Governance & Structure

Courts of the P.C.T.T.

Our Boards and Standing Committees

Administrative bodies within the Presbyterian Church are called “courts” and in most countries these are the Session, Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly. The Synod carries out its work through various Boards and Standing Committees.

The Following are the Boards and Standing Committees currently serving within the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago

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The highest decision-making body in the PCTT is the Synod which comes from a Greek word meaning ‘gathering,’ of similar derivation to the word “synagogue”. All ordained ministers, other full-time workers, elder representatives of all the Pastoral Regions of the church, and elder representatives of the Presbyteries are members of Synod. This is the largest representative body of the church and makes policy decisions on behalf of the PCTT

Purpose and Functions

Synod shall be the highest Court of the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago. Its decisions shall be binding on the entire Church. Its responsibilities would include:

Oversight of Presbyteries, the reviewing of records and setting their bounds.
Formulation of general policy on matters affecting the work and witness of the Church
Receiving and acting upon petitions, memorials or any other matter referred to it by lower Courts.
Receiving annual reports of the work of the Boards and Standing Committees of the Church.
To ensure the examination of candidates recommended for Ordination by the Presbyteries, and to ordain such candidates when it is satisfied they are fil for the Ministry of the Church.
To make and review appointments of Ministers, Lay Pastors, Deaconesses, and other full-time and/or part-time Workers.
To admit Ministers and other Church Workers in good standing in other Churches, recommended by their Church
To elect the members of the Boards and Standing Committees of Synod in accordance with the relevant sections of the Constitution.
To forward matters to the respective Boards/Committees as the Constitution of the said Boards/Committees may require
To approve the budget forwarded by the Board of Stewardship and Finance
To revise/amend the Constitution after the Judicial Committee and the Presbyteries have studied the proposed changes
To set its own roll and the Ministerial roll in each Presbytery
To convene and constitute its Boards and Standing Committees
To convene a convention of Presbyterians biennially.

Purpose and Function:

The Synodical Council shall be the chief Standing Committee of the Synod and the regularly constituted body through which the annual budget and all other major matters of Finance shall be referred to Synod for final action. The Synodical Council, on which every pastoral region and Presbytery is represented, acts on behalf of Synod because it meets more often than Synod does.

Purpose and Function

To act as the Executive Committee of the Synodical Council, to assist, advise and co-operate with the Officers of the Church, Moderator, General Secretary of Synod, in giving leadership in the Church;
To act as the Settlement Committee of Synod, which will receive requests regarding Pastoral Relations, consult with Pastors and Pastoral Regions regarding same and recommend appointments for Pastoral Regions to Synod or the Synodical Council.

Pastoral Regions are grouped into Presbyteries. There are three Presbyteries in the PCTT – the Northern Presbytery, South-Central Presbytery and South-Eastern Presbytery. Each Presbytery serves the Pastoral Regions within its bounds. Presbytery comprises all Ministers within the Presbyterial area, Session representatives of Pastoral Regions, Deaconesses, Lay Pastors, Assistant Lay Pastors and Presiding Elders. Presbytery elects its officers from among its members.

Purpose and Function:

The Presbytery shall be the Court of the Church responsible for the welfare and oversight of the Pastoral Regions under its jurisdiction. It shall act within the policies and financial planning of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church and shall interpret these to the Pastoral Regions through the Sessions.
The Presbyteries shall have regular consultations with Pastoral Regions under its jurisdiction through the Executive Committee of Presbytery, the Visitation Committee of Presbytery or any other authorized Committee of the Presbytery. These regular consultations shall be held with the Sessions or Regional Congregational Meetings.
The Presbytery shall seek all information concerning the policies of the Church from the Synod through the General Secretary and keep all its members informed about such policies.
In those matters which are the duties and responsibilities of Presbytery, this Court shall have the power to issue except in the case where an appeal is made by some interested party to the higher Court of Synod. Presbytery does not have the power to act in any way contrary to the decisions and policies of the Synod.
Sessions shall have access to Synod or Synodical Council, or its Executive, only through Presbytery, except in cases of extreme urgency and in such cases a copy of all correspondence and documents must be sent simultaneously to the Presbytery.

The duties of the Committee shall be:

To consider and advise on all matters in connection with Church Government and procedure.
To investigate and report on all matters referred to it through the appropriate channels.
To interpret the Constitution and by-laws of the Church
To hear appeals on matters relating to the Constitution from lower Courts of the Church, referred by Synod, Synodical Council and Presbytery.
To frame rules of order and procedure as requested by Synod, and to be approved by Synod for use throughout the Church
To recommend to Synod, amendments to the Constitution and by-laws after the following procedure is observed:

a. Presbytery shall forward to Synod, proposals for amendments emanating from the Session.

b. Other Boards and Committees shall forward proposals to Synod

c. Synod shall determine the question of referrals to the Judicial Committee.

d. The Judicial Committee shall study the proposals in the light of the total Constitution and present proposed amendments to the Presbyteries for consideration. Presbyteries shall have a maximum of six (6) months to respond.

After consultation with Presbyteries, the Committee shall then present the proposed amendments to Synod for a final decision.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Board is to lead men to an understanding of the witness of the Church that through commitment to Christ they may fulfil the ministry to which they are called in the Church, in the home, in daily work, in the community and in the world.

Functions:

The board shall act under the authority of Synod in the following areas:

To deepen the spiritual life of men of the Church.
To secure among men an increasing knowledge of interest in, and loyalty to the Church and its mission.
To enlist an active working force of men in every Presbytery and Pastoral Region.
To co-ordinate and have general oversight of all men’s organizations within the Church.
To promote the formation of Men’s Fellowship, such as AOTS Men’s Club in Pastoral Regions.
To develop and promote a programme for men which shall give emphasis to such elements as Christian Fellowship and Service, Evangelism, Family Life, Youth Work, Stewardship, Lay Preaching and Speaking, Community Service and Missionary Education.
To develop effective lay leadership throughout the Church in co-operation with other Boards and Committees whenever possible.
To prepare, publish, obtain and promote the use of such literature and other materials as will aid in the fulfilment of the objects of the Board.
To work with Men’s Fellowships of other Churches.
To arrange for the observance of Laity Sunday.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Board is to lead women to an understanding of the witness of the Church that through commitment to Christ they may fulfil the ministry to which they are called in the Church, in the home, in daily work, in the community and in the world.

Functions:

The Board shall act under the authority of Synod in the following areas:

To encourage and assist the Presbyterian Church Women’s Groups in the local congregation in their programmes and activities.
To inspire a spirit of prayer and service among Presbyterian Church Women.
To encourage and promote a study of Christian faith.
To develop a Christian spirit in the women, girls and children of the Church and the community.
To cultivate the grace of giving, and to co-operate with the total mission of the Presbyterian Church.