The Session will hold regular meetings as it shall itself
determine.
Meetings may be called by the Chair, the Minister, the
Pastoral Charge Supervisor, a request of one-third of the Members of the
Session, or by a Higher Court.
Meetings must be given notice. This may be done from printed
bulletins, read from the pulpit during public worship, or other personal or
written notice.
Every meeting must include the Minister and the Pastoral
Charge Supervisor or someone appointed by the Presbytery.
Members are called Elders. They are in full membership of the
congregation and are chosen by the congregation. The Minister is a member of
Session, as is the Pastoral Charge Supervisor.
Retiring members are eligible for re-election, and so are
ministers who are members of the congregation; but, members of Session from
another congregation have to be elected to belong to this Session. They are not
automatically members when they move to this congregation.
The number of members of Session will be determined by a
meeting of the congregation.
To elect a new Session, the Minister or Pastoral Charge
Supervisor will call a meeting of the whole congregation. Notice will be given
for at least 2 Sundays during public worship, and in the bulletin.
The congregation can decide if they want to use nominations,
and voting by ballot or not. The Session can make recommendations to the
congregation as to its membership.
The Session will welcome its members by prayer and ceremony
at a service of public worship, and the right hand of fellowship will be
extended to them when their names are added to the roll.
Members of the Session may be elected for life or for five
years. It is suggested to make allowance for the retirement of one or more
members at stated periods, to be decided by the congregation.
Members of the Session may resign or be removed. For example,
if a member is absent from meetings for a year, such a person may be asked to
resign or given notice that they have ceased to be a member of the Session. They
may also be deposed by request or by a process of discipline. (Refer the
Manual).
The Session must notify the congregation when vacancies
occur.
The duty of the Session is to oversee the spiritual interests
of the congregation.
The Session will fulfil such duties as the congregation, with
consent of the Presbytery, assigns it. These include:
-all matters of membership of the congregation
-the conduct of members and discipline
-the administration of sacraments
-the order of public worship
-the religious training of the young
-meetings for Christian fellowship and instruction
-care of the poor and visiting of the sick
-outreach, evangelism and social action
-to keep records, such as:
admissions, transfers, removals, suspension, children,
adherents, baptisms, marriages and burials
-to make and receive proposals and appeals, and transmit them
to Presbytery
-to recommend lay members to become lay worship leaders,
Inquirers and Candidates, Staff Associates and Lay Pastoral
Ministers-in-Training.
-to support senior members of the congregation.
Each member of the Session has an assigned district. It is
their special duty to pay close attention to the members of the
congregation in their district and encourage the most active participation,
visiting, and counselling as they see the need.
The Chairperson’s duties are as follows:
-preside at meetings
-preserve order
-take the vote
-announce the decisions
-pronounce censure
-introduce business
The chairperson may express personal views but has a vote
only in case of a tie.
The Secretary is elected, as is the Chair, and is known as
the Clerk of Session. The Clerk’s duties are as follows:
-keep record of all proceedings
-preserve all documents
-give extracts from the Minutes
-submit the records of the Session, membership roll, and
baptismal record annually to the Presbytery.
The Session is responsible for a Standing Committee on Faith
Formation and Christian Education.
