On Thursday evening, December 17, the men held their first meeting to begin discussions concerning a sister-church relationship between the PRCP and PRCA. Representatives from the 3 consistories of the PRCP met together in the Protestant Reformed Church in Bulacan.
At this first meeting the topics of discussion were especially Reformed Doctrine and Reformed Worship.
Prof. Dykstra addressing the group
Enjoying coffee time and fellowship
On Sunday, December 20, I drove Prof. Dykstra to the PRC in Bulacan so that he could preach both morning worship services there.
Showing his family picture
Getting ready to begin
Group shot in PRCB between services
Handing out the diglot (English and Tagalog) sermon outlines for the second service
Rev. Kleyn and Prof. Cammenga had to travel that Sunday morning to Maranatha PRC so that Prof. Cammenga could preach for their two morning worship services. Without a second vehicle on hand, they used public transportation.
They first started off with a tricycle.
Then they transferred to a jeepney.
From there they transferred to a taxi (no picture).
In Filipino lingo that means their trip to church took them "3 rides".
Getting ready to preach in Maranatha PRC
Lunch with the consistory after church
Since a second meeting for the sister church relationship was to be held in Maranatha PRC that afternoon, I drove Prof. Dykstra and the consistory members of the PRC in Bulacan from Bulacan to Maranatha for the meeting.
Discussing Reformed Church Government and the Reformed antithetical life
The Contact Committee delegates with the representatives from the consistories of the Berean PRC, the PRC in Bulacan, and Maranatha PRC
Coffee (meryenda) and more time for fellowship
We pray that the Lord will be pleased to use the Contact Committee's visit and the meetings that were held to further the unity between the PRCA and the PRCP. May that unity come to expression in an official sister church relationship in God's good time and according to His sovereign will.
"Churches whose usages differ from ours merely in nonessentials shall not be rejected."
Article 85 of the Church Order of the Protestant Reformed Churches
"The Protestant Reformed Churches in America, in obedience to Scripture as interpreted in our three forms of unity, confess that there is one holy, catholic church. They believe, further, that it is their sacred duty to manifest the true unity and catholicity of the church on earth in as far as that is possible, not only in their denominational fellowship, but also in conjunction with all churches which have obtained like precious faith with us, both domestic and foreign. With a view to the achievement of this calling, the synod shall maintain a Committee for Contact with Other Churches."
Preamble to the Constitution of the Committee for Contact with Other Churches
May there be many more sisters in this growing family!
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