Policy

Essex Presbytery - United Church of Canada

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Structure of Essex Presbytery:

Presbytery Committees:

Visioning and Pastoral Oversight Committee

(sub-committees/groups: Manse; Archives; Future Directions)

- annually to request and review Annual Reports from each Pastoral Charge

- conduct triennial visits to each Pastoral Charge and United Church operated camp

- ensure Manse inspection every three years and at a change of Pastoral Relations;

- triennial review of housing allowances

- deal with pastoral charge conflict situations

- provide workshops related to Pastoral Charge Committees, eg M&P, Session, etc.

- be involved in any amalgamation, disbanding, or realigning of congregations or pastoral charges as soon as such becomes anticipated or considered.

- review, through the archives committee, the records of pastoral charges, and minutes of Presbytery committees

　 Education and Students Committee

- supervision and oversight of persons preparing for ministry within the United Church of Canada.

- annual interviews and reporting as required.

- participation in Discernment Committees

- support of students

- Education and Students committee should have 1 lay worship leader.

Pastoral Relations Committee

(Sub Committee: Pensions)

- recommending to Presbytery re. any changes affecting ministry personnel within the

Presbytery, including requests for change in pastoral relations, request to be left without

appointment, transfer of membership, retirement, and other.

- working with pastoral charges at the time of a change in pastoral relations; participating

in Joint Needs Assessment Committees and Joint Search Committees.

- recommending to Presbytery re. calls or appointments within the Presbytery.

- recommend to Presbytery a member of the Order of Ministry and a lay person to represent

the Presbytery on the Conference Settlement Committee

- liaison between pension department and pensioners.

Finance Committee

(including, property, mission support units, staff support committee)

- Formulation and oversight of Presbytery budget

- determining of allocations for Pastoral Charges

- Property: overseeing buying, selling, leasing and improving church properties according to the requirements of The Manual.

- recommending to Presbytery action concerning property matters

- recommending to Presbytery re applications for mission support grants and funds.

- advising and assisting Pastoral Charges with financial and property matters

- provide stewardship education and resource support to the Presbytery and Pastoral Charges

- keep the Mission and Service Fund a focus for the members of Presbytery and through them the members of the Pastoral Charges.

Nominating Committee

-that the Nominating Committee be comprised of 2 or 3 persons from the executive and 4 others (2 lay & 2 ordered)

- proposes, each year and when vacancies occur, names of persons to fill the various offices

and committees of presbytery

- nominates names to act on presbytery related bodies

- seeks persons willing to serve on Conference Committees and related bodies.

- that the Nominating Committee develop a ‘gifts and skills finder' that seeks to identify gifts rather than choice of committee and to match persons with the committees on the basis of where their gifts may be best used.

Faith Formation

(Communication & Christian Life & Growth)

- giving leadership and guidance to pastoral charges and Presbytery in the use of mass media

- encouraging charges to use the publications and resources of the United Church including the United Church Observer, Essex Presbytery Resource Centre.

- and liaising and assisting committees in communicating their ministry

- Set up of the communication system at Presbytery, name tags,

distribution of information

- responsibility for the Presbytery Web Site and its content

- communicate with the public on behalf of Presbytery through press releases or other means

- promoting and cultivating the use of audio-visual media in meetings and worship

- developing understanding with the United Church of the nature and potential of modern communication working with persons vocationally engaged in the media to increase their understanding of and commitment of the expression of the concerns of humankind in modern society

- a resource for Christian Development programs in Pastoral Charges and providing of

workshops related to such programs

- promoting and supporting Camp Gesstwood

- recruiting delegates to Youth Forum (Conference and General Council), Intermediates at Conference and Children at Conference

- encouraging Youth events within the Presbytery

- retreats for Presbytery members; ministry personnel

Faith In Action

- responds to issues of social justice, both within Canada and throughout the world, of

concern to and on behalf of the Presbytery

- responds to urgent action requests of the General Council in sharing the information

with Presbytery

- relates to ecumenical or other bodies dealing with social justice issues

- promoting involvement in the work of overseas personnel and our partner churches- ecumenical relations and inter-faith relations

EXECUTIVE OF PRESBYTERY

The Executive of Essex Presbytery is made up of the Chair, the Secretary, and the Chairs/Convenors of the Committees; and the Chair-elect.