PRESBYTERY OF MISSISSIPPI

PRESBYTERY MANUAL

Standing Rules, Operating Procedures, and Appendices

January 1, 2008

P A R T O N E - S T A N D I N G R U L E S

ARTICLE 1. THE PRESBYTERY AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES

1.1 NAME. The name of this presbytery shall be "The Presbytery of Mississippi."

1.2 DEFINITION. The presbytery shall consist of all member churches within the geographic bounds of the presbytery and all the Ministers of the Word and Sacrament who have been received into membership. The presbytery has those duties, authorities, powers, and responsibilities specified by the Book of Order in G-3.0000, G-11.0000, and G-14.0000.

1.3 MISSION STATEMENT

We seek locally to:

Strengthen and resource congregations, paying particular attention

to our smaller churches;

Create a collegial environment of both professional and spiritual care for minister

members of presbytery;

Equip leaders of congregations through nurture, education, and fellowship.

We pray that through this work all communicants will be more effective in their

congregations as well as in the shared work of the presbytery.

We seek regionally to:

Participate in shared mission and mission projects;

Create opportunities for the people of God to gather for education

and fellowship;

Care for and oversee the administrative work that supports our spiritual growth.

We pray that through this work we will deepen connections to each other and to the

gospel of Jesus Christ.

We seek globally to:

Encourage individuals and congregations to enter into mission efforts beyond

the bounds of the presbytery through financial support, leadership involvement,

and project implementation.

We pray that through this work we will increase discipleship and service by bringing

the love of God in Jesus Christ to a hurting world.

1.4 ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLES. The organizational principles of the Presbytery of Mississippi presuppose the fellowship of believers in covenanted relationship with one another and with God through Jesus Christ. “The organization rests upon the fellowship and is not designed to work without trust and love” (G-7.0103). Our trust and love are nurtured and strengthened by our shared commitment to these principles, mutual accountability for our actions, and open and honest communication with each other.

ARTICLE 2. MEETINGS

2.1 STATED MEETINGS. Three stated meetings shall be held each year. The meeting in February shall be held on the fourth Saturday of the month; the meeting in May shall be held on the third Thursday of the month; the meeting in October shall be held on the fourth Thursday of the month, and convening at a time determined by the Presbytery Council.

2.2 OTHER MEETINGS. Presbytery may adjourn to meet as deemed advisable. Matters permissible for consideration at adjourned meetings shall be those which would have been permissible at the meeting of which this is an adjourned meeting. Special meetings may be held as deemed necessary, as provided in G-11.0201. Ordinarily, the examination of ministers from other presbyteries, or of candidates seeking ordination, shall not be handled in special meetings.

2.3 PLACE OF MEETINGS. Presbytery Council shall recommend future meeting places. If presbytery should adjourn without designating the next place of meeting, Presbytery Council has the authority to determine the place. If it becomes necessary to change the date, time or place of a presbytery meeting after it has been set by council or approved by presbytery, it may be done by agreement among any three of the following: The moderator of presbytery, the moderator of the Presbytery Council, the stated clerk, and the executive presbyter.

2.4 QUORUM. The quorum for all meetings shall be three ministers and elders from at least three churches (G-11.0202).

2.5 DOCKET. The docket of presbytery will be recommended by Presbytery Council, and ordinarily important discussions and decisions will be planned to take place as early as possible during the day. The docket may be amended at any time during the meeting by a majority vote.

2.6 ATTENDANCE. Every minister should attend every meeting, unless providentially hindered, and all sessions should be represented at every meeting, unless providentially hindered. Members of presbytery will be expected to arrive on time and to attend all sessions unless specifically excused by presbytery. When providentially hindered from attendance, a minister or sessional representative will be expected to request an excuse from the presbytery, stating the reason for non-attendance. Ministers who are honorably retired, infirm, or disabled are excused from attendance at presbytery meetings. Ministers in the military chaplaincy, in overseas missions, or enrolled in graduate studies outside of the geographical bounds of the presbytery are also excused during their period of service or study.

2.7 CORRESPONDING MEMBERS. It is the policy of this presbytery to regard all visiting ministers as corresponding members and to grant them the privilege of the floor with voice but without vote. Elders who chair presbytery committees have voice and vote at presbytery meetings during their terms of office (G.11-0101c). The moderator of Presbyterian Women of the presbytery is granted the privilege of the floor with voice at every meeting.

2.8 PREPARATION FOR MEETINGS. All overtures, communications, and committee reports which are to be presented at a meeting of presbytery shall normally be furnished to the stated clerk at least three weeks prior to such meeting. All overtures or committee reports for a prospective meeting of presbytery are to be duplicated in full by the stated clerk or under his direction, and these, together with the proposed docket, mailed (in a form and manner determined by the stated clerk) two weeks prior to the meeting of presbytery: one copy of said overtures, reports, and docket to be sent to every minister, committee chair, and council member, and as many copies to each clerk of session as the number of elder representatives the session is entitled to send to presbytery meetings.

2.9 SPECIAL OBSERVANCES. Provision shall be made for the following special observances.

2.9.1 The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper shall be observed annually.

2.9.2 Commissioners to meetings of the synod and of the General Assembly shall report on their attendance at the next stated meeting of the presbytery, in person, if possible, otherwise by letter.

2.9.3 At the October stated meeting, elders who have died during the past year shall be memorialized, and their names, the churches served, and dates of death shall be recorded in the minutes. Deceased ministers shall be memorialized at the next convenient stated meeting, and a page in the minutes set apart for a brief account of the minister's life and work. The stated clerk shall arrange for someone to present to the presbytery a proper memorial paper.

2.10 APPROVAL OF MINUTES. The presbytery waives the reading of the minutes and authorizes the moderator and the stated clerk to read and approve the minutes for the presbytery.

2.11 BALANCE OF MEMBERS. Because the presbytery has a large number of resident honorably retired minister members, the active participation of those honorably retired members will be used as a criterion in determining balance between ministers and elders entitled to vote at presbytery meetings (See G-11.0101b).

ARTICLE 3. OFFICERS

3.1 OFFICERS. The officers of presbytery are moderator, vice moderator, stated clerk, and treasurer.

3.2 MODERATOR. The moderator shall be elected to preside for one year, without eligibility for successive re-election. The election shall be held in October, to become effective in February. The moderator of the presbytery may be the vice moderator from the previous year. Unless specified otherwise in the motion establishing standing committees or special committees, the moderator shall appoint committee members and designate the chair.

3.3 VICE MODERATOR. The vice moderator shall be nominated yearly by the Nominating Committee and will serve a term of one year. The vice moderator shall serve as moderator if and when the occasion arises and is ordinarily nominated as moderator the following year.

3.4 STATED CLERK. The stated clerk will be nominated to presbytery by the Nominations Committee and be elected for a term of four years, with eligibility for reelection. This position may be held by the executive presbyter. The duties of the stated clerk shall be those described in G-9.0203 and in the position description of the stated clerk. (See the Appendix containing the Presbytery Personnel Policies.)

3.5 TREASURER. The presbytery shall elect a treasurer, upon nomination by the Nominations Committee, for a term of four years, with eligibility for reelection. This position will ordinarily be held by the executive presbyter. When the office is held by the executive presbyter, the term is concurrent with that of the executive presbyter. The duties of the treasurer shall be to collect the presbytery per capita assessment, to make authorized disbursements from this current expense fund; to receive benevolent funds from churches, church organizations and individuals and to disburse them according to presbytery's budget or to their designation if restricted; to make proper reports to presbytery; and in consultation with the Subcommittee on Finance to prepare budgets for benevolences and current expenses. The treasurer shall submit quarterly reports to the Presbytery Council and to the presbytery. The treasurer shall be bonded in an amount designated by presbytery, with presbytery paying the bonding premiums.

3.6 TERMS OF OFFICE. The above officers shall usually be elected at the October stated meetings, to take office at the following February stated meeting. Those elected to these offices shall serve until their successors are chosen. Vacancies in any of the offices may be filled at any meeting of presbytery.

ARTICLE 4. PRESBYTERY COUNCIL

4.1 PRESBYTERY COUNCIL. The Presbytery Council is the responsible agency for the planning of presbytery's programs and budget, monitoring and evaluating the work of all program committees and staff, and coordinating of reports from the ecclesiastical committees.

4.2 MEMBERSHIP. The council consists of ex-officio members (by virtue of office/with vote) who are the moderators of the three program committees; the moderators of the ecclesiastical committees of Ministry, Nominations, Representation, and Preparation for Ministry; the presidents of Presbyterian Women and Presbyterian Men; the moderator, vice moderator, stated clerk, and treasurer (when this office is not held by the executive presbyter); plus three persons elected at large to ensure inclusiveness. The three at-large members of the council will serve terms of three years each with one person serving in each year's class. The executive presbyter and all special presbyters will serve as advisory members of council. Moderators of special committees, the Permanent Judicial Commission, and the Trustees will serve as advisors to the council without votes. Ordinarily no more than one person from a particular church will serve on the council.

4.3 MEETINGS. When a member of council who is the moderator of a presbytery committee is unable to attend a meeting of the council, another member of that committee designated by the committee moderator may attend the council meeting in the moderator's place, with both voice and vote.

4.4 MODERATOR. The moderator of council is an ex-officio member of all council subcommittees and may act as an advisory member of all presbytery program committees. The moderator of council will not currently be serving as the moderator of another presbytery committee or related organization.

4.5 FINANCE AND PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEES. The moderator of council, in consultation with council, shall appoint the chairs of the Finance and Personnel Subcommittees from the membership of the council. The attempt shall be made to name persons whose skills, interests, and relationship styles give evidence that they could serve effectively on these subcommittees.

4.5.1 The moderator of council, in consultation with council, shall appoint three persons from the presbytery at large to serve on the Finance Subcommittee. These three persons should include one minister and two lay persons. It would be helpful for these persons to be reasonably accessible to the Hattiesburg area.

4.5.2 The moderator of council, in consultation with council, shall appoint three persons from the presbytery at large to serve on the Personnel Subcommittee. These three persons should include one minister and two lay persons.

4.6 OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES. The council may appoint other subcommittees as needed. All subcommittees are appointed for a particular and time-specific objective. The objective and the time frame for completion of the objective shall be made known to the presbytery at the time of the appointment of a subcommittee.

4.7 PRESBYTERY DOCKET. The council will recommend the docket for each presbytery meeting.

4.8 PER CAPITA ASSESSMENT. The council will recommend to presbytery the per capita assessment each year in October, when reporting the budget of the presbytery. The per capita assessment which goes to presbytery will be used to pay for the costs of the operation of presbytery, Presbytery Council, and its ecclesiastical committees.

ARTICLE 5. COMMITTEES

5.1 COMMITTEES. The committees of the presbytery shall be ecclesiastical, program, standing, and special.

5.2 MEMBERS. The Nominations Committee will make every effort to ensure that membership on the committees is evenly distributed among all the churches of presbytery by number and proportionally distributed by membership within churches. Ordinarily no committee will have more than one member from any one church.

5.2.1 No person will ordinarily serve on more than one committee of presbytery at one time, except for members of the Nominations Committee, members of the Permanent Judicial Commission, members of special committees, and the moderators of committees who serve on the council in addition to their regular committee assignment.

5.3 TERMS OF MEMBERS. The terms of nomination for all persons serving on presbytery committees will be three years, with the terms of the Permanent Judicial Commission being six years as set by the Book of Order. The classes will be nominated in equal numbers, as far as is possible, for the three years on each committee.

5.3.1 All persons serving on presbytery committees are eligible to serve two consecutive terms. After serving two terms on a particular committee, persons must rotate off for at least one full year before being eligible to serve on that particular committee again.

5.3.2 Any committee of presbytery may request presbytery to remove from membership of the committee any person who has failed to attend three consecutive committee meetings without being excused. The Nominations Committee will endeavor to replace those persons as soon as possible.

5.4 REPORTS. All committees that are to report at a meeting of presbytery shall normally furnish a copy of their report to the stated clerk and to the presbytery office at least three weeks prior to such meeting. All committees are to furnish a brief written report indicating the date, time, location, members present, and topic(s) discussed at each meeting.

5.5 MODERATORS AND VICE MODERATORS. Moderators of all the program committees and ecclesiastical committees may serve for two years and are nominated by the Nominations Committee. Each committee will elect a vice moderator from its own membership who will be responsible for functioning as moderator in the moderator's absence.

5.6 ECCLESIASTICAL COMMITTEES. Ecclesiastical committees relate to the governance of the presbytery. They include the Committee on Ministry, Nominations, Representation, and Preparation for Ministry, along with the Trustees and the Permanent Judicial Commission. Their duties are defined by the Book of Order and Standing Rules.

5.7 PROGRAM COMMITTEES. Program committees implement the various ministries of the presbytery with a special focus on the mission directives determined by the presbytery. These include Church Extension, Christian Nurture, and the Mission Committee. These committees will be under the direct supervision of the council and will report to presbytery through the council. Staff resourcing will be made available to each of these committees in addition to the council.

5.7.1 Program committees are expected to develop a program plan, structure, and budget each year.

5.7.2 All program committees will be responsible to meet at least three times a year prior to the regularly scheduled meetings of presbytery and report to the council and to presbytery.

5.7.3 Program committees should announce presbytery-sponsored events and place those events on presbytery’s calendar six months ahead of the date for these events. Registration materials for such events should be distributed at least three months before the date of the event.

5.8 STANDING COMMITTEES. At stated meetings the moderator shall appoint standing committees, of no more than three members each (naming the chair for each committee), to consider and report on any matter requiring attention at that meeting of presbytery, as follows:

5.8.1 Bills and Overtures, as needed.

5.8.2 Thanks, for each meeting.

5.9 SPECIAL COMMITTEES. The presbytery will form special committees as required to meet special needs or carry out particular assignments. The moderator of each such committee will serve as an advisory member of the council.

ARTICLE 6. THE COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY

6.1 The Committee on Ministry, as an ecclesiastical committee, is responsible to carry out the duties set forth in G.11-0500. This committee will consist of eighteen members.

6.2 The committee shall also have the following tasks:

6.2.1 The Committee on Ministry will conduct the examination of all candidates for ordination and in-coming ministers.

6.2.2 The Committee on Ministry has authority to dissolve the pastoral relationship in cases where the congregation and pastor concur; to dismiss ministers to other presbyteries; to authorize the stated clerk to issue certificates of dismissal; and to approve calls, terms of calls, or changes in terms of calls, so long as they meet or exceed the established minimum standards, reporting all such actions to the next stated meeting of the presbytery (G-11.0502h).

6.2.3 Requests for permission to labor outside the bounds of presbytery, and requests for extension of permission to labor outside the bounds of presbytery, shall be presented to presbytery through the Committee on Ministry. Leave of absence from the presbytery, or permission to labor outside its bounds, when granted, shall be on an annual basis, except that in the case of missionaries serving outside the United States, or of military chaplains, this permission shall be regarded as granted for the duration of their service. Honorably retired ministers are authorized to labor outside the bounds of presbytery as opportunity presents itself.

6.2.4 Ministers not engaged in pastoral work or not residing within the bounds of presbytery, will be expected to report to each October stated meeting, through the Committee on Ministry, concerning their location and activities.

6.2.5 Churches may receive Personal Information Forms directly from ministers who are seeking calls within our presbytery, as long as those forms are also submitted to the Committee on Ministry and the executive presbyter. But churches are not to extend calls to ministers to become pastors, or sessions to invite ministers to fill the pulpit or serve as temporary supply for more than one month, without first consulting with the Committee on Ministry.

6.2.6 The Committee on Ministry may grant permission to a pastor-elect to move on the field prior to the examination by presbytery: (1) when requested by the congregation, (2) when the pastor-elect has already been examined and approved by the Committee on Ministry, (3) when the Committee on Ministry anticipates no problems in the particular case, and (4) when the congregation realizes that the presbytery assumes no financial responsibility.

6.2.7 The Committee on Ministry will conduct the annual review of sessional records, ascertaining that the actions taken by the churches as recorded in their minutes are in compliance with the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and that sessions have conducted the required annual financial review.

6.2.8 The Committee on Ministry will supervise the training and service of commissioned lay pastors according to G-14.0801.

ARTICLE 7. NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

7.1 NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE. The Nominations Committee will nominate presbytery officers and the members and moderators of all committees except its own.

7.1.1 The Nominations Committee and its moderator will be nominated and elected from the floor of presbytery.

7.1.1.1 Any person is eligible to be elected to the Nominations Committee, including members of other committees.

7.1.1.2 The members of the Nominations Committee will be elected based upon the following criteria: At the regular October meeting of presbytery, the presbytery will divide into four geographic cluster groups. Each year at the October meeting the clusters will nominate replacements for persons rotating off who come from their area.

7.1.1.3 Each cluster will nominate a minister, a laywoman, and a layman.

7.1.1.4 The current list of geographic clusters is found in Appendix II.

7.1.1.5 Following the election of new members to the Nominations Committee, the moderator of presbytery will request a nomination of committee moderator from the floor. This person shall indicate a willingness to serve before being elected.

7.1.2 The moderator of the Committee on Representation will serve as an advisory member of the Nominations Committee.

7.2 COMMITTEES. The following provisions will guide nominations and elections.

7.2.1 Terms of service on presbytery committees end at the close of the February presbytery meeting, and classes are numbered by the year in which that February falls.

7.2.2 Persons elected to new terms on presbytery committees are expected to attend the meetings of their committees between the October and February presbytery meetings as visitors with privilege of the floor but without vote.

7.2.3 Persons elected to fill unexpired terms on presbytery committees shall assume office immediately upon their election.

7.2.4 The Nominations Committee shall attempt to fill vacancies on presbytery committees during the year by nominating successors at the presbytery meeting when resignations are approved or vacancies declared. If this is not possible, vacancies will be filled by nominations at the next stated meeting of presbytery.

7.2.5 The Nominations Committee shall ask churches to submit names of persons to serve on presbytery committees by having churches turn in a nomination form for each person to be considered. Any church member can be nominated to serve on a program committee. Only presbyters may be nominated to serve on ecclesiastical committees.

7.2.6 The Nominations Committee will ordinarily nominate persons to be moderators of all program and ecclesiastical committees from those persons who have served at least one year on the committee. Moderators of committees may serve two one-year terms.

7.2.7 Ordinarily every presbytery committee shall have racial ethnic representation.

7.3 MINISTER ASSEMBLY COMMISSIONERS. The election by presbytery of minister commissioners (principal and alternate) to the General Assembly will take place at February stated meetings in years when General Assembly meets. Nominations will be allowed from the floor and from the Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee shall use the following guidelines:

7.3.1 Nominations ordinarily shall come from a roll of the active ministers which is maintained by the committee in consultation with the stated clerk.

7.3.2 Length of service within the presbytery may be considered.

7.3.3 Lapse of time since having attended General Assembly as a commissioner may be considered.

7.3.4 A minister ordinarily must have been a member of presbytery for at least eighteen consecutive months prior to the opening date of the General Assembly to which he or she is nominated.

7.3.5 A minister residing within the bounds of presbytery ordinarily must have attended at least four of the last five regular stated meetings of presbytery prior to his or her nomination and have actively served on one or more committees and have actively supported the work of the presbytery.

7.3.6 The Nominations Committee will place in nomination two ministers as principal and two as alternate.

7.3.7 The Nominations Committee shall not present the same nominee for commissioner for more than two consecutive years.

7.3.8 The alternate is not automatically nominated as the principal commissioner for the next year.

7.4 ELDER ASSEMBLY COMMISSIONERS. The election by presbytery of elder commissioners (principal and alternate) to the General Assembly will take place at February stated meetings in years when General Assembly meets from nominations from the floor and from nominations submitted to presbytery by the Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee shall use the following guidelines:

7.4.1 Nominations ordinarily shall come from a list of elders who have actively served on one or more presbytery committees within the past three years.

7.4.2 An elder must have been an elder for at least eighteen months, and he or she must be active in the local church.

7.4.3 The Nominations Committee will place in nomination two elders as principal and two as alternate.

7.4.4 The Nominations Committee shall not present the same church for more than two consecutive years.

7.4.5 The alternate is not automatically nominated as the principal commissioner for the next year.

7.5 SYNOD COMMISSIONERS.

7.5.1 The Presbytery of Mississippi is entitled to elect two commissioners to meetings of the Synod of Living Waters, one minister and one elder, who will hold overlapping three year terms as established by synod procedures.

7.5.2 Commissioners may be reelected for one additional three year term.

7.5.3 Two ministers and two elders shall be nominated to the presbytery to be synod commissioner. One minister and one elder shall be elected at the October meeting each year, to take office in the following January.

7.6 Presbytery staff members will not be elected to serve as voting members of committees but will be utilized as resource persons in consultation with the executive presbyter.

7.7 Vacancies. When a vacancy occurs among the officers, committees, or commissioners of presbytery, the vacancy may be filled until the next meeting of presbytery by the presbytery moderator, the stated clerk, the moderator of the Nominations Committee, the moderator of the Presbytery Council, and the executive presbyter, or by any three of these officers.

ARTICLE 8. COMMITTEE ON PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY

8.1 The Committee on Preparation for Ministry shall be composed of six members, and it shall assist the presbytery, its pastors, churches, and persons preparing for ministry to fulfill the provisions of G-14.0300.

8.2 The Committee on Preparation for Ministry has authority to dismiss candidates upon their request, by authorizing the stated clerk to issue certificates of transfer for them, such action to be reported to the presbytery by the committee at the next stated meeting.

ARTICLE 9. COMMITTEE ON REPRESENTATION

9.1 The Committee on Representation shall be composed of eight persons whose responsibility shall be to fulfill the requirements of G-9.0105.

ARTICLE 10. TRUSTEES

10.1 The presbytery's incorporators and legal trustees are the members of the first Presbytery Council who signed the articles of incorporation, and their successors in office. However, the presbytery has chosen to elect six elders as Trustees to give advice to the presbytery and Presbytery Council on issues concerning the real property of presbytery and its churches.

10.2 The Trustees shall be elected in three classes of two persons in each class. The moderator of the Trustees shall be designated by presbytery.

10.3 The Trustees shall hold title to the real property of the presbytery and may convey real property for and on behalf of the presbytery when authorized to do so. Reasonable notice in reasonable detail shall be sent to all the churches prior to a meeting of presbytery in which it is proposed that a purchase or sale of property of substantial value be made.

10.4 Presbytery authorizes any two trustees, named by the Trustees, to sign deeds and legal documents when those actions are approved by presbytery.

10.5 Management of the financial assets and trust funds of the presbytery shall not be the responsibility of the Trustees, but shall be the responsibility of the Presbytery Council or those persons to whom the Presbytery Council shall assign that responsibility.

10.6 Recommendations from the Trustees to the presbytery shall be adopted by the Trustees in normal parliamentary fashion at any properly held meeting of the Trustees. If less than a majority of the Trustees are present, the report and recommendations shall note that fact and shall be considered as advice to the presbytery.

ARTICLE 11. CHURCH EXTENSION COMMITTEE

11.1 The Church Extension Committee is responsible for developing and promoting effective programs of evangelism, and for organizing and supervising the development of new congregations. This committee is also responsible to provide for the effective development of the life and ministry of the churches of presbytery and to assist aid-receiving churches in their program development and mission needs. It will be made up of twelve members.

11.2 The responsibilities of the Church Extension Committee are contained in the Operating Procedures.

ARTICLE 12. COMMITTEE ON CHRISTIAN NURTURE

12.1 The Christian Nurture Committee is responsible for the promotion and development of nurture, education, and leadership needs among the churches of presbytery and their members. This committee will be made up of nine members.

12.2 The responsibilities of this committee are listed in the Operating Procedures.

ARTICLE 13. MISSION COMMITTEE

13.1 The Mission Committee is responsible for developing and promoting programs on mission to meet human needs within and beyond the bounds of presbytery. This committee will be made up of nine members.

13.2 The duties of this committee are listed in the Operating Procedures.

ARTICLE 14. RELATED UNITS

14.1 MEN'S AND WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS. Presbyterian Women and Presbyterian Men are related organizations of presbytery and will have a liaison relationship with the work of presbytery through membership on the council, through ex-officio representation on appropriate program committees, and through coordination of their program plans with the program plans of presbytery.

14.1.1 Presbyterian Women and Presbyterian Men will coordinate their schedules and plans with the regular presbytery program approved by the presbytery, and shall make an annual report to the council and through the council to the presbytery.

14.2 PRESBYTERY OF MISSISSIPPI CAMPUS MINISTRY BOARD. The presbytery shall nominate and elect six members to the Presbytery of Mississippi Campus Ministry Board. Members shall be elected to three-year terms and are eligible to serve two consecutive terms. The following shall also serve as advisory members of the board: staff persons working in campus ministries supported by Presbytery of Mississippi Campus Ministry Board and staff persons of the presbytery.

14.3 SELF-DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE COMMITTEE. The presbytery shall elect nine members to this committee, five of whom shall be African-American. This committee shall have the responsibility to validate Self-Development of People projects within the bounds of the presbytery.

ARTICLE 15. COMMISSIONS

15.1 MEMBERSHIP. The minimum number of members of a commission shall consist of not fewer than seven, composed of elders and ministers in as nearly equal numbers as possible, with no more than one elder member from any one church. However, ordination and installation commissions may have as few as five members. The moderator of the presbytery and the moderator of a commission to ordain or install pastors shall have the authority to make any necessary changes in personnel or assignment. The presbytery's Permanent Judicial Commission shall consist of nine members, who shall elect their own moderator and clerk.

15.2 QUORUM. The quorum of a judicial commission shall be one more than one half of the members. Unless determined otherwise at the time of appointment, the quorum of an administrative commission shall be one more than one half of the members.

15.3 COMMISSION OFFICERS. In electing a commission, the presbytery shall name the moderator of the commission. The commission shall elect its own clerk.

15.4 EXPENSES. Necessary expenses of members of commissions to ordain or install pastors should, if possible, be paid by the church or churches for which the service is performed; should a church be unable to provide such reimbursement, assistance of presbytery may be requested.

15.5 SCOPE OF POWER. Whenever an administrative commission is appointed "the appointing body shall state specifically the scope of power given to a commission" (G-9.0502).

ARTICLE 16. EXPENSES OF PRESBYTERY

16.1 Necessary funds for the current expenses of the presbytery shall be provided by a presbytery assessment on each congregation, at a rate per member established annually by presbytery when the annual operating budget is approved. This per capita assessment shall be due and payable on the first day of each year, based on a church's membership on the first day of the preceding year.

16.2 Disbursements from this fund are authorized as follows:

16.2.1 Synod's per capita assessment, as established by synod.

16.2.2 General Assembly's per capita assessment, as established by the Assembly. Only those funds actually received from particular churches which are designated to pay General Assembly per capita will be forwarded to the General Assembly.

16.2.3 Salaries of presbytery officers and staff, the expenses of their offices, of committees and of commissions as established annually at the adoption of presbytery's operating budget.

16.2.4 Necessary expenses of installation/ordination commission if not paid by the church or churches for which these services are performed.

16.3 The presbytery shall pay quarterly to the Board of Pensions of the General Assembly the full dues of the specified salaried officers and staff of the presbytery.

16.4 It shall be customary for each member of presbytery to pay for his or her lunch at meetings of presbytery.

ARTICLE 17. RULES OF ORDER

17.1 The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority governing the presbytery in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or any Standing Rules or Manual the presbytery may adopt.

ARTICLE 18. SUSPENSION OF STANDING RULES AND OPERATING PROCEDURES;AMENDMENTS

18.1 The Manual of Presbytery, including the Standing Rules and the Operating Procedures, may be suspended for a designated amount of time not to exceed three consecutive meetings of presbytery upon motion, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the representatives present and voting.

18.2 These Rules and Procedures may be amended by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the representatives present and voting, at two successive stated meetings of presbytery.

18.3 In consultation with the executive presbyter, the stated clerk may make editorial changes or corrections to the Appendices of the Presbytery Manual, when these do not involve any change of substance.

18.4 Appendices to the Presbytery Manual which are factual or descriptive, rather than policy or position statements, and which need updating annually, may be removed from the Presbytery Manual and placed in the Presbytery Directory, which is issued annually.

P A R T T W O - O P E R A T I N G P R O C E D U R E S

ARTICLE 19. PRINCIPLES OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIP

19.1 We are a presbytery that works for the well-being of each church and minister member as an expression of our commitment to the body of Christ.

19.2 We are a presbytery that seeks to serve rather than to be served.

19.3 We are a presbytery that practices mutual forbearance, forgiveness, and patience in our relationships with one another.

19.4 We are a presbytery that embodies the truth that each congregation is uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit for its witness in the world.

19.5 We are a presbytery that believes we are enriched by our connectional nature of government and the fellowship within this presbytery.

19.6 We are a presbytery committed to living out our ordination vows.

ARTICLE 20. ADMINISTRATIVE PRINCIPLES

20.1 Principles which shall inform presbytery administration are:

20.1.1 Wise Rule - The presbytery is made up of many persons of diverse interests and perspectives. Wise rule is based upon the process of reflecting on our common experiences. It occurs when all persons can effectively participate in the decision process, and when decisions are reached in an open and informed manner. When this occurs, the decisions which are reached are taken to be the corporate will of God for the presbytery.

20.1.2 Public Processes - The presbytery will carry out its work in a public manner where the intentions and actions of the presbytery and its leaders will be public and open to examination by persons affected by their work. The processes of presbytery will be known