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Proposed Amendments
G-7.0100
The church is both catholic and particular.
Organized by Both characteristics are to be
found in a
Presbytery particular church. A particular church in
the
as Part of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) can be
the
Whole organized only by the authority of a
Presbytery and shall function under the
provisions of this Constitution and
the guidelines of the Primary Synod
(Auburn or Westminster) with which
the Presbytery is aligned.
G-7.0102 (Unchanged)
Ministry
G-7.0103 (Unchanged)
Government
G-7.0201 In organizing a particular church, the
respective Presbytery, aligned with
either the Westminster or Auburn
Primary Synod, proceeding directly
or through a commission, shall
receive applications for membership
in the church--whether by profession
of faith, reaffirmation, or transfer of
membership--from persons wishing
to unite in forming a new congregation.
These persons shall covenant
together as follows:
We, the undersigned, in response to
the
grace of God, desire to be
constituted and organized as a
church
to be known as __________
________.
We promise and covenant
to live together in unity and to
work together in ministry as disciples
of Jesus Christ, bound to him and to
one another as a part of the body of
Christ
in this place according to the
principles
of faith, mission, and
order of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.).
G-7.0202 a. They shall be declared a
Presbytery constituted congregation in their
Relationship respective
Presbytery, and shall be aligned
with the same Primary Synod as their
respective Presbytery (either Auburn
or Westminster), and shall proceed to
the election of elders and deacons,
making provision in cooperation with
their respective Presbytery for their
preparation, examination, ordination,
and installation.
b. Their respective Presbytery shall
continue to work closely with the
congregation in securing pastoral
leadership, in plans for the service
and
witness of the particular church,
in coordinating its work with other
churches, in counseling concerning
bylaws for the congregation conforming
to
the Constitution of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) and in giving other
forms
of support and encouragement
that will strengthen the mission of the
congregation in the larger life of the
denomination,
and in their Primary
Synod (Westminster or Auburn) with
which their respective Presbytery is
aligned.
G-7.0301 (Unchanged)
G-7.0302 (Unchanged)
G-7.0303 a. Meetings of the congregations
How Meetings
shall be called
are Called (1) by the session whenever it determines
such a meeting is necessary.
(2) by their respective Presbytery
whenever it determines such a
meeting is necessary,
(3) by the session when requested in
writing by one fourth of the members
on
the active roll of the particular church.
G-7.0303 (Unchanged)
Notice
G-7.0304 a. Business to be transacted at meetings
Business of the congregation shall include the
following:
(1) matters related to the electing of
elders, deacons, and trustees;
(2) matters related to the calling of
a pastor or pastors;
(3) matters related to the pastoral
relationship,
such as changing the
call, or requesting or consenting or
declining to consent to dissolution;
(4) matters related to buying,
mortgaging, or selling real
property
(5)
matters related to the permissive
powers of a congregation, such as the
desire to lodge all administrative
responsibility in the session, or by a
request to their respective Presbytery,
for exemption from one or more
requirements because of limited size.
G-7.0304 b. (Unchanged)
Limitations
G-7.0305 The quorum of a meeting of the
Quorum congregation shall be not less than
one
fourth of the members unless
the particular church upon application
to their respective Presbytery shall
obtain the consent of their respective
Presbytery for a provision for a smaller
quorum. No meeting of fewer than
three members shall be considered
a congregational meeting.
G-7.0306 The pastor shall be the
moderator of
Moderator all the meetings of the congregation.
In
congregations where there are
co-pastors, they shall, when present,
alternately preside at meetings. When
the
church is without a pastor, the moderator
of
the session appointed by their
respective Presbytery shall preside
at all congregational meetings. If it
is impractical for the pastor of moderator
of session appointed by their
respective Presbytery to preside, he or
she
shall invite, with the concurrence of
the
session, another minister of their
respective Presbytery, aligned with the
same
Primary Synod (Auburn or
Westminster) to preside. Their
respective Presbytery may appoint
a lay pastor as moderator of session
to
the church to which she or he is
commissioned. The person assigned
to the commissioned lay pastor as
mentor and supervisor shall also
supervise his or her work as moderator.
In addition, the moderator of the
session of a church with a vacant
pulpit
may request an elder who
is,
or has been, a member of that
respective Presbytery's Committee
on
Ministry, the stated clerk,
executive
Presbyter, or associate
executive Presbyter, to preside,
such elder may not moderate
at the meeting of a congregation
of
which that elder is a member.
When this is not expedient, and
when
both the pastor or the
moderator of the session and the
session concur, a member of the
session my be invited to preside.
G-7.0307 (Unchanged)
Secretary
G-7.0308 (Unchanged)
In Case of
a Tie
G-7.0401 (Unchanged)
Incorporation
and
Trustees
G-7.0402 (Unchanged)
Powers
G-7.0403 Where civil law requires that corporate
Separate business
be conducted in a separate
Corporate corporate meeting of the congregation,
Meetings generally the provisions of this chapter
Seven
will apply, except:
a. Such a meeting shall be called by
the trustees at their discretion, or
when directed by the session or by their
respective Presbytery aligned with the
same Primary Synod (Auburn or
Westminster) as the congregation.
b. Unless the civil law provides
otherwise, the trustees shall
designate from among members
on
the active roll of the particular
church a presiding officer and a
secretary
for such meeting.
c. The minutes of each such
meeting shall be attested by
the presiding officer and the
secretary
and shall be entered
in the minute book of the
trustees.
g-7.0404 (Unchanged)
Vote by
Proxy
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