Glossary

Advisory Delegates: persons who are active members in one of the constituent churches or governing bodies of the General Assembly or churches related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). They are elected to attend the General Assembly in an advisory role so that the assembly may be assured of receiving their special viewpoints. There are four categories of advisory delegates to the General Assembly: Youth Advisory Delegates (173), Theological Student Advisory Delegates (30), Missionary Advisory Delegates (8) and Ecumenical Advisory Delegates (4). Advisory delegates have voice and vote in assembly committees, but voice only on the floor of the assembly.

Assembly Committees: groups of commissioners who review each item of business being considered by the assembly and make recommendations about how the assembly should act on each business item. In 2004 there are 13 assembly committees. Each commissioner serves on an assembly committee. The moderator of the General Assembly appoints the moderator and vice-moderator of each committee. The remaining commissioners are assigned to a committee by a random computer selection.

Authoritative Interpretation (AI): an interpretation of The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that carries the authority of the General Assembly and is binding on the governing bodies of the church. According to G 13.0103r in the Book of Order, these interpretations are made:by the action of a General Assembly upon the advice of the Advisory Committee on the Constitution (ACC) or through a decision of the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly in deciding a remedial or disciplinary case. The most recent interpretation of a provision of the Book of Order is binding.

Book of Order: Part II of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), containing the Form of Government, the Directory for Worship and the Rules of Discipline for the denomination.

Book of Confessions: Part I of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) containing the 11 creeds, confessions and catechisms that have been adopted by the denomination.

Commissioners’ Resolutions (CRs): items of new business (on subjects not already before the assembly in another form) that may be brought before the General Assembly if they are formally presented by at least two commissioners within 24 hours of the convening of the General Assembly

Committee on Local Arrangements (COLA): a committee composed of members of the host presbytery or presbyteries that organizes the on-site logistical and hospitality support in advance of the General Assembly, enlists volunteers to assist visitors attending the assembly and sponsors special events during the Assembly highlighting the local area, its churches and culture.

Constitution: The governing document of the Presbyterian Church (USA), consisting of two parts – The Book of Confessions (11 doctrinal statements adopted by the church) and the Book of Order (Form of Government, Directory for Worship and Rules of Discipline).

Docket: the business agenda for the meeting.

Ecumenical Advisory Delegates (EADs): persons representing partner churches of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) around the world who bring their particular viewpoints to the assembly as formal advisors.

Elder: a layperson who is elected and ordained by the congregation of which he or she is a member to help govern that congregation and participate in the governance of the other governing bodies.

General Assembly: the highest governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and represents in one body all 11,300 congregations in the denomination. The General Assembly meets annually. It is composed of commissioners elected by each of the 173 presbyteries. Each presbytery elects an equal number of ministers and ruling elders (laypersons), based upon the total number of church members in its churches. In 2002 there are 556 commissioners. The General Assembly establishes policies, priorities and budgets for the work of the denomination and elects persons to ongoing boards and committees that carry out the work of the denomination between meetings of the General Assembly.

Governing Bodies: elected boards governing the work of the church at its four levels. The governing bodies are the session (one for each of the 11,300 congregations), the presbytery (173 clusters of from 20-150 congregations in specific geographic districts), the synod (16 clusters of presbyteries in specific geographic regions, and the General Assembly. Presbyteries and synods are sometimes referred to as middle governing bodies.

Missionary Advisory Delegates (MADs): persons who serve the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as missionaries in other countries and who bring that perspective as formal advisors to the General Assembly.

Moderator: the presiding officer of the General Assembly, elected each year. Following the assembly the moderator becomes the denomination’s most visible good will ambassador, traveling and speaking throughout the church and overseas mission field until the next assembly. The moderator is not salaried.

Order of the Day: a specific time that is designated for the assembly to act on a particular item of business. Whatever business is in process when an order of the day arrives is suspended so that the order of the day may be adhered to.

Overtures: resolutions that are presented to the General Assembly for its consideration by presbyteries or synods.

Presbytery: a governing body consisting of all the ministers, in number not fewer than 12, and at least one ruling elder from each church, within a certain geographical district that includes at least 12 churches. There are 173 presbyteries.

Reports to the General Assembly (RGAs): the formal reports submitted in advance to the General Assembly by its entities.

Resource Coordinators: volunteers who assigned to assembly committees to make sure commissioners have all the materials and resource persons they need to process their business.

Resource Persons: persons invited by one of the entities of the General Assembly to be present at the assembly to provide specific kinds of information to commissioners about issues or programs that are being considered.

Session: the governing body of a particular congregation. The session consists of the pastor, who acts as moderator, and a number of ruling elders who have been elected to active service by the congregation.

Stated Clerk: the top elected corporate officer of a presbytery, synod or the General Assembly. The General Assembly stated clerk, a full-time staff person, is elected to a four-year term of office. Each congregation has a Clerk of Session.

Synod: a governing body consisting of the ministers and ruling elders of not fewer than three presbyteries within a specific geographic region. Commissioners to the synod, an equal number of ministers and ruling elders, are elected by the presbyteries. There are 16 synods.

Theological Student Advisory Delegates (TSADs): Presbyterian students from the 11 Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) theological institutions and Presbyterian students from other theological institutions that have a significant number of Presbyterian students enrolled in them who are elected to bring their particular viewpoints to the General Assembly as formal advisors.

Vice-Moderator: a commissioner to the General Assembly selected by the Moderator to help carry out the moderatorial duties of the General Assembly during the meeting and following year.

Youth Advisory Delegates (YADs): active members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) between the ages of 16 and 22 who are elected to bring their particular viewpoints to the General Assembly as formal advisors. Each presbytery selects one Youth Advisory Delegate to the General Assembly.