20 November 2013

Wednesday, November 20, 2013, 0:00

This news item was posted in Presbyterians Week category.

“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] Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Relief

[2] Southernhay United Reformed Church in Exeter to Be First in Devonshire to Perform Same-Sex Civil Partnership Ceremonies

[3] 2012 Kirk Moderator “Rockin Rev” Albert Bogle and the Bogle Band to Perform in Concert 22 November 2013 at St. Columba’s Parish Church in Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland

[4] Same-Sex Marriage Set to Be Legalised in Scotland as Majority of MSPs Say They Will Back Bill Despite Massive Public Opposition

[5] Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis to Speak in the King’s Centre, Coppard Gardens, Chessington, Surrey, England on 23 November 2013

[6] 2014 Ligonier Ministries Conference “Being a Christian in a Post-Christian Culture” Scheduled 13–15 March 2014 in Orlando, Florida

[7] Scarva Street Presbyterian Church, Banbridge, Northern Ireland Fires Pastor Cleared of False Immoral Conduct Charges

[8] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

[9] The Thinning Blue Line

[10] Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining

[11] The Religion of Peace

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[1] Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Relief

Presbyterian, Reformed, and other agencies providing relief to the victims of the Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines include:

— World Relief, the relief arm of the National Association of Evangelicals:

http://www.worldrelief.org

— MTW (Mission to the World) Evaluating Response to Super Typhoon Haiyan:

http://www.pcanet.org/mtw-evaluating-response-to-super-typhoon-haiyan/

— Help the Philippines:

http://arpmagazine.org/help-the-philippines/

— Philippines Typhoon Relief Fund

https://www.haventoday.org/giving.php?s=3601&country_name=America

+ World Relief, 7 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, 443-451-1900, worldrelief@wr.org

+ Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 17197 North Laurel Park Drive Suite 567, Livonia, Michigan 48152, 734-742-2020, Fax: 734-742-2033, webmaster@epc.org

+ National Association of Evangelicals, Post Office Box 23269, Washington DC 20026, 202-789-1011, president@nae.net

+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org

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

+ Samaritan’s Purse, Post Office Box 3000, Boone, North Carolina 28607, 828-262-1980, 828-266-1056, Contact Page

+ Haven Ministries, Post Office Box 79997, Riverside, California 92513, 800-654-2836, Fax: 951-710-1115, ministry@haventoday.org

[2] Southernhay United Reformed Church in Exeter to Be First in Devonshire to Perform Same-Sex Civil Partnership Ceremonies

A 17 November 2013 Exeter Express and Echo article titled “Exeter Church Will Be First in Devon to Hold Civil Partnerships – And Is the Only One to Apply” reports that the Southernhay United Reformed Church of Exeter, England is the first and only church in Exeter to apply to conduct civil same-sex partnership ceremonies.

Southernhay vicar the Rev. Iain McDonald expressed hope that the church would soon be conducting same-sex marriages, saying:

“This is a first step. The law now allows churches to conduct marriages of same-sex couples and I personally hope that, in due course, the United Reformed Church will come to a decision that will allow local churches to hold these too.”

“This is an intentional policy, that is the church members have discussed and thought through the implications and have arrived at a decision together.

“We also declare ourselves to be ‘progressive’ which means we are open to new insights, whether they come from modern scholarship about the Bible and the origins of humanity or indeed from other religions and traditions as well as scientific research.”

McDonald added:

“The foundation document of the United Reformed Church states that the Word of God in the Old and New Testaments is the highest authority for what we believe and do.

“Crucially this does not mean that the Bible is the Word of God. Indeed the New Testament itself describes Jesus as the ‘Word made flesh’ and so it is first and foremost his example we seek to find within the pages of the Bible.

“The Bible is surely the work of human imagination and creativity which, we believe, contains divine wisdom and it is our calling to engage with it to seek the Word of God for our time.”

+ Exeter Express and Echo, Heron Road, Sowton, Exeter EX2 7NF, England, 01392-442220, echonews@expressandecho.co.uk

+ The United Reformed Church, Church House, 86 Tavistock Place, LondonWC1H 9RT, England, 020-7916-2020, Fax: 020-7916-2021, urc@urc.org.uk

[3] 2012 Kirk Moderator “Rockin Rev” Albert Bogle and the Bogle Band to Perform in Concert 22 November 2013 at St. Columba’s Parish Church in Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland

A 17 November 2013 Largs and Millport Weekly News article titled “‘Rocking Rev’ for Largs” reports that 2012 Church of Scotland Moderator the Rev. Albert Bogle and the Bogle Band on 22 November 2013 will perform a benefit concert at St. Columba’s Parish Church in Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland. Former Kirk Moderator Bogle is Minister of St. Andrew’s Church, Borrowstounness, Scotland and is know in church circles as ‘Rockin Rev’.

A very pleasant Bogle Band performance of “Missing You” can be viewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BWliyxM5xw&feature=player_embedded

+ Largs and Millport Weekly News, Herald Building, Dock Road, Ardrossan KA22 8BX, Scotland, 01475-689009, Fax: 01475-676468, editorial@largsnews.co.uk

+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722

[4] Same-Sex Marriage Set to Be Legalised in Scotland as Majority of MSPs Say They Will Back Bill Despite Massive Public Opposition

A 17 November 2013 The Daily Mail article by Michael Blackley and Stephen Johns titled “Same-Sex Marriage Set to Be Legalised in Scotland as Majority of MSPs Say They Will Back Bill Despite Massive Public Opposition” reports that the 128 members of the Scottish Parliament will vote 20 November 2013 to legalize same-sex marriage despite massive opposition.

Colin Beattie, Nationalist MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, said:

“I don’t think the case for making it different for gay people holds much water: everyone should be equal.

“I’m concerned about the people who are against but if you are a parliamentarian you have to deal with hard facts and logic on whether something should become law and it is hard to take into account religious views on that basis.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said:

“The Scottish Government is committed to a Scotland that is fair and equal and that is why we believe that same sex couples who wish should be allowed to marry as soon as possible.”

+ The Daily Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, England, 020-7938-6000, news@dailymail.co.uk

[5] Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis to Speak in the King’s Centre, Coppard Gardens, Chessington, Surrey, England on 23 November 2013

Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis will speak on the topics of:

— The Relevance of Genesis in the 21st Century

— Genetics and the Origins of Races

At the King’s Centre, Coppard Gardens, Chessington, Surrey, England on 23 November 2013 beginning at 7 p.m. local time.

For more information, please see:

http://www.answersingenesis.org/outreach/event/Chessington13/

+ Answers inGenesis , 2800 Bullittsburg Church Road, Petersburg, Kentucky 41080, 859-727-2222

[6] 2014 Ligonier Ministries Conference “Being a Christian in a Post-Christian Culture” Scheduled 13–15 March 2014 in Orlando, Florida

The 2014 Ligonier Ministries Conference “Being a Christian in a Post-Christian Culture” is scheduled for 13-15 March 2014 in Orlando, Florida. Early registration for US$139 is available through 17 January 2014.

Conference speakers include Voddie Baucham, Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steven Lawson, Albert Mohler, Stephen Nichols, R.C. Sproul, R.C. Sproul Jr., and Derek Thomas.

For further information, please see:

http://www.ligonier.org/events/2014-national-conference/?utm_source=ET&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2014NatConf2

+ Ligonier Ministries, 400 Technology Park, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, 407-333-4244, Fax: 407-333-4233

[7] Scarva Street Presbyterian Church, Banbridge, Northern Ireland Fires Pastor Cleared of False Immoral Conduct Charges

An 18 November 2013 Belfast Telegraph article by Patricia Devlin titled “Banbridge Minister Falsely Accused of ‘Improper’ Relationship with Woman Thrown out of His Church” reports that the Rev. Andrew Watson, a minister of Scarva Street Presbyterian Church in Banbridge, Northern Ireland on 18 November 2013 was removed from his position after a vote of no confidence by a congregational committee.

The married with five children Mr. Watson was in April 2013 accused through rumors throughout Bainbridge of immoral conduct with another woman. An inquiry by the church found “no evidence” of the alleged misconduct, but that a number of church elders had “contributed” to spreading the untrue rumors. One elder in the congregation was removed from office, and the session clerk was removed from his position though kept on the church session.

+ Belfast Telegraph, 124-144 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1EB, Northern Ireland, 028-9026-4000, writeback@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

+ Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Church House, Belfast BT1 6DW, Northern Ireland, 028-9032-2284, Fax: 028-9041-7301, Info@PresbyterianIreland.org

[8] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

— Police Make Massive International Child-Porn Bust: Schoolteachers Top the List of Offenders

— Albuquerque Abortion Ban Would Stop Clinic Shooting Babies with Poison

— South African Teacher Rapes Student, Forces Her to Have Abortion to Cover Up the Crime

— Abortionist: The Baby is Still Alive When I Pull on the Arm and Remove It

— Belgium: Activist Admits Euthanasia Law Designed to Target Disabled People

+ LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page

+ LifeNews.com, Post Office Box 270841, Fort Collins, Colorado 80527, news@lifenews.com

[9] The Thinning Blue Line

— Grosse Pointe, Michigan Park Police Department Makes Blacks Sing and Dance