G-17.0201
Plan of Union

1. This plan of union is adopted by the Presbytery of ___________________________________ and the Presbytery of __________________________ effective as of _____________ (date), the presbyteries having each approved the plan by a two-thirds majority of those present at a stated meeting of the presbytery, the matter having been published beforehand on its docket and the union and this plan having been approved by the synod (or comparable governing body) of jurisdiction over each.

2. The purpose of the union shall be the furtherance of a united witness and mission, the administration of a single program of nurture, sustenance, and growth of the church within the union presbytery, and the oversight of all churches within its bounds by a union presbytery that will hold title to the properties of the uniting governing bodies and provide the functions and fulfill the duties of a presbytery as specified in the Constitution of each church.

3. The union presbytery shall be subject to the Constitution of each denomination as set forth below:

1. The presbytery shall submit its records annually and whenever requested to each synod (or comparable governing body) of jurisdiction.

2. The presbytery shall be fully and equally responsible to each church. The presbytery shall adjust its benevolence or general mission askings of the particular churches annually, to the end that the presbytery shall equitably support the program of each denomination.

3. Per capita apportionments or assessments shall be paid to each governing body of jurisdiction on the basis of the active member strength of the union presbytery, equally divided among the denominations involved. In the event that such a procedure proves inequitable, an alternative basis may be adopted subject to approval by the governing body of jurisdiction of each denomination. Such an alternative if adopted shall be subject to periodic review.

4. The union presbytery shall be under the discipline of the synods and General Assemblies (or comparable governing bodies) according to standing rules agreed upon in harmony with the constitutions of the denominations where they coincide, and in harmony with the mandatory provisions of the laws of each church where the others are permissive, and at the choice of the presbytery where they may be contradictory.

5. Appeals or complaints against the actions of the presbytery shall be made only to the synod of one denomination. That denomination shall be determined by the presbytery, and all subsequent appeals or complaints in the same action shall be in the governing bodies of the original determination, and decisions so reached shall be binding on all the parties to such action.

6. Complaints against administrative acts of the presbytery may be taken under the constitutional provisions of only one denomination, according to the determination of the presbytery; and, once being complained to one governing body, governing bodies of the other denomination may not accept jurisdiction in the same matter.

7. Wherever the constitutions of the denominations differ, any mandatory provisions of one shall apply in all cases where the others are permissive. Where there are conflicting mandatory provisions (except as provided in (4) above), the union presbytery shall overture the highest governing body of the denominations involved to resolve the conflict either by authoritative interpretation or by constitutional amendment.

8. The provision of G-8.0500 of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) shall apply only to a union church organized subsequent to the formation of a union presbytery, and to a union church entering the union governing body, which church had previously been under a similar explicit constitutional provision.

4. The membership of the union presbytery shall consist of all minister members of each uniting presbytery and all the churches (elder or lay representatives thereof) of the uniting presbyteries, plus all others received by the union presbytery, subsequent to the effective date of this union. When the constitutions of the churches vary as to elder or lay representation, that provision which confers the largest representation shall apply.

5. The churches of a union presbytery shall be considered union churches belonging to each denomination. Each particular church shall be reported to each General Assembly and synod of jurisdiction on the basis of an equal division of its total membership, with a notation to the effect that this has been done.

6. Ministers of the union presbytery shall be full and responsible members of each denomination. They shall be subject to the jurisdiction and discipline of the denominations as provided in this plan. Ministers and elders or lay delegates shall be eligible to serve as commissioners to any General Assembly, as provided in the Constitution of each denomination. Commissioners to the General Assembly shall be elected on the basis of an equal division of the total active membership of the presbytery.

7. The union presbytery shall be responsible to propose to all its churches a general mission and benevolence program which it judges to be an adequate and equitable response to the requests of the General Assemblies, the synods, and to its own needs. Each session shall give the members of its congregation opportunity to support this general mission and benevolence program.

8. The union presbytery shall cause a corporation to be formed under the appropriate laws of the state. This corporation shall include in its articles or charter the substance of subsections b and c above. All property of the uniting presbyteries, real and personal, shall be transferred to the corporation or corporations formed under this section. The new corporation shall be the legal successor of the corporations, if any, of the uniting presbyteries and it shall be bound to administer any trust property or moneys received in accordance with the provisions of the original establishment of the trust. All liabilities of each uniting presbytery shall be the liabilities of the union presbytery. In any state where a church corporation is forbidden, the purpose of this paragraph shall be achieved in harmony with the laws of the state.

9. The union presbytery shall draw up standing rules which shall define the operation of presbytery in such a manner as to fulfill all the functions of a presbytery, as defined in the Constitution of each denomination. (G-17.0201c(4))

10. Each minister who may be subject to the call of presbytery or any of its constituent churches in the exercise of that minister’s vocation, or who may be an employee of presbytery, shall participate in the denominational pension plan of one of the churches. If the minister is already participating in one plan, membership shall be retained in that plan. If the minister is not a member of any plan, membership shall be chosen in one of the churches’ plans.

11. A union presbytery may be dissolved by a two-thirds vote at two stated meetings of presbytery, not less than one year and not more than two years apart, subject to the concurrence of the synods involved.
    1. In case of dissolution of a union presbytery, all the property, real and personal, of the union presbytery shall be divided between the denominations or their governing bodies of jurisdiction on the basis of the origin of the property, if such is determinable. If the origin is not determinable, then the property shall be divided equally between the denominations or their governing bodies of jurisdiction, as may be proper.
    2. The particular churches within the dissolved union presbytery shall retain their status as union churches, unless they vote to change that status under the provisions of G-16.0201w.

G-17.0301
No Change in
Constitution