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From June 22^nd to 26^th , 2009, the campus of Geneva College in Beaver

Falls, Pennsylvania, served its customary role of hosting the annual meeting of the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA). Elected Moderator was the Rev. Bruce Hemphill, pastor of Covenant Fellowship Reformed Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. For the twentieth consecutive year, the Rev. J. Bruce Martin of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, was elected as the Clerk of Synod.

The most controverted issue confronting this meeting of the church court was a complaint against the Presbytery of the Alleghenies with respect to a judicial matter. Earlier this year, Mr. Brian Hasenkopf, a ruling elder, had been found not guilty by a Presbytery commission of denying the doctrine of justification by faith alone. The Presbytery rescinded that finding by its commission, and subsequently re-tried the case and issued a finding of guilty. While no one at the Synod was interested in defending Mr. Hasenkopf’s views on justification, the controversy revolved around whether the overturning of the original verdict constituted “double jeopardy.” After hours of debate extending over a two-day period, the Synod, by a vote of 35-29, ordered the Presbytery to rescind its verdict of guilty.

The Synod voted to terminate its long-standing membership in the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Concerns raised included an increasing willingness by NAE officials to associate with liberal Protestants, Romanists, and Muslims. The Interchurch Committee was given the task of composing a letter which will delineate the rationale for leaving the interdenominational organization.

In response to a paper authored by Pastors Paul McCracken and Laverne Rosenberger of the Presbytery of the Alleghenies, the Synod voted to appoint a study committee on activities dubbed “informal worship.” One of the particular concerns has to do with chapel services at Geneva College, which are not always conducted in accord with the RPCNA’s Biblical principles.

Worship permeated the sessions of the Synod. The meeting began on Monday evening with the preaching of the Word by retiring Moderator Dennis Prutow. Starting on Tuesday, the day’s proceedings began with a devotional service; and at the end of each morning, afternoon, and evening session, time was set aside for Psalm singing and for prayer in small groups. Among the topics for prayer were the following: the worship ministry of the Church; the administrative ministry of the RPCNA; the ministry of the Presbyteries; the educational ministry of the RPCNA; the ministry of mercy; the RPCNA in relationship to the worldwide church; the RPCNA’s evangelistic and missionary ministries; just dealings in the government, worship, and discipline of the RPCNA; the progress of the church for Christ’s sake; and encouragement for RPCNA congregations. On Thursday, the Synod was presented with copies of a long-awaited new psalter, The Book of Psalms for Worship.