Session

Scope Note: 2.1-2.3 MEMBERSHIP OF THE SESSION 2.1 The spiritual government and discipline of a congregation is committed to its session. The minister or ministers of each congregation, along with a suitable number of ruling elders (that is, elders who are not ministers of the congregation) constitute the session. 2.2 If there are no elders in a congregation, or if there are fewer than two, the presbytery appoints elders from within its bounds to act as interim or assessor members of the session. 2.3 In extraordinary circumstances, the presbytery may appoint assessor elders to a session to strengthen it or to provide assistance with the conduct of any matter before it. 2.8-2.11 TASKS AND JURISDICTION 2.8 The session is responsible to the presbytery for the spiritual life of the congregation and for its effective role in the church at large. Christian fellowship and service through Youth Fellowships, Missionary Unions, Sabbath Schools and Prayer or Bible Study Meetings should be encouraged as circumstances suggest, and all such activities are under the authority of the session. The following description of the work of the session is thus not exhaustive of its interests, powers and duties. The elders visit the sick, instruct the young, warn the careless, and edify and comfort believers. In session meetings, applications for communicant membership or baptism (which may already have been handled in a preliminary way by the minister) are dealt with, discipline is administered and action taken for the spiritual well being of the congregation. In numerically or geographically large congregations, districts should be assigned to particular elders. The minister is especially responsible to the Presbytery for the mode in which all the parts of public worship are conducted. 2.9 The session, with the minister’s concurrence, fix the time and hours of public worship, appoint fast days, and authorise the administration of the sacraments. The minister, in consultation with the other elders, appoints the precentor. Sessions are encouraged to seek the views of the congregation on significant matters affecting its life, so that the fullest harmony and co-operation may be achieved as all labour together for the cause of Christ. 2.10 [Relationship to Minister] The session does not stand to the minister in the relation of his spiritual rulers. At the first meeting of session after his admission to the office by the presbytery, the fact of his admission, and its date, ought to be minuted, and his name added to the communion roll (see Synod 2007.14). The minister is not responsible to the session for the discharge of his own functions, although if he seems to neglect these, or to encroach upon the session’s functions, it can petition the presbytery about his action. He is permitted to exercise a wide discretion in his endeavours to advance the spiritual welfare of all classes and conditions of people within his reach. Hence it follows that the place of worship is available to the minister for the spiritual purposes of his office. But he cannot use it, or allow it to be used, for any purpose which is not of a strictly religious, ecclesiastical or charitable nature, without the consent of the deacons’ court. On the other hand, neither the session nor the deacons’ court can employ it for any purpose whatsoever without the minister’s consent. 2.11 [Jurisdiction] All judicial action affecting the standing of members of the congregation including ruling elders and deacons, is to be initiated by the session unless the offence is committed in the presence of a superior court. However, the decisions of the deacons’ court cannot be reviewed by the session, nor can complaints against a minister be actually prosecuted in the session, since the minister is under the jurisdiction of his presbytery, not the session. In both these cases, friendly remonstrance is to be employed first, and this failing, the presbytery is to be advised. Similarly, if a session considers another session has encroached on its jurisdiction, suitable approach is made to the presbytery which has jurisdiction over the session of whose procedure complaint is made.

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