Here is update from the important Presbytery meeting that was held on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. It has been mentioned several times that our vote to seek dismissal on April 22nd was a request to Presbytery to let IRPC leave the PC(USA) and go to ECO with our property.

The Presbytery voted 136 to 45 to dismiss us from the PC(USA). David Sowerby gave the opening statement.

All of our 9 sister churches that had completed the dismissal process were also voted out by the Presbytery today. Eight of these churches are going to ECO. There are another 5 churches that are completing their dismissal process.

This is ALMOST the end of the process. We now have a 30 day waiting period. At that point we will have a worship service on Friday June 15th at 7:00pm in our sanctuary when we will officially be transferred into ECO.

There is still a lot of little things to be done. We are in the midst of having all of our 7,500 pages of records from Indian River and First Presbyterian Church copied as we are required to surrender our originals at our final worship service. We are working on the final legal contract with the Presbytery for the terms of our dismissal. We are in the midst of doing the final paper work for ECO and its medical, pension, and property insurance programs. We are preparing our church by-laws to be changed to reflect our affiliation with ECO.

So thank you for your prayers and support in this time and pray that these final steps go smoothly.

Rev. Dr. Dana Allin presents another sermon in the series “God Questions – Real Questions/Authentic Faith”. This week’s sermon is titled “Should Women be in Ministry?”

A question that has surfaced more frequently during this dismissal process is should women be in ministry? People have stated that the primary reason we are seeking dismissal from the PC(USA) is that the denomination looks at scripture as a guide rather than an authority. One of the ways this has been manifest in the denomination is the ordination and approval of those engaging in sexual activity outside of the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. But many people have asked, “well why is ok that we have women in ministry.” This Sunday we will address that question and while people can agree to disagree you will see the biblical basis for allowing women to serve in all areas of the church.

CLICK HERE to download the Sermon Outline and Sermon Reflection Questions.

IRPC will honor our graduates on Sunday, June 3rd. On that Sunday there will be a video presentation of the graduates shown during all three services. Graduates are asked to attend both the 9:20am and 11:00am worship services.

During the 9:20am service the graduates will come forward for prayer after the video presentation. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:15am. For the 11:00am service please meet in Sample Hall at 10:45am wearing cap and gown (if possible); Pastor Bryan will lead the graduates to the front two center pews at the beginning of the service. During the offering the video will be shown and then Pastor Bryan will offer a prayer for the graduates.

If you would like to be included in the bulletin announcement and video presentation please submit 3 photos, preferably one being a “senior” picture, by Tuesday, May 28, 2012. Photos must be clearly labeled and can be emailed or dropped off at the front office. All photos will be returned to the student inside their “senior gift bag” which they will receive at 10:45am in Sample Hall on Graduation Sunday.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING INFO AND RETURN TO ILEY HARRISON at the church office or email to: iley@irpcfamily.org by May 28, 2012.

Name of Graduate:
Name of school graduating from:
High school or college degree?
If college, what kind of degree?
If a high school graduate with plans to attend college:
Name of college:

Have you ever wanted to visit the Holy Land and actually walk where Jesus walked, and see where many of the Biblical stories took place?

Would you like to go with a group which wants to grow in understanding the Bible and have an encounter with the Living Lord in His Land?

But have you also wondered if it is safe to travel there now in light of the news from the Middle East?

Tour coordinator/lecturer, Dr. Larry Selig,  is planning to return to the Holy Land for 10 days of Biblical discovery (with the option of a two day Jerusalem extended stay), scheduled to depart from Newark on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 and return the following Thursday, April 19.  Total cost for the trip – including trip insurance, all transportation from the Orlando airport and within Israel, lodging with two buffet meals a day, gratuities, taxes, fees, etc. – comes to around $3,300/$3,500, based on the 10 day or 12 day trip option.

Join us on Sunday afternoon, June 10 at 3pm for a one hour briefing on the Holy Land trip, to be led by Pastor Bryan in April 2013. Tour coordinator/lecturer, Dr. Larry Selig, will present a brief overview with photos of the 10 day trip scheduled to depart April 9, 2013 and returning April 18. There will be opportunity to learn more details of the trip, costs, places to be visited, security issues and ask any other questions you may have.

Brochures are available at the Information Station in the hallway! Check with Pastor Bryan for further details. [bryan@irpcfamily.org // 772-464-4263 x105] Please check with Pastor Bryan if you have further questions.  He would love to see another group from IRPC plan to become “Holy Land Pilgrims” as 14 of us did in 2009 and as 7 others did in 2011!!!

In August, 2012, we would like to train a new class of Stephen Ministers. I ask for your prayers to consider the following…

Would you like to explore becoming a Stephen Minister? Do you have gifts of empathy, listening, caring, and the ability to keep things in confidence? Do you have the time and energy to put into 50 hours of training over a five-month period, August, 2012 through January, 2013, meeting weekly for two hours? After training, a Stephen Minister is matched with a care receiver, and the commitment becomes approximately an hour per week with that person, with another hour or two every two weeks as you meet in a group for supervision and self-care relating to your specific assignment.

Would you commit to being a prayer warrior for this ministry? We are in need of folks who can come alongside members in crisis in a confidential, caring way, one-on-one, as your pastoral staff could not possibly do that for each person in need. Thank you, and please do not hesitate to contact me, Rev. Bryan Wenger, for more information at 772-464-4263, ext. 105 or bryan@irpcfamily.org