What to Expect at a Presbytery Meeting

A Presbytery meeting is basically a business meeting, similar to a session meeting in many ways.  Committees and Ministry Teams give reports, issues are discussed and voted on, and financial reports are made.  But much more than that happens also.  The presbytery always worships together and shares a meal together.  Often there are special events and guest speakers, representing mission projects, other organizations related to the presbytery, the larger church, or international guests from other denominations.  Sometimes there is a theme for a meeting, such as youth ministry or global mission.  At times there will be workshops on various topics or small group discussions.  Some of the most significant tasks of the presbytery are to hear candidates for ordination give their statements of faith, examine them, and approve them for ordination, and to receive and welcome new members into the presbytery.  Sometimes a retirement is celebrated or good-byes are said to a minister who is moving to a new call.  People are sometimes commissioned to special tasks, such as commissioners to Synod or General Assembly or youth and leaders to the Triennium Youth Conference.  Reports from commissioners to the Synod of the Covenant or the General Assembly are sometimes presented. 

Many opportunities are available outside of the meeting time also.  Sharing the meal together is a special time for fellowship with people from other churches and a chance to exchange ideas and support one another.  Displays are often presented from various organizations or topics that are connected to the theme.  Books and media resources from the presbytery Resource Center are available to look over and to borrow.  Information about upcoming events in the presbytery and churches is shared.  Each church has a folder of important information, and it is the responsibility of the elder commissioner to pick up the information, take it back to the church, share it with the session, and distribute it to committees and staff people.  Sometimes there are other things to take back to the church, such as planning calendars, mission yearbooks, or presbytery directories. 

A presbytery meeting is an opportunity to be a part of the work of the larger church, to experience and be enriched by the ties that bind us together in the connectional Presbyterian Church.   

Responsibilities of Commissioners:

Commissioners should plan to be present at the meeting from beginning to end. (It is advisable to keep the evening free on the day in which Presbytery meets).

Elder commissioners, while elected by their session, CANNOT be instructed as to how they should vote. They vote as members of the Presbytery under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They cannot be instructed by their pastor, session or congregation.

Commissioners are requested to be on the floor during the time that business is being conducted.

Churches should prepare their Commissioner for upcoming business. The meeting materials are posted at the Presbytery's web page two weeks prior to the meeting. it is assumed all commissioners have read this material prior to the meeting. You may wish to print the material so you can refer to it during the meeting.

Presbytery of Lake Michigan Facts

• 70 PC(USA) congregations
• 1 new church development
• 18,000+ active members
• 162 ordained ministers, 74 actively serving parishes.
• Geographically the presbytery is 125 miles in width and 190 miles from north to south. Approximately 10 miles north of Cadillac to the Indiana border. From Lake Michigan on the west to an irregular boundary to the east which includes Lansing, Stockbridge, Jackson and Brooklyn.

Function

The Presbytery is the governing body which discusses and determines the official business of the Presbytery.

The Presbytery is a policy making body.

The Presbytery serves as a court of the church with regard to matters of discipline.

Meetings

The Presbytery meets 5 times per year.

When in session the Presbytery consists of the minister members and an equal number of elders from the churches of the Presbytery plus other elders so designated by Presbytery in order to maintain the parity between ministers and elders. Both ministers and elders are called "presbyters." 

• Churches with membership under 500 shall be represented by one elder commissioner.

• Membership from 501-1000: 2 elders

• Membership from 1001-1500: 3 elders

Procedure:

A docket (this is the road map of the meeting) is provided along with other meeting materials at the meeting. A preliminary docket is available on the website 2 weeks prior to the meeting.

The business of a presbytery meeting is conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order, the 10th edition (newest). Click here to see Robert's Rules in action.

Presbyters desiring to speak are to raise their hands or stand to be recognized. When recognized by the moderator of the Presbytery, the speaker should give his or her name and church. The speaker should ALWAYS address the moderator.

The most common motions are to adopt, amend, substitute and refer. A simple majority is needed to pass a motion.

To end debate, the proper procedure is to be recognized and to "move the previous question" or "move to end debate." It is NOT proper to call out "I call for the question." A two-thirds majority is needed for a motion to pass. The moderator may properly refuse to acknowledge a motion to end debate if he or she considers that insufficient time has been allowed for discussion.

A motion to "table" ordinarily is to be used only when there is a matter that needs to be dealt with immediately by the Presbytery. The proper motion when a matter is to be taken up later in the meeting or at a subsequent meeting is the motion to "postpone." The motion to "table" is NOT debatable. The motion to "postpone" CAN be debated.

A motion to suspend the bylaws requires a two-thirds majority. To change the bylaws, a simple majority is needed because the proposed changes were submitted in writing at the previous Presbytery meeting.