Due West ARP Church

The 2003 Bicentennial Meeting of the Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church concluded today, accepting Erskine's requested slate of trustees and allocating to Erskine more than $500,000, representing 20 percent of available denominational funds.

Erskine College and Seminary President Dr. John Carson worked to bring the Synod meeting, which is usually held at the denomination's assembly grounds in Flat Rock, N.C., to the Due West campus.

"I don't think things could have been any better," Carson said. "It wasn't perfect, but the bumps were as minor as you could imagine."

Praising "an incredible team effort from first to last by the Erskine staff," Carson noted that Erskine Athletic Director Chip Sherer handled some of the organizational challenges created by an influx of approximately 700 vistors to the campus.

Especially gratifying for Carson was the community atmosphere created by the use of campus residence halls to house Synod participants. "Many times at Synod meetings, people stay in private homes, cottages and hotels, but we had three dorms full, bringing more opportunities for fellowship," he said. "Sharing meals in Moffatt Dining Hall also offered a chance for fellowship."

Many children and young people who attended Synod with their parents were positively affected by their time on campus, Carson said. "They realized we extended ourselves to provide them with a first-class experience," he said. "People who teach, those who sing, facilities, grounds, and dining hall staff — everyone went beyond their normal job descriptions."

A special offering was taken to help defray the cost of the Synod meeting.

Carson, a former Moderator of Synod, said he received positive comments from Synod visitors, many of whom had never been to Erskine, or had not been in Due West for a number of years.

"A number of delegates said we should come back more frequently," said Carson. "And we will at significant times." This year marked the 200th anniversary of the founding of the ARP Synod of the Carolinas at Ebenezer Church near Winnsboro.