SECTION 1: THE PURPOSE OF PRESBYTERY
1. What is a Presbytery for?
1.1 History
The Reformers set out three marks of the Church which are also in the Articles Declaratory – the Word is purely preached, the sacraments administered according to Christ’s ordinance, and discipline rightly exercised.
In the later sixteenth and early seventeenth Church government was developed with a focus on these three marks. The Church of Scotland’s Articles Declaratory (which might be described as its Constitution) says “its government is Presbyterian, and is exercised through Kirk Sessions; Presbyteries, and General Assemblies.”
Presbytery was therefore developed as part of a system of Church government which prized good order.
1.2 The Future
This is from the Radical Action Plan approved by the General Assembly of 2019:-
“Presbytery is the gathered life of the Church of Scotland in a particular area. It brings together, in a mutually accountable and supportive relationship, the recognised ministries and elders representing local Christian communities in parish, education, chaplaincy and national church administration.
In Presbytery the leaders of the local church come together to:
• discern the Holy Spirit’s leading of the Church in their context;
• respond appropriately to Christ’s call to follow;
• oversee the work of the local church; and
• be responsible for discipline and good order.”
The same report went on to say of the “new” Presbyteries that would be created:
• become the natural place to which resources, funding, and decision-making are devolved;
• be able to employ and deploy staff to meet regionally identified needs and opportunities (e.g. around buildings, finance, church planting, partnership and mission);
• have the capacity to retain and make better use of a higher proportion of the funds raised in the area for the mission of the local church;
• have the increased capacity to support and encourage those who are in recognised ministries or are office bearers, engendering resilience and the spirit to develop church life;
• free up time and energy for local mission including by reducing the administrative and legislative burden;
• have increased capacity to speak with a collective voice to other regional centres of influence in civic life;
• have the capacity to take risks and learn from mistakes; and need less input from the national offices, allowing a reduction in central spend, enabling increased devolution of funding and resources.
2. What should a Presbytery do?
2.1 Charitable Purpose
The sole charitable purpose of the Presbytery is the advancement of religion. This finds expression in a number of different ways as set out below.
2.2 Mutual Support and Encouragement
The Presbytery should be a forum in which improved collegiality and team working can be encouraged, where Presbyters and congregations can be encouraged and supported, providing opportunities to come together to build relationships across the Presbytery.
2.3 Create, Maintain and Implement a Presbytery Plan
• The Plan should comply with Church Law.
• The Plan should be shaped by an agreed sense of purpose and direction.
• The Plan should be up to date through an annual review which is underpinned by accurate information about the Presbytery area.
• The Plan should be easily accessed by Presbyters and local church office bearers.
• The Plan should be a familiar document to those working with congregations in
areas such as stewardship and buildings.
• When there needs to be significant change this should be handled transparently and expeditiously.
2.4 Resourcing Congregations
Presbytery should provide resources or be able to point to resources for congregations and other expressions of local church life:
• preparation for and follow up of Local Church Review with a focus on mission;
• specialist advice in the care of church buildings;
• new forms of church life;
• guidance on the use of social media;
• finance, stewardship, charity governance, seeking of grants;
• Safeguarding Training for trustees, those undertaking regulated work, coordinators and Panel members.
• good communications about Presbytery life and resources available;
• conflict resolution when things go wrong.
2.5 Pastoral Care
Presbytery has a duty of care to those who act in its name and who take extra responsibility within its structures and processes. In particular it must provide pastoral care to parish ministers who do not have a minister of their own. Such pastoral care should offer choices in provision reflecting the differing needs of each individual.
Presbytery also must ensure provision of pastoral care to those involved in the discipline process.
2.6 Keeping Good Order
There should be people within the life of Presbytery with a good knowledge and understanding of Church Law who can ensure both detailed compliance and a shared understanding of what needs to be done.
This is done by ensuring that:
• a Clerk is appointed and an appropriate contract is in place;
• giving charity trustee training to new members;
• meetings are well prepared and the agenda, minutes, reports and deliverances are circulated well in advance;
• the Standing Orders are up to date and readily available;
• the Roll of Presbytery is continually updated and kept in accordance with GDPR;
• meetings are called in good time and in the correct way;
• Presbytery meetings are held in a space which is accessible, comfortable and appropriate;
• where appropriate congregations are cited to appear for their interests;
• the minute is accurately taken and properly approved as soon as possible;
• extract minutes and other correspondence is processed correctly and in good time;
• Presbytery records are safely kept and can be readily accessed by office bearers when required;
• the checking of congregations’ rolls and records on an annual basis as required by GA legislation;
• the congregational annual accounts are attested by suitably qualified persons prior to their submission to OSCR;
• Presbytery’s finances are fully monitored and that the accounts are independently examined;
• staff are on good contracts of employment, wages and other remuneration is regularly reviewed, lines of management are clear, annual appraisal is conducted.
2.7 Vacancies
As soon as a vacancy occurs or a date of demission, translation or removal has been agreed, Presbytery must appoint from its own membership (or from the membership of another Presbytery through the provisions of Act 11, 2025, an Interim Moderator for the Kirk Session(s).
Where the Presbytery Plan provides for a Minister to be called this right of call should be processed without delay in terms of Act 11, 2025.
Where a Presbytery wishes to depart from the terms of the Plan e.g. to allow for a delay in the right of call then the appropriate section of the Presbytery Plan must be suspended and the concerned congregation(s) cited for their interest.
In due course the Presbytery shall process the Call from a vacant congregation and make appropriate arrangements for the ordination/induction service having consulted with local parties.
The new minister should be offered a warm welcome, a good introduction to Presbytery life and connections to the Presbytery’s networks of support and information.
In the event of the right of call expiring Presbytery should give full consideration to the circumstances.
2.8 Support
The Presbytery has general powers of oversight over congregations, ministers and deacons serving within the bounds. In particular this is expressed in:
• a well-resourced Local Church Review process including thorough, supportive follow up;
• a trained committee to deal with complaints;
• Clerk and appropriate office bearers having a thorough understanding of the discipline process and appropriate mechanisms such as delegated authority to handle such matters correctly.
2.9 Interaction with National Church Agencies
These take at least two forms:
• Where there is shared responsibility set out in GA legislation e.g. in the supervising of candidates for the Ministry, consent for major building works. In these matters Presbytery must ensure that it plays its required part with thoroughness.
• When Presbytery is asked to respond to General Assembly remits and in particular in Barrier Act procedure. Presbytery should always ensure that such responses are properly considered and timeously given.
2.10 Beyond the Church
Presbytery should be a means by which the local church can gain a collective voice to speak with civil authority, other denominations, other faith groups and the third sector.