Presbytery is a corporate expression of the church consisting of all the churches^a and ministers of the Word and Sacrament within a certain district. When a presbytery meets, each church shall be represented by an elder^b commissioned by the session with the following additional provisions:

1. Churches with membership over 500 shall be represented as follows:

    501-1000—2 elders
  1001-1500—3 elders
  1501-2000—4 elders
  2001-3000—5 elders

From 3,001 members there shall be an additional elder representative for each 1,000 additional active members or major fraction thereof.

2. When the number of resident ministers entitled to vote in the presbytery is greater than the number of elders so entitled, it shall redress this imbalance annually by providing for the election, appointment, or selection of additional elders, paying special attention to the concerns of G-9.0104.Presbyteries facing an imbalance due to a large number of resident honorably retired minister members may, by presbytery rule, use active participation of honorably retired members as a criterion in determining balance.
3. Each elder elected moderator shall be enrolled as a member of the presbytery for the term of office, whether or not commissioned by his or her session. Each elder elected an officer (other than moderator), a chairperson of a standing committee, or a member of the council of presbytery may be enrolled as a member of the presbytery for the term of office, whether or not commissioned by his or her session. Each elder elected by a presbytery as executive presbyter, associate executive presbyter, or other exempt staff position, may be enrolled as a member of the presbytery for the duration of service in such staff position, whether or not commissioned by his or her session.

   The presbytery is responsible for the mission and government of the church throughout its geographical district. It therefore has the responsibility and power

1. to develop strategy for the mission of the church in its area consistent with G-3.0000;
2. to coordinate the work of its member churches, guiding them and mobilizing their strength for the most effective witness to the broader community for which it has responsibility;
3. to initiate mission through a variety of forms in light of the larger strategy of the synod and the General Assembly;
4. to implement, consistent with G-9.0104, the principles of participation, inclusiveness, and affirmative action in employing  its personnel and in establishing the membership of its committees, councils, boards, and other policy-making and policy-recommending bodies, in order to assure fair representation in its decision making and in the election of commissioners to synod and the General Assembly. Its committee on representation shall report directly to the presbytery, and shall be empowered to make recommendations to correct situations of unbalanced representation, including the recommendation that the nominating committee reconsider its nominations;
5. to counsel with a particular church where the various constituencies of the congregation are not represented on a session;
6. to provide encouragement, guidance, and resources to its member churches in the areas of leadership development, church officer training, worship, nurture, witness, service, stewardship, equitable compensation, personnel policies, and fair employment practices;
7. to provide pastoral care for the churches^c and members of presbytery, visiting sessions and ministers on a regular basis (G-11.0502c);
8. to organize new churches and to receive and unite churches in consultation with their members. When two or more churches of a presbytery unite, the pastor or pastors of the former churches may continue as or become pastor or pastors of the united church if the uniting churches agree and specify those relationships in the plan of union, with the concurrence of the presbytery;
9. to divide, dismiss, or dissolve churches in consultation with their members;
10. to control the location of new churches and of churches desiring to move;
11. to take special oversight of churches without pastors, including the authority to select, train, examine, and commission lay pastors and may authorize them to administer the Lord’s Supper (G-14.0562a);
12. to enter into covenant relationship with those preparing to become ministers of the Word and Sacrament by enrolling them as inquirers, to receive inquirers as candidates, and to certify candidates as ready for examination for ordination;^d
13. to elect elder and minister readers of examinations for candidates for ordination at the request of the Presbyteries’ Cooperative Committee on Examinations for Candidates;
14. to ordain, receive, dismiss, install, remove, and discipline ministers,^e to plan for the integration of new ministers into the life and work of presbytery, to establish minimum compensation and benefit requirements for all pastoral calls (G-14.0534) and for all calls to Certified Christian Educators and guidelines for compensation and benefits for Certified Associate Christian Educators employed by the churches of the presbytery (G-14.0730b), to provide services of recognition for Certified Christian Educators (G-14.0731), and to find in order, approve, and record in the presbytery minutes the full terms of all calls, and changes of calls approved by the presbytery;
15. to establish the pastoral relationship and to dissolve it at the request of one or both of the parties, or when it finds that the church’s mission under the Word imperatively demands it;
16. to designate ministers to work as teachers, evangelists, administrators, chaplains, and in other forms of ministry recognized as appropriate by the presbytery. Such ministers may administer the Sacraments at times and places approved by a governing body, or in conformity to other conditions specified by a governing body. The applicable provisions of W-2.3000, W-2.4000, and W-3.3600 shall be followed;
17. to receive under its care persons preparing for professional service in the church, and to commission them when appropriate (G-14.0140);
18. to serve in judicial matters in accordance with the Rules of Discipline;
19. to assume original jurisdiction in any case in which it determines that a session cannot exercise its authority. Whenever, after a thorough investigation, and after full opportunity to be heard has been accorded to the session in question, the presbytery of jurisdiction shall determine that the session of a particular church is unable or unwilling to manage wisely the affairs of its church, the presbytery may appoint an administrative commission (G-9.0503) with the full power of a session. This commission shall assume original jurisdiction of the existing session, if any, which shall cease to act until such time as the presbytery shall otherwise direct;
20. to maintain regular and continuing relationship to the higher governing bodies of the church, including
1. electing commissioners to the synod and to the General Assembly and receiving their reports,
2. seeing that the orders of higher governing bodies are observed and carried out,
3. proposing to the synod or the General Assembly such measures as may be of common concern to the mission of the whole church;^f
21. to establish and maintain those ecumenical relationships which will enlarge the life and mission of the church in its district;
22. to establish and superintend the agencies necessary for its work, including a presbytery council, providing for the regular review of the functional relationship between presbytery’s structure and its mission. The presbytery may, by its own established rules, assign to its council responsibility for action between meetings of presbytery on such specific areas of its responsibilities as it shall deem appropriate, assign to its committee on ministry those powers specified in G-11.0502h, and assign to its committee on preparation for ministry authority to dismiss candidates, enroll inquirers, and certify candidates as ready for examination for ordination; with the provision that all such actions be reported to the next stated meeting of the presbytery (G-9.0403, 14.0450);
23. to establish a nominating committee composed of equal numbers of ministers, laymen, and laywomen (i.e., one third each);
24. to review session minutes and records at least once each year;
25. to consider and act upon requests from congregations for permission to take the actions regarding real property as described in G-8.0000;
26. to authorize specific elders for periods not exceeding one year at a time, to administer or preside at the Lord’s Supper in specific circumstances and with proper instruction by presbytery in  the doctrine and administration of the Lord’s Supper, when it deems it necessary to meet the needs for the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper that cannot otherwise be met;
27. to deal with prevailing, emerging, and emergency issues of racism, racial violence, and racial injustices, as well as with any ideology that promotes racial oppression in the church and in the surrounding political and social contexts.

1. The presbytery shall keep a full and accurate record of its proceedings, which shall be submitted at least once each year to the synod for its general review and control. It shall report to the synod and to the General Assembly every year the condition and progress of the church within its bounds during the year and all important changes which have taken place including ordinations; certifications of Christian educators; the receiving, dismissing, and deaths of ministers; and the organizing, uniting, dividing, or dissolving of churches.

2. Minutes and other official records of the presbytery are the property of the presbytery, and the stated clerk is responsible for their preservation.

1. Every minister shall ordinarily be a member of the presbytery where his or her work is situated. A minister called to work not under the jurisdiction of a presbytery may apply for reception to the presbytery in which he or she will be resident, or to another presbytery, or retain membership in the presbytery where he or she is currently a member. The presbytery may grant a minister permission to engage in work which is outside its geographic bounds or which is not under its jurisdiction, but no presbytery shall permit a minister to engage in work which is within the geographic bounds of another presbytery and which is properly within the responsibility of another presbytery without consent of that presbytery. Such permission and consent shall be reviewed and renewed annually. The stated clerk of the presbytery shall inform ministers who seek permission to labor outside the bounds of the presbytery of their membership that they must first seek permission to labor within the bounds of the other presbytery. In January of each year the stated clerk of the presbytery of which the ministers are members shall correspond with those other presbyteries in which such ministers labor, informing them of the ministers’ addresses. A minister who is serving as a minister in a church outside the United States may, with the approval of presbytery, accept ministerial membership in that church for the period of such service without affecting his or her membership in the presbytery of this church. (G-11.0411)

2. The authority for granting permission to labor within or outside the bounds of the presbytery may be delegated by presbytery to its council or committee on ministry, with the provision that all such actions be reported to the next stated meeting of the presbytery.

   A presbytery shall determine the ministers of the Word and Sacrament who shall be its continuing members. In making this determination the presbytery shall be guided by written criteria developed by the presbytery for validation of ministries within its bounds. These criteria shall be based upon the description of the nature of ordained office found in G-6.0100 and G-6.0200 and the following standards:

1. The ministry of continuing members shall be in demonstrable conformity with the mission of God’s people in the world as set forth in Holy Scripture, The Book of Confessions, and the Book of Order of this church.
2. The ministry shall be one that serves others, aids others, and enables the ministries of others.
3. The ministry shall give evidence of theologically informed fidelity to God’s Word. This will normally require the Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent and the completion of the requirements for ordination set forth in G-14.0482.
4. The ministry shall be carried on in accountability for its character and conduct to the presbytery and to organizations, agencies, and institutions.
5. The ministry shall include responsible participation in the deliberations and work of the presbytery and in the worship and service of a congregation.

   Ministers of other denominations may be received by the presbytery as follows:

1. Ministers of other denominations, when applying for membership in a presbytery, shall furnish credentials and evidence of good standing acceptable to the presbytery or its appropriate committee, and also submit 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 presbytery;
2. answer satisfactorily the questions on the examinations required of candidates for ordination;
3. articulate their Christian faith and demonstrate an acceptable knowledge of theology and of the government of this church.
2. The presbytery shall not waive any of the foregoing requirements except in extraordinary cases, in which the presbytery shall follow the same procedure required in G-14.0470-.0473, for extraordinary circumstances, except that, for ministers of other Reformed churches ordained for five or more years, the exemption for some or all of the examinations required of candidates for ordination shall be by two-thirds vote of presbytery.
3. Upon report from the appropriate committee of their compliance with the above provisions, such ministers shall then be examined by the presbytery in their Christian faith, in theology, and in the system of government of this church, and at the discretion of the presbytery in other subjects, and shall answer in the affirmative questions a. to i. contained in the ordination and installation service.
4. A minister shall be required to have been called to appropriate work in this church.

5. When a minister of another denomination seeks membership in a presbytery of this church, that person shall, before being enrolled, furnish the presbytery with satisfactory evidence of having been removed from the roll of ministers of any and all other denominations with which the minister has previously been associated.
6. In the case of ministers for new immigrant fellowships and congregations, a presbytery may, if it determines that its strategy for mission with that constituency requires it, recognize the ordination of (G-15.0202) and enroll a new immigrant minister furnishing evidence of good standing in a denomination in correspondence with the General Assembly as a member of the presbytery, even though at the time of enrollment that minister lacks the educational history required by G-14.0450b-d. In the case of such a minister lacking such preparation, the presbytery shall undertake an evaluation of the minister’s understanding of and proficiency in Bible, Reformed Theology, Sacraments, Presbyterian Polity, preaching, leading worship, pastoral care, and teaching. If the presbytery is satisfied as to the minister’s preparation in and understanding of those areas, the presbytery may, by a three-quarters vote of those present, enroll that minister as a minister of the presbytery. Any presbytery taking such an action shall provide that minister with educational opportunities as seem necessary and prudent to the presbytery for that minister’s successful ministry within the bounds of that presbytery. This section, when utilized, may result in exceptions to the procedures and requirements described in G-11.0403c, G-11.0404, G-14.0450a-d, and G-14.0470-.0473.

1. A minister of the Word and Sacrament of another denomination in correspondence with the General Assembly, whose ecclesiastical relations have been certified by that denomination, who is serving a Presbyterian congregation in a temporary, non-installed pastoral relationship (G-14.0550) other than organizing pastor, who has 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.), or who has become a minister serving a cooperative specialized ministry in which this church shares the sponsorship, or who has been jointly called to an administrative office by more than one denomination, one of which is this church, or a minister of a church outside the United States that is in correspondence with the General Assembly who is serving in a ministerial capacity in this church, may be enrolled for the period of this service as a member of a presbytery and have temporarily the rights and privileges of membership.

2. A minister of another denomination, with whom the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is in full communion (G-15.0201), may be called, examined, approved and installed as pastor or may serve in another ministerial capacity in this denomination 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, one or another of the churches plans shall be chosen by the minister. The congregation or other employing body shall pay the fees, dues, or premiums required by the plan to which the minister belongs.

3. Ordained ministers of other Christian churches may be employed by the session of a particular church in a temporary pastoral relationship, provided that such ministers present to the presbytery credentials of good standing in the ecclesiastical body to which they belong, and provided that presbytery gives its approval to the temporary pastoral relationship.

1. An active member is a minister of the Word and Sacrament who has been admitted to the presbytery in accordance with G-11.0401, and is now engaged in ministry that complies with all of the criteria in G-11.0403 without exception. An active member may be engaged in a validated ministry within congregations of the church (G-11.0409), in a validated ministry in other service of this church (G-11.0410), in a validated ministry in service beyond the jurisdiction of this church (G-11.0411), or may be honorably retired (G-11.0412). An active member is entitled to take part in the meetings of the presbytery and to speak, vote, and hold office.

2. A member-at-large is a minister of the Word and Sacrament who has previously been admitted to the presbytery or another presbytery as an active member, and who now, without intentional abandonment of the exercise of ministry, is no longer engaged in a ministry that complies with all the criteria in G-11.0403. A minister may be designated 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 presbytery recognizes as important. A member-at-large shall comply with as many of the criteria in G-11.0403 as possible 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 the presbytery and to speak, vote, and hold office. The status of each member-at-large may be granted by the presbytery upon the minister’s application and shall be reviewed annually.

3. An inactive member is a minister of the Word and Sacrament who has previously been admitted to the presbytery or another presbytery as an active member, but is now voluntarily engaged in an occupation that does not comply with all of the criteria in G-11.0403. 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 the meetings of the 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, the presbytery shall delete that person’s name from the appropriate roll of presbytery and may give that person a certificate of membership to a particular church. (G-6.0600)

1. A minister of the Word and Sacrament who is an active member of presbytery may be engaged (1) in a validated ministry within congregations of this church, (2) in a validated ministry in other service of this church, (3) in a validated ministry in service beyond the jurisdiction of this church, or may be (4) honorably retired.

2. A call to a validated ministry in other service of this church (G-11.0410) or in service beyond the jurisdiction of the church (G-11.0411) shall ordinarily be in a form which includes a description of the goals and working relationships, financial terms, and the signatures of the minister, a representative of the presbytery, and where possible, a representative of the employing agency.

3. It is appropriate for presbytery to conduct a service of installation similar to that found in W-4.4006, or a service of recognition, at the inauguration of this ministry

1. A presbytery may designate an active minister as an honorably retired minister if that minister is in good and regular standing, or is granted the status of being in good and regular standing, at the time the minister is designated as an honorably retired minister. The status of being an honorably retired minister may be granted because of physical or mental disability, or age. The procedure for electing a new pastor is set out in G-14.0530-.0534. Presbytery may also grant the status of being an honorably retired minister to a minister member who has been granted retirement by an agency described in G-11.0410 or G-11.0411, or upon the completion of twenty years of cumulative service as an active and (or) at-large member.

2. Honorably retired ministers are encouraged to transfer their membership to the presbytery in which they live and the presbytery is encouraged to receive them. Presbyteries should encourage honorably retired ministers to use their experience and skills in creative and meaningful ways. Those who are able and willing to reengage in ministry and service to others should relate to a particular church or presbytery. For those who do not or cannot, the presbytery should provide nurture and support.

1. If a minister shall be absent from the sessions of the presbytery of membership for a period of one year and shall neglect to report to that presbytery concerning residence and work, the presbytery, after making an effort to locate and counsel with the minister, shall then, without prejudice to the minister, place that minister’s name on the inactive roll.

2. A minister of the Word and Sacrament who has received permission to labor outside the bounds of the presbytery of membership but has not received permission to labor within the bounds of the presbytery of labor shall, after a period of two years, be placed on the inactive roll.

1. Each presbytery shall elect a committee on ministry to serve as pastor and counselor to the ministers and Certified Christian Educators of the presbytery, to facilitate the relations between congregations, ministers, and Certified Christian Educators, and the presbytery, and to settle difficulties on behalf of presbytery when possible and expedient.

2. This committee shall consist of equal numbers of elders and ministers with a membership of at least six. Its quorum shall be set by presbytery and shall be at least a majority of the membership of the committee. No member shall be elected for a term of more than three years, nor shall a member serve for consecutive terms, either full or partial, aggregating more than six years. A member having served a total of six years shall be ineligible for reelection for at least one year.

   The committee shall serve the presbytery in the following ways:

1. It shall visit regularly and consult with each minister of the presbytery. It shall report to the presbytery annually the type of work in which each minister of the presbytery is engaged. It shall require an annual report from every minister performing work which is not under the jurisdiction of the presbytery or a higher governing body of the church.
2. It shall make recommendations to presbytery regarding calls for the services of its ministers. Every call for the services of a minister or candidate in a pastoral relationship shall be placed in its hands and presented by it to the presbytery, with a report as to the call being in order and recommendation as to whether the call shall be placed in the hands of the minister or candidate. Every request by a minister or candidate for the presbytery’s approval of a task appropriate to the ministry, though not a pastoral relationship to a particular church, shall be made by the minister or candidate through the committee and shall be reported by it to the presbytery with recommendation for presbytery’s action.
3. It shall visit with each session of the presbytery at least once every three years, discussing with them the mission and ministry of the particular church and encouraging the full participation of each session and congregation in the life and work of presbytery and of the larger church. (W-1.4002)
4. It shall counsel with churches regarding calls for permanent pastoral relations, visiting and counseling with every committee elected to nominate a pastor or associate pastor. It shall advise with the committee regarding the merits, availability, and suitability of any candidate or minister whose name is contemplated for nomination to the congregation, and shall have the privilege of suggesting names to the committee. No call to a permanent pastoral relationship shall be in order for consideration by the presbytery unless the church has received and considered the committee’s counsel before action is taken to issue a call. (G-14.0530, G-14.0532) A call to a permanent pastoral relationship shall not be issued until it has been approved by the presbytery. In the case of a church receiving aid in supporting a pastor, it shall confer with both the church and that agency of presbytery charged with arranging such aid before it shall recommend to the presbytery that a call to such a church be placed in the hands of a minister. The proper agency of the presbytery shall present to the committee a statement of the presbytery’s anticipated support of a pastor, which shall be attached to the call of the church.
5. It shall counsel with churches regarding the advisability of calling a designated pastor as defined in G-14.0520-.0523.
6. It shall counsel with sessions regarding stated supplies, interim pastors, interim co-pastors, interim associate pastors, and temporary supplies when a church is without a pastor, and it shall provide lists of pastors, commissioned lay pastors, and qualified lay persons who have been trained and commissioned by the presbytery to supply vacant pulpits. Concurrence of the presbytery through its committee on ministry is required when a session invites an interim pastor, interim co-pastor, or interim associate pastor as provided for in G-14.0553.
7. It shall provide for the implementation of equal opportunity employment for ministers and candidates without regard to race, ethnic origin, sex, age, marital status, or disability. In the case of each call, it shall report to the presbytery the steps in this implementation taken by the calling group.
8. It may be given authority by the presbytery to find in order calls issued by churches, to approve and present calls for services of ministers, to approve the examination of ministers transferring from other presbyteries required by G-11.0402, to dissolve the pastoral relationship in cases where the congregation and pastor concur, to grant permission to labor within or outside the bounds of the presbytery, and to dismiss ministers to other presbyteries, with the provision that all such actions be reported to the next stated meeting of the presbytery. (G-9.0403)
9. It shall serve as an instrument of presbytery for promoting the peace and harmony of the churches, especially in regard to matters arising out of the relations between ministers and churches. Its purpose shall be to mediate differences and reconcile persons, to the end that the difficulties may be corrected by the session of the church if possible, that the welfare of the particular church may be strengthened, that the unity of the body of Christ may be made manifest.
10. It shall exercise wise discretion in determining when to take cognizance of information concerning difficulties within a church, proceeding with the following steps:
1. It may take the initiative to bring the information which has come to it to the attention of the session of the church involved, counseling with the session as to the appropriate actions to be taken in correcting the reported difficulties.
2. It may offer its help as a mediator in case the session either finds itself unable to settle the problems peaceably or takes no steps toward settlement.
3. It may act to correct the difficulties if requested to do so by the parties concerned, or if this authority is granted by the presbytery for the specific case. When so doing, the committee shall always hold hearings which afford procedural safeguards as in cases of process, following the procedures outlined in the Rules of Discipline.

1. The presbytery’s committee on ministry may look to synod and the General Assembly for information and assistance in the matter of ministers and pastoral relations. Synods shall create the necessary agency to coordinate the work of presbytery committees. The General Assembly shall create the necessary agency to facilitate and support the work of the presbyteries and the synods in this matter.
2. The advisory handbook for committees on ministry developed by the appropriate General Assembly entity, in consultation with the Office of the General Assembly and middle governing bodies, shall provide guidance in the ordination, certification, commissioning, and oversight of the work of ministry through suggested models for procedures that synods and presbyteries may adopt for their own use or modify to establish their own requirements to fit local circumstances.