GLP
For some reason the PCA loves abbreviations??!! We have the MNA, MTW, and RUF committees. Our TE's and RE's go to GA. And we are a part of this thing called the GLP.*
The GLP is short for the Great Lakes Presbytery and is our regional body of PCA churches in MI and Northern IN that convenes 3x per year. We met this last Saturday on the campus of the University of Michigan for a meeting hosted by our Ann Arbor churches and our RUF ministry at U of M. As you know it was a big meeting in the life of Christ Church, as both Michael and Roger were examined by the GLP. Michael was examined as a transfer candidate, coming in from the MO Presbytery, while Roger completed his ordination exams on his way to becoming a TE. Both of them acquitted themselves wonderfully.
There are times when the seemingly tedious and ponderous nature of Presbyterianism gets a bad rap, but I wanted to take a minute to attest to the joy of fellowship with these other churches. First, I am so glad that we have standards with respect to Biblical knowledge, theology and polity that we ask our TE's to adhere to. We will only be as strong as our commitment to understanding and living out the Scriptures. We have seen around the world and across our land, when a church loses those things, it inevitably fails as a church. Second, I am excited by the shared ministry that we get to engage in with the GLP. Currently we have about 21 particular churches, with another 7 in the process of being planted. In addition, we have an active campus ministry at U of M through RUF and many of our churches are supporting other campus works through CO. We even have a church in Malawi, through our missionary Confex Makalira, that is under the oversight of the GLP!
As you may have heard, there is an 8th mission being planned for the GLP, this one in Muskegon. It is a work overseen by the Presbytery with leadership from Christ Church, Hudsonville Reformed, Trinity PCA, Gracehill, and Christ the King in Hastings. The families invested in planting a PCA church in Muskegon County are a close knit group who value the structure and governance of a presbyterian church, as well as the rich reformed tradition of the PCA. Although none of the families come directly from a PCA background, they are excited by the prospect of a gospel-centered, well-governed church in Muskegon. They are a mix of long time Muskegonites and transplants from other states, most of whom have young families. Will you pray with us that the Lord will send a church planter to love and serve these folks?
On the topic of prayer and church planting, I would invite you to take note of the prayer time being set aside for our own future church planting endeavors, as committed to in our recent capital campaign, to take place at Christ Church on May 17th at 7pm.
God is on the move. We will see this encouraging truth play out this week as we look at 1 Samuel 4-6. God cannot be contained, either by his enemies or his people!
*PCA = Presbyterian Church in America
MNA = Mission to North America
MTW = Mission to the World
RUF = Reformed University Fellowship
TE = Teaching Elder
RE = Ruling Elder
GA = General Assembly
CO -- Campus Outreach