Terms of Reference (as of August 2011)
MANDATE (refer Regulation 3.4.5)
Consultations on the life and witness of a Congregation shall be conducted by the Presbytery with the Congregation including any Ministers, Youth Workers and Lay Pastors serving in placements in the Congregation. Such consultations shall be consistent with and contextually linked to the objectives, goals and aspirations established within the Presbytery’s strategic plan.
The purpose of the consultation shall be to strengthen the life and witness of the Congregation, to assess future ministerial and lay leadership needs, and to review the records of the Congregation.
A consultation shall normally take place every five years at the discretion of the Presbytery regardless of the duration of any current placement.
The Presbytery may conduct a consultation at any time on its own initiative or at the request of the Church Council or of a Minister serving in a placement in the Congregation.
Any such consultation shall be conducted with such bodies and persons within the Congregation as is thought fit, and by such persons as the Presbytery appoints, and they shall report to the Presbytery and the Congregation with such recommendations regarding the life and witness of the Congregation (including matters relating to placements) as they think fit.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Organise Annual Training day for existing and prospective Consultation teams members
- Ensure membership of Consultations teams is tailored to specific needs of selected congregation
- Maintain ‘master list’ of past and prospective Consultations and ensure agreed annual schedule of consultations is adhered to
- Present Consultation report to congregation; obtain its response and feedback and, as appropriate, issue a final (modified) report
- Report findings to the PRC meeting immediately following conclusion of the Consultation
- Request an update on progress from the congregation 12 months from issuance of the Consultation report; evaluate responses and, if appropriate re-visit the congregation
- Review Consultations manual no less than biennially
DELEGATIONS
- Select, on rotation basis, the schedule for congregations to have a Consultation
- Select members of the respective Consultation team
- Take the initiative to engage the assistance of Presbytery officers (or others) in those circumstances where, in the judgement of the Consultation Committee, the congregation requires ongoing or specific guidance and assistance
APPOINTMENT
- Membership with appropriate gifts and skills appropriate to the objectives of the Committee shall be appointed by the Presbytery on a three year rotational basis
- More than half of the Committee shall be members of the Presbytery
- Appointed members of the committee shall retain membership for a maximum of nine consecutive years
- Presbytery Chairperson, Presbytery Secretary, Mission and Evangelism Resource Officer and Presbytery Minister shall be ex-officio members of the Committee
- The Committee is to nominate its own chairperson annually, to be ratified by Standing Committee. The chairperson will be an ex-officio member of PRC
- Committee to comprise no less than six members
- Committee may invite additional members where appropriate but invited members to always be less in number than appointed members
- Presbytery Standing Committee has the right to remove a member of a Committee at any time
MEETINGS
- To be held no less than once every two months.
- Additional meetings may be convened by the Committee Chair according to need or if requested by two Committee members or the Chairperson of Presbytery
- Only Presbytery appointed members may vote
- Quorum shall be 50% of members plus one other member
- Minutes and Action Log to be prepared after every meeting
- Minutes to be presented to the next Presbytery Standing Committee after the Committee meeting
- Minutes to be available, on request to any member of Presbytery – subject to observance of any privacy or commercial interests
PROCESS FOR REVIEW
- Committee Terms of Reference to be reviewed annually by the Committee and then submitted to Presbytery Standing Committee for ratification
- Presbytery Standing Committee has the right to amend the Terms of Reference at any time
