Presbytery of New York City

1. Presbytery of New York City Adult Fellowship Workshop First Chinese Presbyterian Church November 6, 2005

2. What is the Presbytery? • Presbytery is a corporate expression of the church consisting of all the churches and ministers of the Word and Sacrament within a certain district • Presbytery is responsible for the mission and the government of the church throughout its geographical district • Middle-Governing Body • Second level of a 4 governing body system: session, presbytery, synod and General Assembly • Church Court System • Oversees congregations under its jurisdiction

3. The Presbytery’s Mission • The Presbytery of New York City: • Embodying God’s Love • Proclaiming God’s Word • Promoting God’s Justice • Growing in Faith and Size • Seeking the Welfare of the City • Our mission, as the Presbytery of New York City, is to embody God’s gracious love in Jesus Christ through our ministries, our congregations, our partnerships, our service and witness, and our common life together. As a manifestation of Christ’s body, we proclaim God’s Word and promote God’s justice to all persons and in all places public and private, throughout New York City, striving to grow in faith and size so that all may hear and experience the Good News of Jesus Christ.

4. The Presbytery’s Call • Discern and develop the most faithful strategies for the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in New York and lead their implementation • Guide, support, and supervise our sessions, inquirers and candidates for ordination, Commission Lay Pastors, Certified Christian Educators, and Ministers of the Word and Sacrament in accomplishing effective ministry • Witness to the fullness of God’s kingdom by living in community with one another as diverse peoples unified in and through Jesus Christ, striving always to increase both the diversity of our membership and the strength of our community • Identify, resist and contend with both church and secular powers that separate, divide or demean peoples • Foster respect, cooperation and care in our ecumenical and interfaith relationships, honoring differences, and striving for and joining in common cause wherever possible • Cultivate creative and responsible stewardship of the human and financial resources for ministry entrusted to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in New York City, and seek new models and methods that help ensure the most faithful witness to Christ across the city • Seek the welfare of New York City in every way - including economic, education, and social – giving counsel and aid in the time of crisis or transition, and giving voice to the Reformed Tradition’s commitment to ministry in the public sphere and for the public good

5. Organizational Structure

6. Presbytery’s Committees • General Council • This Council develops, updates and recommends mission and goals, evaluation of goals, prepares docket and plans for service of Presbytery, to call special meetings when directed, nominates persons to Committees on Personnel, Nominations and Representation; acts on behalf of Presbytery in certain disciplinary cases. • Administrative Commissions • Commissions are appointed by the presbytery to ordain and/or install ministers of the Word and Sacrament; to organize churches; to merge churches; to visit particular churches, governing bodies, or other organizations of the church reported to be affected with disorder; to receive candidates under the care of presbytery; and other duties assigned by the presbytery • Judicial Commissions • Commissions appointed to consider and decide a case of process

7. Ministry Councils • In terms of our Presbytery's structure, there are two Ministry Councils that balance concern and support for the life and ministry of a church as it both reaches out in witness and service, and as it maintains a vital inner congregational life. • Council for Congregational Ministry & Nurture • The council is Presbytery's Council that focuses on and supports all those ministry components that make up a church's inner life - worship, education, youth, buildings, congregational care and pastoral ministry, conflict management, officer training, evangelism, grants and aid to field, lay ministry, and all other congregational programming. • The council would have each congregation healthy, vital, and whole in terms of its inner life - programming, management, and internal relationships - to effectively honor the call of Christ to serve others. • Council for Witness to Society and the World • This council assists congregations in addressing social, economic and justice issues; establishes and maintains ecumenical relationships, gives oversight to specialized ministries for youth, aging, campuses. • Council for Administrative and Support Services • This council develops ways and means to assist in funding mission, develops, prepares and recommends the annual budget for the Presbytery; provides consultation in areas of stewardship and mission, financial management.

8. Book of Order Committees • Committee on Representation • This committee ensures that every entity shall be representative of the whole presbytery; monitors nominations and the nominating process for inclusiveness, to advocate for inclusive representation, consults with the Nominations Committee. • Committee on Ministry • This committee examines ministers seeking membership in Presbytery and recommends those who shall continue, gives oversight to churches without pastors, develops standards for ministers' compensation, establishes interim and temporary pastoral relations. • Committee on Preparation for Ministry • This committee provides care and oversight for persons preparing for professional service in the church; to commission to service when appropriate. • Nominating Committee • This committee nominates persons to fill vacancies on continuing committees, councils, boards (except for the Committee on Nominations, Representation and General Council, which require election by the Presbytery); nominates moderators, presents nominations for minister and elder commissioner and youth delegates to the General Assembly and the Synod of the Northeast. • Permanent Judicial Commission • This commission serves in judicial matters in accordance with the Book of Discipline.

9. Presbytery of NYC Committees • Personnel Committee • This committee counsels with the Executive Presbyter regarding work, evaluation, compensation for professional and support staff. Recommends terms of call and adjustments for exempt staff; establishes procedures for evaluation and review of staff. • Committee on Session Records • This committee examines session records, reports on compliance with constitution, may make recommendations to Presbytery and/or its entities. • Committee on Standing Rules • This committee formulates revisions to Standing Rules; recommends additions and deletions to Standing Rules. • Board of Trustees • The Board of Trustees oversees the Presbytery's properties, insurance, investments, loans, mortgages; receives and reviewed requests for sell mortgage, lease or purchase property; provides cash flow management accounting systems, financial support services; provides for annual audit; discharges legal corporate obligations as may be required under the laws for the State of New York. • Committee on Preparation for Lay Ministry • This committee provides care and oversight for persons preparing for lay ministry service in the church; to commission to service when appropriate.

10. Other Work & Related Entities • Other Work of the Presbytery • Presbyterian Senior Services • Disaster Response Team • Sexual Misconduct Response Team • Youth Connection • Related Entities • Presbyterian Women • Presbyterian Men • Presbyterian Conference Association • United Adult Ministries - Flushing House • Racial Ethnic Caucuses