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For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ — 2 Corinthians 4:6
This is the authorized
website of the
Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church (CRPC),
a Reformed and Presbyterian denomination organized in 1997.
UPCOMING AMERICAN PRESBYTERY INFO
Brief Introduction
This denomination originated from four meetings
that took place over a year's period of time with representatives
from a small group of churches committed to the historical Reformed
faith and basic presbyterial polity. Some had left other small
denominations and others had begun as independents. We began these
meetings after independently concluding that larger "conservative"
Reformed and Presbyterian denominations of North America were
composed of a far broader spectrum of doctrinal tolerance than we
believed consistent with the Bible and their confessional standards
(both Westminster and Three Forms of Unity). While many good
churches exist in these various denominations, each of our churches
decided that the battles being fought among the various factions
within each of these larger denominations were tending in the
direction of lesser rather than greater adherence to their
confessional standards. Other smaller denominations of the same
general theological persuasion that might have been options, were
either too parochial, ethnic or centered around one particular
prominent leader. While not wishing to add to the number of small
Reformed and Presbyterian denominations, we concluded that while we
continued our search for a denomination or federation with which we
could conscientiously identify or merge, we would form a
denomination on a interim basis and continue our search as a group
of churches. Thus began the CRPC.
A more thorough introduction to the CRPC is linked here.
While the search continues, the CRPC has
developed a unique
Constitution composed of the Westminster Confessional
Standards of the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), Larger
Catechism (1648) and Shorter Catechism (1648), along with the Three
Forms of Unity; and added to it virtually unalterable doctrines of
polity and worship gleaned from the Westminster Form of Government
(1645) and Directory for Publik Worship (1645). This is intended to
be a rather static document with many requirements to be met before
it can be altered. An additional church document was added entitled
By-Laws: Principles and Practices of Church Life
(also
known as The Book of Church Government). These help bring to
expression the Scriptural principles found in the Constitution and
thus is secondary to it. There are three documents contained in the
By-Laws — The
Directory of Church Order (DCO),
The,Directory of Church Discipline (DCD), and
The
Directory of Church Worship (DCW)—all form a manual of practice for
the denomination. Since the forming of the Constitution in 2005, the
American Presbytery is in the process of revising these three
directories to bring them into full conformity with the new
Constitution and to eliminate some inconsistencies. As of December
29, 2005, the
Directory for Church Worship (DCW)
has been fully revised. If
there is any contradiction between the By-Laws and the Constitution,
the Constitution supersedes the By-Laws.
(For more CRPC download information, see table below.)
It should be noted that the CRPC holds to the
ORIGINAL Westminster Confession and Catechisms and not one of the
various American versions (which made substantive changes from 1788
onwards yet kept the same name with various revision dates up into
the 1900's) which, in our opinion, watered down the Lordship of
Christ over civil magistrates in the original as well as some other
doctrines.
(Find more information on this here.)
The CRPC invites other churches which find
themselves in similar circumstances to consider joining us in our
search together. Other denominations are invited to inquire on
discussions that might lead to working relationships and even
fraternal relations, in hopes of eventual unity if God so leads. See
the
Society of Presbyteries and Reformed Churches for more
information on the efforts the CRPC has extended to promote such
unity. (At the present time, we are in discussion
with one other small denomination regarding fraternal relations. We
have extended offers of discussions regarding the same to two
others. We have submitted our reasons for not joining with one other
denomination--see
Short Report for October 19-21, 2004
for details.)
Next American
Presbytery Meeting
Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church
Interested parties and churches are invited.
(Notice of attendance requested to help with facility
arrangements. )
A Tentative American
Presbytery scheduled on July 9-11, 2012 in Des Moines IA, should
it be needed.
(Details will be
published if this materializes. )
November 12-14, 2012
Meeting
begins Monday, November 12 at 7 p.m. and adjourns on Wednesday, at noon
(if not earlier)
NOVEMBER 2012
PRESBYTERY MEETING LOCATION:
13950 122nd Street
Fellsmere, FL 32948
Click here for map and directions
CONVENING & HOST
CHURCH:
(contact re:
docket/agenda)
The King's
Reformed
Presbyterian Church
Geoffrey Donnan, Teaching Elder
13950 - 122nd St.
Fellsmere, FL 32948-6411 U.S.A.
Phone:
772-571-8030/8833
Fax: 772-571-8010
e-mail:
gwd @ reformation.edu
For inquiries with respect to this
website either to report errors or problems with regard to
downloading or reading files, please direct your inquiries to
webmaster @ covref . org.
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