“The ARP is a family. The family is meeting today to deal with some sore issues. And we need to deal with them like a family.”

The Special (called) meeting of the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP) began in the chapel at the Bonclarken Conference Center in Flat Rock, N.C. at about 4:30 p.m. in the midst of a blowing snowstorm.

A number of delegates (including this writer) were delayed in their planned arrival time due to the serious road conditions. A call to AAA at about 2:00PM revealed that the closest tow service in Hendersonville had 32 people already in the queue waiting for service. (Thanks to the young family in the red Chevy pickup for the tug out of the roadside!)

The damp gray weather added to the general demeanor of most of the delegates (ministers and ruling elders) who had arrived for this very serious work of hearing a report from a Special Commission charged with investigating “whether the oversight exercised by the Board of Trustees and the Administration of Erskine College and Seminary is in faithful accordance with the standards of the ARP Church and the synod’s previously issued directives.”

The Moderator convened the meeting with a devotion reading from Philippians 1 and prayer, and made a few introductions. The next piece of business stopped everything. Having been informed that a sufficient number of ministers and ruling elders had shown up at the registration tables to meet a quorum call, the call was given. But the count of ruling elders came up short (at least one ruling elder was required from 73 churches to meet the number).

One commissioner noted that he had seen several ruling elders who had arrived and signed in who were headed to the wrong building – the meeting had been moved to the Chapel since it required less walking in the snow storm). A 10 minute recess was called after which the count was again taken and the needed 73 were present (exactly)

The purpose of this brief meeting prior to supper was for the Commission to read their report (which had not been distributed prior to the meeting). Reading the report was a member of the Commission, ruling elder Ken Wingate from First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C. Mr. Wingate’s vocation is as an attorney who specializes in tax and business matters, especially pertaining to institutions. He is currently a member of the South Carolina Board of Higher Education, which provides oversight over all public institutions of higher learning, including 16 four-year colleges as well as a number of technical and junior colleges.

Mr. Wingate began with an appeal to the Synod to allow the proceedings be such as the truth could be spoken in love. He noted: “The ARP is a family. The family is meeting today to deal with some sore issues. And we need to deal with them like a family.” He then included brief devotional comments from Ephesians 2 and 4 along the same lines.

Mr. Wingate quote from John Milton’s essay called “Of Education,” pointing out that “the end then of learning is to repair the ruin of our first parents….” and ultimately must drive us to the truth offered in the Scriptures.

He reiterated the essential question of the day: “What is the purpose of the Board of Trustees of Erskine College and Seminary and have they fulfilled it?” Particularly, have they fulfilled it by providing oversight and operation of the schools by making decisions in accordance with all appiropriate guidelines, including state and federal tax, the school charter and bylaws, and the statements of the Synod.

He reported that there are weak spots that need to be dealt with during this meeting, but that the Synod should never forget that the bright spots in the school far outweigh the weak ones – that Erskine was worth this effort.

After giving a summary of the number of hours the Commission had worked and the large number of people who had been interviewed, from each of the interest groups (board, administration, faculty, students, and alumni) as well as striving to hear all the various viewpoints, without being able to speak to every individual.

He then read the Findings and Recommendations of the Commission (a full copy will be provided on The Aquila Report after the Synod has voted, but a brief summary is given here).

The size of the Board (34 elected members and 23 Advisory Board members who have full privilege of the floor) made it difficult for entire board to engage in their duties, leaving nearly all decisions to a small Executive Board and many even to the Administration.

The involvement of so many administrators in the decision making process has not allowed the board to give appropriate fiduciary oversight. He gave several illustrations (which will not be specifically reported in this magazine unless the full report is ultimately approved by the Synod).

In fact, during the listing of these examples, the Moderator had to deal with a point of order asking that the meeting continue in executive session so only voting delegates could hear them. After debate on both sides of about 15 minutes, a voice vote overwhelming denied the motion and the report continued.

The Commission noted that the board had failed in accomplishing and fulfilling the mandates of the ARP synod over the past 35 years, pointing out the current issues are not new ones, just exacerbated ones. A list of examples were given in this area as well.

With but a few minutes remaining before the 6:00PM dinner hour, Mr. Wingate summarized the four major recommendations that the Synod will be dealing with on Wednesday as follows:

1. Restructuring the Board: The bylaws of the Board of Trustees shall be revised by a committee of five members: current board cairman Scott Mitchell, current board vice-chairman Joe Patrick, and Commission members, Bill Marsh, Roger Wiles, and Ken Wingate. These bylaws shall include: that the composition of the board shall be 16 members (five classes of three plus the current Moderator) and more effective policies to prevent further failures regarding financial integrity, conflicts of interest, integration of faith and learning, board training, and other issues identified by the commission. These policies must align with Synod’s Philosophy of Christian Higher Education and Erskine’s current mission statements. These revised bylaws shall be adopted by the full board at its May 2010 meeting, and subsequently presented to the Synod for adoption at its June 2010 meeting.

2. Replacement Interim Board: The current trustees shall be removed and replaced by the following individuals: William Anderson, William L. Barron, John Basie, Adam Bloom, Julia T. Boyd, William S. Cain, Raymond Cameron, Fredrick Carr, James T. Corbitt, Dixon Cunningham, Joseph W. Donahue, Charles B. Evans, William B. Everett, William R. Folks, David R. Johnston, Morrison V. Lawing, Marlo L. McDonald, William C. Marsh, Steven J. Maye, James F. Mitchell, Scott Mitchell, Paul D. Mulner, Deborah Neil, Joseph H. Patrick, Gordon S. Query, Glen Robinson, George S. Robinson, Steven Suits, Roger N. Wiles, R. Boyce Wilson. The interim board will also include the four ex-officio members per the current bylaws. The Moderator of the ARP Church shall convene the interim board.

3. Nominations Process: The revised bylaws shall strike the second sentence of Article II, paragraph 3 of the current bylaws regarding nominations to Synod’s committee on nominations. Likewise, the following portions of the “Guidelines For Committee on Nominations” (Manual of Authorities and Duties, 2008, p. 84-85) shall be changed: guideline 5 shall be amended to read, “Prospective nominees are contacted to confirm their willingness to serve.”; guideline 8(h) shall be removed. Nominations for Erskine trustees shall be made annually by a special committee consisting of the then-current moderator and the four immediate past moderators, based on the new criteria for trustees. The recommendations of this committee shall annually be presented to the General Synod at its stated meeting.

4. Criteria for Trustees: The special committee for the nomination of Erskine trustees will adopt the following criteria for potential trustees: The board must consist of individuals who are competent, engaged, and independent. Trustees shall include individuals who are knowledgeable in different areas such as accounting, business, education, ethics, finance, law, ministry and theology, and who subscribe to the mission of Erskine College and Seminary as set forth in its mission statements. Such individuals should be able and willing to be adequately engaged in the life of the institution to guide and monitor its achievement of the stated mission. Such individuals must be sufficiently independent of the administration and faculty to bring a healthy balance of support and oversight. All trustees must subscribe to Synod’s definition of an evangelical Christian.

After dinner, Sinclair Ferguson, pastor of First Presbyterian Church (ARP) in Columbia, SC preaced from John 17, asking the question “What Does Jesus Want Most Of All?”, concluding with the end of John 17 that it is the unity that flows from giving all glory to Jesus.

A final report on the meeting will be filed after adjournment on March 3.