The Two Synod Solution

Proposed Amendments

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Proposed Amendments
Presbyteries
G-11.0403:


G-11.0403    Each Presbytery, aligned with 
Criteria for    their respective Primary Synod 
Ministry of     (Auburn or Westminster) shall
Continuing    determine the ministers of the 
Members      Word and Sacrament who are its  
and              continuing members, and the   
Validation     validation of their various ministries.              
of                In making this determination   
Ministries      the Presbytery shall be guided             
                   by the written criteria developed 
                   by their Primary Synod
                   (Westminster or Auburn) for
                   validation of ministries within
                   its bounds.  These criteria shall
                   be based upon the description of
                   the nature of their ordained office,
                   including the following:
                   
                      a.  The ministry of continuing
                           members shall be in
                           demonstrable conformity
                           with the mission of God's
                           people in the world set
                           forth in Holy Scripture,
                           the Book of Order, and
                           the Statements of Faith
                           adopted by their Primary
                           Synod (Auburn or Westminster)
                           from the Book of Confessions.
    
                      b.  The ministry shall be one that
                           serves others, aids others,
                           and enables the ministries
                           of others.

                      c.  The ministry shall give
                           evidence of theologically
                           informed fidelity to God's
                           Word.  This will normally
                           require the Master of
                           Divinty degree or its
                           equivalent and the
                           completion of the
                           requirements for ordination
                           set forth in the guidelines
                           of their Primary Synod
                           (Westminster or Auburn).

                      d.  The ministry shall be carried
                           on with full accountability for 
                           its character and conduct,
                           to the governing bodies of
                           their respective Primary
                           Synod (Auburn or
                           Westminster).

                      e.  The ministry shall include
                           participation in the
                           deliberations and work
                           of their Primary Synod
                           (Westminster or Auburn).
                           

G-11.0404        Ministers of other denominations may
Ministers of       be received by a Presbytery if it is
Other               in compliance with their Primary
Denominations   Synod's (Auburn or Westminster)
                       guidelines, as follows:
                        
                       a. Ministers of other denominations
                           when applying for membership
                           in a Presbytery, shall furnish
                           credentials and evidence of
                           good standing acceptable to
                           the Presbytery's Primary Synod
                           (Westminster or Auburn),
                           including satisfactory evidence
                           of possessing the qualifications 
                           of character and scholarship
                           required of candidates of this
                           church.  They shall:
                             (1) present a baccalaureate
                                  degree from an accredited
                                  college or university and a
                                  theological degree from an
                                  institution acceptable to
                                  the Primary Synod with which
                                  the Presbytery is aligned,
                                  (Westminster or Auburn).
                            (2)  answer satisfactorily the
                                  questions of candidates for
                                  ordination, developed by
                                  their Primary Synod
                                  (Auburn or Westminster)
                            (3)  articulate their Christian faith
                                  and demonstrate an
                                  acceptable knowledge of 
                                  theology and of the 
                                  government of this church.
      
                       b. The Presbytery shall not waive
                           any of the foregoing requirements
                           except in extraordinary cases.
                           In those cases, the Presbytery must
                           follow the guidelines set forth
                           by their Primary Synod
                           (Westminster or Auburn),
                           for extraordinary 
                           circumstances.

                       c. Upon a report from the appropriate
                          committee, such minister 
                          shall then be examined
                          by their respective Presbytery in their 
                          Christian Faith, their theology, and 
                          in the system of government of this
                          church, in accordance with the
                          guidelines of their Primary 
                          Synod (Auburn or Westminster).
                          The minister shall answer in the
                          affirmative the questions
                          asked of them, in their ordination
                          and installation service.  The
                          examination and questions shall
                          be based upon their Primary Synod's
                          guidelines and policies
                          (Westminster or Auburn).

                       d. A minister is required to
                          have been called to an 
                          appropriate work in their
                          Primary Synod (Auburn or
                          Westminster)

                       e.   (Unchanged) 

                       f.    (Unchanged)

G-11.0405          a. A minister of the Word and
In                        Sacrament of another  
Correspondence     denomination which is in 
With                     correspondence with one or
                           both of the two Primary Synods
                           (Westminster or Auburn),
                           whose denomination
                           is in full fellowship with
                           the PCUSA, and
                           whose ecclesiastical
                           relations have been
                           certified by that denomination, 
                           who is serving in a Presbyterian
                           congregation in a temporary
                           noninstalled pastoral relationship
                           (other than as an organizing pastor),
                           or may become a minister of a
                           congregation or larger parish
                           composed of denominational
                           units, at least one of which is
                           associated with the Presbyterian
                           Church (U.S.A.) and one of the
                           two Primary Synods (Auburn
                           or Westminster), (or is one who has 
                           become a minister serving a
                           cooperative specialized ministry
                           in which this church and one of
                           the two Primary Synods (Westminster
                           or Auburn) shares the sponsorship),
                           or who has been jointly called to an
                           administrative office by more than
                           one denomination, at least one of
                           which is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
                           and one of the two Primary
                           Synods (Auburn or Westminster), or
                           a minister of a church outside the United
                           States that is in correspondence with
                           the General Assembly and one of
                           the two Primary Synods, (Westminster
                           or Auburn) who is serving in a
                           ministerial capacity in this church,
                           may be enrolled for the period of
                           service as a member of the Presbytery
                           that is aligned with the Primary Synod
                           (Auburn or Westminster) that they
                           are in correspondence with, and have
                           the temporary rights and privileges
                           of membership.

                         b. A minister of another denomination
                           with whom either Primary Synod
                           (Westminster or Auburn) is in full
                           communion, may be called, examined,
                           approved, and installed as pastor
                           or may serve in another ministerial
                           capacity and may be enrolled for
                           the period of this service as a
                           member of a Presbytery with the
                           rights and privileges of membership.
                           The minister shall participate in the 
                           benefits plan of one of the
                           denominations.  If the minister
                           is already participating in one plan,
                           membership in that plan shall be retained.
                           If the minister is not a member of any plan
                           either of the denominations' plans shall be
                           chosen by the minister.  The congregation 
                           or other employing body shall pay the
                           fees, dues, or premium required by the
                           plan to which the minister belongs.

G-11.0406        Ministers of the Word and Sacrament who
Continuing        are continuing members of a Presbytery,      
Member            that is aligned with their Primary Synod,
                        (Auburn or Westminster) will include
                        active members, members-at-large,
                        and inactive members.

                          a. An active member is a minister of
                              the Word and Sacrament who has
                              been enrolled and admitted to  
                              a Presbytery of their Primary
                              Synod (Westminster or Auburn),
                              in accordance with the standards
                              and guidelines of their Primary
                              Synod (Auburn or Westminster),
                              and is currently engaged in a
                              validated ministry within 
                              congregations of their Primary 
                              Synod (Westminster or Auburn),
                              or in a validated ministry
                              in other service to their Primary
                              Synod, or in a validated ministry
                              in service beyond the jurisdiction
                              of this church or
                              honorably retired from this
                              church.  An active member is
                              entitled to take part
                              in the meetings of their 
                              Presbytery, which is aligned
                              with their Primary Synod,
                              (Auburn or Westminster), 
                              and to speak, to vote, and
                              to hold office.

Members-at         b.  A member-at-large is a minister of the
-Large                     Word and Sacrament who has previously
                              been admitted to their Presbytery, 
                              aligned with their Primary Synod,
                              (Westminster or Auburn) or another
                              Presbytery aligned with their Primary
                              Synod, as an active member, and who  
                              is now, without the intentional
                              abandonment of their exercise of
                              ministry, no longer engaged
                              in a ministry that complies 
                              with all of the criteria set forth by their
                              Primary Synod (Auburn or Westminster),
                              that minister may be designated as a
                              Member-at-Large because he or she
                              is limited in his or her ability to
                              engage in a ministry fulfilling
                              all of the criteria for a validated
                              ministry because of family responsibilities
                              or other individual circumstances which 
                              the Presbytery recognizes as important.
                              A Member-at-Large shall comply with all
                              of the criteria required by their Primary
                              Synod (Westminster or Auburn) and shall
                              be encouraged to become a parish 
                              associate in a congregation.  A Member
                              -at-Large is entitled to take part in the
                              meetings of their Presbytery, and to 
                              speak, vote, and hold office.  The status
                              of Member-at-Large may be granted
                              by a Presbytery upon that minister's
                              application which shall be reviewed
                              annually.

Inactive               c. An inactive member is a minister of the 
Member                  Word and Sacrament who has previously
                             been admitted to a Presbytery of their
                             Primary Synod (Auburn or Westminster)
                             as an active member, but is now 
                             voluntarily engaged in an occupation that
                             does not comply with all of the criteria
                             required by their Primary Synod
                             (Westminster or Auburn). 
                             The Presbytery may, at the
                             minister's request or on its own initiative,
                             after notifying the minister in person or
                             by certified mail at the last known address,
                             determine that the minister's category of
                             membership is that of inactive member.
                             An inactive member is not entitled to take
                             part in meetings of their Presbytery or to 
                             speak, vote, hold office, or serve on 
                             committees, except that the inactive 
                             member may speak when the matter 
                             under consideration concerns that
                             minister.  The continued status of
                             each inactive member shall
                             be reviewed annually up to three 
                             years.  If at the end of three years
                             the minister has not been restored
                             to active membership or
                             Membership-at-Large, their Presbytery
                             shall delete that person's name form
                             the appropriate roll of Presbytery
                             and may give that person a 
                             certificate of membership to a particular
                             church.


                           
                         

Proposed Amendment