Synod is the unit of the church’s life and mission which consists of not fewer than three presbyteries within a specific geographic region.

1. When a synod meets it shall be composed of commissioners elected by the presbyteries. The synod shall determine, with the consent of a majority of its presbyteries, the basis of election and the ratio of commissioners to members represented in the presbyteries, as well as its method to fulfill the principles of participation and representation found in G-9.0104 and G-9.0105. The commissioners from each presbytery shall be divided equally between elders and ministers of the Word and Sacrament.
2. When a synod meets, in addition to commissioners elected by the presbyteries, the officers of the synod and other individuals as determined by the governing documents of the synod may be enrolled during their respective terms of office so long as the balance of elders and ministers of the Word and Sacrament is maintained in the voting members of the body.

   Synod is the intermediate governmental unit responsible for the mission of the church throughout its region. It therefore has the responsibility and power

1. to develop, in conjunction with its presbyteries, a broad strategy for the mission of the church within its bounds in accord with G-3.0000;
2. to initiate mission through a variety of forms in light of the larger strategy of the General Assembly;
3. to develop, in conjunction with its presbyteries, joint plans and objectives for the fulfillment of mission, providing encouragement and guidance to its presbyteries and overseeing their work;
4. to implement, consistent with G-9.0104, the principles of participation and inclusiveness 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 ensure fair representation in its decision making;
5. to develop and provide resources as needed to facilitate the mission of its presbyteries, as well as guidelines and criteria for evaluation;
6. to consult with its member presbyteries with regard to their general mission budgets, the establishment of administrative staff positions, equitable compensation, personnel policies, and fair employment practices;
7. to coordinate the work of presbyteries’ committees on ministry and assist its member presbyteries in matters related to the calling, ordaining, and placement of ministers;
8. to facilitate communication among its presbyteries and between its presbyteries and the General Assembly;
9. to facilitate joint action in mission with other denominations and agencies in its region;
10. to provide services and programs for presbyteries, sessions, congregations, and members within its area that can be performed more effectively from a broad regional base;
11. to organize new presbyteries, to divide, unite, or otherwise combine presbyteries or portions of presbyteries previously existing, and, with the concurrence of existing presbyteries, to create nongeographic presbyteries in order to meet the mission needs (G-11.0103a; G-12.0102a) of identified racial ethnic or immigrant congregations; subject to the approval of the General Assembly. Such presbyteries shall be formed in compliance with the requirements of G-7.0201 and G-11.0102 and be accountable to the synod within which they were created. When such mission needs arise inside a congregation that lies within a synod lacking such a nongeographic presbytery, that synod may permit, with the approval of the General Assemblyand unless some legal or ecclesiastical issue would prohibit, that congregation to join a nongeographic presbytery inside the bounds of another synod with the consent of that other synod, the geographic presbytery, and the nongeographic presbytery; such presbyteries should be formed only on the basis of language, and there should be a sunset clause (end date) added at the formation of each nongeographic presbytery.
12. to serve in judicial matters in accordance with the Rules of Discipline;
13. to warn or bear witness against error in doctrine or immorality in practice in the area of its jurisdiction;
14. to review the records of its presbyteries and to take care that they observe the Constitution of the church;
15. to maintain regular and continuing relationship to the General Assembly, including
1. seeing that the orders and instructions of the General Assembly are observed and carried out,
2. proposing to the General Assembly such measures as may be of common concern to the mission of the whole church;
16. to establish and maintain those ecumenical relationships which will enlarge the life and mission of the church in its region;
17. to provide a system of administrative services to fulfill its objectives and programs;
18. to establish and superintend the agencies and task forces necessary for its work, including a synod council when the synod deems one is necessary to provide for the regular review of the functional relationship between synod’s structure and its mission;
19. to establish a nominating committee composed of equal numbers of ministers, laywomen, and laymen (i.e., one third each). (G-9.0801, G-11.0501, G-12.0102d, G-13.0111, G-13.0202)
20. 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.