Presbytery of Tampa Bay

Structure and Standing Rules

(As Amended Through September 25, 2008)

Section 1:  ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

I.    The organizational structure of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay consists of the following components:

A.    Ecclesiastical Units:

1.    Council

Personnel Subcommittee

Budget Subcommittee

2.    Permanent Judicial Commission

3.    Committee on Ministry

4.    Committee on Preparation for Ministry

5.    Committee on Representation

6.    Nominating Committee

7.    Board of Trustees

8.    Bills and Overtures Committee

B.    Mission Committees:

1.    Professional Support

2.    Mission Outreach and Funding

3.    Evangelism and Church Development

4.    Education

5.    Stewardship

C.    Endorsed Organizations:

1.    Presbyterian Women

D.    Corporations related by covenants:

1.    Presbyterian Camp & Conference Ministries of Southwest Florida, Inc.

2.    Beth-El Farm Worker Ministry, Inc.

3.    Presbyterian Homes and Housing Foundation of Florida, Inc.

II.    The Presbytery shall cause a corporation to be formed in accordance with G-8.0202 and appropriate civil laws.  The By-Laws of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay, Incorporated, a Not-For-Profit Corporation shall govern the membership and operation of the corporation.  The Trustees of the Corporation, who shall also be trustees of the presbytery, shall be as provided in Article III of the By-Laws.

III.    Presbytery's Council

A.    The Council of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay shall coordinate the mission and program of the presbytery.   It shall also oversee the administration of the presbytery, including matters of budget, personnel, review, evaluation, and planning; and it shall recommend to the presbytery times and places for the meetings of the presbytery, and advise the Stated Clerk on the preparation of dockets.  The times of stated meetings shall be determined at least one year in advance.

B.    The Council shall consist of a Council Chairperson; and a representative selected from and by each committee of presbytery, excluding subcommittees; ex-officio members with voice and vote; and ex-officio members with voice but without vote.

1.    The Council Chairperson shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the presbytery.

2.    Additional elected members shall include one representative named by each Ecclesiastical Unit and Mission Committee as specified in Section 1, A and B, nominated by the Nominating Committee, and elected by the presbytery.

3.    The ex-officio members of the Council with voice and vote shall be:  The Moderator of the presbytery; the Stated Clerk of the presbytery; the Moderator of Presbyterian Women; the Secretary of the Council; the Treasurer of the presbytery, the President of the Board of Trustees, the chairperson of the Personnel Committee, and one representative from each of the organizations listed in Section I, D. of these Standing Rules (such representatives must be either minister members of this presbytery or members of churches within this presbytery).  The ex-officio members with voice but without vote shall be the Executive Presbyter and Associate Executive Presbyters.

4.    Except for the Stated Clerk, the Treasurer, and presbytery executive staff consisting of the Executive Presbyter and the Associate Executive Presbyters, members of Council may serve no more than three consecutive years.

5.    The Chairperson of Council shall be elected to a one year term by the presbytery, and shall be eligible for re-election for two additional terms.

6.    The Secretary of Council shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Council, subject to the consent of the Council; The Council's Secretary may not be a member of the presbytery staff.

C.    The Board of Trustees is granted authority by the presbytery to approve the following:  loan requests, permission to borrow or sell from congregations; land purchases for new church development sites; loan applications and mortgages from the General Assembly for new church development sites and building loans; loan guarantees from lending institutions; authorization of requests to encumber church property; authorization of leases of real property for a duration in excess of five years; withdrawals from restricted accounts; and all contractual agreements required by the presbytery.  All such actions shall be reported to the presbytery at its next stated meeting.

D.    The Nominating Committee shall nominate and the presbytery shall elect the  members of Council's Personnel Subcommittee.  The Council chairperson shall appoint the chairperson of the subcommittee.  The subcommittee shall consist of six elected members and the chairperson. The chairperson and members of the Personnel Subcommittee shall be members of presbytery or its churches.  The chairperson shall be appointed annually and may be re-appointed.  The members shall be elected in three rotating classes serving three year terms.  No member (including the chairperson) of the Personnel Subcommittee may serve more than three consecutive years.

E.    The Council chairperson shall be chairperson of the Budget Subcommittee.  The Treasurer shall be a member ex-officio with voice and vote.  Other members as required shall be appointed by the chairperson.

IV.    The Permanent Judicial Commission, Investigating Committee, Committees of Counsel

A.    The Permanent Judicial Commission shall function in accordance with the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

B.    The Permanent Judicial Commission shall have nine members elected by the presbytery.  Members shall serve in three rotating classes with six year terms.

C.    The Moderator, Stated Clerk, and Chair of Council are authorized to appoint an Investigating Committee (D-10.020lb) or a Committee of Counsel (D-6.0302a) when needed.  Members of these committees shall be drawn from a pool of persons elected by Presbytery.  Members of the pool will serve in rotating classes of seven members each serving three years, and may be elected to serve no more than two consecutive terms.

Section 2:  THE COMMITTEES OF PRESBYTERY

I.    General

A.    Membership

1.    The presbytery shall decide upon the size of all committees upon recommendation of the Council.  All elected members of committees shall be ministers or members of churches within the bounds of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay.

2.    The Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA) shall be observed in the nomination and election of committee members.

3.    Committees may co-opt non-voting participants to assist in the work of the committee.

4.    Committees may form subcommittees or task forces provided at least one member of the subcommittee or task force is a member of the parent committee.

5.    Persons co-opted for service on a subcommittee or task force shall have both voice and vote in the subcommittee or task force.

6.    If any committee member misses more than two consecutive meetings in a year with no communication to the chairperson, the committee may declare the position vacant, and the Nominating Committee be informed of the vacancy.

B.    Terms and Classes

1.    Except as noted, all committees shall be elected in three rotating classes of equal membership.

2.    Except to fill unexpired terms, or to create new positions in the classes, elected committee members shall serve three year terms.

C.    Committee Officers

1.    The committees of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay shall annually choose from among their elected members three committee officers:  a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary.  The committees shall elect a chairperson and vice chairperson, at least one of whom should ordinarily  be a lay person.

a.    The Chairperson shall preside at committee meetings and shall insure that the committee adheres to the tasks assigned to it.  If an elder, the Chairperson shall be enrolled as a member of the presbytery during his/her term as Chairperson.  If the Chairperson is not an elder or minister, she/he shall be granted the privilege of the floor at all presbytery meetings during his/her term as Chairperson.

b.    The Vice Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson and, in the event that the Chairperson resigns, will fulfill the office of Chairperson until a new Chairperson is elected.

c.    The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of the meetings of the committee, insuring that all committee members and the appropriate staff persons receive copies of the minutes in a timely fashion.  The secretary may also handle routine committee correspondence.

2.    Committee officers may be re-elected to the same office no more than an aggregate of three years.

II.    Ecclesiastical Units

A.    Committee on Ministry

1.    The Committee on Ministry shall function in accordance with the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

2.    The Committee on Ministry shall be granted all the authority which the presbytery may authorize in G-11.0502h.

3.    The Committee on Ministry shall consult with the Professional Support Committee and the Committee on Preparation for Ministry on matters of mutual interest at least annually.

4.    The Committee on Ministry shall be given additional responsibilities only by three-fourths (3/4) vote of the presbytery and in accordance with the rules for amending the Standing Rules.

B.    Committee on Preparation for Ministry

1.    The Committee on Preparation for Ministry shall function in accordance with the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

2.    The Committee on Preparation for Ministry shall consult annually with the Committee on Ministry on matters of mutual interest.

C.    Committee on Representation

1.    The Committee on Representation shall function in accordance with the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

2.    The Committee on Representation shall be elected by the presbytery in accordance with G-9.0105.

3.    The Committee on Representation shall make an annual report to the presbytery and synod.

D.    Nominating Committee

1.    The Nominating Committee shall function in accordance with the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

2.    The Nominating Committee may not offer nominations for the Nominating Committee, but the presbytery's Council shall offer nominations for vacancies on the Nominating Committee.

3.    The Nominating Committee shall consult with the Committee on Representation at least annually to deal with the concerns of G-11.0302, and other matters of mutual interest.

E.    Bills and Overtures Committee

1.    The Bills and Overtures Committee shall consist of those Minister and Elder Commissioners who served the Presbytery at the most recent General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), along with those Minister and Elder Commissioners who have been elected to attend the next immediate General Assembly.  The Chair of the Bills and Overtures Committee shall be nominated from this group by joint action of the Chair of Council, the Moderator of the Presbytery, and the Stated Clerk.  The Executive Presbyter and Stated Clerk shall advise the committee as necessary.

2.    All bills and overtures from sessions and members of the presbytery shall be placed in the hands of the Bills and Overtures Committee not less than ten days prior to a stated meeting, or the matter shall be dealt with at the succeeding stated meeting.

III.    Mission Committees

A.    Professional Support Committee

1.    The Professional Support Committee shall be responsible for the planning and implementation of systems of support for church professionals in the Presbytery of Tampa Bay.  These matters shall include at least the following:  provision of continuing education opportunities within the bounds of the presbytery; offering opportunities for fellowship and nurture among church professionals; and making available systems of pastoral care for church professionals.

2.    The Professional Support committee shall consult with the Committee on Ministry at least annually on matters of mutual interest.

B.    Mission Outreach and Funding Council

1.    The Mission Outreach and Funding Council shall provide encouragement, guidance, and resources to member churches in the areas of outreach, service, witness, advocacy and compassion.

2.    The Mission Outreach and Funding Council shall suggest strategies for member churches and the presbytery as they seek the welfare of urban focused churches that are involved in urban life.

3.    The Mission Outreach and Funding Council shall oversee any international mission partnership and programs with international students into which the Presbytery enters.

4.    The Mission Outreach and Funding Council shall coordinate and recommend to the Presbytery of Tampa Bay the budget requests for local and international ministries under the auspices of this Council.

5.    The Mission Outreach and Funding Council shall consist of six at-large members (elected by Presbytery to three-year terms, with the possibility of serving two terms); and members who will be elected by outreach ministries receiving funding or seeking connection with the Presbytery of Tampa Bay.

6.    The Mission Outreach and Funding Council shall be responsible for communicating he work of the ministries represented on the MOF Council to the Presbytery and its member churches.

C.    Evangelism and Church Development

1.    The committee shall be responsible for starting new churches; overseeing churches requiring the financial assistance of the presbytery; and assisting churches which are in transition because of demographic or socioeconomic changes in congregation and/or community.

2.    The committee shall assist the presbytery and its churches in developing and implementing effective programs of evangelism, church growth, and new member assimilation.

D.    Education

1.    The Education Committee shall assist the presbytery and its churches to develop and implement effective programs of Christian education, leadership development and training,  worship training, and ministry to particular age groups and constituencies; and shall oversee the presbytery's Resource Center.

2.    The committee shall coordinate worship services for all presbytery meetings, insuring that the Word is rightly preached and the sacraments rightly administered as the presbytery gathers for worship.

E.    Stewardship

A.    The Stewardship Committee shall develop and administer a comprehensive plan, including stewardship training, for addressing the financial needs of the Presbytery's mission budget;

B.    The Stewardship Committee shall challenge God's people to support the ministry and mission of the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly.

Section 3:  PRESBYTERY STAFF

I.    Personnel

A.    The presbytery upon recommendation of the Council and the Personnel Committee of Council, shall establish the Staffing Design for the presbytery.  The Staffing Design shall include a rationale for the design, a list and brief description of all staff positions, and an explanation of the lines of accountability within the staff.

B.    The Council through its Personnel Committee shall annually review the Staffing Design and make recommendations to the presbytery when changes are needed.

C.    The Council through its Personnel Committee shall annually review the compensation of the employed staff and make recommendations to the presbytery when changes are needed.

D.    The Personnel Manual shall contain the Personnel Policies, Procedures, Standards, Benefits, and Position Descriptions for the employed staff of the presbytery.

1.    Upon recommendation of the Personnel Committee, the Council shall establish and annually review the Personnel Policies of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay.

2.    The Personnel Committee shall establish and annually review the Personnel Procedures, Standards, Benefits, and Position Descriptions for the employed staff of the presbytery.

Section 4:  OFFICERS OF PRESBYTERY

I.    The Offices Defined

B.    The Presbytery of Tampa Bay shall elect a Moderator and a Stated Clerk who shall function in accordance with the Book of Order.  The presbytery shall also elect a Treasurer and a Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect.

C.    The Moderator serves a one year term and may not be re-elected.  The Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect serves a one-year term and will take office as Moderator following year.

D.    The Stated Clerk shall serve a three year term and may be re-elected.

E.    The Treasurer shall be elected by the presbytery to serve a three-year term and may be re-elected for one additional term.

II.    The Moderator shall have the following powers and responsibilities of office in addition to those assigned in the Book of Order.

A.    The Moderator shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Council with both voice and vote.  The Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect shall serve as an ex-officio member with voice but without vote.

B.    The Moderator shall have power to appoint committees and task forces for any special purposes as the presbytery may designate.

C.    The Moderator shall have power to designate other members of the presbytery to fulfill symbolic moderator responsibilities.  The Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect shall serve at the request or in the absence of the Moderator.

D.    The Moderator shall have power to appoint temporary clerks in consultation with the Stated Clerk, to assist the Stated Clerk in fulfilling his/her responsibilities.

E.    The Moderator, with the Executive Presbyter, shall assist the Stated Clerk with the preparation of the docket for all meeting of the presbytery.

F.    The Moderator, Chair of Council and Stated Clerk are authorized to designate Committees of Counsel and Investigating Committees between meetings of presbytery from a pool of candidates recommended by the Nominating Committee and elected by the presbytery.

III.    The Stated Clerk shall fulfill the requirements of the Book of Order and the Standing Rules of the presbytery in accordance with the Stated Clerk Position Description.  The Stated Clerk may be financially compensated, but the role of Stated Clerk may not be combined with any other presbytery staff position nor with the role of the treasurer.

IV.    The Treasurer shall fulfill the requirements of the Book of Order in accordance with the Treasurer Position Description.  The Treasurer shall serve as Treasurer of the presbytery corporation.  The Treasurer may be financially compensated, but the position may not be combined with any other presbytery staff positions, nor with the role of the Stated Clerk.

Section 5:  NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

I.    The right of presbyters to offer nominations to any office or position, board, committee, or other structure in addition to those offered by the Nominating Committee is inalienable.

II.    Nomination and Election of persons to committees and other structures:

A.    The Nominating Committee shall nominate persons for service on all continuing committees (except the Nominating Committee); councils; boards, and other bodies that require election by the presbytery.

1.    The Council shall nominate persons for service on the Nominating Committee, one nominee for each vacancy.

2.    The Nominating Committee shall nominate one person for each vacancy.

B.    Except to fill vacant but unexpired terms, election shall be at a stated meeting in the second half of the calendar year.  All committee terms shall begin on the first day of January.

C.    When there is more than one nominee for a particular office or position, election shall be by written ballot, with a majority of the ballots cast being required for election.  In the case that no nominee secures a majority on the first ballot, the two nominees with the most votes shall be the only names on the second ballot.

III.    Nomination and Election of Presbytery Officers

A.    The Moderator:

1.    At the next to last stated meeting of each year, nominations for the position of Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect shall be made, followed by election at the same meeting.  Installation of the Moderator and Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect shall be at the last stated meeting of each year.  The duties of office shall begin with installation.

a.    The Nominating Committee shall submit at least one nominee for Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect.  Nominations from the floor are in order.

b.    Those nominated must have given their consent to be nominated prior to nomination.

c.    Those nominated must be continuing members of the presbytery, or commissioners to the meeting at which they are nominated.

2.    At the meeting in which the election is held, a period of time shall be docketed during which the nominee(s) may make a brief statement, and be questioned by presbyters on matters and issues facing the presbytery.

3.    If there is more than one nominee, election shall be by written ballot, with a majority of the ballots cast being required for election.  In the case that no nominee secures a majority on the first ballot, the two nominees with the most votes shall be the only names on the second ballot.

B.    The Stated Clerk:

1.    Except to fill a vacant but unexpired term, the Stated Clerk shall ordinarily be elected  at the next to last stated meeting of the preceding term.  The term is three years and ordinarily begins on the first day of January following the election.

2.    The nomination and election of the Stated Clerk shall follow the procedures of the Personnel Manual.

C.    The Treasurer:  The nomination and election of the Treasurer shall follow the procedures of the Personnel Manual.

IV.    Election of Executive Staff:  The nomination and election of Executive Staff shall follow the procedures of the Personnel Manual.

Section 6:  MEETINGS:

I.    Presbytery Meetings

A.    The Presbytery of Tampa Bay shall hold four stated meetings annually as scheduled by the Council.

B.    The last stated meeting of the calendar year shall be the annual meeting of both the presbytery and the presbytery corporation.

C.    Other meetings may be called in accordance with G-11.0201.

II.    Special Rules:

A.    Committee reports at presbytery shall conform to the rules established by the Council.

B.    All recommendations for action by the presbytery shall come to the presbytery in written form.

C.    Committee narrative reports shall be in written form.  Narratives may not be read or paraphrased as a part of a committee's report.  Members of the presbytery may make inquiry from the floor if further information on the narrative is desired.

D.    The Moderator shall appoint a Resolutions Committee at each stated meeting of the presbytery, which shall ordinarily make its report during the meal.

E.    At all meetings, new business must be placed in the hands of the Stated Clerk no later than two hours before the docketed time to adjourn.  Items of new business presented later than this shall be dealt with at the next stated meeting.

F.    The Presbytery shall grant the privilege of the floor with voice but not vote to all Christian educators who are employed in churches within the Presbytery.  Certified Christian educators who are also ordained Elders have the right of both voice and vote.

G.  The responsibility of examining candidates for ministry will take place in a meeting of presbytery and attended by those members at the stated meeting who choose to participate in the examination process, which normally takes place in a breakout group, at which the presbytery shall approve the call and vote to proceed to his or her ordination and installation (G-14.0482).

Composition of that group shall include at least one member of the Committee on Ministry and   one member of CPM.

In those situations in which an alternative examination process is requested by CPM because a candidate has failed to receive a satisfactory grade on one or more of the written ordination examinations,  a three-fourths vote of the presbytery is required , which normally takes place in a breakout group (G-14.0472).

III.    Other Meetings

A.    The stated meetings of each committee ordinarily shall be scheduled at a standard time no later than the end of the first week of the month (in which there is a stated meeting of the committee).  Additional meetings may be scheduled by individual committees provided such meetings are placed on the presbytery calendar, and that all committee members and appropriate staff are notified prior to any meeting not regularly scheduled.

B.    The Council shall ordinarily meet nine times annually.  The stated meetings of the Council ordinarily shall be during the second week of the month (in which there is a stated meeting of the Council).

C.    The Permanent Judicial Commission, and the organizations named in Section 1, I, C may set their own meeting schedules provided all meetings are placed on the presbytery calendar; and that all members of the particular body or board and appropriate staff persons are notified prior to any meeting not regularly scheduled.

Section 7:  AMENDMENTS AND SUSPENSION OF THE STANDING RULES

I.    These standing rules may be amended as follows:

A.    The standing rules may be amended only by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

B.    Ordinarily, an amendment shall receive a first reading at one stated meeting with the vote at the succeeding meeting.  Questions, discussion, or debate on a proposed amendment may be offered at either meeting.

C.    In extraordinary circumstances, the requirement for a first reading may be set aside if the following conditions have been met:

1.    Presbytery's Council agrees that the circumstances are extraordinary.

2.    That the proposed amendments have been mailed  to all ministers and clerks of Session ten days before the Stated Meeting at which the vote is proposed; and that the rationale for setting aside the first reading is included.

3.    That the presbytery approve dispensing with the first reading by a vote of two-thirds majority.

D.    Amendments to the standing rules may be considered only at stated meetings.

II.    These standing rules may be suspended at any meeting of the presbytery by a vote of two-thirds majority.  The reason for suspending the standing rules shall be included in the minutes of presbytery.

AMENDMENT HISTORY

December 3, 1992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .Original Adoption

August 28, 1993 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amended Section 6: II F by completely rewriting

September 30, 1995 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amended various places (See Minutes, page 925-927)

September 28, 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amended Section 2. II. E. 1

Amended Section 2. III. F. 1. 2. Added 3

Amended Section 4. I. B

Amended Section 4. II. F

Amended Section 5. III. A. 1

May 29, 1997 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amended Section 1. III. D

September 27, 1997 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amended Section 2. III. A

December 4, 1997 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amended Section 1. III, C

February 28, 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amended Section 1, IV, C

December 3, 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amended Section 1, III, A

Deleted Section 2, III, A

February 26, 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amended Section 1, III, B

Amended Section 2, 3, 1

February 24, 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amended Section IV C

May 31, 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amended Section II E

March 1, 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deleted Section 1. I. B. 3 & 5

Added a new Section 1. I. B. 3

Replaced Section 2. III. C. & E. with a new Section 2. III. C. & F

September 30, 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amend Section 2.III.C and also 2.III.F