Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 17 June, 2012
“Those that be planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our God” (Ps. 92:13)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Pilgrim Psalms (1)
The Saint Setting Out [download] [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Psalm 120
Text: Psalm 120
I. Praying in Distress
II. Suffering From Slander
III. Dwelling in Mesech
Psalms: 5:1-8; 140:7-13; 52:1-7; 120:1-7
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Preparatory
No Killing! [download] [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Romans 12:9-13:10
Text: Lord’s Day 40
I. What This Does Not Include
II. What This Does Include
Psalms: 63:1-8; 141:1-5; 34:11-18; 37:3-9
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart
CPRC website: www.cprc.co.uk
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Ballymena-United-Kingdom/Covenant-Protestant-
Reformed-Church-N-Ireland/337347932331
Quotes to Consider
Eugene Peterson: “The fifteen Psalms of Ascents describe elements common to all those who apprentice themselves to the Lord Christ and who travel in the Christian way. This first of them is the prod which gets them going. It is not a beautiful song—there is nothing either hauntingly melancholy nor lyrically happy in it. It is harsh. It is discordant. But it gets things started” (A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, p. 21).
Albert Barnes on Psalm 120:1:“It is one of those things which a man cannot guard against; which he cannot repel by force; whose origin he cannot always trace; which will go where a vindication will not follow; whose effects will live long after the slander is refuted; which will adhere to a man, or leave a trait of suspicion, even after the most successful vindication, for the effect will be to make a second slander more easily credited than the first was.”
Herman Hoeksema: “… you can murder your neighbour with mere gestures. You do not even have to speak to kill your neighbour. There are many gestures of contempt and scorn and utter disdain, such as a contemptuous smile, the pulling up of your nose, the raising of your eyebrows, not to speak of other gestures by which you may literally kill the neighbour. All this, according to the Heidelberg Catechism, is murder before God, rises from a heart that is filled with hatred against the neighbour, and therefore is motivated in its deepest root in enmity against the Most High” (The Triple Knowledge, vol. 3, p. 311).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
On the back table today is a missionary letter from the Philippines.
This evening will be a preparatory service for the Lord’s Supper on 24 June.
Gareth & Leona Halliday requested baptism for their daughter, Emilia Rose. The council approved this request and baptism is scheduled for the morning of 22 July.
Family Visitation: Jennifer Hanko – Mon., 18 June, 7:30 PM (Reid/Rev. Stewart).
Our Tuesday morning Bible study meets at 11 AM on “Eschatology and Time.” We will discuss the “last days” in the Old Testament prophets.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) will be “O God, Strengthen My Hands” (Neh. 6) by Rev. Haak.
S. Wales Lecture: Wednesday, 18 July, at 7:15 PM, Rev. Stewart on “The New Testament Teaching on the Last Days.”
Have you booked your place at the BRF Conference yet? Booking forms are on the back table. We would like to have bookings in by 1 July. For those who would like to camp, don’t forget to reserve your site through Lorne House.
Offerings: General Fund: £661.10. Donations: £250, £10 (CR News), £5 (books).
Website Additions: Five Frisian and two Spanish translations were added
PRCNews: Randolph PRC called Rev. A. Lanning (Faith, MI).
Report from Synod 2012
Synod was hosted by the PRC of Crete, IL. The pre-synodical service on Monday evening was led by Rev. J. Slopsema, who preached from I Corinthians 15:58. Synod began its work Tuesday morning at 8:30 AM. Officers elected for synod were, Rev. Key – President, Rev. Koole – Vice President, Rev. Doug Kuiper – 1st Clerk and Rev. R. Kleyn – 2nd Clerk.
Tuesday morning, the examination of Brother Vernon Ibe from the Philippines, who has completed a special five year program of study in our seminary, began. He first preached a sermon which was approved, and then began his oral exam Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday morning and into the afternoon the oral exam was completed. Brother Ibe gave a good account of himself, his exam was unanimously approved, and he was recommended to the Berean PRC for a call to the gospel ministry. What a wonderful blessing, for which we can praise the Lord.
Present at Synod was one of our foreign missionaries from the Philippines, Rev. Daniel Kleyn. He had opportunity to address Synod and expressed thanks for the support of the churches, gratitude that we have two missionaries labouring together, anticipation for the return of Brother Ibe to help with the great volume of work. Synod approved and expressed thanks to Doon, the FMC and the Kleyns and Smits for their work. Synod also approved the reappointment of Rev. Smit to another three years service as missionary.
Also present at Synod was Deacon Felix Chan, his wife, and a group of eight young people from Singapore. Deacon Chan addressed Synod with greetings and gratitude from the saints in Singapore. Synod approved the implementation of a sister church relationship with the Covenant ERC of Singapore. Synod also approved sending a Minister on Loan to labour in Singapore to meet their present need of being without a pastor. Grandville PRC was appointed as the calling church.
Philip Hall from the Covenant PRC of Northern Ireland also addressed synod with greetings from the Stewarts and the saints in Northern Ireland. Our churches give continuing support to the CPRC (NI), particularly for their labour in Limerick where Rev. McGeown is labouring.
The mission labours of our churches in Pittsburgh continue and the Bruinsmas and Southwest church were thanked for their faithful work. The Domestic Mission Committee brought advice to synod regarding “terms of service” for domestic missionaries. The synod appointed a study committee made up of men from the DMC and FMC with Prof. Gritters as advisor to study and clarify this issue and bring advice to Synod next year.
Treatment of the material from the Theological School included approval of the student’s grades, building construction expenses, and thanks to the faculty and staff of the seminary. Synod approved a partial sabbatical for Prof. Dykstra this fall to give him time to work on material and a course related to Christian education. Synod also approved hiring Chuck Terpstra full time as Librarian, Archivist and registrar-in-training to replace Mr. Don Doezema.
One protest against a decision of 2011 was treated and not upheld. Synod was informed that the Board of Trustees is negotiating sales of its properties in Sioux Falls and Kells, Northern Ireland, to Heritage PRC and the CPRC (NI) respectively.
The budget adopted for the year 2013 for denominational work is $1,655,000, which is $840/family. This is down $31 from last year. Subsidies for nine needy churches were approved. Twelve emeritus requests were approved.
Synod finished its work about 2:00 PM on Friday. Pray with thanksgiving for the blessings of God evident at Synod: Vernon Ibe, the missionaries and work in the Philippines, the seminary professors and students, the Bruinsmas in Pittsburgh, our sister churches in Northern Ireland and Singapore, and the peaceful deliberations of Synod, evidence of a blessed peace and unity in our churches.
