Deacons' Court

Scope Note: 3.1-3.4 MEMBERSHIP OF THE DEACONS’ COURT 3.1 The minister or ministers of the congregation, along with the elders and the deacons, constitute the Deacons’ Court, whose task is to administer the temporal affairs of the congregation. This they are to do according to the judgement and appointment of the Session (Second Book of Discipline, 1578, Chapters 8 & 9). 3.2 Where there are no deacons, the membership of the session and deacons’ court is identical. Where there are deacons, all the members of the local session (including the minister/s) are still entitled to meet with them as members of the deacons’ court. It is held that the office of elder includes the office of deacon. 3.3 Deacons are to be male communicant members of the congregation meeting the requirements laid down in the Scriptures (Acts 6:l- 7; l Timothy 3:8-l3). The number of deacons ought to be in accordance with the size and position of the congregation. The session decides when an election for deacons should be held and follows the procedure in 2.4-2.7). After each change in the membership of the deacons’ court, which should be advised by a session minute, a revised roll of deacons ought to be recorded in the deacons’ court minutes. The discipline, removal or resignation of deacons are matters within the province of the session. 3.4 It should be noted that, despite its name, the deacons’ court is not a court in the Presbyterian system of church government since it has no power of spiritual rule as does the session, presbytery and synod, nor power to convene congregational meetings. It is a church court in the sense that it is a constituted meeting with specific functions and powers (compare also 3.l).

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