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Job Description: Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Arkansas

The Stated Clerk shall be a Teaching or Ruling Elder and shall be enrolled as a member of Presbytery. The Stated Clerk shall serve a term of three years (or a portion thereof for special elections) and is eligible for reelection by the Presbytery. The Stated Clerk shall function in accordance with the Book of Order, will work in collaboration with the General Presbyter, and is accountable to the Presbytery.

 

This is a salaried position, with expected work of approximately 20 hours per week.

 

1. Duties related to Stated Clerk's training/continuing education:

  • Normally will attend denominational annual polity conference, Mid-Council Leadership Conference, Synod Clerks’ Association meetings, and General Assembly meetings. Attendance at these events would occur in consultation with the Coordinating Team; Maintain membership in the Stated Clerks' Association

 

2.  Duties related to training of others:

  • Train Permanent Judicial Commission
  • Train administrative commissions assigned to churches
  • Facilitate the training of new General Assembly (GA) commissioners with General Presbyter and possibly former GA commissioners
  • Work with the current GA commissioners as the polity task force to advise Presbytery on votes on the proposed constitutional amendments
  • Lead training of clerks of session as needed
  • Ensure a process for the regular review of session minutes and congregational registers

 

3.  Duties related to legal signatory:

  • Serve as one of the elected signers of legal documents for the Presbytery, along with  the Moderator of Presbytery and the General Presbyter
  • Sign deeds, contracts, etc. as directed by presbytery authorization
  • Certify personal information forms from church professionals with Church Leadership Connection

 

4.  Duties related to staffing:

  • Serve as staff resource to the Permanent Judicial Commission, Coordinating Team, Nominating Committee, and, with the General Presbyter, Committee on Ministry, serve as staff resource of developing Presbytery policies; other duties may develop in consultation with the General Presbyter
  • In consultation with the Moderator of Presbytery and Moderator of the Committee on Ministry, appoint and train an Investigating Committee when an accusation has been filed
  • In consultation with the Moderator of relevant presbytery committees and the General Presbyter, define the scope of duties, the goals and name the members of an Administrative Commission to address issues in churches

 

5.        Duties related to Constitutional Interpretation:

  • Make polity rulings and do prepare polity interpretations for churches, leaders, committees, boards, and councils of the Presbytery, in dialogue with the PC(USA) Stated. Clerk and the Office of the General Assembly, when necessary

 

6.        Duties related to communications:

  • Receive requests and communications from governing bodies, churches and individuals and as appropriate, refer them to committees of Presbytery or the Presbytery as a whole.
  • Update Clerk of Session Manual of operations; regularly communicate with Clerks of Sessions; update contact information with churches, Clerks of Session and Session Moderators.
  • Possess and use appropriate technological skills 
  • Be available to the presbytery for consultation on a regular basis
  • Regularly participate in presbytery staff meetings and at least monthly update the General Presbyter on work completed and works pending related to the job description

 

7.  Duties related to Presbytery meetings:

  • Act as parliamentarian for all meetings of the Presbytery, assisting the Moderator in the orderly conduct of the business of the council
  • Work with the Moderator of Presbytery to perform the duties of the “presbytery meeting task force” for any special called meeting of presbytery
  • Work with Moderator of Presbytery preparing the Presbytery meeting packet and proposed docket
  • Solicit, receive and report invitations to host Presbytery meetings, then respond with pertinent information to host to help them prepare for the meeting.
  • Receive display requests from “regular displayers” at Presbytery meetings
  • Receive, report and record requests for excused absences 
  • Meet with and instruct Leave of Absence committee and Tellers

 

8.        Duties related to General Assembly;

  • Sign, as needed, any reports required of the Presbytery by the General Assembly
  • Receive and report, as appropriate, all correspondence from the PC(USA) Stated Clerk and the Office of the General Assembly

 

9.        Duties related to record keeping:

  • Maintain in the Presbytery office files of all official actions by Presbytery, commissions and the Stated Clerk
  • Edit and file a full and accurate record of the minutes of the Presbytery, coordinating reading and revising of the minutes with the Presbytery Moderator, Coordinating team, Moderator and Stated Clerk within three weeks after each meeting
  • Present each year properly attested copies of the Presbytery minutes to the Synod for its review (with table of contents, index, appendix in accordance with Synod's requirements) and shall keep the appropriate number of said copies, including digital format, as the official records of the Presbytery. One copy should be submitted to the Presbyterian Historical Society annually.
  • Assist AC’s in documenting historical records when churches are dismissed or dissolved and send these records to the Historical Society
  • Make and keep accurate rolls of the Ministers, Certified Christian Educators, Commissioned Ruling Elders, and Candidates under care of the Presbytery
  • Maintain files in the Presbytery office of all official actions by Presbytery, commissions and the Stated Clerk

 

10.       Perform other duties as needed for Presbytery to abide by the Book of Order and the Presbytery of Arkansas Ministry Manual          Update and review Arkansas Ministry Manual annually

 

11.       Accountability and evaluation of the Stated Clerk shall be in accordance with the Presbytery's Personnel Policies. The Stated Clerk is accountable to the Presbytery and will be evaluated by the personnel subcommittee of the Administration Ministry Area; the Stated Clerk serves in a collaborative role with the General Presbyter.

Interested applicants should apply for the position by June 15 by sending a resume and/or PIF and two references to Rev. Steve Hancock, Moderator of Stated Clerk Search Committee.  Steve’s contact information is listed below. 

 

[email protected]

 

501-412-2213

 

16000 Rushmore Ave. #1101

Little Rock, AR 72223