Northwest Georgia Presbytery
Bylaws
Amended: 1/16/2010
SECTION I: NAME
The name of this body shall be: “NORTHWEST GEORGIA PRESBYTERY.”
SECTION II: PURPOSE
The purpose of this body is to glorify God by providing Christ-honoring pastoral oversight of its members, and to assist them in extending Christ’s Kingdom. This body shall also fulfill the requirements for Presbyteries as set forth in the Presbyterian Church in America Book of Church Order. The doctrinal and governmental standards of this Presbytery shall be those stated in the Presbyterian Church in America Book of Church Order. These Bylaws are not to conflict with the Book of Church Order and in any case of conflict, the standards of the Book of Church Order shall take precedence.
SECTION III: MEMBERS
Members of this Presbytery shall be of two classes: particular churches, and teaching elders (ministers). Standards for examination for membership of both churches and teaching eldersshall be as set forth in the Book of Church Order. Representation of ruling elders from particular churches shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Book of Church Order .
SECTION IV: OFFICERS
Officers shall be elected by majority vote of those present with power to vote. The various offices of the Presbytery, and their functions, are as follows:
A. MODERATOR
1. Eligibility: The Moderator shall be a ruling elder in good standing of a member church of the Presbytery, or a teaching elder who is a member in good standing of the Presbytery. The ruling elder does not have to be currently active on the Session of his church.
A moderator may not succeed himself, nor serve a second term in office within one year of previously having served.
2. Tenure: The Moderator will be elected annually at the Winter Stated Meeting of Presbytery, and will continue to serve in office until a successor is elected. At each Fall Stated Meeting of Presbytery, a Moderator-in-Nomination will be elected, with the understanding that his name will automatically be placed in nomination for the office of Moderator at the next Stated Meeting.
3. Duties: The Moderator of Presbytery will function as chairman of all Presbytery meetings, following approved parliamentary procedure. He shall function as Moderator during his tenure in office, presiding over called and other special meetings, and the Committee on Administration. He shall appoint Standing Committees, and other committees and commissions as directed by Presbytery. When vacancies occur on Permanent Committees, the Moderator is empowered by Presbytery to appoint interim members and/or conveners who will serve until the next Stated Meeting of Presbytery. The Moderator shall make recommendations to the Committee on Administration for the preaching ofGod’s Word at appropriate worship times at the meeting of Presbytery.
Between meetings, the Moderator does not have the authority to speak for the Presbytery, but should be consulted in all matters affecting the Presbytery as a whole.
B. STATED CLERK
1. Eligibility: The Stated Clerk shall be a ruling elder in good standing of a member church of the Presbytery, or a teaching elder who is a member in good standing of the Presbytery. The ruling elder does not have to be currently active on the Session of his church.
2. Tenure: The Stated Clerk shall be elected annually at the Fall Stated meeting and may succeed himself.
3. Duties: The Stated Clerk shall perform the duties assigned by the Book of Church Order, following guidelines set forth by the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. He shall perform other duties as assigned by the Presbytery. In the administration of his duties, the Stated Clerk shall be under the supervision of the Permanent Committee on Administration. His duties will include, but not be limited to the following: keep proper minutes of all Presbytery and Commission meetings, giving certified extracts therefrom when required; assemble the items of business to come before the Presbytery and refer each item to the proper committee; (if the clerk has questions regarding reference, he should consult with the chairman of the Committee on Administration before making reference); send each member church and teaching elder (including licentiates and candidates under care) notice of all meetings; note attendance at each meeting and make recommendations concerning absences from Stated Meetings; maintain permanent, orderly records of all Presbytery correspondence and other matters; notify each Committee and/or Commission chairman of his appointment, membership and the business before it; maintain a supply of necessary forms for use by churches; make all communications authorized by Presbytery; prepare and transmit all reports, overtures, bills, etc. required by or forwarded to the General Assembly; provide for the opening of Presbytery meetings when the Moderator is unable to do so.
Presbytery shall provide or reimburse the Stated Clerk for all costs required by the duties of his office in accordance with Presbytery’s Accountable Reimbursement Plan.
When necessary to the performance of his duties, and upon recommendation by the Committee on Administration, the Presbytery may elect other members of the body to serve as Assistant Clerks, and may authorize the hiring of clerical help and services for duties such as printing, duplication, etc. to assist the Stated Clerk in carrying out the duties of his office.
4. Salary: The Stated Clerk’s salary and/or other compensation shall be established by Presbytery in its annual Budget.
C. TREASURER:
1. Eligibility: The Treasurer shall be a ruling elder or deacon in good standing of a member church of the Presbytery, ora teaching elderwho is a member in good standing of the Presbytery. The ruling elder or deacon does not have to be currently active on the Session or Board of Deacons of his church.
2. Tenure: The Treasurer shall be elected annually at the Fall Stated meeting and may succeed himself
3. Duties: The Treasurer shall perform those duties required of him by the Book of Church Order, and other duties as may be assigned by the Presbytery. In the performance of his duties, the Treasurer shall come under the oversight of the Committee on Administration. His duties shall include but not be limited to: custody of the funds and securities belonging to the Presbytery, and not otherwise designated; receiving, depositing, and disbursing such funds as directed by the Presbytery; keeping an accurate account of the finances of the Presbytery, including those funds in his custody as well as any other funds under Presbytery; preparing or have prepared, quarterly reports of the financial condition of Presbytery; in general, performing all of the duties incidental to the office of Treasurer. He shall be bonded in an amount to be determined by the Presbytery.
Presbytery shall provide or reimburse the Treasurer for all costs required by the duties of his office in accordance with Presbytery’s Accountable Reimbursement Plan.
4. Salary: The Treasurer’s salary and/or other compensation shall be established by Presbytery in its annual budget.
D. TRUSTEES:
The Board of Trustees shall consist of the Stated Clerk, the Chairmen of the Presbytery’s Permanent Committees, plus three other members elected at large. Presbytery shall appoint the Chairman and the Stated Clerk shall serve as Clerk.
1. Eligibility-Eligibility for this office shall be the same as for all other offices.
2. Tenure- Trustees will serve for the period of their Committee chairmanship. Trustees elected at large shall serve staggered three year terms.
3. Duties- The Trustees shall receive and hold for use of Presbytery, all real and personal property, grants, endowments, and such other funds acquired, devised, purchased, or donated, not otherwise disposed of. They shall be the legal Officers of the Corporation and shall meet at least annually. As long as the Presbytery is incorporated under the laws of the State of Georgia, five of the Trustees must be residents of Georgia.
SECTION V: MEETINGS:
A. Stated Meetings: The time and place of each Stated Meeting shall be determined by Presbytery at the preceding Stated Meeting, or, should Presbytery fail to make this decision, by the Moderator, with approval of the Committee on Administration. The normal times of Stated Meetings shall be as follows:
WINTER STATED MEETING:Second Saturday in January
SPRING STATED MEETING:Second Tuesday in May
FALL STATED MEETING:Second Saturday in September
All Stated Meetings will include a worship service including a celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
B. Fellowship Meetings: In addition, to these Stated Meetings above, the Committee on Administration will plan 3 additional meetings each year for fellowship and worship. Each summer, a Sunday Evening Joint Worship service will seek to bring all churches from the presbytery together; and Spring and Fall Conferences hosted by a church or churches shall be promoted as a work of the presbytery, including a time for ministerial fellowship and study at those. The Moderator may also wish to schedule a monthly prayer meeting at a time and place that is appropriate.
C. Called Meetings: Called meetings shall be held only in cases of extraordinary circumstances. Such meetings will be called in accordance with the Book of Church Order.
D. Quorum: A quorum for all meetings will be not less than three ruling elders and three teaching elders, from at least threedifferent churches. At any time that attendance at a meeting should fall below the level required for a quorum, the only business that may be conducted is a motion to adjourn the meeting.
E. Docket: The docket for each meeting shall be recommended by the Stated Clerk and adopted by Presbytery as the first order of business.
F. Attendance: Since each TE is a member of Presbytery, attendance by the TE(s) and their church commissioner(s) is expected at all meetings of Presbytery. Excused absences from any meeting of Presbytery must be approved by Presbytery and may normally include such reasons as:
Immediate need for pastoral care (illness, funerals, crisis counseling, etc.)
Personal or family illness or emergencies
Unexpected business demands upon those in business
Extraordinary distance to travel by those laboring outside the bounds of Presbytery, i.e. missionaries.
SECTION VI: PERMANENT COMMITTEES:
A. Membership on Committees: Eligibility for membership on Permanent Committees of the Presbytery will be the same as for officers of the Presbytery. No one may serve as chairman of more than one Permanent committee, two sub-committees, or combination of committee/subcommittee, at any given time. Parity of ruling elders and teaching elders is required with the exceptions approved annually by Presbytery. (When vacancies occur on committees between meetings, see IV,A.3)
B. Election and Tenure: Members of Permanent Committees shall be elected in three year classes, except the Committee on Administration. A man may be reelected to one more three year term following which he must rotate off the Committee. Chairmen of Committees and Subcommittees shall normally be elected for a one year term prior to the FallStatedMeeting. Terms of office shall expire in the proper year at the close of the Fall Stated Meeting.
C. Committee Structure: Permanent Committees shall be structured as the Presbytery shall, from time to time, determine. Chairmen of Subcommittees must be members of Presbytery.
1. Committee on Administration: This Committee shall be comprised of the Moderator, the Stated Clerk, the chairmen of other permanent committees and up to three members-at-large, and shall handle all matters which do not normally fall under the oversight of any other Permanent Committee, and will include, but not be limited to, such things as: legal, stewardship and budget matters; oversight of the work of the Stated Clerk and Treasurer; inter-church relations; judicial business; insurance and annuities; public information and general information concerning the work of the Presbytery; and nominations.
At each Fall Stated meeting, this Committee shall present a slate of nominations for Presbytery offices and Permanent Committees and for General Assembly Committees and Agencies, and a Proposed Presbytery Budget for the following calendar year.
Following adoption, the Budget may be amended. As a condition precedent to such amendment, the proposed amendment must be submitted to the Chairman of the Committee on Administration at least 28 calendar days prior to the time fixed for a Stated Meeting. A written report outlining the proposed amendment and including said concurrence or non-concurrence of each Committee affected by the amendment and the Committee on Administration, shall be submitted by the preparers to the Stated Clerk at least 14 days before the time fixed for such Stated meeting.
2. Committee on Christian Education: This Committee shall handle all matters which concern training and education of the Presbytery members. It shall include, but not be limited to such things as: Presbytery’s Internship Program; men’s, women’s, and youth work; camps, conferences, leadership training; church schools, campus ministries, university and seminary training (including any extension seminaries within the bounds of Presbytery); other disciplining/educational programs assigned by Presbytery; and Moral Concerns.
3. Committee on Credentials: This Committee shall oversee all matters pertaining to the reception of licentiates and candidates for the ministry; and the reception of teaching eldersand their continuing in good standing. This oversight shall extend to: examination ofteaching eldersrequesting admission into Presbytery; examination of men coming under care, men applying for licensure, and men applying for ordination to the Gospel Ministry; to act as a commission only to dissolve pastoral relations when both parties concur in the request and to grant transfer of membership to other presbyteries, to move onto the field after the committee’s thorough examination and recommendation of them without reservation; and other credentials matters assigned by Presbytery.
This committee is empowered to act as a commission between stated meetings for the purpose of approving called teaching elders to enter the field prior to being approved by Presbytery. The committee must be unanimous in its approval or the called minister cannot enter the field without appearing before and being approved by Presbytery at a regular stated meeting. Any approval to enter the field must be ratified at the next stated meeting of Presbytery.
4. Committee on Missions: This Committee shall oversee all matters involving planting new churches within the bounds of the Presbytery. It shall include, but not be limited to, such things as: developing plans for new church development; calling and supervising evangelists/organizing pastors; developing and coordinating evangelism and Church Growth programs for use by the churches; providing mission opportunities in needy areas; and shall oversee all matters pertaining to information and programs involving the sending of missionary personnel from within the bounds of Presbytery to serve outside the Presbytery’s geographical bounds.
5. Committee on Shepherding: This Committee shall oversee all matters pertaining to the shepherding and care of Churches, Sessions and Pastors within the bounds of the Presbytery. It shall include, but not be limited to, such things as: counseling with teaching elders in their relations with the Session and congregations they serve and in accordance with their vows; counseling with Sessions of churches without pastors, offering assistance in securing pastors if needed; counseling with teaching elders without pastoral calls, offering them assistance in securing pastoral charges; providing general oversight of teaching elders without call and those laboring outside the bounds of presbytery; counseling Sessions and/or pastors in such matters as presented by them; reviewing calls issued to Presbytery teaching elders, in coordination with the Committee on Credentials; and attending to other shepherding matters assigned by the presbytery.
6. Committee to Review Session Records: This Committee shall oversee all matters pertaining to the annual review of session minutes of all churches within the bounds of Presbytery in accordance with the BCO 12-7, and the directions for review of session minutes provided by the Clerk Handbook, published annually by the Office of the Stated Clerk PCA.
SECTION VII: STANDING COMMITTEES
Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Moderator at each separate meeting of Presbytery.
A. Overtures Committee: This Committee shall consist of two ruling elders and two teaching elders with power to vote at the Presbytery meeting during which they are appointed, none of whom may also be serving at that time as an officer of Presbytery. This Committee will handle and report back all matters assigned to it to Presbytery by the end of the Stated Meeting.
B. Resolutions: This Committee shall consist of one ruling elder and one teaching elder, with power to vote at a given meeting of Presbytery, none of whom may also be serving at that time as an officer of Presbytery. This Committee shall draft any resolutions which may be appropriate for that given meeting, including resolutions of thanks and any other such resolutions on which the Presbytery desires to speak. The Moderator may add membership to this committee at his discretion.
SECTION VIII: AD-INTERIM COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS
The Presbytery may establish Ad-Interim Committees and Commissions to deal with matters before it at any time, with the following limitations:
A. Each Ad-Interim Committee or Commission will consist of a quorum of a minimum of two ruling elders and two teaching elders, with others always being an equal number of each. Every Ad-Interim Committee or Commission shall report at each Stated Presbytery Meeting until its business is concluded.
B. No Ad-Interim Committee or Commission may continue past the next Stated Meeting of Presbytery unless authorized to do so by a majority vote of Presbytery.
C. Ad-Interim Committees shall be appointed by the Moderator. Commissions shall be elected by Presbytery.
SECTION IX: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
All parliamentary procedures must be in accordance with the Book of Church Order and the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. The Moderator may appoint a member of Presbytery to assist him in these matters, who will serve as Parliamentarian only for the term of the actual meeting.
SECTION X: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Any amendment, revision, or repeal of the Bylaws must be proposed in writing at a Stated Meeting, approved by a 2/3 vote of that Stated Meeting and ratified by a 2/3 vote of the following Stated Meeting of Presbytery.
SECTION XI: TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF BYLAWS
SECTION IV through SECTION X of these Bylaws may be temporarily suspended, amended or revised at any Stated Meeting of the Presbytery by a 2/3 vote of those present and voting, unless such suspension, amendment, or revision would violate any part of the Book of Church Order.
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