The Role of a Lay Representative to Presbytery

You are a Lay Representative to Halton Presbytery, appointed by your Pastoral Charge to fill one of the positions allocated for lay members. You may well be wondering what your Pastoral Charge and the Presbytery expect of you.

The expectations of your Pastoral Charge or Congregation should be conveyed by those who ask you to assume this responsibility. Or they may be delineated in your constitution.

Presbytery needs your wisdom and skills, and expects you to:

• attend the regular meetings of Presbytery.
• join one of the Committees of Presbytery and participate in its work.
• represent Presbytery to your Pastoral Charge:
  • keep the Official Board (or equivalent) and members of the Pastoral Charge up to date with respect to Presbytery events and issues.
  • if your Pastoral Charge does not specify how this is to be done, you need to discuss the matter with other Presbytery members from your Pastoral Charge and agree on a process.
  • ensure that communications from Presbytery are delivered to the appopriate person in your Pastoral Charge.
• represent your Pastoral Charge at Presbytery:
  • representatives should make themselves knowledgeable about the views of the members of their Pastoral Charge and bring that, as well as their own background and knowledge, to discussion and debates. After listening carefully to all points of view, representatives will vote according to their own conscience. It is not appropriate for congregations to tell representatives how to vote.

Presbyters who are active on Committees find this to be a very rewarding way to serve the Church.

Thanks you for considering your role from this perspective.

The Executive of Halton Presbytery