Chapter 6. The Presbytery

The Synod, alone, may organize a presbytery, define its approximate boundaries, determine which congregations shall be under its oversight, and approve its name. The credentials of all teaching elders, including those who are serving as ruling elders in particular congregations, shall be held by the presbytery in which they reside. The session of each congregation within the presbytery shall send delegates to each meeting of presbytery; these would normally include a teaching elder and a ruling elder, but congregations with more than one hundred members (communicant and baptized) shall be entitled to an additional delegate. Each presbytery shall determine its policies for other certifications and for participation in the travel fund. Elders from other presbyteries and elders from other denominations with whom we have fraternal relations may be invited to be consultative members without the right to vote.

A presbytery shall hold regular meetings at least once a year. It shall meet within its boundaries except, by permission of Synod, during the meeting of Synod. In the latter case due notice of the meetings shall be given on the floor of Synod. The elders of the presbytery who are delegates to Synod shall be members of such meetings of the presbytery. An Ad Interim Commission may be appointed to attend to necessary business in the interval between regular meetings.

A presbytery may arrange special meetings. The moderator may, at his own discretion, or upon the request of two members, call a meeting to transact business requiring immediate attention. At least ten days’ notice shall be given, and the call shall specify the business to be considered. The first decision after the organization of the court shall be on the question of sustaining the action of the moderator in calling the meeting. The presbytery shall consider only the business specified; other items may be introduced by a two-thirds vote.

If a presbytery adjourns without fixing a time or place for the next meeting, or if the presbytery fails to meet at the fixed time, it shall be the duty of the moderator, or if he is absent or disqualified, of the clerk, to call a meeting of the presbytery that it may resume its functions. Notice shall be sent through the sessions to each congregation at least ten days before the time set. If a presbytery becomes permanently disorganized, the Synod shall allocate the congregations to the presbyteries that are most convenient.

In order to have a quorum for the transaction of business, two conditions must be met: (1) there must be elders present from at least half of the congregations on the roll of presbytery; and (2) at least 1/4 of the elders present must be ruling elders. A smaller number may adjourn from time to time until a quorum is obtained.

Each presbytery shall elect from its members a moderator, a clerk and, if needed, an assistant clerk, These shall serve for one year and may be re-elected. It shall be the duty of the moderator to see that each session of the court is opened with a devotional service and constituted and adjourned with prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, King and Head of the Church. The moderator shall perform the duties commonly belonging to the presiding officer in a church court; he shall state the subject to be discussed, keep members to the questions before the court, maintain order, decide disputed points of order not matters of law and, if requested, sum up the arguments before putting the vote; he does not vote when the aye’s and nay’s are called for, and in other cases does vote when the aye’s and nay’s are equal on a question.

In case of the absence or disability of the moderator, the clerk shall have power to call a special meeting, if necessary. Upon convening, either in regular or special session, the court shall be constituted by the last preceding moderator, who shall preside during the organization of the court and the election of a new moderator or of a moderator pro tem.

The clerk of presbytery shall keep the minutes of the presbytery meetings, which shall be read, corrected and adopted at the close of each meeting. He shall prepare a list of items of unfinished business which should have the attention of presbytery. He shall see that the record book of the presbytery is presented at Synod for review, and shall prepare a report to each regular meeting of Synod concerning students of theology, licensures, ordinations, installations, the number of teaching elders, those without charge, congregations without teaching elders, the dissolutions of pastoral relationships, the organization, disorganization, union or division of congregations, important congregational or presbytery-wide projects and other data which indicate the conditions within the presbytery. The report must be submitted to the presbytery for adoption before it is presented to the Synod.

It is the duty of the presbytery to maintain a faithful supervision over all the congregations within its bounds and to provide for presbyterial visitation, to guard against any teaching contrary to sound doctrine and any corruption of the worship of God, and to institute presbyterial discipline when necessary. The presbytery should give special care to vacant congregations, see that they are properly organized, that the sessions and boards of deacons and trustees function as they should, and that the ordinances are regularly maintained.

Presbyteries should make a careful survey of the territory within their bounds with a view to establishing preaching stations in needy fields which might be nurtured into congregations.

The presbytery shall review the sessional records of the congregations once a year and make note of anything contrary to the law and order of the church. It shall adjudicate all matters coming before it by appeal, complaint, reference or petition from the sessions, or from members of the congregations, if properly transmitted by the sessions, and shall transmit to the Synod all papers, regular in form, requiring the attention of that body. If a session refuses to transfer any paper submitted by an individual member, he may appeal to the presbytery and ask for a hearing.

The presbytery shall have oversight of the men preparing for the gospel ministry and shall have power to license candidates for the teaching eldership. It shall direct the moderation of calls, determine whether they are in order, and present them, if considered to be for the best interests of all concerned. The presbytery has power to ordain, install, try, remove, suspend or depose teaching elders. It shall receive the credentials of teaching elders from other presbyteries and transfer such credentials to other presbyteries. It may receive teaching elders from other denominations or dismiss teaching elders who desire to withdraw from this denomination. (See chap. 3, sect. II.)

The presbytery is subordinate to the Synod, is bound by its action, and is under obligation to carry out its decrees. It is the right and privilege of the presbytery to petition Synod.

The presbytery may facilitate its work by referring to committees various items of business for consideration and for report with recommendations. The presbytery may also transact business through commissions. A commission has the full authority of the court which appoints it in matters referred to it, subject to the review of the appointing court. The Ad Interim Commission, appointed to attend to necessary business between regular and called meetings of presbytery, may attend to the moderation, sustaining, and presentation of calls and to installations, and may arrange for ordinations; they also are to deal with other items which need the attention of the presbytery in the interim. A judicial commission may be appointed to investigate a situation or adjudicate a case which has come before the presbytery. A quorum of a commission shall consist of not less than two-thirds of its members. A commission shall report to the presbytery and submit its minutes, which shall be spread on the minutes of the presbytery. The minutes of the commission cannot be changed by the presbytery, but the presbytery may rescind the action of the commission.

The presbytery, having completed its work, shall adjourn in prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King and Head of the Church, to meet at a given time and place.