GUIDELINES FOR CONGREGATONS
WITHOUT A MINISTERIAL PLACEMENT
Presbytery of Sydney
Introduction: These guidelines are provided to help maintain oversight of congregations which are presently operating on a longer-term basis without a ministerial placement, or are working on an approved lay team ministry basis for the co-ordination of ministry.
1. LIAISON PERSON
The liaison person for these congregations will usually be either the Presbytery Minister, Mission Officer or the Presbytery Secretary. In the event of one officer not being available, the other officer is to act as the alternate Presbytery representative.
2. CONTACT WITH CHURCH COUNCIL
The liaison person shall attend at least one meeting of the church council each year as an observer.
3. CONTACT WITH CONGREGATION
The congregation shall invite the liaison person to attend the annual meeting of the congregation and provide the liaison person with notice of special congregational events and functions.
4. REPORTING TO P.R.C.
The congregation shall provide an annual report to the P.R.C. in the first quarter of each year, outlining information about the following areas:
Pastoral care; Preaching and worship arrangements; Church Council oversight (and comment on any related committees), and any other matter the congregation would like to report.
5. PREACHING
Where possible, the congregation is to use recognised lay preachers (especially Lay Preachers from its own congregation) and ministers. The congregation is also encouraged to consider sponsoring suitable members to undertake the course to become a Lay Preacher.
6. SACRAMENTS
The P.R.C. will make arrangements for the celebration of the sacraments within the congregation, in consultation with the Church Council. Authorisations will usually be made on an annual basis. The Church Council is to provide to the P.R.C. an outline of the service used for Holy Communion, noting that authorisation for the sacraments is based on using the services in Uniting in Worship or formats endorsed by the P.R.C.
Note: the P.R.C. encourages people intending to seek authorisation to preside at the sacraments to complete a course such as the Lay Presiders course conducted through Coolamon College.
Approved by the Presbytery of Sydney: 13th August 2002
