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Chapter XI
The Presbytery
G-11.000
G-11.0101 1. General
The structure of the PCUSA is first: the General
Assembly;
next: the two Primary Synods,
(Westminster and Auburn); next: are the
8 Sub-Synods belonging to the Westminster
Primary Synod and the 8 Sub-Synods belonging
to the Auburn Primary Synod. Governing bodies
below
the Sub-Synods of each Primary Synod
(Westminster and Auburn), are the Presbyteries.
Each
Presbytery is aligned, either with the
Auburn Primary Synod or the Westminster
Primary Synod. Each Presbytery consists of the
congregations that have voted to align themselves
with
either the Westminster Primary Synod or the
Auburn Primary Synod, in a given region. Each
region shall have two Presbyteries,
one Presbytery aligned with the Westminster
Primary Synod and one Presbytery aligned
with the Auburn Primary Synod.
Presbytery A Presbytery Region consists
Regions of
the largest geographic Presbytery
in a given region. The Presbytery
aligned
with either the Auburn
or
Westminster Primary Synod, that
is geographically larger,
and
all the Presbyteries of the other
Primary Synod (Westminster or Auburn)
in the same geographic region,
make up a Presbytery Region.
A
Presbytery Region must be
determined
for puposes of cross-over
committees between the Presbyteries
representing the two Primary
Synods, (Westminster or Auburn).
. This will ensure cooperation
and fellowship between the
Two Primary Synods at the
Presbytery level.
The Presbytery is a corporate expression
of the church consisting of all the churches
and ministers
of the Word and
Sacrament aligned with one of the
Primary Synods (Auburn or
Westminster), in a given geographic
region. When a presbytery meets,
each
church shall be represented
by an elder commissioned by the
session with the following additional
provisions:
G-11.0101 1. a. unchanged
G-11.0101 1
b. unchanged
G-11.0101 1. c. unchanged
G-11.0102
In each presbytery the minimum number
Minimum of ministers shall be 27 and the minimum
number of churches
with duly constituted
sessions
shall likewise be 27.
G-11.0103 The presbytery is responsible
for
Responsibilities the mission and government
of the church, and of their respective
Primary Synod (Westminster or Auburn),
with which they are aligned,
throughout
its geographic district. It
therefore has the responsibility and
power
a.
to develop strategy for the mission
of the church, consistent with the
goals and guidelines of their
Primary Synod (Auburn or
Westminster)
b.
to coordinate the work of its member
churches within its Primary Synod
(Westminster or Auburn), guiding
them and mobilizing their strength
for the most effective witness to the
broader community, for which it has
responsiblity.
c
. to initiate mission through a variety
of forms in light of the larger strategy
of their Primary Synod (Auburn or
Westminster).
d.
to implement, consistent with their
Primary
Synod's policies, the
principles
of participation, inclusiveness
affirmative action in employing its
personnel
and in establishing the
membership of its committees,
councils, boards, and other policy
making and policy recommending
bodies, in order to assure fair
representation in its decision
making and in the election of
commissioners to their respective
Sub-Synod, or their respective
Primary Synod (Westminster
or Auburn) and to the General
Assembly. Each Presbytery's committee
on representation shall report directly
to the presbytery, and shall be
empowered to make recommendations
to correct situations of unbalanced
representation.
e. to
counsel with a particular church,
aligned
with their Primary Synod,
where various
constituencies
of the congregation are not represented
on
a session.
f. to provide encouragement, guidance,
and
resources to member churches
aligned
with their respective Primary Synod
in
the areas of leadership, development
church
officer training, worship, nurture,
witness, service, stewardship, equitable
compensation, personnel policies, and
fair
employment practices.
g. to provide pastoral care for the churches
and members of their Presbytery,
visiting
sessions, and ministers,
aligned with their respective Primary
Synod, on a regular basis.
h.
to organize new churches for their
respective
Primary Synod, and to
receive and unite churches in
consultation with members
of their respective Presbytery.
When two or more churches within
the presbytery unite, the pastor or
pastors
of the former churches
may
continue, or become
pastor
or pastors of the uniting
church. The uniting church must agree
and specify those relationships in
the plan of union, with the
concurrance of their Primary
Synod's respective Presbytery
(either Auburn or Westminster),
in
that region.
i.
to divide, dismiss, or dissolve
churches
in consultation with
their
members.
j. to control the location of new
churches aligned with their Primary
Synod (either Westminster or
Auburn) and
of churches desiring
to move
k.
to take special oversight of churches
without pastors, including the
authority to select, train, examine,
and commission lay pastors and
authorize
them to administer
the Lord's Supper, in accordance
with their Primary Synod's policies
and guidelines.
l. to enter into covenant relationship
with those preparing to become
ministers of the Word and Sacrament
by enrolling them as inquirers, to
receive inquirers as candidates, and
to
certify candidates as ready for
examination for ordination, in
accordance with the guidelines of
the
Primary Synod with which they
are
aligned, (Westminster or
Auburn).
m. to elect
elder and minister
readers of examinations for
candidates for ordination at the
request
of the respective
Presbyteries' Cooperative
Committee on Examination
for Candidates in accordance
with the guidelines
of their Primary Synod
(Westminster or Auburn).
n.
to ordain, receive, dismiss,
install, and discipline ministers,
to plan for the integration of new
ministers
into the life and work
of
that respective Presbytery
in
accordance with the policies
and guidelines
of their respective
Primary Synod (Westminster
or Auburn), to establish minimum
compensation and benefit
requirements
for all pastoral
calls and for all calls for Certified
Christian
Educators and guidelines
for compensation and benefits for
Certified
Associate Christian
Educators employed by the
churches of that respective
Presbytery, to provide services
of recognition for Certified
Christian
Educators and Certified
Associate
Christian Educators.
To place
in order, approve, and
record in their respective prebytery's
minutes the full terms of all calls,
and changes of calls approved by
that presbytery.
o.
to establish the pastoral relationship
and to dissolve it at the request of one
or both of the parties, or when it finds
that the church's mission under the
Word
imperatively demands it
p.
to designate ministers to work as
teachers,
evangelists, administrators,
chaplains, and in other forms of ministry
recognized as appropriate by their
respective Presbytery. Such ministers
may administer the Sacraments at times
and places approved by their Primary
Synod, Sub-Synod, and respective
Presbytery.
q. to
receive under its care persons
preparing for professional service
in the church, and to commission
them when appropriate.
r. to serve in judicial matters in
accordance with the Rules of
Discipline.
s.
to assume original jurisdiction in any
case in which it determines that a
session within their Primary Synod
(Westminster
or Auburn) cannot
exercise its authority. After
a
thorough investigation, and
after a full opportunity to be heard
has been accorded to the session in
question, the respective Presbytery
of jurisdiction, aligned with the same
Primary Synod (Auburn or Westminster)
as the congregation, shall
determine
that the session of
a particular church is unable or
unwilling to manage wisely the affairs
of its church. The respective Presbytery
may appoint an administrative
committee
with the full power of a
session. This commission shall
assume original jurisdiction of the
existing
session, if any, which shall
cease to act until such time as
their respective Presbytery, aligned
with the same Primary Synod
(Westminster
or Auburn)
as the congregation, may
otherwise
direct.
t.
to maintain regular and continuing
relationships with their Primary
Synod (Westminster or Auburn)
and their Sub-Synods, and the
General
Assembly, including:
(1) electing commisioners to their
Primary Synod's (Auburn or
Westminster) general session,
electing commisioners to their
Sub-Synod, and electing
commissioners to the PCUSA
General
Assembly.
(2)
seeing that the guidelines of their
Primary
Synod (Westminster
or Auburn) and their
Sub-Synod are carried out.
(3)
proposing to their Primary Synod
(Auburn or Westminster), their
Sub-Synod, and to the General
Assembly such measures
as may be of common
concern to the mission of
the whole church
u.
to establish and maintain those
ecumenical relationships which will
enlarge the life and mission of the
church in its region;
v.
to establish and superintend the
agencies necessary for its work,
including
a presbytery council,
providing for the regular review of
the functional relationship between
the presbytery's structure and its
mission. The presbytery may, by
its own established rules, assign
to its council responsibility for action
between meetings of their respective
presbytery on specific areas of its
responsibilies as it shall deem
approporiate, assign to its committee
on ministry those powers specified
by their Primary Synod (either
Westminster or Auburn), and
assign to its committee
on preparation on ministry authority
to dismiss candidates, enroll inquirers,
and
certify candidates as ready for
examination for ordination; with the
provision that all such actions shall
be reported to the next stated
meeting of their respective Presbytery,
in
accordance with the guidelines of
their Primary Synod (either
Westminster
or Auburn)
w. to establish
a nominating committee
composed of equal members of
ministers, laymen, and laywomen
x.
to review session minutes and records
at least once each year;
y.
to consider and act upon requests
from congregations for permission
to take actions regarding
real
property in accordance with
their Primary Synod's guidelines
(Westminster
or Auburn).
z. to authorize specific
elders for
periods not exceeding one year
at
a time, to administer or preside
at the Lord's Supper in specific
circumstances and with proper
instruction by their respective
Presbytery
in the doctrine and
administration of the Lord's
Supper,
when it deems it necessary
to meet the needs for the administration
of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
that cannot otherwise be met, in
accordance with the standards and
guidelines of
their respective Primary
Synod (Westminster or Auburn).
aa. to appoint Presbyteers to their
Presbytery
Region's Cross-Over
Committees.
bb. Each Presbytery's
Moderator,
Stated Clerk, and
Committee
Chairpersons shall
be
members of their Presbytery
Region's Coordinating Council
Cross-Over Committee.
Proposed Amendments
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