ISSN 0362—0816


THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED


PRESBYTERIAN


Susan L. Tanner, Editor arpeditor@arpsynod.org


Kevin Owens, Graphic Designer


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ARP News Update (www.ARPnews.org) 9


PRESBYTERIAN VOL. 48 NO. 3


THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED


Contents/Features 4


6 May/June 2023


Moderator’s Challenge - Press on in Faith!  world and instead bring our focus back to the eternal things of God. —Moderator Bill McKay


Synod Emphasis -Worship and Prayer Acceptable worship is worship that has God at the center. —Jeff Kingswood


Synod Emphasis - Called to be Faithful Jesus rounds out his teaching on discipleship, calling upon his followers to remain faithful and thereby impactful upon society. —David Lauten


22 ARP 101 Did you know there used to be an Arkansas Presbytery? —William Holiman


24 Feature - Roy Beckham I love the ARPC; I love Erskine. How- —John Paul Marr


26 Cover Story - I’m Adopted, I’m Chosen, I’m Special —Susan Tanner


AGENCIES 11


Bonclarken


Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


12 Erskine 13


Erskine Seminary


14 Outreach North America 15 World Witness 19 Women’s Ministries


ARPC Spotlight ARPC Spotlight


16 Family Pages 17


EVERY MONTH Prayer Calendar


21 ARPinterest 27 News In Brief 30


All in Our Family 31 Classified Ads


Jeffcoat Named a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists London Lenora Morrow Jeffcoat, a member of First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, SC, and daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Alan A. Morrow (ARP minister, retired) of York, SC, has been named a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists London. The Royal College of Organ-


ists, or “RCO,” was founded in 1864 as a charity and educational institution and received its charter from Queen Victoria. It is the premier - ies, the Fellowship Diploma or “FRCO” being the highest recognition, comparable to a doctorate. Mrs. Jeffcoat received her Fellowship hooding and degree conferment on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Southwark Cathedral in London, with her husband, Harry, and daughter Lenora Grace in attendance. Mrs. Jeffcoat served as organist at Ebenezer ARP Church of Rock Hill (1997-2001), Second Pres- byterian Church of Memphis, TN (2007-2013), and assistant organist at First Presbyterian Church, Columbia (2014-15). She remains an active member of RCO and serves on the board of the Columbia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. She greatly appreciates the many ARP churches and ministers who encouraged her as a young organist; in particular, Dr. R. Boyce Wilson, who instilled in her a creative curiosity about and practical application of Reformed worship practice; and Dr.  One of Mrs. Jeffcoat’s concerns for the future is the use of the organ in evangelical worship. “The


organ is an instrument which has developed over the centuries primarily to accompany the worship of God,” she states. “Unfortunately, with fewer exceptions, the organ and the great choral tradition it has engendered is no longer part of worship in believing churches. In the U.S., people are forced to choose between biblically solid preaching and a high view of worship. Traditional worship is dying because the organ is being played unimaginatively.” Mrs. Jeffcoat is working with like-minded col- leagues in the profession to stem this tide, and she asks for prayer, and exhorts all church musicians to sing and play with excellence, to the very best of their abilities, for the glory of God. Lenora and her husband, Harry, live in Lexington, SC, with their two daughters, Lenora Grace (7) and Mary Clare (4), and attend First Presbyterian Church in Columbia.


May/June 2023 3


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