I am writing this as I sit at the Orange County airport in southern California. I have been traveling here for Presbytery and committee meetings since 2015. For the last several years, I have made eight or nine of these trips each year. But this was my last one, at least in that context. I will still do some traveling to California for Presbytery meetings and other church events, but this was my last one as a member of the OPC.
Yesterday the Presbytery of Southern California agreed to release me to the care of our Session given the congregation’s recent votes to withdraw from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and petition to join the CREC. The vote was peaceful and without any drama. I had many conversations with brothers whom I love, and many expressed their love, appreciation, and regret at our departure. I look forward to welcoming some of these brothers again to our congregation and doing everything we can to promote fraternal relations and cooperation in gospel ministry. The CREC may not have formal ecumenical relations with the OPC, but I hope that RPC will continue to be loved and respected as faithful brothers and fellow-workers with them in the larger Body of Christ.
I was delighted to see the progress of the kingdom and gospel ministry in this corner of God’s kingdom. The mission work in Laveen, AZ that began as a Friday morning Bible study a few years ago was organized as a mission work of the Presbytery with funding from both the denomination and presbytery and a full-time church planter. The mission work in Hawaii that has been without a full-time church planter for some time will now have one as a capable young man passed his ordination exam with the unanimous consent of the body. A new pastor was called to Westminster OPC, a second pastor was called part-time to Covenant OPC in Tucson, and one local church that has operated for many years as two congregations—one English-speaking, one Korean—was peacefully divided into two. There were many wonderful things accomplished in yesterday’s meeting, and it was a joy to witness God’s blessing on these brethren to whom we remain connected in Christ.
My heart has been full of many different emotions. This trip and event was bittersweet. If you told me one year ago that within twelve months we would no longer be in the OPC, I would not have believed you. Even though we thought such a transition was possible, maybe even likely, at some point in the future, none of us on the Session thought it would happen this quickly or soon. No doubt, over time, we will reflect on things we could have, or should have, done differently, but in God’s providence, here we are. There is some sadness in this moment, but the future is bright. RPC is healthy, united, and strong. We remain faithful to Scripture and the Reformed confessions. We have welcomed many individuals and families who love the Lord and whose lives and households are being transformed by the Word and Spirit of Christ. The Lord has given us much work to do, and there are many opportunities on the horizon. May the Lord continue to help us, keep us faithful, and make our labors together fruitful.
There continue to be reports of division in our congregation and rumors about radical, theological changes that led us to this moment, but all of you know better. We were faithful during our time in the OPC, and we remain committed to the same biblical and Reformed worship, faith, and piety that has characterized this church since God first reformed it many years ago. I thank God for every one of you. I thank God for the extraordinary privilege of being your pastor, your brother in Christ, and your friend. I am thankful for the many relationships we have with brothers and sisters throughout North America that we would not have had if we had never joined the OPC, and I am thankful for the new friendships and relationships God has given us in the CREC over the last few years. God is good. His Church is not defined or delimited by denominations. We are one Body, one family, one community of grace. --JME
