James River Presbytery

Bylaws

PREAMBLE

Composition: James River Presbytery is composed of all the local Churches of the Presbyterian Church in America, which are in Virginia except in those counties included within the bounds of the following Presbyteries: Delmarva, Potomac, New River, Blue Ridge, and Westminster, and all the ministers enrolled by the Presbytery.
Nature: The nature of James River Presbytery grows out of its relationship first to Jesus Christ, the head of the Church; then to the General Assembly, the higher court; and to the lower court, the session of the local church. Presbytery is the Corporate Presbyterian Church in America in its geographical area, actually, administratively, and jurisdictionally. Its Teaching and Ruling Elders demonstrate our representative form of Government and the equality of all believers. Like all Presbyterian Courts, its supreme authority in matters of Christian faith and the Christian life is the Holy Scriptures.
Mission: The mission of James River Presbytery also grows out of its relationship to Christ, to the General Assembly and to the Sessions. Its primary mission is to proclaim Christ to all people, to witness His Lordship over all of life and to nurture and encourage the local churches.
Constitution: The constitution of the James River Presbytery is the constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Book of Church Order. To suspend any provisions of the Manual, an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Presbytery present and voting is required.
Bylaws and Amendments: To change the bylaws is to do so by amendment. To amend the bylaws of Presbytery, the proposed amendment shall be read, debated and voted upon at one meeting of Presbytery, docketed for the next Stated Meeting, then it shall be read again, debated, and voted upon. To amend the Manual a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of Presbytery present and voting is required at each reading. To suspend any provision of these bylaws, an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Presbytery present and voting is required.
Rules: The rules of order for all meetings of James River Presbytery are Rules of Parliamentary Order of the General Assembly when these apply and Robert’s Rules of Order. Rules of Order require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of Presbytery present and voting for their suspension.

FUNCTION AND STRUCTURE

(Who, How, When)

Meeting: The Presbytery shall hold three (3) Stated Meetings annually, in January, May, and October, normally on the third Saturday. Special meetings shall be called in accordance with BCO 13-12.
Docket: A docket for each meeting is prepared by the Stated Clerk in concert with the Moderator and a representative of the Host Church appointed by the session. Permanent Committee reports are to be docketed in descending alphabetical order based on the committee that reported to first at the previous stated meeting. That Committee will be docketed last at the next stated meeting. At each Fall Stated Meeting, the Court Duties Committee shall be docketed immediately following the Treasurer’s Report to give a partial report regarding Presbytery’s budget and Presbytery committee nominations. When necessary to meet General Assembly deadlines, the Court Duties Committee will be docketed after the Treasurer’s Report for a partial report to approve nominees for the General Assembly permanent committees and committees of commissioners.
Quorum: A quorum of Presbytery may be set at each Stated Meeting of Presbytery, but it shall not be less than six Teaching Elders and six Ruling Elders representing a minimum of four different Churches; and business can only be transacted as long as such a quorum is present. Ordinarily all meetings begin at 9:00 a.m.
Expenses: Presbytery shall be self-entertaining and the Host Church may charge each commissioner and a guest a sum appropriate to cover expenses for meals and refreshments.
Worship: A Worship Service, with sermon by the Moderator (or someone selected by him) and the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, is conducted ordinarily at the Spring and Fall Stated Meetings. In addition, at the Spring Meeting, Memorials to Teaching and Ruling Elders are read. The Winter and Summer Meetings ordinarily open with a brief Worship Service and a time of corporate prayer and sharing.
Membership: All Teaching Elders belonging to James River Presbytery and the Ruling Elder representatives of its local churches comprise the membership of the Stated Meetings. Ordinarily any ordained minister of another Presbytery, or any Evangelical church, who is present is invited to sit as a visiting brother. Guests and observers are welcome to all open meetings of the Presbytery. Expenses of commissioners to Presbytery are to be borne as specified in the BCO, except that the expenses of retired ministers, living within the bounds of Presbytery, shall be borne by the Presbytery when requested by the retired minister.
Attendance: Attendance by Teaching Elders and the Ruling Elder commissioners from their respective churches is expected at all Presbytery meetings.

The following guidelines are valid excuses from such meetings.

a) Immediate need for pastoral care: Illness, Funeral, Crisis Counseling, and Weddings.

b) Personal or family illness.

c) Unexpected business demands.

d) Extraordinary distance to travel by those laboring outside the bounds of Presbytery.

e) Honorably retired.

Written excuses for excused absences are to be received by the Stated Clerk no later than the beginning of Presbytery. Teaching Elders who meet the criteria of G.1.d) or e) do not have to submit written excuses. (Excuses for early departures may be received until noon.)
Military Chaplains will submit a quarterly report of their activities.

III

OFFICERS

Moderator: The moderator serves for a term of six (6) months, or until his successor is elected. At the appropriate Stated Meeting a Moderator in Nomination shall be elected whom the Stated Clerk shall place in nomination at the next Stated Meeting. The Moderator will be guided by BCO 10-3. Any Elder, Teaching or Ruling is eligible for the office of Moderator.
Stated Clerk:

1. The Stated Clerk shall be allowed a compensation for his services, a sum for the necessary expenses of the office and a sum for secretarial support as fixed by the Presbytery.

The Stated Clerk shall be elected at the October Meeting to a three-year term. He may be re-elected by at two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of Presbytery present and voting at the meeting at which elections are held. In the event he is a Ruling elder and not a representative from his church, he may function as Stated Clerk with the privilege of the floor, but without vote.

His duties are:

a) To keep a record of all proceedings of Presbytery and to submit the same annually to the General Assembly for review.

b) To refer all communications to the proper Committees as they are received.

c) To report on requests for excused absences from meetings of Presbytery with recommendations on how to handle.

d) To prepare and distribute to Sessions and Teaching Elders a copy of the minutes of Presbytery within forty-five (45) days after each meeting.

e) To file one copy of the minutes of Presbytery with the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. Three copies will be retained for the Review of Presbytery Records Committee of the General Assembly.

f) To handle all correspondence addressed to the Presbytery and for the Presbytery.

g) To serve as an ex-officio member of the Court Duties Committee.

h) To serve as Parliamentarian for Presbytery Meetings, unless the Moderator appoints someone else.

i) To prepare the docket, distribute supporting documents; mail notice of meetings to include time, date, and directions to the meeting to Teaching Elders and Clerks of Session ten (10) days prior to the next meeting.

j) To prepare, publish and distribute a directory of Presbytery annually.

k) To notify in writing fifteen (15) days after the meeting of Presbytery each member who has been elected or appointed to a committee of Presbytery.

l) To refer all communications to the proper Committees, when practicable, prior to meeting of Presbytery and report such referrals to Presbytery.

m) To report to Presbytery all other communications intended for the court.

n) To properly sign and issue all papers authorized by Presbytery and to also cause to be signed all papers requiring the signature of the Moderator or Trustees of the Presbytery.

o) To maintain a website for the Presbytery.

p) To maintain the Presbytery rolls and to submit the annual enrollment report to the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly.

Recording Clerk & Assistant Recording Clerk:

1. The Recording Clerk and the Assistant Recording Clerk shall be elected at the October Meeting and shall serve for a period of three years.

2. The recording clerks may be re-elected by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of Presbytery present and voting.

Duties are:

a) Responsibility for taking accurate minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Presbytery as directed by the Stated Clerk.

b) Transmitting completed copy of the minutes to the Stated Clerk within thirty (30) days after each meeting.

c) The Recording Clerk shall serve as the webmaster for the Presbytery’s website.

Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer:

The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall be elected at the October Meeting to a three-year term. The treasurers may be re-elected by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of Presbytery present and voting at the meeting which elections are held.

Duties are:

a) To keep accurate records of all income and expenses for the Presbytery.

b) To disburse funds based on line items in the Presbytery Budget or other specific Presbytery action or adjustments made by a Presbytery committee. A committee may adjust the line item amounts in its portion of the Budget as long as the total amount budgeted to the committee is not increased and the adjustment is approved by at least 2/3 of the Committee present when a quorum exists. Budget adjustments are to be communicated to the Treasurer and reported to Presbytery at the next stated meeting.

The Assistant Treasurer shall serve with the Treasurer as a second person authorized to sign checks.

COMMITTEES

A. Permanent Committees of the Presbytery shall consist of the following six:

Mission of Presbytery Mission to the World

Candidate and Credentials Ministerial and Church Relations

Court Duties Joint Reformed University Ministries

B. Membership in each Committee shall consist of two classes except for the Candidates and Credentials Committee, the Court Duties Committee, the Joint RUF Committee, and the Ministerial and Church Relations Committee which shall consist of three. Each committee shall have two Teaching and two Ruling Elders per class, each class serving the number of years equal to the number of classes for their committee. Ideally, the Mission of Presbytery Committee will consist of 2 REs and 2 TEs from each of the 3 regional networks. Class members shall be elected at the October Stated Meeting of Presbytery each year and can serve consecutively for no more than six years. A committee is authorized to carry on its business even if vacancies exist in its membership so long as its membership includes at least one Teaching Elder and one Ruling Elder per class. Vacancies may be filled by Presbytery at any meeting.

C. A Committee quorum shall include at least two Teaching Elders and two Ruling Elders.

D. Committees are required by Presbytery to provide written reports to the Stated Clerk a minimum of 15 days prior to a stated meeting to be produced and distributed by the Stated Clerk.

E. The expenses of the committee are to be borne by the Presbytery.

F. New members elected to the committees at the October meeting will begin participating on the committee at the January meeting.

G. Attendance by teaching and ruling elders is expected at all Presbytery Committee meetings. Exceptions for excused absences are to be made to the committee’s chairman before the meeting. The following guidelines are valid excuses for absences from such meetings.

1. Immediate need for pastoral care: (Funeral, Illness, Crisis Counseling, and Weddings).

2. Personal or family illness.

3. Unexpected business demand

4. Extraordinary distance to travel by those laboring outside the bounds of Presbytery.

H. Excuses for excused absences are to be made to the chairman prior to the meeting.

COMMITTEE ON COURT DUTIES

The functions of this committee include the following:

To review carefully the records of each session within the bounds of Presbytery once each year, normally one-third each at the Winter, Spring and Summer Stated meetings with the October meeting devoted to the review of any records that were not submitted as scheduled. To report to Presbytery any failure of Sessions to observe the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America or rules of Presbytery.
To nominate persons to fill any classes and vacancies on committees. To nominate persons to Committee of Commissioners of the General Assembly and Permanent Committees of the General Assembly. To nominate the Stated Clerk, Recording Clerk, and Treasurer when necessary. To provide the Stated Clerk with accurate names of those elected or appointed.
To receive, consider, and report on all bills, overtures and proposed amendments to the bylaws of Presbytery and amendments to the BCO sent down from the General Assembly. Such matters are to be submitted to the committee in writing at least one month before the stated meeting. It will report to that meeting with its recommendations. To prepare necessary resolutions for Presbytery action.
To prepare an annual budget for the expenses of Presbytery and the committees of Presbytery and oversee the work of the Treasurer, and the annual examination of the treasurers records.
To cultivate Stewardship commitment in the churches of Presbytery. To keep the churches aware of financial needs of the General Assembly and the Presbytery. To plan for and conduct seminars on stewardship methods.
To oversee the ministry of the Women in the Church program.

COMMITTEE ON MISSION OF PRESBYTERY

The functions of this committee include the following:

A. To identify communities within the bounds of Presbytery that need new congregations and that could benefit most from Presbytery-wide funding and oversight. To work with and encourage churches and church partnerships that desire to plant daughter churches. To oversee the development of church planting projects approved by Presbytery. This committee is also responsible for Youth Work, as well as Youth Camps, for Presbytery. It also seeks to encourage and promote at the presbytery level all areas of ministry for which the PCA Committee on Mission to North America is responsible.

B. To encourage support of the Committee on Mission to North America of the General Assembly.

C. To propose budgets for church planting works and assist the church planter in seeking funds needed from Presbytery, churches, and individuals.

D. To recruit qualified men to serve as church planters; to refer all candidates for church planting to the Candidates and Credential’s Committee prior to calling them for church planting.

E. To recommend to presbytery the method of oversight for mission churches according to BCO 5.3.

VII

COMMITTEE ON MISSION TO THE WORLD

The functions of the committee include the following:

A. To keep the churches of Presbytery aware of the challenges and needs of World Missions, to encourage support of the Committee on Mission to the World of the General Assembly.

B. To encourage annual World Missions emphasis in each church.

C. To publicize annually a report of the names of missionaries receiving support from the churches of Presbytery and distribute this report among the churches of Presbytery.

D. To emphasize the annual offering for World Relief.

E. To identify eligible missionaries and arrange their itineration among the churches of Presbytery.

F. To correspond with and encourage missionaries who are members of the Presbytery.

G. To keep Presbytery informed of new developments in the program of the General Assembly’s Mission to the World Committee.

H. To plan for and arrange annually a Presbytery Conference for members of World Missions Committees in the local Churches for the purposes of updating information, exchanging ideas and input for the area World Missions Conferences and local Church World Mission Conferences.

VIII

COMMITTEE ON CANDIDATES AND CREDENTIALS

The functions of this committee include the following.

A. To carry out the provisions of BCO 19-2a and 19-2b for licensure and internship. To receive letters on all licentiates annually.

B. To oversee the internship of each Licentiate according to the formula approved by the Presbytery.

C. To act as a commission of Presbytery (BCO Chapter 15) to dismiss Licentiates and Candidates under care. The Committee will inform the Stated Clerk of its actions immediately and will report its actions to the Presbytery at the next Stated Meeting.

D. To examine Candidates for ordination (BCO Chapter 17). To carry out the provisions of BCO Chapter 21. To recommend the time of ordination and installation and the election of a commission to act for Presbytery in this matter.

E. To examine ministers called to Churches in the Presbytery or to other approved ministries. To carry out the provisions of BCO Chapter 21. To recommend a time for the installation service and the election of a Commission to act for Presbytery in the matter (BCO Chapter 15).

F. To present ministers being called to the Presbytery after verifying their credentials. The Presbytery will not ordain/approve a man to work outside the bounds of Presbytery until that work has been approved by the Presbytery.

COMMITTEE ON MINISTERIAL AND CHURCH RELATIONS

The functions of this committee include the following:

A. To provide effective orientation for new Ministers. To provide oversight for all Teaching Elder members of the Presbytery in service out of bounds or without call.

B. To provide oversight for all Teaching Elder members of Presbytery in service out of bounds or without call and, at his request any Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America who resides in the bounds of this Presbytery though his membership is elsewhere.

C. To approve changes of calls for JRP Assistant and Associate Pastors who are called to an Associate or Full Pastoral position within Presbytery. To approve a time for the installation service and the election of a commission to act for Presbytery in the matter. BCO Chapter 15)

D. To carry out the provisions of BCO Chapter 23 regarding dissolution of Pastoral relations and to determine that both the Pastor and Congregation has acted in accordance with BCO. To report the action to Presbytery for concurrence. Upon action of the Presbytery the Stated Clerk is authorized to send letters of the Dismissal to the receiving Presbytery. The Presbytery shall appoint an interim moderator for the session.

E. To act as a Commission of Presbytery (BCO Chapter 15) in the dissolving of pastoral relationships in cases where the Pastor and Congregation concur, or where no Congregation is concerned, to dismiss ministers. The Commission will report its actions to Presbytery at the next Stated Meeting, where, if approved they become the action of Presbytery.

F. The Procedure listed below will be followed by Pastors and the Committee in the dissolution of Pastoral Relations. (These rules are not additions to the Constitution of the Church but are the Presbytery’s statement of how it will implement the duties required by the Constitution, and therefore may be waived upon a two-thirds vote of Presbytery so long as the requirements of the Constitution are themselves maintained, CF BCO Chapter 23).

1. A Teaching Elder shall tender his resignation in writing, not to his congregation, but to the Presbytery (BCO 32-1), specifically to the Ministerial and Church Relations Committee.

2. If the resignation is in order, the committee will so inform the Session of the Church which should then call a Congregational Meeting for the purpose of the Congregation either contesting or concurring with the resignation.

3. The Congregation should then communicate its action to the Committee through its commissioners, either in writing or in person.

4. If all parties concur, the Committee will then, as a Commission of Presbytery, dissolve the relation effective on the date requested.

5. Notice also the provision of BCO 23-1: “In any case the Minister must not physically leave the field until Presbytery or its Commission empowered to handle uncontested requests for dissolution has dissolved the relation.”

6. In all cases it is very important that these steps be followed in order. Otherwise the rights and responsibilities of all parties are compromised.

a) of the pastor

b) of the Congregation to contest the dissolution or not

c) of the Presbytery to evaluate the situation and act accordingly

d) of the Congregation in acting to secure a Stated Supply and erect a Pulpit Committee.

G. When a Pastor or Church first begins to consider dissolution of the Pastoral Relation, for the peace and purity of the Church, this Committee should be informed.

H. To counsel a Church without a Pastor to carry out the provisions of BCO Chapter 20. The Session shall notify the Committee of its needs and should seek the counsel of this Committee regarding both a Minister and Pulpit Supply. The Committee will confer with the Minister elect and the Session concerning the terms of Call.

I. To inquire and offer counsel, at the invitation of the Minister or Session or at the instruction of Presbytery when Congregations encounter problems or when a Minister encounters problems personally or in relationship with his Congregation. If it deem wise the Committee shall report on the matter to the Presbytery with recommendation for further procedures.

J. To receive and report to Presbytery, with or without recommendation, any communication dealing with a possible change in a TE’s views in regard to the constitutional standards.

K. Any inquiry of a particular church concerning membership in James River Presbytery will begin in this Committee. However all examinations of Teaching and Ruling Elders will be handled by the Candidates and Credentials Committee of this Presbytery.

L. To encourage Churches seeking Ministers to secure data forms from the clerk of the General Assembly before approaching a candidate.

M. To keep Ministers and Churches informed of the ministry and services of the Board of Annuities and Relief for the General Assembly.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON REFORMED UNIVERSITY MINISTRIES

The functions of this committee include the following:

A. To act in a sessional manner on behalf of the Blue Ridge and James River Presbyteries and to provide oversight, accountability, and encouragement to the campus ministers and their ministries.

B. To prepare, submit, and oversee the budgets of each campus ministry.

C. To care for each campus minister and his family through regular communication, campus visits, and prayer.

D. To take responsibility for and give assistance to each campus ministry’s financial outlook and development efforts.

E. To care for and give oversight to any campus interns who are placed within the bounds of our Presbytery.

F. To recruit, through cooperation with RUM nationally, new campus ministers for colleges and universities across our Presbytery.

G. To work with and serve local churches and laity through educating them about the PCA’s college ministry, and about what steps are involved in beginning a new campus work within the bounds of our Presbyteries.

H. To promote the vision of RUF across our Presbytery, seek increased support among our churches for our denomination’s college ministry.

I. To maintain a balance between the expansion of this Gospel ministry across the Blue Ridge and James River Presbyteries and fiscal responsibility.

J. To maintain the Affiliation Agreement between our Presbyteries and RUF nationally, serving as liaisons with and conduits for RUF nationally and our Presbyteries.

XI

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 Committee shall consist of at least two Teaching Elders and two Ruling Elders. Each Commission shall consist of at least three Teaching Elders and three Ruling Elders.

B. A quorum shall consist of at least two Teaching Elders and two Ruling Elders, except for a Committee of four members, in which case any three members shall constitute a quorum. Presbytery may establish a larger quorum so long as it consists of an equal number of Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders.

C. The Moderator shall appoint the members of a Committee. Presbytery shall elect the members of a Commission.

D. The Moderator shall appoint the convener of a Committee or Commission. At its first meeting, the Committee or Commission shall elect its chairman and recording clerk.

E. No Committee or Commission may continue past the next two stated meetings of Presbytery except as authorized by a majority vote of Presbytery at the meeting during which the term of the Committee or Commission is otherwise to expire.

F. The Committee or Commission shall report to the next stated meeting of Presbytery and each such meeting thereafter until it has submitted its final report. The final report shall contain at least a summary of actions; conclusions; and recommendations and advice, if any. The Committee or Commission shall strive toward submission of its report no later than two weeks prior to the meetings.

Last amendment was made on January 17, 2009