31 August 2016

Wednesday, August 31, 2016, 22:19

This news item was posted in Presbyterians Week category.

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“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” [Ezekiel 33:6]

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” [Ephesians 6:12]

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Erskine College and Theological Seminary President Paul Koostra and Board of Trustees Chairman Ron Vigus Resign

[2] Former Presbyterian Church of Ghana Moderator Emmanuel Martey Receives Flak for Supporting New Patriotic Party Presidential Candidate

[3] E-Book by R.C. Sproul Distributed at the 2016 Summer Olympics “The Race of Faith” Available for Free Download

[4] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

[5] Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining

[6] The Religion of Peace
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[1] Erskine College and Theological Seminary President Paul Koostra and Board of Trustees Chairman Ron Vigus Resign

In a 25 August 2016 ARP News article titled “Erskine Trustees Future Plans,” it was reported:

“The Erskine Board of Trustees today adopted a motion proposed by Chairman Ron Vigus to establish a presidential search committee that will begin the process of seeking a successor to Dr. Paul Kooistra.

“Kooistra, who began his tenure in August 2014, will continue serving as president until the transition is complete. The process may take anywhere from six to eighteen months, according to Vigus.

“We gave Dr. Kooistra the daunting task of stabilizing Erskine’s financial situation, and he has done a great job with that,” Vigus said. He also reminded trustees that from the beginning Kooistra had declared his intent to serve a term of three to five years. “He has often lightheartedly reminded us that he thought he was retiring before we called him to be president.”

“In presenting the formal proposal to the board, Vigus said, “Dr. Kooistra is beginning his third year. Following discussions with him, due to the time it may take to recruit a president, it is time to begin the search process. Dr. Kooistra will continue until we find the individual God has for our next president and will make this transition whenever we find this individual.”

“Vigus later expanded on his reasons for proposing this action. “There is still a lot of work to do, and Dr. Kooistra’s continued leadership will be key. Starting this process now, however, allows us to orchestrate a smooth transition and avoid a leadership gap that would adversely affect the progress Erskine has made with Dr. Kooistra as president.”

“The search committee members are: Clint Davis, Jill Gazzaway, Tom Hellams (chair), Jamie Hunt, Sam James, Gordon Query, and Ron Vigus.

“In addition to hosting the first meeting of the trustees for the 2016-17 fiscal and academic year this week, Erskine also welcomed the largest incoming college class in forty-one years as classes began Monday.

“Seminary classes began Wednesday as an ad hoc committee of the board formed in May met to consider a request from the ARP General Synod and some seminary faculty to evaluate dividing the college and seminary into two separate institutions. The board passed a motion that instructed the ad hoc committee to bring its recommendations to the October meeting of the board and to include in those recommendations a best-case scenario for creating a separated seminary.

“The college and seminary have been governed as one institution with one board since 1925.

“Joining the board for its first 2016-17 meeting were eight new trustees, several serving out unexpired terms.

“The new trustees are: Dr. A.J. Broyles, Rock Hill, S.C. (Trustee Class of 2017); R.L. Casterline, Irmo, S.C. (Trustee Class of 2019); Dr. J.R. Augustine, Columbia, S.C., C.L. Bethea, Myrtle Beach, S.C., the Rev. C.H. Davis, Chester, S.C., the Rev. J.A. Hunt, Flat Rock, N.C., and P.W. Malphrus, Woodruff, S.C. (Trustee Class of 2021); and Phil Williams, Moderator of ARP Synod, Lexington, N.C. (Ex Officio).”

On 30 August 2016, Vice Chairman of the Erskine Board of Trustees Mr. Tom Hellams sent the following email message to members of the Erskine Board of Trustees:

“I write to you today to make you aware of two significant decisions that have been made since we last were together in Due West. First of all, Dr. Kooistra has communicated his plan to move into retirement as soon as possible and no later than October 31. The Presidential Search Committee must now change directions and move immediately to seek candidates to serve as interim president as directed in the bylaws. Our first meeting will take place prior to the end of the week.

“Second of all, Ron Vigus has submitted his resignation effective today as chairman of the board. The bylaws direct the vice chair to fulfill the responsibilities of the chair during the chair’s absence or incapacity. I will function in that capacity while we work through the process of electing a new chairman.

“Please feel free to contact me regarding these matters and others as we seek to serve together as trustees of Erskine College and Theological Seminary.”
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+ Erskine College and Theological Seminary, 2 Washington Street, Due West, South Carolina 29639, 864-379-2131, Fax: 864-379-2167, jguyette@erskine.edu

+ Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729

+ ARPTalk Blog, 864-882-6337, wilson6114@bellsouth.net
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[2] Former Presbyterian Church of Ghana Moderator Emmanuel Martey Receives Flak for Supporting New Patriotic Party Presidential Candidate

A 29 August 2016 Peace FM article titled “Remove Prof. Emmanuel Marty from National Peace Council – Twum Buafo” reports that Executive Secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board Kwadwo Twum Buafo is calling for the removal of former Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) moderator the Rev. Prof Emmanuel Marty from the National Peace Council for “polar[izing] the society and deepen[ing] the problems in Ghana’s politics” for Marty’s assurances to New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that the PCG “stands ready with [the NPP] to build Ghana.”

Buafo said that he hopes the current PCG moderator does not follow in the same direction of former moderator Marty and “be a Judas and sell the Presby Church to the NPP for a few shekels of silver.”
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+ Peace FM, Post Office Box 17470, Mile 7 Junction, Achimota – Accra, Ghana, 00233-21-406677, Contact Page

+ Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Post Office Box GP 1800, Accra, Ghana, 233-21-662511, Fax: 233-21-665594, pcghg@yahoo.com
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[3] E-Book by R.C. Sproul Distributed at the 2016 Summer Olympics “The Race of Faith” Available for Free Download

Thanks to the support of Ligonier Ministries partners and the generous gifts received during the #TruthAtTheGames campaign, local church teams on the ground in Rio De Janeiro distributed hundreds of thousands of copies of Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new book, The Race of Faith. This title, produced just in time for the Summer Olympics, is available in eleven languages and provides a clear and concise gospel presentation. Download your English copy from our international partner in Brazil, Editora Fiel at the following address:

http://ministeriofiel.com.br/vidasemjogo/en/
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+ Ligonier Ministries, 400 Technology Park, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, 407-333-4244, Fax: 407-333-4233

+ Fiel Editora, 12-3207-7683, atendimento@editorafiel.com.br
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[4] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

— Obama Admin Wants to Fund Scientists to Make Human-Animal Hybrids

— HBO Program Televises Assisted Suicide: Woman Dies On Camera In Emmy-Nominated Series