from the Special<br />
Committee on <strong>Church</strong> Extension and<br />
approved a motion that this Committee<br />
work with the Standing Committee on<br />
<strong>Church</strong> Extension to formulate specifics as<br />
to how these finding might be implemented.<br />
• Examined Tanner Cline and approved his<br />
call to become pastor of the Hopewell <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong> in Covington, GA.<br />
• Examined and approved Dr. Leslie Holmes<br />
and Dr. Mickey Rice, both retired PC<br />
(USA) ministers. Dr. Holmes teaches<br />
homiletics at Erskine Seminary and Dr.<br />
Rice lives in Anderson, SC – where he has<br />
been working with Young Memorial <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>. The effective date of receiving<br />
these men will take place at a later date.<br />
• Approved the honorable retirement of Jim<br />
Loughner as of Dec. 31, 2011.<br />
• Approved Mr. Loughner as stated<br />
supply for the Bethlehem <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
and to be appointed as moderator of the<br />
Abbeville/Mt. Carmel <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
effective Jan. 1, 2012.<br />
• Approved the appointment of a committee<br />
to study our smaller congregations and<br />
to make recommendations about what<br />
might be done to assist them.<br />
• Approved a motion for the Moderator to<br />
appoint a commission to deal with matters<br />
at the Devenger Road <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>.<br />
• The Memorial from the Spartanburg <strong>ARP</strong><br />
session, joined by the sessions of Unity,<br />
Redeemer and Oconee was defeated.<br />
• Approved a motion that a committee be<br />
appointed to draft a code of online conduct<br />
for ministers and ruling elders with special<br />
reference to the teaching in the Larger<br />
Catechism on the ninth commandment.<br />
• Elected Mark Hornby moderator beginning<br />
March 2012.<br />
Calvin Draffin, clerk<br />
CATAWBA PRESBYTERY<br />
Catawba Presbytery met at the Bethel <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
Winnsboro, SC. Dr. Bill Fleming served as<br />
moderator.<br />
• Adopted a motion to petition the Executive<br />
Board of Synod to act in behalf of the<br />
General Synod to postpone consideration of<br />
the Revised Form of Government for one<br />
year to allow more time for study by<br />
presbyteries, churches and members.<br />
• Heard the Senior sermons of Mark Hering<br />
and Paul Robelot, along with the Middler<br />
sermon of Kevin Vickery. Mr. Hering and<br />
Mr. Robelot were examined and licensed<br />
to preach.<br />
• Presented a certificate of appreciation to<br />
Rev. J. J. Diaz on his retirement, recognizing<br />
his years of faithful and dedicated service.<br />
• Approved a new mission work beginning<br />
Dec. 1, 2011, in Dallas, Texas, to be known<br />
as King’s Parish <strong>Associate</strong> <strong>Reformed</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
Mission. David Winburne is<br />
serving as Presbytery Evangelist for<br />
<strong>Church</strong> Development. A provisional<br />
session is to be named.<br />
• Approved the re-establishment of Iglesias<br />
Biblica Americano (IBL) as a mission of<br />
the Presbytery effective Oct. 11, 2011.<br />
Provisional Session members are: Garry<br />
Smith [Crossings Community], Dan Felker<br />
[Centennial] and Joe Wilson [Arsenal Hill].<br />
• Received Brad A. Anderson as a Student<br />
of Theology. He is a member of First<br />
Columbia and a student at Erskine Seminary.<br />
• Heard and adopted the report of the<br />
Special Committee on Small and/or Declining<br />
<strong>Church</strong>es. There will be several referrals<br />
to various committees, seminaries and<br />
boards.<br />
• Elected James D. McLurkin as Chairman of<br />
the Committee on Outreach, and Presbytery<br />
representative to the Board of<br />
Stewardship beginning July 1, 2012.<br />
• Heard a report from the Old Brick <strong>Church</strong><br />
Commission on restoration work being<br />
done at the church and the need for<br />
additional funding as the restoration<br />
work progresses.<br />
• Noted that the final closing date<br />
for the Pleasant Hill <strong>Church</strong>, Heath<br />
Springs, SC, is set for Nov. 6, 2011.<br />
Guy H. Smith, clerk<br />
VIRGINIA PRESBYTERY<br />
The meeting was held on Oct. 15, 2011, at<br />
Johnson Creek <strong>Church</strong>. Sermon by Andy<br />
Putnam, Moderator of Synod.<br />
• Adopted as second reading The Revised<br />
Presbytery Manual of Procedure.<br />
• Heard reports from Trustees and all<br />
standing committees<br />
• Reviewed a list of “concerns and<br />
suggestions” in regard to the Revised Form<br />
of Government as submitted by Sessions<br />
and individuals. This list will be sent to<br />
Synod’s Special Revision Committee.<br />
• Adopted the following petition to Synod’s<br />
Executive Board: “That Virginia Presbytery<br />
petition the Executive Board of Synod to act<br />
in behalf of Synod to postpone consideration<br />
of the Revised Form of Government<br />
for one year to allow time for study by<br />
presbyteries, churches and members and<br />
for the Revision Committee to carefully<br />
consider the concerns and suggestions sent<br />
to them from Presbyteries.”<br />
• Heard a report from the Wellspring Session<br />
that their new building is nearing<br />
completion. The Session invited Presbytery<br />
to hold the Spring Meeting at Wellspring.<br />
• Elected Albert Paxton, an elder at Johnson<br />
Creek, as moderator to take office at the<br />
spring meeting. Albert has been a part of<br />
the Johnson Creek <strong>Church</strong> since it was<br />
established and has served on a number<br />
of Presbytery committees.<br />
• Held a training seminar when Ken<br />
Priddy presented “Jump Start: Basic<br />
<strong>Church</strong> Vitalization.”<br />
12 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
Bonsenior 2011<br />
Photos by Susan Tanner<br />
From left, Joan Powers (Lake Placid);<br />
Bob Anderson (Faith <strong>ARP</strong>); David Walkup<br />
(Chapel By The Sea); Nelson Crews<br />
(Avon Park).<br />
It’s a bird, it’s a plane - it’s a Bonsenior!<br />
That daring Joan Powers on<br />
the flying zip line!<br />
Lucy Estridge of Mint Hill <strong>ARP</strong> paints<br />
a big smile on her snowman during<br />
craft time.<br />
Carolina Girlz show Bonseniors how to<br />
kick up their heels and line dance!<br />
Beth Perpall, left, and Marianne Wages<br />
(Peachtree Corners) paint their<br />
Bonclarken Chapel craft.<br />
Anne Crenshaw of Peactree<br />
Corners <strong>ARP</strong> picks out apples<br />
from Sky Top Orchard.<br />
Couple checks out the beautiful<br />
orchards and scenery at Sky Top.<br />
Connie & Nelson Crews of Avon Park (FL)<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> munch on Sky Top’s freshly made<br />
apple donuts.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 13
The <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
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14 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
December Prayer Calendar<br />
Synod’s Committee on Worship has authorized this calendar for use in private devotions and family altars throughout the denomination.<br />
Scripture readings, memory verses and Westminster Shorter Catechism questions correspond with those used in the Adult Quarterly<br />
Sunday School curriculum published by Christian Education Ministries. In support of the <strong>ARP</strong> denomination, we ask that you include<br />
the churches and individuals listed below in your daily prayers.<br />
MEMORY VERSE<br />
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever<br />
curses you I will curse; and all peoples<br />
on earth will be blessed through you<br />
(Genesis 12:3).<br />
SHORTER CATECHISM<br />
Q.61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment<br />
A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth<br />
the omission or careless performance of<br />
the duties required, and the profaning the<br />
day of idleness, or doing that which is in<br />
itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts,<br />
words, or works, about our worldly employments<br />
or recreations.<br />
1<br />
Isaiah<br />
2<br />
Matthew<br />
3<br />
Hebrews<br />
4<br />
Genesis<br />
51:1-6. Wrens <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
Wrens, GA: Rev. Gary Jones, pastor.<br />
Missionaries: Mr. & Mrs. Eric<br />
Lockamy, Mexico.<br />
3:1-10. Retired minister:<br />
Rev. Charles L. Mitchell, Rock Hill,<br />
SC, on his birthday.<br />
6:13-20. Rehobeth <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Waxhaw, NC: Rev.<br />
Joseph Rolison, pastor.<br />
12:1-9. Westminster <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Albemarle, NC:<br />
Rev. Lee Shelnutt, pastor.<br />
WEEK TWO<br />
MEMORY VERSE<br />
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited<br />
it to him as righteousness (Genesis<br />
15:6).<br />
SHORTER CATECHISM<br />
Q.62. What are the reasons annexed to<br />
the fourth commandment<br />
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth<br />
commandment are, God’s allowing us<br />
six days of the week for our own employments,<br />
his challenging a special propriety<br />
in the seventh, his own example, and his<br />
blessing the sabbath-day.<br />
5<br />
Hebrews<br />
6<br />
Hebrews<br />
7<br />
WEEK ONE<br />
11:8-16. Missionary: Judy<br />
Buis, Ireland.<br />
11:17-22. Retired minister:<br />
Dr. Kenneth F. Morris, Madison, GA,<br />
on his birthday.<br />
Romans 4:9-15. Wood Avenue<br />
<strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, Monticello,<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
11<br />
AR: Rev. Michael L. Garvey, supply.<br />
Romans 4:16-25. Trinity <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Tampa, FL: Rev. John A.<br />
‘Jac’ Coad, pastor.<br />
Psalm 105:4-11. Unity <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
Lancaster, SC: Rev. Charles Hammond,<br />
pastor. Missionaries: Mr. &<br />
Mrs. Sebastien Benicourt, Turkey.<br />
Hebrews 13:17-21. Westview <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Mt. Holly, NC: William<br />
Spencer Cain, supply.<br />
Genesis 15:1-6, 12-18. Sharon <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Brighton, TN: Rev. Charles<br />
Todd, supply. Grace International African<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> Mission, Charlotte, NC: Rev.<br />
Zachary Kariuki, mission developer.<br />
WEEK THREE<br />
MEMORY VERSE<br />
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said.<br />
“Do not do anything to him. Now I know<br />
that you fear God, because you have<br />
not withheld from me your son, your<br />
only son” (Genesis 22:12).<br />
SHORTER CATECHISM<br />
Q.63. Which is the fifth commandment<br />
A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy<br />
father and thy mother; that thy days may<br />
be long upon the land which the Lord thy<br />
God giveth thee.<br />
12<br />
13<br />
14<br />
15<br />
16<br />
17<br />
Philippians 4:15-20. Prosperity <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Harvest, AL: Rev. C. Dana<br />
Crowell, pastor.<br />
Galatians 4:21-28. Tradewinds<br />
Christian <strong>Church</strong>, St. Pete Beach,<br />
FL: Rev. Michael Avato, pastor.<br />
Genesis 22:15-19. Missionaries: Rev.<br />
& Mrs. Scott Andes, Ukraine. Christ<br />
Community Mission, Ruskin, FL: Rev.<br />
Charlie Lewis, mission developer.<br />
James 2:14-24. Trinity <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
Chatham, ON: Rev. Henry Bartsch,<br />
mission developer.<br />
Joshua 22:21-29. Piney Creek <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Taneytown, MD:<br />
Rev. Paul Matthews, pastor.<br />
Proverbs 21:1-5. York <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
York SC: Rev. Tony Grant, pastor.<br />
Christ <strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, Grove<br />
City, PA: Rev. Iain Duguid, mission<br />
developer.<br />
Genesis 22:1-2, 6-14. White Oak<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, Senoia, GA: Rev.<br />
Thomas Shoger, pastor; Rev. James<br />
McManus, associate pastor.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 15<br />
18<br />
MEMORY VERSE<br />
Understand, then, that those who have<br />
faith are children of Abraham (Galatians<br />
3:7).<br />
SHORTER CATECHISM<br />
Q.64. What is required in the fifth commandment<br />
A. The fifth commandment requireth the<br />
preserving the honour, and performing<br />
the duties, belonging to every one in their<br />
several places and relations, as superiors,<br />
inferiors, or equals.<br />
19<br />
20<br />
21<br />
22<br />
23<br />
24<br />
25<br />
WEEK FOUR<br />
2 Corinthians 1:18-22. Soonshin Bible<br />
<strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, Plainview,<br />
NY: Dr. Chong Ku Ree, pastor.<br />
Nehemiah 9:6-10. Union <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
Richburg, SC: Rev. Allen Derrick, pastor.<br />
Galatians 3:6-12. Triangle Onnuri<br />
Korean <strong>Church</strong>, Raleigh, NC: Rev.<br />
Abraham Ji, mission developer.<br />
Galatians 3:13-18. Young Saeng<br />
<strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, Los Angeles,<br />
CA: Dr. Hae Soung Kim, pastor;<br />
Rev. Bonseok Koo, associate<br />
pastor; Rev. Sangkil Lee, associate<br />
pastor; Rev. Bok Chun Pack, associate<br />
pastor; Rev. Young Bong<br />
Choe, associate pastor.<br />
Luke 1:26-38. Stony Point <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Stony Point, NC: Rev. Chris<br />
Parnell, pastor. White Oak <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong> (30/1), White Oak, SC: Dr.<br />
Clyde McCants, supply.<br />
Luke 1:39-45. Westminster <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Conway, SC: Rev.<br />
Randy Riddle, supply.<br />
Luke 1:46-55. Retired minister: Dr. John<br />
deWitt, Columbia, SC, on his birthday.<br />
WEEK FIVE<br />
MEMORY VERSE<br />
The LORD was with Joseph so that he<br />
prospered, and he lived in the house of<br />
his Egyptian master. (Genesis 39:2).
SHORTER CATECHISM<br />
Q.65. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment<br />
A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth<br />
the neglecting of, or doing any thing<br />
against, the honour and duty which<br />
belongeth to every one in their several<br />
places and relations.<br />
26<br />
27<br />
28<br />
Psalm 105:16-22. Erskine Seminary<br />
Professor: Dr. Douglas White,<br />
Professor of Christian Education.<br />
Acts 7:9-16. Young Memorial <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Anderson, SC: Rev. John<br />
J. Bost, pastor. Jang Dae Hyun<br />
<strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, Woodside,<br />
NY: Rev. Heung Ik Cha, pastor.<br />
Luke 22:39-46. Wildhurst <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Roanoke, VA: Dr. William<br />
Harris, supply.<br />
29<br />
30<br />
31<br />
1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Salem <strong>ARP</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Atoka, TN: Rev. Charles<br />
Todd, pastor. Tapestry <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>,<br />
Charlotte, NC: Rev. Jarvis Ross,<br />
mission developer.<br />
Psalm 119:25-32. Erskine Seminary<br />
Professor: Dr. Mark Ross, <strong>Associate</strong><br />
Professor of Systematic Theology.<br />
Genesis 39:1-6. Future Vision <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, Flushing, NY: Rev. Jin<br />
Hwa Kim, mission developer. Gaston<br />
Community <strong>Church</strong>, Gastonia, NC:<br />
Rev. Mark Tankersley, pastor.<br />
* denotes mission church.<br />
Lessons and/or Readings based on International<br />
Sunday School Lessons. The International Bible<br />
Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2001<br />
by the Committee on the Uniform Series.<br />
December Events<br />
2 Classes end, Erskine Seminary<br />
6 Classes end, Erskine College<br />
5-9 Final Exams, Erskine Seminary<br />
8-13 Final Exams, Erskine College<br />
23 E.E. Pressly birthday (founder of<br />
Erskine College and Seminary<br />
23-27 Christmas Holidays,<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> Center Offices Closed<br />
25 Christmas Day<br />
26 Boxing Day (Canada)<br />
30 <strong>ARP</strong> Center Closed<br />
110 Calvary Home Circle, Anderson, SC 29621<br />
864-296-5437<br />
www.calvaryhome.org<br />
“Providing help and hope to children in need<br />
through the power of Christ”<br />
16 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
A Devotion From<br />
Serenity Acres<br />
THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS<br />
By Barbara Thayer<br />
Christmas preparations seem to take place earlier and earlier each year! Even<br />
before Halloween, I saw stores pulling out Christmas displays, and some<br />
folks even begin decorating their homes in early October with thousands<br />
of lights.<br />
As I thought about this, I came up with a theory. Most of us look forward to the<br />
holidays. There seems to be more good will and happiness than at any other season;<br />
so I believe that people like to start celebrating early because they are looking for<br />
joy and light in an otherwise darkened world.<br />
With the economy sagging, unemployment high, and tensions between nations,<br />
we need something to sing about, smile about and look forward to. Blaise Pascal<br />
wrote that man has a God-shaped vacuum in his heart that nothing or no one can<br />
fill but Christ.<br />
Society can try to dodge the “Light of the World” by removing public crèche displays<br />
and taking Christmas plays out of the public schools in order to be “religion<br />
neutral.” But no one can eradicate the Word made flesh who dwelt among us full of<br />
wisdom and truth. He is the light of the world that no one can extinguish!<br />
God’s Gift<br />
While some declare this season to be far too commercial, I see it from a different<br />
perspective. God was the first gift giver. When we were lost in sin and our minds<br />
were darkened, He sent His only Son into the world to save us. John 3:16 reads: “For<br />
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes<br />
in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”<br />
God gave the most costly gift of all, so that by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ<br />
our sins would be covered and washed away. Jesus took on our sins and gave to<br />
us His righteousness. What a gift exchange!<br />
We can never repay Him, but<br />
we can obey Him by demonstrating His<br />
love to one another.<br />
Certainly, down through the years,<br />
the custom of gift giving at Christmas<br />
reflected not only God’s greatest gift to<br />
us but also reflected the gifts which the<br />
Wise Men brought to the Christ child.<br />
Have we really taken time to consider<br />
this aspect of our celebration<br />
When I was growing up, my family<br />
exchanged gifts as a way of demonstrating<br />
their love and respect for one another.<br />
Honoring the Lord was foremost in<br />
our festivities, but when we gave gifts,<br />
it was with the understanding we were<br />
in a very small way showing the love of<br />
Christ to another. Cost was not a factor.<br />
It was the intent of the heart that mattered<br />
most.<br />
My widowed grandmother gave us<br />
cookies, homemade fudge and other<br />
treats as her gift. I cannot think of anything<br />
better, because she labored over<br />
this with love. The reflection of her faith<br />
is what made every bite sweet!<br />
Whether it is gift giving, taking time<br />
to visit with a friend, or passing along<br />
our faith at work or play, we keep<br />
the Spirit of Christmas alive by demonstrating<br />
the love of Christ to those<br />
around us. There is no power which<br />
can stop God’s Word from going<br />
forth and bringing the results He desires.<br />
We are His instruments and<br />
ambassadors in this dark world. This<br />
Christmas, let us do all for the glory of<br />
God and radiate the love of Christ to<br />
those around us. This is the real meaning<br />
of our celebration.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 17
Christian Education Ministries<br />
TIMOTHY AN UNLIKELY MISSIONARY<br />
Author: P. Frank van Dalen<br />
Publisher: Christian Education Ministries, <strong>ARP</strong> Synod, 2011.<br />
Cost: $8.00<br />
Sourcing this book: www.arpcem.com www.arpbookstore.com<br />
By Dirk J. van Garderen<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> Executive Director of World Witness Frank van Dalen was born and raised in Mangere, New Zealand.<br />
He completed a law degree at Victoria University and went on to study at Westminster Seminary in<br />
Philadelphia to prepare for ministry. There he met and married Emily Wilder, a third-generation daughter of<br />
missionaries working in Pakistan.<br />
The challenge to both Emily and Frank to serve in Pakistan was truly a call prepared and made possible by<br />
God. They served there (mainly in Karachi) for 12 years (1983-1995). The Van Dalens, along with their three<br />
children, eventually returned and settled in South Carolina.<br />
I was recently made aware that van Dalen had published a little book (92 pages) about Timothy, whom<br />
he labels as an unlikely missionary. Its intent is to stir up and encourage young men and women today to<br />
consider becoming a missionary. Most of us, when challenged immediately, respond, “What Me” and then<br />
give a long list of reasons why that could not be!<br />
By examining the life and ministry of Timothy and especially the advice, guidance, directions and encouragement<br />
given to him by his spiritual mentor, Paul, as well as reflections on his own experiences in Pakistan,<br />
van Dalen presents a very readable and compelling challenge to young men and women to think again.<br />
I thoroughly enjoyed reading what this small book has to say and believe it would be helpful to place it in<br />
church libraries and as a good tool for elders and pastors who see young people as Paul saw Timothy. Upon<br />
reading it, I was great encouraged and also kept on thinking. “I must challenge _____ to read it!”<br />
The closing paragraphs are worth quoting:<br />
“Do you have what it takes to be a missionary Don’t ask yourself<br />
whether you are dynamic, clever, or have a vibrant personality. There<br />
is nothing wrong with these things. But the most important thing is<br />
to be a person who pursues godliness. If you have that, you have the<br />
first requirement for being a missionary. And then, if you ever have<br />
the privilege of becoming a missionary, let me assure you that it is the<br />
most rewarding life that you could ever want. There are difficulties<br />
and pain. But there is also a much greater appreciation of God’s grace,<br />
of His Word, and of His people.<br />
“Pray for your missionaries. But don’t feel sorry for them. For being<br />
a missionary like Timothy is one of the greatest privileges that a<br />
man or woman of God can have. I pray that the Lord may one day give<br />
you the privilege of being a missionary.”<br />
van Garderen is a minister of the <strong>Reformed</strong> <strong>Church</strong>es of New Zealand,<br />
where Rev. van Dalen was a member during his childhood.<br />
18 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
By Dr. Brent Turner<br />
First Disciple Makers Equipping Conference<br />
Christian Education Ministries<br />
held its first annual Disciple Makers<br />
Equipping Conference Saturday, Oct.<br />
15 at First <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong> in Gastonia,<br />
NC. Christian educators and pastors<br />
from three states traveled for a day<br />
of workshops centering on Christian<br />
Education. CEM joined with Great<br />
Commission Publications to sponsor<br />
this event.<br />
We are thankful for the churches<br />
that participated in this event and<br />
would like to continue helping our<br />
local churches grow. One educator<br />
said, “The conference was a good<br />
way to focus/reflect as to why and<br />
how we do children’s ministry.” If<br />
you missed this year, please plan to<br />
attend next year.<br />
Conference Quotes<br />
As part of our on-going commitment to provide excellent Christian Education<br />
resources and training, those attending were able to mix and match the<br />
following workshops to meet their particular interests and needs:<br />
Bruce McRae (GCP)<br />
• Christ-Centered Discipleship: the Crying<br />
Need of the Hour<br />
• Equipping, Recruiting and Mobilizing<br />
Others for Service in the Body of Christ<br />
• Leading by Example, Living by the Grace<br />
of Christ<br />
• What is Biblical Christian Education<br />
Dan Boulton (GCP)<br />
• Helping Parents Prepare Their Children<br />
for Public Worship<br />
• How to Disciple Students Away<br />
From Class<br />
• How to Have an effective Sunday<br />
School in a Small or Midsize <strong>Church</strong><br />
• How to Prepare, Teach and Lead<br />
Youth Bible Study<br />
Christian Education Ministries<br />
“Thank you for the helpful and<br />
encouraging workshops last Saturday<br />
at First <strong>ARP</strong> of Gastonia. The conference<br />
was definitely beneficial.”<br />
-Sissy Baron<br />
“Thank you very much for teaching<br />
at this past weekend’s seminar.<br />
I really enjoyed the various workshops.<br />
I hope this is a repeat seminar.<br />
I will encourage other members of<br />
our church to attend. Please let me<br />
know if there are other such activities<br />
going on.”<br />
-Marty Gillian<br />
“The conferences provide a forum<br />
to gain insight of others in the same<br />
situation.”<br />
-Elaine Reed<br />
“The CEM workshops are effective<br />
and very helpful.”<br />
-Donald Spry<br />
Judi Hodges (CEM)<br />
• Ministry Across Generations<br />
• Creative Outreach Ideas; Moving the<br />
Walls Out<br />
• Planning a Year for Balanced Spiritual<br />
Growth<br />
Dr. Brent Turner (CEM)<br />
• Intentional Youth Ministry<br />
• Building a Youth Ministry Team<br />
Statistical Report Packages<br />
Annual Statistical Reports and Presbytery Forms go out by email (by mail to those who do not<br />
have email) December 1 in an effort to give adequate time for gathering all the data. Forms should be<br />
completed and returned to the <strong>ARP</strong> Center by February 1.<br />
Remember: The information provided by churches is important for a variety of reasons including:<br />
*membership statistics<br />
*stewardship totals<br />
*curriculum planning<br />
*denominational database updates<br />
<strong>Church</strong>es are encouraged to enter the data online. If you do not receive a packet of forms in early<br />
December, please contact Cindy (cscott@arpsynod.org or 864-232-8297 Ext 221).<br />
DECEMBER 2011 19
Pleasant Hill’s legacy will continue<br />
Bonclarken<br />
By Chip Sherer<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
No v e m b e r<br />
6th marked<br />
a sad day<br />
for our denomination<br />
as Pleasant<br />
Hill <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
in Heath Springs,<br />
SC, held its last Sunday service. Since<br />
1899, Pleasant Hill has been very active<br />
in serving their community, Catawba<br />
Presbytery, Synod, and Synod’s<br />
agencies. The Pleasant Hill congregation<br />
had the vision for their church to<br />
leave a legacy upon closing, and their<br />
wonderful choice of this legacy is<br />
worth sharing.<br />
Bonclarken and Pleasant Hill will<br />
forever be linked through the servant<br />
leadership of Rev. J.L. and Mrs. Eva<br />
Maloney. Beginning in the spring of<br />
1950, Rev. Maloney became Director<br />
of Bonclarken, serving full-time during<br />
the summer season and returning<br />
to serve Pleasant Hill and Oak Ridge<br />
churches the rest of the year.<br />
This arrangement continued<br />
through 1960, with Rev. Maloney<br />
serving Bonclarken skillfully with his<br />
abilities in carpentry, electrical repair,<br />
and all things <strong>ARP</strong>. Rev. Maloney<br />
died in 1971. His wife Eva recently<br />
turned 102 and is still a regular visitor<br />
to their home just outside our south<br />
entrance. They were both inducted<br />
into our Honor Roll of Visionaries and<br />
Servant Leaders as Charter Members<br />
in 2004.<br />
This Bonclarken/Pleasant Hill relationship<br />
continued after Rev. Maloney’s<br />
death, as Pleasant Hill would<br />
hold church weekends with us for<br />
many years. However, it was through<br />
the church’s support of Camp Joy that<br />
the relationship thrived. Numerous<br />
volunteers from Pleasant Hill have<br />
served at Camp Joy in all areas of operation...from counselor to crafts to food<br />
service. For the past few years, a group of volunteers from Pleasant Hill have<br />
prepared all meals for each session.<br />
Honoring Maloneys, Camp Joy<br />
At the March 8 meeting of Catawba Presbytery, the motion to close Pleasant<br />
Hill was approved. Shortly thereafter, I received a phone call from Mitchell<br />
Faulkenberry, clerk of the Pleasant Hill Session, letting me know that the church<br />
desired to give Bonclarken $200,000 to establish the “Pleasant Hill / Dr. J.L. and<br />
Mrs. Eva B. Maloney Endowment Fund.” The proceeds from this fund are to be<br />
used solely for the support of Camp Joy.<br />
I spoke with Ann Brice, director of Camp Joy, regarding Pleasant Hill’s contributions.<br />
“Our wonderful friends at Pleasant Hill have played a major role in<br />
making Camp Joy happen for many years now. Not only with counselors and<br />
staff, but also through the work of Sheryl Thomas and her team of volunteers<br />
that provides our meals. Having Pleasant Hill honor Camp Joy with this wonderful<br />
gift means so much.”<br />
On May 1, I joined Ann and Brent Turner, director of Christian Education<br />
Ministries, in visiting Pleasant Hill. We were able to thank them for this decision<br />
to honor the Maloneys, Camp Joy, and Bonclarken through their generous gift.<br />
As demographics of an area change, churches are faced with difficult decisions<br />
such as the one faced by Pleasant Hill. Through the “Pleasant Hill / Dr.<br />
J.L. and Mrs. Eva B. Maloney Fund,” their church will live on in the changed<br />
lives of campers, counselors and staff of Camp Joy.<br />
What a fine legacy to leave.<br />
20 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
A time of flourishing for Erskine students<br />
Erskine<br />
DUE WEST, S.C. — Erskine’s homecoming<br />
celebration Oct. 22 marked the<br />
midpoint of a fall semester focused on the<br />
flourishing of mind, body and spirit.<br />
A series of meaningful events for the<br />
Erskine community took place around<br />
the time of homecoming, including a<br />
special convocation on science and faith;<br />
a productive meeting of the Board of<br />
Trustees; a fall concert by the Choraleers;<br />
the annual “Fall Barbecue and Hymn<br />
Sing” sponsored by Campus Ministry at<br />
Erskine, now officially called <strong>Reformed</strong><br />
University Fellowship (RUF) at Erskine<br />
College; and a special address by Erskine<br />
President Dr. David Norman – hosted by<br />
the Euphemian Literary Society.<br />
When the “Test of Faith” tour stopped<br />
at Erskine Oct. 20, students, faculty and<br />
staff members welcomed Dr. Ruth Bancewicz,<br />
a research associate at the Faraday<br />
Institute for Science and Religion, based<br />
at St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge<br />
University. A convocation featuring both<br />
Bancewiz’s remarks and clips from the<br />
documentary film “Test of Faith” was designed<br />
to spark an ongoing conversation,<br />
and a follow-up convocation a week later<br />
was led by Erskine science faculty and<br />
students in a panel discussion.<br />
The Erskine Board of Trustees met<br />
Oct. 20-21 and received updates from the<br />
president and his cabinet, including an indepth<br />
report from Chief Communications<br />
Officer Cliff Smith, and also heard from<br />
student-athletes about community life<br />
and spiritual formation.<br />
“I reviewed all the work we had done<br />
to support the recruiting effort, showing<br />
them the new admissions site and giving<br />
them a tour of the process of personalizing<br />
our interaction with prospects and<br />
inquiries,” Smith said.<br />
Four student-athletes from fall semester<br />
sports teams “each spoke of their<br />
enjoyment of the community life and<br />
how being an athlete at Erskine enriched<br />
their experience,” Smith said. Asked by<br />
the president about spiritual formation,<br />
all the athletes described Erskine as “an<br />
Erskine Alumni Director Buddy Ferguson, driver. Left to right: Senior Homecoming<br />
Representatives Taylor Wolfe, Gastonia, NC; Kate Setzer, Columbia, SC; Lane<br />
Bradley, Richburg, SC; and Amanda Reavis, Mocksville, NC. Also, Julia Price, N.<br />
Augusta, SC.<br />
excellent environment” in which to pursue<br />
their faith, and “each mentioned<br />
their team being a part of that endeavor,”<br />
Smith reported.<br />
The trustees gathered in small groups<br />
to discuss questions posed by the president,<br />
pondering, for example, what<br />
Erskine can do that no other institution<br />
can do, and also considering what might<br />
be the two or three greatest opportunities<br />
facing Erskine’s leadership. “Overall the<br />
mood seemed very collegial,” Smith said.<br />
Erskine student musicians took the<br />
stage Oct. 21 when the Choraleers, Chamber<br />
Singers and Fleetones, directed by<br />
the newest member of Erskine’s music<br />
faculty, Mark Nabholz, performed in a<br />
program ranging from Latin motets to<br />
artful hymn arrangements and including<br />
some secular compositions as well. The<br />
Choraleers finish the semester with “An<br />
Erskine Christmas,” their annual holiday<br />
concert, set for Dec. 2-3.<br />
Homecoming activities included the<br />
traditional float contest, parade, cookout,<br />
musical performances, athletic matches<br />
and homecoming court, with senior<br />
Taylor Wolfe of Gastonia named homecoming<br />
queen. Also scheduled during<br />
homecoming this year was the Flying<br />
Fleet Hall of Fame, inducting several<br />
alumni who have made significant contributions<br />
to Erskine athletics.<br />
For a number of years, many Erskine<br />
students have spent their Sunday evenings<br />
“at the barn” on Chaplain Paul Patrick’s<br />
property. In that tradition, a special<br />
concert and hymn sing with “Indelible<br />
Grace,” that included a catered barbecue<br />
supper, drew a crowd of students, faculty,<br />
staff members and guests Oct. 23. Indelible<br />
Grace Music describes its ministry as<br />
helping the church “to recover the tradition<br />
of putting old hymns to new music<br />
for each generation, and to enrich our<br />
worship with a huge view of God and His<br />
indelible grace.”<br />
The Euphemian Literary Society hosted<br />
an outdoor address by Dr. David Norman<br />
Monday, Oct. 24. Following an invocation<br />
and introduction by members of the society,<br />
the president spoke about community<br />
and what it means to be an authentically<br />
Christian liberal arts community.<br />
“God is our center and our ground, he<br />
is our example, he is our redeemer, and he<br />
is also our comforter,” Norman declared.<br />
“He is the creator, and yet he identified<br />
himself with his creation. He participated<br />
in our community even though he knew<br />
our community was so messy that the<br />
cross is the end result.”<br />
Christ’s example, Norman said, “calls<br />
us to be gracious with one another, to forgive<br />
one another.” <br />
DECEMBER 2011 21
Outreach North America<br />
DR. ALAN J. AVERA<br />
Executive Director<br />
When I came into the <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
25 years ago, there were only<br />
seven presbyteries. Today there<br />
are 10. One day soon, there may be 11.<br />
Of the three new presbyteries formed<br />
since I became an <strong>ARP</strong>, two of the three<br />
are the result of an existing presbytery<br />
intentionally helping give birth to a new<br />
presbytery. Only the Pacific Presbytery<br />
was born without first being part of an<br />
existing presbytery.<br />
Planting a New Presbytery<br />
I was originally ordained in the Virginia<br />
Presbytery, but that presbytery soon<br />
helped give birth to the Northeast Presbytery.<br />
In the 1980’s, Virginia Presbytery<br />
provided a new home for several congregations<br />
from Maryland, Pennsylvania,<br />
and New York that had left the PCUSA<br />
and were looking for a more biblically<br />
faithful home. Northeast was formed<br />
from these transfer congregations and<br />
from new church plants.<br />
Very early in its history, Northeast began<br />
establishing new mission congregations<br />
in Canada. Many of these missions<br />
came from core groups that had broken<br />
away from another denomination, and<br />
were looking for a new home in the same<br />
way that most of the original Northeast<br />
Presbytery congregations had found a<br />
home in Virginia Presbytery.<br />
Before long, Canada became a significant<br />
region of ministry within Northeast<br />
Presbytery. The geography of the presbytery<br />
was immense; from suburban Washington,<br />
DC, to the northern tip of Nova<br />
Scotia. Soon Northeast began making<br />
plans for giving birth to a new presbytery.<br />
At the appropriate time, Synod approved<br />
making the Canadian Presbytery a new<br />
presbytery – distinct from Northeast.<br />
In the same way, Catawba Presbytery<br />
will some day in the near future help give<br />
birth to a new presbytery in Louisiana,<br />
Texas, and maybe farther west. Catawba<br />
has taken in new churches and established<br />
mission congregations in Houston<br />
and in Louisiana. Now they are launching<br />
a new mission in Dallas. In our From the<br />
Field article this month, we introduce you<br />
to the work in Dallas.<br />
Introducing King’s Parish <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
Dallas, Texas<br />
By Rev. David Winburne<br />
Why have I uprooted my family and<br />
moved to Dallas, Texas, after serving as an<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> pastor for 10 years in Huntersville, NC<br />
First, you need to know that I love our denomination.<br />
Let me explain – I’m a city boy<br />
from Dallas. I did not grow up an <strong>ARP</strong>. I knew<br />
nothing of Bonclarken, the Bible Song Book, or<br />
the Old Brick <strong>Church</strong>. Nor had I experienced<br />
a kind, non-contentious <strong>Reformed</strong> group. I<br />
transferred my ministerial credentials from<br />
another <strong>Reformed</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong> denomination<br />
in 2001.<br />
While pastoring in Huntersville, I learned<br />
much. Hopefully, I learned how to study, pray,<br />
preach and be a friend. People do not want a<br />
professional coming to see them when they<br />
suffer, they want a friend to weep with them,<br />
rejoice with them, and remind them of the presence<br />
and promises of God in good times and in<br />
bad. I also learned that the <strong>ARP</strong> was my home.<br />
I had stumbled into a group of pastors<br />
with whom I did not have to compete. I<br />
love the <strong>ARP</strong> because I do not have to be a<br />
celebrity to be in the club. Here, I am content<br />
with being faithful, prayerful, and kind.<br />
The <strong>ARP</strong> really is an older, kinder, gentler<br />
<strong>Reformed</strong> body the rest of the world needs to know about! That brings me to this whole church<br />
planting thing.<br />
While in North Carolina, I had people I had pastored before in Texas asking me to return and<br />
serve there. My answer for well over nine years was, “No! I have found a home here and there is<br />
much work to be done in seeking to bring myself and my church to maturity.”<br />
I so wanted the church to be a family that deeply celebrated the person of our God, sought to<br />
comprehend the Scriptures, strove to build a rich, caring community, and showed the compassion<br />
of Christ to the world. My dear session and I fought for that vision for 10 years. Now, by the grace<br />
of God, I can say the church is fairly healthy.<br />
Taking the <strong>ARP</strong> Home<br />
In my tenth year at Huntersville, the call came again to return to Dallas. This time the call sunk<br />
deep into my heart. Suddenly, a dream was born. I deeply desired to take what I had grown to<br />
love and appreciate about the <strong>ARP</strong> to my hometown that needed a church reformed in doctrine,<br />
pastoral in nature, and evangelistic in heart.<br />
I arrived in Dallas, with the support of Catawba Presbytery and ONA, in June of 2011. There<br />
was a group of 19 committed future <strong>ARP</strong>s waiting on me! We started meeting in one of our homes<br />
for singing, prayer, preaching, and planning. This group is excited and faithful, and they spread<br />
the word to their friends. We have grown and started meeting in a public building. Visitors are<br />
coming and returning. <strong>Church</strong> planting is hard, but really fun work.<br />
There are few <strong>Reformed</strong> churches in this city of 1.2 million people (and a surrounding metro<br />
area of 6.5 million). As far back as 1998, ONA has desired to see the <strong>ARP</strong> expand to Dallas, but until<br />
now it has not happened. We have much work to<br />
do. Please pray for King’s Parish.<br />
We want to do three things: Worship the living<br />
God; worship together (in everyday community);<br />
and take our worship (through extending<br />
the friendship of Jesus) to those who deny Him.<br />
Texas does need our Savior, and we think it also<br />
needs the <strong>ARP</strong> denomination. We want to see a<br />
pastorally-involved, graciously-reformed church<br />
for every 300 people. That means a lot of new <strong>ARP</strong><br />
churches in Dallas! May it be so, Lord Jesus!<br />
22 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
THE LORD IS AT WORK IN GUADALAJARA<br />
FRANK VAN DALEN<br />
Executive Director<br />
of World Witness<br />
World Witness<br />
Iam used to seeing empty cathedrals<br />
when I have visited<br />
them on weekdays. However,<br />
one Sunday evening, as I was<br />
in downtown Guadalajara with<br />
some World Witness missionaries,<br />
I stepped inside the doors of the<br />
main Roman Catholic Cathedral<br />
to observe the worship.<br />
I was surprised to see every seat<br />
filled with well over 1,000 worshippers,<br />
each intently observing the<br />
priestly rituals at the front. I was<br />
greatly challenged by the overwhelming<br />
task of reaching this city<br />
of nine million people, 98 percent<br />
of whom are Roman Catholic.<br />
Then I recalled the morning’s<br />
worship service at a <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
church led by PCA missionary,<br />
Rev. Kenton Wood. The Lord has<br />
blessed him with many talents,<br />
and he has used them well. Every<br />
Sunday, there are five Hispanic services<br />
at the <strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong> in<br />
central Guadalajara, where he pastors.<br />
There are also at least four<br />
church plants which have been<br />
sponsored by that congregation.<br />
The Rev. Kenton Wood is eager<br />
to see <strong>ARP</strong> involvement in the<br />
task. With nine million people in<br />
Guadalajara and only 1 percent<br />
evangelical Christian, there is still<br />
much work to be done to reach<br />
those who God has chosen to be in<br />
His <strong>Church</strong> in that city.<br />
Missionaries sharing breakfast with the Rev. Kenton Wood<br />
on right<br />
World Witness missionaries in front of the main Roman Cathedral<br />
DECEMBER 2011 23
<strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries<br />
God’s Word – More Than a Historical Document<br />
ELAINE REED<br />
President<br />
By John E. Kuykendall, Ph. D.<br />
In the beginning was the Word, and<br />
the Word was with God, and the<br />
Word was God. He was in the beginning<br />
with God. All things were made<br />
through Him, and without Him nothing<br />
was made that was made. In Him was<br />
life, and the life was the light of men. And<br />
the light shines in the darkness, and the<br />
darkness did not comprehend it (John<br />
1:1-5 NKJV).<br />
During the advent season we celebrate<br />
the point in time that Christ was<br />
born fully human yet fully divine. For<br />
33 years Jesus lived on earth, requiring<br />
food, water, and rest. He was tempted<br />
and endured pain. There were times<br />
He enjoyed the fellowship of His followers<br />
and there times His followers<br />
denied Him. But He still came.<br />
John 1:1-5 is the most succinct genealogy<br />
of Christ: He has been with<br />
God from the beginning. John’s use<br />
of the term “Word” captured the attention<br />
of Jews and Gentiles. The<br />
Greek definition, when applied to the<br />
universe, means “the rational principle<br />
that governs all things” (NIV<br />
Study Notes). In the Jewish culture<br />
the term was a way to refer to God.<br />
God has provided His written<br />
Word to us within the pages of the<br />
Bible. For Christians it is more than<br />
a historical document, it is our guide<br />
that governs all things. Through<br />
the revelation of the Holy Spirit, as<br />
we read our Bibles, we learn about<br />
the character of God, His commandments<br />
and statutes for our lives, His<br />
relationship with His people throughout<br />
history and about the development<br />
of the Christian church.<br />
At the October Disciple Makers<br />
Conference hosted by Christian Education<br />
Ministries, Dr. Bruce H. McRae<br />
called the Bible “the most interesting<br />
book in the world.” But as the director<br />
of <strong>Church</strong> Relations for Great<br />
Commission Publications, Dr. McRae<br />
has seen first-hand the results of the<br />
trend to teach the morals behind Bible<br />
stories rather than the context.<br />
Alarming Test Results<br />
In August 1999, Christianity Today<br />
published Gary M. Burge’s article,<br />
“The Greatest Story Never Read.”<br />
Burge described a study completed<br />
by the Bible and Theology department<br />
at Wheaton College. For four<br />
years the researchers studied the<br />
biblical and theological literacy of incoming<br />
freshmen.<br />
The group represented every state<br />
and the vast majority of protestant denominations.<br />
The results were alarming:<br />
“One-third of the freshmen could<br />
not put the following in order: Abraham,<br />
the Old Testament prophets, the<br />
death of Christ, and Pentecost.<br />
Half could not sequence: Moses in<br />
Egypt, Isaac’s birth, Saul’s death, and<br />
Judah’s exile. One-third could not<br />
identify Matthew as an apostle from<br />
a list of New Testament names.<br />
When asked to locate the biblical<br />
book supplying a given story, onethird<br />
could not find Paul’s travels in<br />
Acts; half did not know that the Christmas<br />
story was in Matthew or that the<br />
Passover story was in Exodus.”<br />
Burge concludes: “This presents<br />
a formidable problem for anyone<br />
wishing to understand the spiritual<br />
thought-world of the New Testament.<br />
Each of the New Testament writers<br />
was steeped in the biblical stories of<br />
the Old Testament, and they all employed<br />
allusions to these stories in<br />
order to convey deeper meaning to<br />
their message.<br />
Students who cannot identify<br />
Samuel or David with ease (much<br />
less understand the deeper nuances<br />
in their stories in the Old Testament)<br />
are at a loss to understand the<br />
New Testament.”<br />
Reversing The Trend<br />
If asked to defend our faith or<br />
share the message of the Gospel,<br />
would you or I fare much better<br />
Only through the reading and proclamation<br />
of God’s Word will this trend<br />
be reversed. As we approach 2012 it<br />
is a good time to consider how we<br />
might improve our own understanding<br />
of scripture and develop a richer<br />
and deeper relationship with the One<br />
who makes it possible.<br />
There are several versions of reading<br />
through the Bible in one year,<br />
such as Harvest House Publishers’<br />
The NIV Daily Bible: In Chronological<br />
Order or Crossway Books & Bibles’<br />
The One Year Bible produced in several<br />
versions. There are a wide variety<br />
of reading plans: chronological, historical,<br />
beginning to end, or daily Old<br />
and New Testament readings.<br />
In today’s cyber age, you can track<br />
your progress online. There are even<br />
apps available for the iPad, iPhone,<br />
and Android phones to aid you in<br />
your quest (for a list of resources go<br />
to www.arpwm.org). Regardless of<br />
how we incorporate God’s Word in<br />
our lives, may it be intimate and deep<br />
so that we might better know, love,<br />
and serve Jesus.<br />
Chairman, Department of<br />
History and Political Science,<br />
Charleston Southern University<br />
24 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
ELIZABETH M. BURNS<br />
Coordinator<br />
For to us a child is born, to us a son<br />
is given, and the government shall<br />
be upon His shoulder, and His<br />
name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,<br />
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,<br />
Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).<br />
These words are most precious to<br />
all Christians all over the world all<br />
year long, but they are particularly<br />
so at this time of year as we prepare<br />
to celebrate the birth of Christ, God’s<br />
greatest gift to the world.<br />
Living in a confusing world, overpowered<br />
by forces beyond our control<br />
leaving one to feel alone and unsettled,<br />
God has given to all humanity<br />
exactly what it needs: Christ Jesus, the<br />
Perfect Gift! But so few know the wisdom<br />
of His counsel, the power of His<br />
presence, the joy of being His child,<br />
or the comfort of His peace.<br />
Though the world craves these<br />
things, it will never find them, since<br />
those of the world refuse to recognize<br />
the purpose of God’s Perfect Gift: salvation<br />
through the forgiveness of sin!<br />
. . .you shall call His name Jesus, for He<br />
will save his people from their sins (Matthew<br />
1:21b). The world wants what<br />
Isaiah 9:6 promises, but not what<br />
Matthew 1:21 provides.<br />
I am reminded of a verse I once<br />
read in a Christmas card: “If our greatest<br />
need had been information, God<br />
would have sent an educator. If our<br />
greatest need had been technology,<br />
God would have sent us a scientist.<br />
If our greatest need had been money,<br />
God would have sent an economist.<br />
But since our greatest need was forgiveness,<br />
God sent us a Savior.”<br />
May it be the prayer of God’s people<br />
this Christmas for the eyes of the<br />
blind to be opened that they may see<br />
God’s Perfect Gift<br />
who Jesus truly is, not just who they<br />
want Him to be. Then and only then<br />
will the benefits of God’s Gift be realized<br />
and enjoyed to the fullest!<br />
Purpose of Gift<br />
Recognizing a gift and it’s purpose<br />
is important in others areas of life as<br />
well. How silly it would be to receive<br />
a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer, only to<br />
use it as a doorstop. Though heavy<br />
enough to do the job, the full benefit<br />
of the gift will never be realized if it is<br />
never used for it’s intended purpose.<br />
While the gift of a treadmill or exercise<br />
bike may make a convenient<br />
clothesline, it doesn’t do a thing for<br />
your waistline. This same truth applies<br />
to the individual gifts God gives<br />
to His children for the building up of<br />
the body of Christ.<br />
How uncomfortable it is to isolate<br />
someone with the gift of hospitality in<br />
an office, attending to administrative<br />
duties. What gain is there in confining<br />
someone with the gift of teaching<br />
children to the kitchen washing dishes<br />
Where is the wisdom in assigning<br />
a gifted musician to greet and usher<br />
in the people instead of welcoming<br />
them in with song<br />
Certain times and situations will<br />
require each of us to help out in an<br />
area or areas not in keeping with our<br />
specific gifts or talents. But if our<br />
goal is to see the body of Christ<br />
work efficiently, effectively and<br />
with great joy, the way God intends<br />
it should, then you and I have the<br />
responsibility to recognize the Godgiven<br />
gifts of others and to encourage<br />
them to seek places and opportunities<br />
to use their gifts that all may enjoy<br />
the benefits to their fullest.<br />
Use, Share Gifts<br />
While this may sound impossible<br />
to some, I have seen this truth at work<br />
in Women’s Ministries of Rowan <strong>ARP</strong><br />
in Lugoff, SC. I have had the privilege<br />
of meeting with these ladies twice for<br />
fellowship and worship. I am amazed<br />
by their relationship with one another<br />
and the ease with which each woman<br />
works in this body of believers.<br />
These women are not only sensitive<br />
to the gifts and abilities of<br />
one another, they encourage each<br />
other to use and share their gifts<br />
so the entire group is built up and<br />
strengthened. While I and the ladies<br />
of Rowan know they are not perfect,<br />
they lack no good thing. They understand<br />
God has brought them all<br />
together, each with particular gifts<br />
for His purposes; and only as they<br />
recognize and appropriately use the<br />
gifts He has given, will the good<br />
things He has promised be fully realized<br />
and enjoyed.<br />
Is this your experience in your<br />
Women’s Ministries As you pray for<br />
the eyes of the blind to be opened to<br />
the Perfect Gift, will you also pray for<br />
God to open your eyes to the gifts of<br />
the women in your church, so all may<br />
be encouraged and enjoy the benefits<br />
of God’s gifts to the fullest!<br />
DECEMBER 2011 25<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries
<strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries<br />
Preparing for a Milestone Event in 2014!<br />
By Joanne Hamilton<br />
Every year in July, the women of the<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong> gather together at Bonclarken<br />
for their Annual Meeting in order to conduct<br />
the business of the organization and<br />
set the course for the coming year. In July<br />
of 2014, we will be doing much more than<br />
that—we will be marking the 100th Annual<br />
Meeting of the <strong>ARP</strong> women! What<br />
a momentous opportunity to give thanks<br />
for the faithful women in our history, take<br />
stock of where we are today, and affirm<br />
our vision for the future!<br />
The <strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries Board<br />
has already begun to brainstorm how to<br />
celebrate this milestone event, and we<br />
have concluded that one afternoon will<br />
not be sufficient to engage all the wonderful<br />
ideas that have been springing forth!<br />
Contemplating a two day celebration is<br />
generating a lot of excitement!<br />
A special committee will be appointed<br />
to oversee the planning. That committee<br />
will be assisted hopefully by many<br />
women across the denomination. It is our<br />
prayer that women of all ages—younger,<br />
older, and in between—will be inspired to<br />
help create a memorable event that will<br />
bring glory to God and a renewed spirit<br />
to His people.<br />
We are counting on many of you to<br />
bring your time, talents, and memories to<br />
the planning table. Please be in prayer as<br />
to your own participation, and watch for<br />
updates in the <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> and on our<br />
website (www.arpwm.org).<br />
Scripture is full of references to the<br />
importance of remembering what has<br />
gone before. From 1 Samuel 7:12: Then<br />
Samuel took a stone and set it up between<br />
Mizpah and Shen, and called its name<br />
Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has<br />
helped us.”<br />
May our celebration of the 100th Annual<br />
Meeting truly be our recognition of<br />
the Lord’s hand in all that came before,<br />
and our petition that He would continue<br />
to help us in our quest to serve Him<br />
through women’s ministry.<br />
Presbyterial History<br />
By Sandra Miller<br />
Presbyterials’ Dates of Organization<br />
1907 Second Presbyterial Union in<br />
Louisville, GA<br />
1909 First Presbyterial Union in Chester, SC<br />
1909 Arkansas Presbyterial Union in<br />
Monticello, AR; disbanded in 1928<br />
1911 Tennessee/Alabama Presbyterial in<br />
Prosperity, TN<br />
1915 Woman’s Synodical Missionary Union<br />
in Due West, SC<br />
1919 Memphis/Louisville Presbyterial Union<br />
in Memphis, TN; dissolved in 1933<br />
1919 First Presbyterial Union divides,<br />
retaining NC churches; SC churches<br />
become Catawba Presbyterial Union<br />
1922 Virginia Presbyterial Union in Steeles<br />
Tavern, VA<br />
1933 Former organizations Memphis/<br />
Louisville and Arkansas combine to<br />
form Mississippi Valley Presbyterial<br />
Union in Salem, TN<br />
1963 Florida Presbyterial in Bartow, FL<br />
As you can tell by the organizational<br />
timeline, the work of the women in the<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong> has a long and distinguished<br />
history—which will be joyfully celebrated<br />
at the 100th Annual Meeting in 2014.<br />
How would we know what to celebrate<br />
if not for the faithful recording by local<br />
and Presbyterial historians over all<br />
these years<br />
Whether your Presbyterial functions<br />
are September to August or January to<br />
December, it’s important for today’s historians<br />
to be mindful of collecting information<br />
all through the year in order to<br />
simplify the task of writing histories at<br />
the end of the year.<br />
As historian, you are entrusted with<br />
recording the activities of your women’s<br />
ministries as they relate to your church,<br />
the various <strong>ARP</strong> agencies, and your community.<br />
One way to accomplish this task<br />
is to use a large binder notebook containing<br />
six double sided pocket folders.<br />
With a pocket for each month, you can<br />
collect notes, photos, bulletins, newspaper<br />
articles—anything relative to your<br />
ministry that would be mentioned in a<br />
year-end history. Information to include<br />
would be names of WM officers and<br />
committee chairmen; special programs<br />
and events; assistance given to your<br />
church or community; and individuals<br />
honored through certificates or pins.<br />
In addition to the WM information,<br />
also include the church information, such<br />
as pastor name(s); officers; church sponsored<br />
programs/events; births; deaths;<br />
weddings; new members; award recipients,<br />
etc. Remember, your news today is<br />
your history tomorrow!<br />
All histories should be printed on acid<br />
free paper. Locals should get their histories<br />
to their Presbyterial historian no later<br />
than March 1. The Presbyterial historian<br />
should forward two copies of each local<br />
history and two copies of the Presbyterial<br />
history to Sandra Miller, 100 Downing<br />
Place, Greer, SC 29650, arriving no later<br />
than April 1.<br />
As we anticipate celebrating the 100th<br />
Annual Meeting, please be thinking about<br />
how your local church and your Presbyterial<br />
might celebrate. Is there a significant<br />
event in your history that should be recognized<br />
when we gather in 2014<br />
26 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
SECOND PRESBYTERY<br />
President<br />
Carole Ellis<br />
236 Pimlico Road<br />
Greenville, SC 29607<br />
864-288-5078<br />
Bellis236@charter.net<br />
President-Elect<br />
Cherry Murph<br />
1110 Humphries Road<br />
Cowpens, SC 29330<br />
864-461-6377<br />
ghbaskets@chesnet.net<br />
Secretary<br />
Cynthia Cooke<br />
4 Welwyn Court<br />
Greenville, SC 29615<br />
864-292-2862 (H)<br />
864-350-3093 (C)<br />
Cooke611@charter.net<br />
Treasurer<br />
Arina Meeuwsen<br />
693 Glochester Place<br />
Norcross, GA 30071<br />
770-378-2714<br />
arinameeuwsen@yahoo.com<br />
Historian<br />
Peggy Harrison<br />
953 Sunset Drive<br />
Greenwood, SC 29646<br />
864-223-0802<br />
ostsbrw@yahoo.com<br />
2012 Retreat Chair<br />
Carole Sexton<br />
654 Weaver Falls Court<br />
Loganville, GA 30052<br />
770-466-7701 (H)<br />
770-876-9491 (C)<br />
sextoncarole@yahoo.com<br />
Conference Chair<br />
Bobbie Anderson<br />
1312 Stillwater Drive<br />
Seneca, SC 29672<br />
864-654-6716<br />
Bobbie.anderson24@gmail.com<br />
Carolina Piedmont Rep<br />
Sandra Miller<br />
100 Downing Street<br />
Greenville, SC 29646<br />
864-244-5737<br />
cnmspm@netzero.net<br />
Old Ninety Six Rep<br />
Joanne Stewart<br />
2546 Highway 54<br />
Clinton, SC 29325<br />
2012 <strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries Officers<br />
864-833-0273<br />
Jts61@bellsouth.net<br />
Savannah Valley Rep<br />
Rita Hodgins<br />
716 Central Road<br />
Thomson, GA 30824<br />
706-595-3739<br />
Ritapearl@bellsouth.net<br />
Western Georgia Rep<br />
Sue Shoger<br />
2548 Highway 54<br />
Moreland, GA 30259<br />
770-253-3794<br />
s.shoger@yahoo.com<br />
CATAWBA PRESBYTERY<br />
President<br />
Carolyn R. Taylor (Columbia First)<br />
4639 Pamlico Circle<br />
Columbia, SC 29206<br />
803-787-8796 home<br />
803-606-2249 cell<br />
yotaylor@earthlink.net<br />
Vice-President<br />
Cathy Wilson (Ebenezer)<br />
4333 Wood Forest Dr.<br />
Rock Hill, SC 29732<br />
803-328-0787<br />
boycewilson@mac.com<br />
Past President<br />
Eve Huffman (Columbia First)<br />
First <strong>Presbyterian</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
1324 Marion St.<br />
Columbia, SC 29201<br />
803-799-9062 Ex. 250<br />
ehuffman@firstprescolumbia.org<br />
Treasurer<br />
Mary Anne Brewer<br />
(Columbia First)<br />
4737 Devereaux Rd.<br />
Columbia, SC 29206<br />
803-782-0638<br />
mab@mabrewer.com<br />
Care Ministry<br />
Ruth Rogers (Edwards Memorial)<br />
1211 Hulon Circle<br />
West Columbia, SC 29169<br />
803-739-1323<br />
Ruth-rogers@juno.com<br />
Secretary<br />
Jenny Edwards (Columbia<br />
First)<br />
4718 Bethel <strong>Church</strong> Rd.<br />
Columbia, SC 29206<br />
803-790-6886 home<br />
803-240-8332 cell<br />
jltedwards@msn.com<br />
Christian Education<br />
Ann Hicklin (Edgemoor)<br />
2141 Hicklin Bridge Rd.<br />
Edgemoor, SC 29712<br />
803-328-0907<br />
hicklr@comporium.net<br />
Historian<br />
Meg Duncan (Centennial)<br />
6457 Goldbranch Rd.<br />
Columbia, SC 29206<br />
803-732-6817<br />
mduncanlbd@aol.com<br />
Spiritual Life<br />
Bessie Ashe (Tirzah)<br />
1183 Parham Rd.<br />
York, SC 29745<br />
803-366-7649<br />
bashe@comporium.net<br />
Training Coordinator<br />
Betsy Rushing (Lancaster First)<br />
1932 Terra Lane<br />
Lancaster, SC 29720<br />
803-285-4579<br />
rushinghome@comporium.net<br />
Missions and Outreach<br />
Lisa King (Columbia First)<br />
4701 Anderson Street<br />
Columbia, SC 29203-4201<br />
803-691-3397<br />
lisak704@gmail.com<br />
Scottish Heritage Tour<br />
Women’s Ministries is planning<br />
to emphasize our Scottish<br />
heritage at the Family<br />
Bible Conference in 2012. Rev.<br />
Athole Rennie, mission developer<br />
at Leith, Scotland, is to be<br />
one of the speakers. I have been<br />
asked to lead a heritage tour of<br />
Scotland in September, 2012. I<br />
will be happy to do so if there<br />
is enough interest. Please let me<br />
know of your interest and a brochure<br />
will be sent to you when<br />
available. Dr. C. H. Carlisle,<br />
Box 185, Due West, S. C. 29639.<br />
Phone 864-379-2266. Email<br />
carlisle@erskine.edu.<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> Women’s Ministries<br />
DECEMBER 2011 27
All In Our Family<br />
By Sharon Griffin<br />
Personal Mention<br />
BETHANY (MS): Terry Hood recently participated<br />
in a marathon. She finished 14.2<br />
miles in 3 hours, 4 minutes.<br />
BETHEL (AL): Olivia Dale was Ninth Grade<br />
Maid in the Wilcox Academy Homecoming<br />
Court.<br />
CAMDEN (AL): Haas Strother was presented<br />
the 2011 Book of Golden Deeds<br />
Award by the Camden Exchange Club.<br />
FAYETTEVILLE (TN): Joshua Martin received<br />
the Eagle Scout award Sept. 22. Maggie<br />
McKamey was a semifinalist in the 57th<br />
annual National Merit Scholarship Program.<br />
FROSTPROOF (FL): John Van Slooten<br />
turned 90 years old on Sept. 18.<br />
GASTONIA FIRST (NC): Elizabeth Maney<br />
was selected as a member of the homecoming<br />
court at Highland Tech. Ashley Fretz<br />
received the Nursing Excellence Award<br />
in the Case Management Department at<br />
Gaston Memorial Hospital. The following<br />
recently celebrated special wedding anniversaries:<br />
Joe & Pat West (53rd, Aug. 22);<br />
Maurice & Carolyn Canaday (54th, Aug.<br />
24); Whitelaw & Dot Carson (66th, Aug.<br />
26); Becky & Russ McKay (50th, Sept.<br />
30); Brenda & Sid Craig (52nd, Oct. 24).<br />
LAKE PLACID (FL): Gene & Maxine Killion<br />
marked 58 years of marriage recently.<br />
LAKE WALES (FL): Edwina & Duane<br />
Hull’s 70th wedding anniversary was celebrated<br />
Oct. 1.<br />
NEELY’S CREEK (SC): Charles Montgomery<br />
has completed 37 years of perfect<br />
attendance at Sunday school, and Marie<br />
Simpson has completed 40 years!<br />
OLD PROVIDENCE (VA): Katherine Davis<br />
turned 88 on Sept. 4.<br />
POTTSVILLE (AR): Mr. & Mrs. C.O. “Junior”<br />
Reasoner celebrated their 50th wedding<br />
anniversary recently.<br />
SEBRING (FL): These couples recently celebrated<br />
their 60th wedding anniversaries:<br />
Don & Ginny Groves (Sept. 1) and David<br />
& Jane Watford (Sept. 23).<br />
SHERWOOD FOREST (SC): On Sunday,<br />
Sept. 18, the congregation voted to honor<br />
Rev. Ron Beard as Pastor Emeritus.<br />
UNION (SC): Lindsey Burton, an eighth<br />
grade student at Lewisville Middle School,<br />
was inducted into the National Junior Beta<br />
Club.<br />
WILDHURST (VA): Percy & Gail Moore celebrated<br />
their 53rd wedding anniversary Oct. 4.<br />
Marriages<br />
COLUMBIA FIRST (SC): Ashley Gray &<br />
Phillip Cease, Sept. 17. Miriam Wingate<br />
& David Ashworth, Oct. 7.<br />
GASTONIA FIRST (NC): Mark Hamm &<br />
Sarah Jarvis, Oct. 8.<br />
GREENVILLE (SC): Abigail Ashley Junker<br />
& Brent Lyle Erickson, Oct. 8.<br />
LAKE PLACID (FL): Tim Sewell & Barbara<br />
Villegas, Oct. 1. Jason Cloud & Linda<br />
Segert, Oct. 8.<br />
NEELY’S CREEK (SC): Philip Edward<br />
Williams, Jr. & Robin Suzanne Young,<br />
Oct. 15.<br />
POTTSVILLE (AR): Annalee Smith & Andrew<br />
Whitehead, Sept. 10.<br />
YORK (SC): Brittany Gibson & Phil<br />
Leake, Oct. 15.<br />
Births<br />
AVON PARK (FL): Matt & Dena Sboto, a<br />
daughter Alma Gloria, July 19.<br />
BACK CREEK (NC): Rev. & Mrs. Jonathan<br />
(Joanna) Rockness, a daughter Addison<br />
Joy, Sept. 11. Tracey & Nate Brubaker, a<br />
daughter Annah Catherine, Sept. 24.<br />
COLUMBIA FIRST (SC): Jill & Scott Timmons,<br />
a son Patrick Scott, Jr., Sept. 13.<br />
Brittney & Christopher Jones, a daughter<br />
Iyla Ruth, Sept. 17. Christie & Joe Eller,<br />
a son Alexander Joseph, Sept. 19. Lauren<br />
& Gregory Hudgens, a son Gibson Childress,<br />
Sept. 22. Mary & Bryan Caskey, a<br />
son Henry Lawson, Sept. 26. Kennerly &<br />
Will Jordan, a daughter Grace, Sept. 29.<br />
DUE WEST (SC): Steven & Molly Ellis, a<br />
daughter Avery Christine, Sept, 17.<br />
EBENEZER (SC): Andrew & Kathleen<br />
Cope, a daughter Penelope Lynn, Sept. 18.<br />
Sam & Misty Shillinglaw, a son Isaac Bailey,<br />
Sept. 30.<br />
FROSTPROOF (FL): Tim & Kristy Christensen,<br />
a son Nicholas Alexander, Sept. 18.<br />
Joey & Stacy Chambers, a daughter Destini<br />
Nichole, Sept. 19.<br />
GASTONIA FIRST (NC): Sarah Fisher, a<br />
daughter Sarah Ann “Sally”, Aug. 3. Gwynn<br />
& John Wharton, a daughter Elizabeth<br />
Gwynne, Sept. 16. Bobby & Jetty (Cope)<br />
Mulwee, a son Ayden Jaxson, Sept. 22.<br />
GOOD NEWS (AZ): Crystal & Walter Reidy,<br />
a son Easton, June 11.<br />
HOPEWELL (MS): Jeff & Amanda Covington,<br />
a daughter Amelia Frances, Sept. 2.<br />
LANCASTER FIRST (SC): Jeff & Shannon<br />
Schrage, a son Walter Maxwell, Sept. 25.<br />
NEELY’S CREEK (SC): Jeff & Katie<br />
Lesslie, a daughter Avah Elizabeth, Sept,<br />
22. Matt & Hope Lawrence Craven, a<br />
daughter Caylin Elizabeth, Sept, 26. Robert<br />
& Nicole Rodriguez, a son Garrett<br />
Landon, Oct. 3.<br />
PISGAH (NC): Andy & Charity Greene, a<br />
son Jacob Alexander, Sept. 25.<br />
Deaths<br />
AVON PARK (FL): Jamie Scranton, 38,<br />
died Sept. 14.<br />
BARTOW (FL): Natalie Becker Bergquist,<br />
82, died Sept. 9. Tom Rowland, 85, died<br />
Sept. 12.<br />
BETHANY (SC): Louis DePaolis, 88,<br />
world-renowned wildlife artist and illustrator,<br />
died Sept. 15.<br />
BURLINGTON (NC): Brenda Macon, 69,<br />
died Oct. 6.<br />
COLUMBIA FIRST (SC): Roy A. Little, Jr.,<br />
84, life-long member, elder, clerk of session,<br />
died Sept. 13. William B. Curtiss, 86, dea-<br />
28 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
IN MEMORY OF ELDER CLARENCE (Wes)<br />
WESLEY RAINEY<br />
February 21, 1917 – November 5, 2010<br />
Clarence Wesley Rainey, 93, beloved and faithful member of the Spartanburg<br />
<strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Church</strong>, died Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, at Spartanburg Regional<br />
Medical Center. Born Feb. 21, 1917, in Starr, SC, he was the son of the late<br />
William Marvin “Jack” and Essie Brown Rainey.<br />
Wes was a retired county and district supervisor for Farmers Home Administration<br />
of the Department of Agriculture. He was a graduate of Anderson<br />
College and a 1939 graduate of Clemson College. Wes taught two<br />
years of agriculture at Gray’s High School (Jasper Co.). He also served in<br />
the US Army during World War II.<br />
Wes was past president of Westview Ruritan Club, a member of the National<br />
Association of Retired Federal Employees, and a 27-year volunteer<br />
for Mobile Meals, which was the longest serving volunteer at the time of<br />
his resignation. During his retirement he worked for nine years as a parttime<br />
fertilizer inspector for Clemson University.<br />
Wes was a member of Spartanburg <strong>Associate</strong> <strong>Reformed</strong> <strong>Presbyterian</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong> for over 50 years. During his time, he served a variety of positions<br />
including church treasurer, deacon, elder, Sunday school superintendent,<br />
and teacher of the Men’s Bible Class. Wes was a mentor to many people<br />
in the church.<br />
In 2001, he was named Elder Emeritus. The ministry closest to his heart<br />
was foreign missions. He was chairman of the Foreign Missions Committee<br />
for many years and supported missions generously with both his general<br />
and designated contributions. Wes loved his Lord and Savior, Jesus<br />
Christ, and he proved it with his words and his actions.<br />
Wes was a devoted family man and is survived by his wife, Juanita<br />
Hicks Rainey; two sons, John Wesley Rainey of Spartanburg, SC, and Perry<br />
R. (Cindy) Rainey of Lexington, SC; and two grandchildren, Cameron<br />
Rainey and Trip Rainey.<br />
This resolution was adopted by the Session at its regular meeting on<br />
Oct. 17, 2011. It was ordered that a copy of this resolution be entered into<br />
the minutes of the Session, published in the <strong>ARP</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, and an original<br />
copy be delivered to his wife, sons and grandsons.<br />
Peter A. Waid, Moderator<br />
David Welch, Clerk<br />
con, choir member for over 30 years, died<br />
Sept. 20. Dorothy Collins Aitken, 76, died<br />
Oct. 3.<br />
CONCORD (NC): Richard Boyd Cochrane,<br />
Sr., 88, died Sept. 19. David E.<br />
“Buddy” Benfield, Scout master for over<br />
30 years, 84, died Sept. 24.<br />
CRAIG AVE./TABERNACLE (NC): Ida<br />
Neal R. Kennedy, 93, life-long member,<br />
died Sept. 8. Eugene Williamson, 90, died<br />
Sept. 9. C. V. Pearce, 89, deacon, elder,<br />
died Sept. 11.<br />
EBENEZER (GA): John T. Clark, 82, deacon,<br />
elder, treasurer, clerk of session for<br />
over 50 years, died Aug. 29. Fannie Belle<br />
Hobbs, 95, member for over 50 years, Sunday<br />
school teacher, died Sept. 22.<br />
EBENEZER (MS): Kenneth McKeown, 71,<br />
died Oct. 9.<br />
FROSTPROOF (FL): Lee Houchins, 87,<br />
died Aug. 27.<br />
GREENWOOD (SC): William Banks Patrick,<br />
40, died Oct. 4.<br />
LAKE PLACID (FL): Waldemar “Wally”<br />
Burger, 73, died Sept. 25.<br />
LANCASTER (SC): Emily McCoy Adams,<br />
91, died Oct. 10.<br />
LAUDERDALE (VA): Sandra Graves<br />
“Sue” Hartless, 73, died Sept. 29.<br />
NEW ALBANY (MS): Marjorie “Jodie”<br />
Shannon, 86, died Sept. 23.<br />
PEACHTREE CORNERS (GA): Frances<br />
May Adams, 88, died Aug. 23.<br />
PISGAH (NC): Isabel Carson Lutz, 79,<br />
died Sept. 13.<br />
UNITY (Lancaster, SC): Seth Austin Muennich,<br />
14, died Sept. 29. Harold Richard<br />
Steele, Sr., 83, died Sept. 29.<br />
WILDHURST (VA): Margie Downey Stott,<br />
86, died Oct. 5.<br />
New Communicant<br />
Members<br />
EBENEZER (GA): Kathy Burke.<br />
EBENEZER (MS): Jane Warrington Davis.<br />
FRENCH CAMP (MS): Tom & Sylvia Dickson,<br />
Michael & Audrey, Madison, Ian,<br />
Connor & Charlotte Paladino.<br />
GOOD NEWS (AZ): Doug & Lisa Douglas,<br />
Alexandria, Erin, & Tyler.<br />
HOPEWELL (MS): Lauren Montana Moody.<br />
LAKE WALES (FL): Carl & Joyce McCollum,<br />
Duane & Kristi Mathis.<br />
POTTSVILLE (AR): Gabriel Miller, Elijah<br />
Wheeler.<br />
PROVIDENCE (TN): Nicholas Adams,<br />
Julie Benedict, Mr. & Mrs. Clint Bowden,<br />
Betty Evans.<br />
RICHLAND (TN): Ryan & Katie Hughes.<br />
Special Services<br />
CONCORD (NC): A missions conference<br />
was held Oct. 15 & 16 with featured speakers<br />
Lonnie Humes and family, Mark Witte,<br />
and Sheila Osborne.<br />
EFFINGHAM (SC): Special services were<br />
held Oct. 9-11 with Rev. Ron Beard as<br />
guest preacher.<br />
NEW AMITY (NC): The 164th anniversary<br />
of the church and its 100th year in Scotts,<br />
NC, were celebrated Oct. 2 at homecoming.<br />
Rev. Andrew Putnam preached.<br />
PISGAH (NC): Rev. Neely Gaston, former<br />
minister, was guest speaker for fall services<br />
Oct. 9.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 29
Installations<br />
BARTOW (FL): Andrew Shoger was ordained<br />
and installed as associate pastor<br />
Sept. 25.<br />
CHALMERS MEMORIAL (NC): Elder -<br />
Tony Basinger.<br />
COLUMBIA FIRST (SC): Elders, Class<br />
of 2015 - James R. Augustine; David E.<br />
Baxley; Louie L. Cason, Jr.; Marion H. Davis;<br />
Thomas R. Gottshall; Henri G. Hart;<br />
Wilmot B. Irvin; James W. Stands; David<br />
J. Van De Water; Richard B. Werts. Elder,<br />
Class of 2013 - David G. Hodges. Elder<br />
Emeriti - Jack S. Graybill; Leif E. Maseng;<br />
Earle G. Tyler. Deacons, Class of 2014 -<br />
Jerry T. Brewer; Frank W. Cason; Charles<br />
H. Cate, Jr.; T. Joseph Chiles; Christopher<br />
Daniels; Kathryn G. Davis; Boyd B.<br />
Jones; Paul D. Kent; Clifton Kitchens;<br />
William D. Marshall, Sr.; John H. Reading;<br />
Harriet M. Rice; W. Marshall Taylor,<br />
Jr.; John A. Wadford; Andrew M. Wilson;<br />
Sandra L. Zimmerman.<br />
EBENEZER (MS): Elder - Glenn Duckworth.<br />
GUM TREE (MS): Elder - Trey Flanagan.<br />
Deacon - Chris Stevenson.<br />
ROCK HILL FIRST (SC): Elders: Spencer<br />
Anderson, Herb Hamilton, Greg Harbin,<br />
Charles Robbins, Max Smith.<br />
SHEPHERD ROAD (FL): Deacon - Rick<br />
Stout.<br />
Graduations<br />
FAYETTEVILLE (TN): Ashton Elizabeth<br />
Hill (Middle TN State University).<br />
POTTSVILLE (AR): High school: Isabel<br />
Wheeler, Thomas Morris, III. College: Annalee<br />
Smith (AR Tech University), Kristin<br />
Morris (University of Arkansas).<br />
Catechism Recitations<br />
EBENEZER (SC): Stephen Berry & Trevor<br />
Newman recited The Children’s Catechism<br />
recently.<br />
Women’s Ministries<br />
CATAWBA PRESBYTERY: The 93rd Annual<br />
Meeting of the Catawba Women’s<br />
Ministries met Oct. 22 at Arsenal Hill<br />
<strong>Church</strong> in Columbia, SC.<br />
CHAPEL BY THE SEA: A retreat was<br />
held Sept. 23 & 24 at Cocoa Beach. The<br />
theme was “Girlfriends Span Generations”<br />
with a biblical focus on the relationship of<br />
Ruth and Naomi.<br />
GASTONIA FIRST (NC): Betsy Smith<br />
was given the Life Membership Award recently.<br />
Officers for 2011-2012 are: Chris<br />
Stowe, president; Susan Williams, vicepresident;<br />
Marsha Keeter, recording secretary;<br />
Alice Auten, treasurer.<br />
PINECREST (NC): First quarterly project<br />
offering will be dedicated to Christ Coastal<br />
Mission for hospitality expenses incurred<br />
in expansion and growth of the church.<br />
SECOND PRESBYTERY: The 13th Annual<br />
Conference for Women’s Ministries<br />
was held Oct.1 at the Thomson, GA,<br />
church. Alena Pelfrey, executive director<br />
of Collins Children’s Home in Seneca,<br />
SC, was guest speaker.<br />
THOMSON (GA): The fall retreat was<br />
held at Fripp Island Oct. 13-16. Sharon<br />
Betters’ book Treasures of Encouragement<br />
was studied.<br />
Memorial Tribute to Mike Braswell<br />
Chalmers Memorial <strong>ARP</strong>C regretfully reports the death of Ruling Elder<br />
Mike Braswell on Saturday, October 22nd. Mike was also our Congregational<br />
Moderator. He was a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill (Phi<br />
Beta Kappa.). His career included six years in the US Navy, many years<br />
as a mortgage agent at NCNB and N. G. Spiers. Mike was a faithful,<br />
smiling, loving asset to Chalmers <strong>Church</strong>. His wisdom was important<br />
to Session decisions. He is greatly missed.<br />
CHURCH PEW CUSHIONS<br />
Padded seats or reversible cushions<br />
DON GREEN UPHOLSTERY<br />
Call collect (864) 277-3795<br />
Write: 1401 Piedmont Hwy., Piedmont, SC 29673<br />
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Structural Fiberglass<br />
STEEPLES<br />
All Sizes and Designs<br />
Call about free proposals<br />
and scaled line drawings<br />
for your church<br />
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Box 388, Troutman, N.C. 28166<br />
Phone 704-528-5321<br />
For over 50 years.<br />
30 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
CLASSIFIED ADS<br />
Bible Chronology – Bible history without chronology is myth. http://paulhansen.mysite.com<br />
ANNOUNCEMENTS<br />
Erskine Director of Alumni Affairs Buddy Ferguson announces he will provide<br />
an Erskine representative to speak at your church. “We can come on<br />
a Wednesday or Sunday night, or speak at any other program that fits your<br />
schedule. We are excited to have a chance to meet with <strong>ARP</strong> churches and<br />
share with them about Erskine. Contact Buddy Ferguson, PO Box 608, Due<br />
West, SC 29639. Or call his office: (864) 379-8727. Cell: (864) 378-5836.<br />
Email: ferguson@erskine.edu. See Erskine’s website: www.erskine.edu.<br />
FOR RENT<br />
BONCLARKEN HOME Weekend or weekly rental at 200 Pine Drive: full<br />
kitchen; complete with washer/dryer and dishwasher. Cozily sleeps 10.<br />
Available year-round. Call 828-674-8277 for reservations.<br />
FOR SALE<br />
ROBAR CHRISTIAN BOOKSELLERS. We buy, sell and trade new and<br />
used Christian books. Contact us at Robarbooks.com.<br />
BONCLARKEN – Kit and Mary Grier’s home at 103 Sycamore Dr. Approximately<br />
1800 sq. ft. w/ central heat and air. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, great<br />
room with vaulted ceiling. Family room with hardwood floor and stone<br />
fireplace. Two wooden decks and screened-in porch. Laundry room with<br />
W/D hook-ups. Great mountain view! Call Effie Jordan 864-379-2888 or<br />
Bill Grier 828-808-1492.<br />
REAL ESTATE<br />
BONCLARKEN - For Sale: Betty Stewart’s home on Bonclarken Lane,<br />
Flat Rock, NC. Two apartments: 1 with 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths; other<br />
has 3 bedrooms 2.5 baths. Deck, garage, laundry room. 2 lots. Asking<br />
$250,000. Call Roxanne Spencer, 704-860-3384.<br />
SERVICES<br />
SABO GRAPHICS®<br />
Signs, Graphics and More: Info at www.sabo.ws or 864.268.4266.<br />
10% discount for all <strong>ARP</strong>s with this ad.<br />
SERVICES NEEDED<br />
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY - Established congregation located in a growing<br />
population area in Catawba Presbytery is searching for a pastor with a heart for<br />
evangelism and church growth who is interested in a challenging bi-vocational<br />
call. If you feel God is leading you in this direction, contact Stephanie Bishop<br />
at Central Services, The <strong>ARP</strong> Center, by calling 864-232-8297, ext 222 or email<br />
sbishop@arpsynod.org to obtain a Ministerial Data Form.<br />
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES - Looking for adults or teenagers who can provide insight<br />
in using technologies such as: YouTube, Facebook, webcast, etc. Contact Elaine<br />
Reed at <strong>ARP</strong>WM.President@gmail.com if you are willing to provide information.<br />
<br />
Just be<br />
<br />
on Sunday<br />
<br />
Enjoy The <strong>ARP</strong> Psalter with Bible Songs through the week!<br />
Crown & Covenant Publications<br />
offers companion products for The <strong>ARP</strong><br />
Psalter and much more. Recordings • online<br />
helps • personalized gift edition • large print<br />
and songleaders edition • embossing.<br />
Ask about our 50% discount on bulk orders.<br />
JOHN DOE<br />
John Doe<br />
412-241-0436 • crownandcovenant.com<br />
DECEMBER 2011 31
Merry Christmas<br />
From the<br />
William H. Dunlap Foundation<br />
Serving orphans on behalf of General Synod since 1978.<br />
For information or to make a donation, contact:<br />
Dunlap Foundation<br />
One Cleveland Street, Greenville, SC 29601 * 864-232-8297