Form of GovernmentTask Force

Presbytery of Eastern OklahomaClaremore, OK

2 March 2010

FOG Task Force Web Sitewww.pcusa.org/formofgovernment

Translations

• Translations into Spanish and Korean have recently been completed

• They are now online

Goal of our Proposal

Maximize flexibility to meet the changing needs of particular contexts, while maintaining standards that are appropriate to the practice of the whole church

Maintaining Standards

• Mission and ministry “between the hedges”

• Broad principles of governance specified

• Specifics left to discretion of a particular council

Changing Needs

• Current FOG: one size fits all polity

• Based on an organizational model now close to 30 years old

• Many requirements cannot be met by many sessions / presbyteries

Maximize Flexibility

• A more flexibility, less regulatory polity• Eliminated as much “process-oriented”

language as possible – example: lists• More adaptable to today’s differing contexts

for ministry • Maintain the standards w/out mandating the

structure or procedures to be employed

Polity is…

• The Architecture of MissionPolity is not the work of the church; it is the blueprint for the church engaged in the mission of God

• Relational, not regulatoryNot built on rules, but calls us into relationships

• Covenantal, more than connectionalBound together in partnerships in mission, built on accountability to each other

Theological basis

• “Foundations of Presbyterian Polity” - a new section intended to convey the ecclesiological and historical commitments of our polity

F-1.01 God’s MissionThe good news of the gospel is that the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - creates, redeems, sustains, rules, and transforms all things and all people. …

F-3.01 Historic Principles of Church OrderIn setting forth this Book of Order, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) reaffirms the historic principles of church order which have been part of our common heritage…

Theological Basis

• Usually, the first paragraph of each chapter presents the ecclesiological foundation for what follows

• G-1.0101 – The Mission of the Congregation

• The congregation is the church engaged in the mission of God in its particular context. The triune God gives to the congregation all the gifts of the gospel necessary to being the Church. The congregation is the basic form of the church …

Important Terminology Changes

• Ordered Ministry – instead of “office” or “officer” (specific functions w/in total context of ministry of the whole church)

• Teaching Elder (instead of MWS) and Ruling Elder• Lifts up parity of ordination (avoidance of

clericalism)• Emphasizes role of session as leaders,

discerners of the Spirit (Ruling = measuring)• Elevates importance of teaching the faith /

equipping people for their ministry

• Councils instead of governing bodies – latter an

unintentional synonym for “board of directors”?

Structure of New FOG

• Foundations: 3 chapters – reorders current FOG chapters 1-4, w/in a missional framework

• The ecclesiological and historical commitments on which our polity rests

oChapter 1: mission of the church – God’s sending in Christ; marks, notes, great ends

oChapter 2: the status of confessions as part of the church’s constitutional life

oChapter 3: historical and governmental principles

Foundations: What’s New

• Focus on the mission of God in the world - F-1.01

• New four-part theological statement on the calling of the Church - F-1.03

• Emphasis on “Marks” and “Notes” of the Church - F-1.0302, 1.0303

• Stronger statement on Unity in Diversity - F-1.0403

Foundations: What’s Not New

• Jesus Christ as Head of the Church – F-1.02• The “Great Ends of the Church” – F-1.0304• The Church and Its Confessions – F-2.00 • Historic Principles of Order and Government –

F-3.01 and 3.02

Form of Government• From 14 chapters to 6:

oChapter 1: Congregations and membership (current G-5 and G-7)

oChapter 2: Ordered Ministries / Other Ministries (current G-6 and G-14)

oChapter 3: Councils (current G-9, 10, 11, 12, 13)oChapter 4: Property / Trustees / Confidentiality

(current G-6, 7, 8)oChapter 5: Ecumenical Relationships and Union

(current G-15, 16, 17)oChapter 6: Interpreting/Amending the Constitution

(current G-18)

Chapter 1: Congregationsand Membership

• The congregation: basic form of the church; where mission take place (G-1.0101)

• Congregations: not sufficient on their own; are bound to each other in relationships of accountability (G-1.0101)

• Membership is a covenant between individuals, the faith community, and God (G-1.0301)

• Familiar areas covered:o Organizing Covenant (G-1.0201)o Membership Responsibilities (G-1.0304)o Membership categories (G-1.04 - but no formal category for

“inactive”)o Congregational meetings (G-1.05)

Chapter 2: Ordered Ministry

• All members are called to share in the ministry of Jesus Christ

• Some are called to particular ministries established (“ordered”) by the Church “so that the ministry of the whole people of God may flourish” (G-2.0102)

• Three ordered ministries / descriptive titleso Deacons: The Ministry of Compassion and Service (G-2.02)o Ruling Elders: The Ministry of Discernment and Governance (G-

2.03)o Teaching Elders: The Ministry of the Word and Sacrament (G-2.05)

Chapter 2: Things to Note

• Validated ministry: no specific requirement to preach, celebrate sacraments annually (G-2.0503a)

• Associate / interim succession (G-2.0504a,b,c)

• CPM ‘stuff’: same basics (inquiry, candidacy, final assessment), w/out prescribe process pieces

• New terminology: Commissioned Ruling Elder – for Limited Pastoral Service (G-2.10)

• Certified Church Service: treating all certified persons equally, not Certified Christian educators and others (G-2.11)

Chapter 3: Councils• Council: consistent with the historic name for the

gathering of church leadership to arrive at decisions

• Work of each council ordered around the Notes of the Reformed Church – F-1.0303; repeated in G-3.0101)

o Provides a context for the work of each council rooted in our core definition of what the church is called to do

o Reminds us that preaching the Word, administering the Sacraments, and making disciples are not the work of the pastor, but belong to the whole church at every level

o The rubrics force us to ask of any new responsibility under consideration, “How does this help us be the church?”

Chapter 3: Functions,not Structures

• Chapter mandates core functions, but not structures • “Mechanisms and processes” left to the discretion of

the council (G-3.0307)• Some notable examples:

o COM, CPM, COR: essential work remains responsibility of councils to accomplish

o How they do these things left to councils to do as best suits their contexts

o Many are likely to keep the current structures as existo Some councils may try different means of accomplishing this

work, which may benefit all thru their example/experience

Chapters 4, 5, and 6

• Chapter 4: ‘interface’ between the church and civil authority: incorporation, trustees, property, confidentiality issues

• Chapter 5: current statements about ecumenical commitment, plus descriptions of “in correspondence” and “full communion.”

• Chapter 6: Interpreting / amending the constitution• Two-thirds votes to amend? – an issue that has been

dealt with previously, and should be a separate matter from our work

The Road Ahead …• Final version released:

1 Sept 2009

• 219th General Assembly (2010) – Minneapolis

oCommittee review and recommendation

oPlenary action

• Presbytery votes, if approved

Question and AnswerTime