# OPC Assembly



## Glenn Ferrell (May 26, 2009)

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church’s General Assembly convenes Wednesday, May 27th, at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids. It meets until noon, Wednesday, June 3rd, unless business is finished early. Pray for the commissioners and the work of Christ’s Church, or that part of it over which they exercise jurisdiction. 

If any of you visit the Assembly, look me up and say hello.


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## jawyman (May 26, 2009)

See you there and I will being for the work of Christ's church.


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## Edward (May 27, 2009)




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## Knoxienne (May 27, 2009)




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## PresbyDane (May 27, 2009)




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## GTMOPC (May 27, 2009)




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## Backwoods Presbyterian (May 27, 2009)




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## Berean (May 27, 2009)




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## ExGentibus (May 28, 2009)

The thought that somewhere in the world there are faithful churches that uphold the reformed confessions is of great comfort to me.
I will be praying for their work.


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## jwithnell (May 28, 2009)

Could you keep us posted on the new Directory for Public Worship?


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## Romans922 (May 28, 2009)

Let me help JWithnell. They won't approve it yet. 

Someone told me while candidating for an OPC pastorate that some people take pride in the fact that the denomination has spent so long on the Directory of Worship, as if it will make it better.


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## Oecolampadius (May 28, 2009)

Romans922 said:


> Let me help JWithnell. They won't approve it yet.
> 
> Someone told me while candidating for an OPC pastorate that some people take pride in the fact that the denomination has spent so long on the Directory of Worship, as if it will make it better.



That for me is disappointing. I have read a portion of the proposed version and I believe that the proposed revisions are very much needed.


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## Mushroom (May 28, 2009)

Grand Rapids, MI? What, you guys don't want to go see the Mouse like your PCA brethren?

M-I-C-K-E-Y... Oops! nevermind.

May God bless your assembly.


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## Josiah (May 28, 2009)

Chippy said:


> Romans922 said:
> 
> 
> > Let me help JWithnell. They won't approve it yet.
> ...





I think it is good to take time and being careful in the revision, but In other words, why it should take this long. after seeing the APRV I am convinced that it is a good revision and appreciate that it clarifies and tightens the screws on what we believe. 

(FYI the June 2009 Issue of New Horizons looks at the APRV from two perspectives, for and against.)


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## OPC'n (May 28, 2009)




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## ADKing (May 28, 2009)

You can follow the progress through periodic updates here: 2009 General Assembly Report


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## jwithnell (May 29, 2009)

I"m just somewhat confused by a majority report from back in the 90s that tried to make leadership in worship more inclusive. I'm hoping (when?) if they approve a new directory it will bring clarity to this point.


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## Glenn Ferrell (May 29, 2009)

Great reports from the fraternal delegates from the 

BPC
ARP
EPCE&W
FCC, and 
URCNA

today. 

This is always one of the best things about GA. Reports from fraternal delegates are interspersed between other business.

Mostly reports from programs today, Christian Ed, Home Missions, Foreign Missions, etc.

There is probably no major obstacle to the Proposed Revision of the DPW being adopted and sent to the presbyteries this year. We've scheduled a full day for its consideration.

We have three appeals or complaints to deal with. That could eat up a day or more.

Committee meetings and program reports behind us, the real debatable stuff will start tomorrow, Saturday.


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## Marrow Man (May 29, 2009)

Glenn, who was the ARP representative?

Update: Oops, nevermind, I see from Adam's link above that it was Ben Dowling.


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## Glenn Ferrell (May 29, 2009)

jwithnell said:


> I"m just somewhat confused by a majority report from back in the 90s that tried to make leadership in worship more inclusive. I'm hoping (when?) if they approve a new directory it will bring clarity to this point.



None of those reports were officially adopted. There were actually three different reports. I don't think the Proposed Revised Directory changes much regarding worship leadership. It still takes a three office view, with ordained men leading worship. There is nothing like women or non ordained persons taking a public leadership role in OPC worship that I know of.

-----Added 5/29/2009 at 11:48:31 EST-----



Marrow Man said:


> Glenn, who was the ARP representative?
> 
> Update: Oops, nevermind, I see from Adam's link above that it was Ben Dowling.



I'd need to check my notes for the name. He was from one of the Carolina's, a man without call currently; but has supplied an OP church recently. Oh yes, checking, it was the Rev. Benjamin W. Dowling III.


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## Marrow Man (May 29, 2009)

Yes, I saw (corrected my post above) that it was Ben Dowling.


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## Glenn Ferrell (May 31, 2009)

GA in recess for the Lord's Day. Will do the PRDPW Monday; appeals and complaints afterwards. 

I hope to worship with the RPCNA congregation in Grand Rapids for the morning service, and the FRC in the evening.


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## Glenn Ferrell (Jun 1, 2009)

The Proposed Revised DPW was approved for sending to the presbyteries for ratification.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jun 1, 2009)

Can you tell us what that means?

By the way if you see Terry F. Thole tell him I said hi!


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## Oecolampadius (Jun 1, 2009)

Glenn Ferrell said:


> The Proposed Revised DPW was approved for sending to the presbyteries for ratification.



Thanks for sharing the good news!


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## Glenn Ferrell (Jun 2, 2009)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Can you tell us what that means?.



A new Directory of Public Worship has been approved for submitting to presbyteries for their ratification. The DPW is part of the Book of Church Order, which also contains the Form of Goverment and Book of Discipline. With the confessional standards and the Bible, these documents make up the constitution of the church. A majority of presbyteries must approve the proposed directory for it to become official. As there are 16 OPC presbyteries, that means 9 must approve before next year's GA.

Today, we worked through the appeals and complaints, extending the last session until 10:15 PM. 

There is still a "humble petition" to President Obama concerning the proposed changes in the UCMJ to allow practicing homosexuals in the military. The proposed petition itself is controversal in the OPC GA, because some believe it is contrary to the "spirituality of the church." This does not include myself.

GA is suppose to end at noon tomorrow.


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## bookslover (Jun 3, 2009)

Glenn Ferrell said:


> As there are 16 OPC presbyteries, that means 9must approve before next year's GA.



And, there's no guarantee that it will happen in one year. It could take 2 or 3 years to get the requisite number of presbyteries to agree. Not because there's necessarily anything wrong with the new document, but just because many people will want to be careful and consider long and hard before making up their minds.

Remember, it took 14 years (1947-1961) for the first Trinity Hymnal to get put together and approved.


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## Glenn Ferrell (Jun 4, 2009)

bookslover said:


> Glenn Ferrell said:
> 
> 
> > As there are 16 OPC presbyteries, that means 9must approve before next year's GA.
> ...



The presbyteries and congregations had several years to study the original proposed document and submit suggestions. These were incorporated and then two previous GA's amended it paragraph by paragraph. This GA made a few additional amendments to the whole. At this point, it is a matter of whether they think this is better than the existing DPW. I suspect it will be ratified within a year.

The GA indefinitely postponed the proposal to send a "humble petition" to President Obama. They adjourned at noon on Wednesday.


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## Blue Tick (Jun 5, 2009)

Quotes taking from the OPC General Assembly Report.


The APRV will now be known as the Final Proposed Revision (FPR).

The Assembly resumed its consideration of the motion that the 76th GA propose the APRV to the presbyteries for approval as the new Directory for the Public Worship of God. After a period of deliberation, the Assembly adopted the motion. The APRV will now be known as the Final Proposed Revision (FPR).



> Having approved the FPR, the Assembly voted to send it to the presbyteries for their approval with the following grounds:
> 
> The FPR more consistently explicates the implications of the fact that public worship is "divine" (II.4) and that it is "before all else a meeting of the triune God with his chosen people" (II.2).
> The FPR more nearly adheres to the Westminster Standards in applying "ordinary" and "occasional" to different services of worship, not to different elements of Lord's Day worship.
> ...


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## jogri17 (Jun 5, 2009)

My Pastor from here in Québec attended (Ben Westerveld). I hope you all had a chance to meet him.


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## Pergamum (Jun 5, 2009)

Glenn Ferrell said:


> Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> 
> 
> > Can you tell us what that means?.
> ...



Interesting about the humble appeal.

If you were going to write an appeal, why focus on the military and not gay marriage in general? Not knocking it, just curious why it focused on the military.


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## Oecolampadius (Jun 5, 2009)

Pergamum said:


> Interesting about the humble appeal.
> 
> If you were going to write an appeal, why focus on the military and not gay marriage in general? Not knocking it, just curious why it focused on the military.



The following is quoted from the 2009 General Assembly Report:



> After the Assembly concluded its business with these temporary committees, we returned to the report of *the Committee on Chaplains and Military Personnel*. Elder Robert M. Coie and Elder Gordon E. Kauffman concluded the report of the committee and presented its recommendations to the Assembly.
> 
> We considered at length a recommendation of the committee to send a "humble petition" to President Obama.
> 
> The Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) states, "Synods and councils are to handle, or conclude nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary; or, by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate" (WCF 31.4). One may compare, for example, the humble petition that the 60th GA sent to President Clinton. [emphasis mine]



I believe that the reason why the petition's focus is on the military is that it was submitted by the OPC's Committee on Chaplains and Military Personnel. If you will read the OPC's Humble Petition to President Clinton, which I believe addressed similar concerns, you will notice that it begins by addressing the issue of homosexuality in general, not just in the context of the military.


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## Pergamum (Jun 5, 2009)

Chippy said:


> Pergamum said:
> 
> 
> > Interesting about the humble appeal.
> ...



Thanks, makes perfect sense now.


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## Scott1 (Jun 5, 2009)

Pergamum said:


> Chippy said:
> 
> 
> > Pergamum said:
> ...



The PCA has a similar overture before it.

This is not a general "speaking out" about an issue of concern. As I understand it, the PCA requires petitions of this kind to be for "extraordinary" situations as well.

It is a proposed direct communication to the President about an action he is promoting right now. While the President's actions would openly promote grievous immorality, it poses an immediate direct threat to combat readiness (our national defense), troop moral, troop discipline and military recruitment. 

The PCA's overture proposes, in addition to direct communication on behalf of our church witness to the President, a day of "prayer and fasting" be declared by the denomination about this proposed action.


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## Glenn Ferrell (Jun 24, 2009)

I was traveling immediately after the OPC GA and did not comment on the Humble Petition, referred back to committee. 

In my opinion, many of the arguments against this were based upon a misunderstanding of “the spirituality of the Church.”

The proposed changes in the UCMJ would not only effect chaplains, who already have a degree of protection in the confessional standards, but Christian military personnel in general. If the code is changed to make homosexual orientation the same as race, NCO’s and officers may find themselves disciplined, receiving bad performance reviews, or denied promotions because they express the biblical position regarding homosexuality. The UCMJ is the only place in American civil law where the sin of homosexual practice is prohibited and potentially enforceable.


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