The 2006 meeting of Anselm Presbytery, CREC, concluded yesterday. I am serving as the current moderator, and was extremely grateful for how things are going. The presbytery meeting was covered in grace, even though there were some difficult issues for us to deal with. It is a tremendous privilege to work with men of this caliber.
The CREC divided into two presbyteries last year. This year Anselm added six new member churches, bringing our presbytery to 23 churches. Two of our new churches were from Russia, and two from Poland. We already have one church in Japan. We also had a group of interested visitors from Tasmania. Augustine Presbytery in the east is just shy of the same number of churches. Two years ago, at the beginning of our only presbytery, we had 22 churches in the entire CREC. What this means is that we have basically doubled in size in the last two years. Judging from the number of candidate churches and mission churches, it looks quite possible that we will double again in the next two years.
Now of course, morning glory grows too. So does cancer. So do cults. Growth is not the one pragmatic measuring rod for blessing. But growth is something that other blessings — covenant renewal worship, liturgical reform, the teaching of solid doctrine, faithfulness in families — ought to do. And all the indicators are that this is what is happening. But of course, let him who boasts boast in the Lord. What do we have in all this that we did not receive as a gift? Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.