Posted on 03/24/2015 7:21:42 AM PDT by Gamecock
Five Illinois Churches in the Reformed Church RCA) in America have voted to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The PCA’s Chicago Metro Presbytery met with, examined, and approved the pastors and elders of these churches during 2014.
On October 15, 2014, the churches were officially approved and received by the Chicago Metro Presbytery. The Presbytery will have a special service of celebration and welcome on February 1, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.; during this service the pastors and elders will be installed. The service will be held at the First Reformed Church in Lansing, IL. Dr. Ligon Duncan, Chancellor of Reformed Seminary, will be the guest preacher.
The five churches in Illinois are:
Crete Reformed Church, Rev. David Smith, pastor
Grace Reformed Church, Lansing, without a pastor
First Reformed Church, Lansing, Rev. Ben Kappers, pastor
Peace Community Church, Frankfort, Rev. Kurt Kruger, pastor
Missio Dei Church, New Lenox, Rev. Paul Vroom, pastor
These churches had submitted to the process for withdrawing set up by the RCA Classis of Illiana Florida. A number of conditions were included in the agreement. For example, each of the churches was allowed to withdraw with their respective properties and assets. However, if a church should withdraw from the PCA within five years of the approval of the agreement, then the property is to revert to the Classis of Illiana Florida.
Also, each church will have to pay its annual assessments for five years (2015-2019) to the RCA Synod, the Regional Synod of Mid America, and the Classis of Illiana Florida. These payments may be made annually or in one lump sum.
Further, the churches must take action to notify the general public that they are no longer affiliated with the RCA. The agreement stated, “A name change may be the best way to communicate this new reality.”
Chicago Metro Presbytery extends an invitation to all to attend the welcoming and installation service on February 1.
PCA is supporting faggotry, right? No surprises there...
I’m not that familiar with the RCA. Do you know why these congregations are changing from one to another? The article lacks that information.
These are small politically active congregations who control valuable underutilized property. There will be big fights over the money. Follow the bucks after the inevitable “consolidations”.
Well, then you are surprised, because the PCA isn’t supporting “faggotry.”
The PC(USA) is.
They are the continental Reformed equivalent of the PC(USA).
They haven’t quite drifted as far to the left as the PC(USA), but the trajectory is there.
I think the churches leaving have come to their senses and are looking for a safe denominational shelter.
I thought the Reform Church was now part of the UCC.
These churches are from the Reformed Church in America. The UCC was formed by a merger of the Congregationalist Christian Church and the Evangelical and Reformed Church. The “Reformed” part of the E&R was from the Reformed Church in the United States. Some of the RCUSA did not join the E&R and that denomination evidently still exists.
The Reformed who went into the UCC were of German origin. The Reformed Church in America is of Dutch origin.
Got it. You just sort of expect these things now...: (
I am amazed that if denominations spent nothing on the property, they still expect to get it if the church leaves.
The PCA actually stood up and exited the USA about 80 years ago, when it was considered irredeemable.
Read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gresham_Machen
You are confusing the PCA with the OPC.
The PCA left the newly formed PC(USA) in the 1972/1973 time frame.
No. PCA is a group that stands for biblical marriage. PCUSA is the reprobate group.
Crete Reformed Church, Rev. David Smith, pastor
Grace Reformed Church, Lansing, without a pastor
First Reformed Church, Lansing, Rev. Ben Kappers, pastor
Peace Community Church, Frankfort, Rev. Kurt Kruger, pastor
Missio Dei Church, New Lenox, Rev. Paul Vroom, pastor
Interesting. Most in Will County, south of Chicago. Just wondering what the history of that is.
I'm a couple hours west, and there's an unusual (it seems to me) number of old mainline RCA church's around in my immediate area. And some Dutch settlement, back in the day.
You are confusing the PCA with the OPC.
Yep, it's confusing. The OPC first called itself something close to PCA (Presbyterian Church in or of America, I forget which), for a little while. The mainline denomination they split from sued over the name.
http://www.history.pcusa.org/sites/default/files/connection_900.jpg
The theology of RCA is (or was?) Calvinist, very close to the Presbyterian heritage, though they have their own terminologies ("Classis" Synod" "Consistory", etc.) Interesting footnote: The archival of Hope College is Calvin College of the CRC (Christian Reformed Church, more conservative), Their annual basketball clashes hold the national record for highest attendance at Division III basketball, something north of 14,000 fevered fans in attendance.
Is the RCA theologically the same as the PCA? And conservative as well? Or liberal?
The RCA is theoretically guided by the “Three Forms of Unity.”
The PCA by the “Westminster Confession.”
Both are Calvinistic. The Three forms tend to be more pastoral in nature while the E.C. is more technical.
I have compared them and in my limited understanding they are very, very similar.
It is my take the PCA is more conservative than the RCA.
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