Committee on Ministry

I. Membership

A. The committee shall consist of eighteen (18) members divided into three classes of six each. These will be divided equally between elders and ministers.

B. The committee shall have a chairperson, nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the Presbytery. The committee chair will appoint the number of vice-chairs needed by the committee in order to effectively carry out their business.

C. A quorum shall be a simple majority of the elected members.

D. The Stated Clerk shall serve as the committee’s secretary, taking the minutes at meetings and conducting correspondence as related to calls or as requested.

E. The Chair in consultation with the Executive Presbyter may appoint qualified persons to serve on subcommittees to assist in their work.

F. The committee shall have an Executive Committee consisting of the Chair and all appointed vice-chairs. The Executive Presbyter and Stated Clerk may serve as resources to the Executive Committee.

II. Accountability

A. The Committee on Ministry shall be directly accountable to, and shall report directly to, Presbytery.

B. The Committee on Ministry shall hold stated meetings and may, with due notice, hold special meetings as called by the Chair or by two (2) members of the committee after consultation with the Executive Presbyter.

III. Duties

The committee shall:

A. Fulfill requirements of the Form of Government (G-11.0502,G-11.0503 and G-11.0504);

B.  Represent the interest of the Board of Pensions in Presbytery and provide advice to members of the Benefits Plan and to the particular churches on matters relating to the Plan and the Board;

C. Nominate to Presbytery administrative commissions for pastoral installations and report the completion of such to the next stated meeting of Presbytery;

D. Make an annual necrology report to the Presbytery in January;

E. Maintain a pastoral relationship to all ministers, and particularly to ministerial retirees, special- need cases and to their families;

F. Provide for appropriate recognition for ministerial members of Presbytery at the time of their retirement;

G. Prepare annually and submit to Presbytery a report of the compensation received by ministers of the Presbytery and recommend annually to Presbytery minimum terms of compensation for its ministers of the Word and Sacrament;

H. Confer with sessions of churches without pastors with respect to compensation and reimbursement to temporary session moderators appointed by Presbytery;

I. Provide consultative services to congregations in the conducting of congregation mission studies. A current mission study is a prerequisite to the pastoral call process beginning and is subject to the approval of the Committee on Ministry. Congregations are encouraged to conduct a mission study every five years and update them as appropriate;

J. Maintain a task force for pastoral enrichment and support; and

K. Fulfill any additional requirements  specified in the Committee  on Ministry Manual.

IV. Authority to Act

The Committee on Ministry is empowered to do the following pursuant to Book of Order Section G-11.0502h provided that all such actions be reported to the next stated meeting of the Presbytery. (G-9.0403, G-14.0507):

A. Find in order calls issued by churches;

B. Approve and present calls for services of ministers;

C. Dissolve the pastoral relationship in cases where the congregation and the pastor concur;

D. Grant permission to labor within or outside the bounds of Presbytery;

E. Dismiss ministers to other Presbyteries; and

F. Examine each minister requesting a transfer from another Presbytery on his or her Christian faith and views of theology, the Sacraments and the government of this church, as required by G-11.0402, and make a recommendation to Presbytery.