Mississippi Valley Presbytery met Tuesday, May 4, at First Presbyterian Church, Yazoo City, MS.

Due to divine providence the Stated Clerk, Roger Collins was hindered from being to the meeting on time and so, the retiring Moderator, RE Phil McDade, led the men in a Season of Prayer. The focus of most of the prayer was on the recent destruction of a Tornado that ripped through Yazoo City a week and a half before.

The Presbytery elected TE J. Scott Philips of First Presbyterian Church of Louisville as moderator.

Recommendations from the Administration Committee were passed. The first was that the Presbytery appoint a ‘Special Committee’ to initiate a mission work in cooperation with other presbyteries to military families by planting churches on military bases, and also to assist the Administration Committee in guiding the Presbytery in establishing a new permanent committee for such a ministry.

The second recommendation was to appoint six men to the special committee. The parity issue arose because there were six TEs and only 2 REs recommended. An amendment was proposed for the Stated Clerk, former Moderator, and the current Moderator to appoint REs to bring parity to the ‘Special Committee.’

TE Ken Pierce of Trinity Presbyterian Church led worship for the retiring Moderator and preached from Acts 15:1-21, 31.

Following lunch, the Overtures Committee reported on the overture sent up to the presbytery from two churches, Trinity Presbyterian and Madison Heights Presbyterian. The overture asked for the February meeting of Presbytery to be moved from Tuesday to Saturday to encourage more REs to attend Presbytery.
The Overtures Committee brought their recommendation that in February 2011 and 2012 the Presbytery suspend the rules and meet on Saturday of those years and see if parity occurs. This recommendation was defeated. The original overture was then brought before the Presbytery and it was defeated.

The Credentials Committee then gave its report and brought before it two men. One for transfer from Eastern Carolina Presbytery and one for licensure (a minister in good standing from the SBC). Rev. Perry McCall (from the SBC) was examined and preached from Joshua 1:1-9. His licensure was approved. The man who was seeking transfer had a difficult exam. He took exception to WCF 4.1 on creation days. However, by his examination it showed he also held views holding to women deaconesses and women reading Scripture in Public Worship. The Presbytery saw these two were exceptions as well. Following this, the Presbytery voted whether or not to approve his transfer and he was denied despite his willingness to submit to the brethren on these issues.

The Presbytery then went immediately into Executive Session. After coming out of Executive Session, TEs Carl Kalberkamp and Ligon Duncan prayed for the man.

During the Mission to North America report, TE Bob Schwanebeck gave a report on the Mississippi Joint Committee on Campus Work for RUF’s in MS, TN, and AR. He asked the Presbytery to pass a resolution to be sent to Covenant Presbytery. This resolution stated, “Therefore, Be it Resolved that the Presbytery of the Mississippi Valley urges our fathers and brothers in Covenant Presbytery to remain faithful to their commitment to serve together with us in campus ministry, to continue as our partner in this wonderful work of God, and that they not withdraw from the Mississippi Joint Committee on Campus Work, and Be It Further Resolved That the Presbytery of Mississippi Valley urges Covenant Presbytery to reaffirm its commitment to this long-standing mutual partnership with Grace and Mississippi Valley Presbyteries in campus ministry through the Mississippi Joint Committee on Campus Work as currently structured.” This resolution passed.

The court then made its first nominee for Moderator of the next meeting, RE Bob Bailey of FPC Yazoo City; the meeting to be held the first Tuesday in August at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson. The meeting closed with prayer.

Editor’s Note: The Aquila Report has requested comment from a large number of members of the Presbytery concerning denying transfer to a TE from another PCA Presbytery based on MVP’S not granting exceptions that are frequently granted in other Presbyteries and had previously been granted within Mississippi Valley Presbytery itself. We will print those comments in a few days, after we have had time to gather then.