Commission on Ministry

Commission on Ministry

Presbytery Staff Liaisons – Rev. Brian Wallace, Associate Minister for Emerging Ministries & Acting Head of Staff, and Cathy Nelson, Executive Assistant

Co-chairs of the Commission –

Rev. Jessica McClure Archer (Sampsons Mills Presbyterian Church) and Rev. Ben Schneider (First Presbyterian Church, Elizabeth)

What We Do
Expectations of Committee Members
Forms & Policies

What We Do

The Commission on Ministry (COM) serves Pittsburgh Presbytery by visiting regularly and consulting with each minister of the Presbytery, ensuring they are successful in their calls, and reporting to the presbytery annually the type of work in which each minister is engaged.  It counsels with churches and their sessions to discuss their mission and ministry in their community, the presbytery, and to the larger church, and helps guide them in the process of finding new pastors to lead them if there is ever an opening.  The commission also serves as an instrument of the presbytery for promoting the peace and harmony of the churches, especially in regard to matters arising out of the relations between pastors and churches.

Expectations of Commission on Ministry (COM) Members

  • Understand and support the mission and strategies of Pittsburgh Presbytery.
  • Attend all COM meetings.  There are six regular meetings and sometimes a special meeting each year.  The meetings are scheduled from 4:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday evenings.  Although we often conclude early, it is important to stay for the whole meeting.
  • Participate in the work of at least one subcommittee.  The subcommittees are: Pastoral Vitality, Congregational Vitality, Transitional Liaison, and Specialized Ministries.
  • Serve as liaison to at least one church in transition.
  • Serve as congregational advocate for four or five congregations within their Branch.
  • Download and read the COM Handbook.
  • Attend Liaison Training.
  • Learn and practice behavior-based interviewing (instruction included in Liaison Training).
  • Participate in COM clearances (Each COM member should plan to attend one clearance per month).
2025 Minimum Terms of Call and Benefits Policy Information

2025 Minimum Terms of Call and Benefits Policy Information

2025 Minimum Terms of Call and Benefits Policy Information

Revised June 5th, 2024

Dear Friends-

This spring, as most, if not all of you know, the Board of Pensions announced the most significant changes to the benefits plan of the PC(USA) since it was established in the early 1980s.  The Presbytery, through our Commission on Ministry, is now responsible for revising our policies to incorporate these changes.  COM released its proposed 2025 Minimum Terms and Benefits Policy, which incorporates the changes in the Board of Pensions, at our May Presbytery Meeting.   In the past, COM has voted on the Minimum Terms and Benefits Policy at its June meeting.  However, given the significant changes this year, COM voted to delay the final approval of the 2025 terms until late August or early September.  Part of the rationale for this decision was to give individuals in the Presbytery ample time to review the proposal, ask questions, and provide input to COM.

Information to Review – To better understand the changes in the Board of Pensions and what the Commission on Ministry is recommending, COM has made the following resources available:

Commission on Ministry Events – The Commission on Ministry will be hosting four gatherings this summer to (1) Explain how the Proposed 2025 Minimum Terms of Call and Benefits Policy incorporates the changes in the Board of Pensions, (2) Answer questions from participants, (3) Receive feedback and input on how the proposal might be modified.  The dates for these gatherings will be as follows:

  • Thursday, June 20th, 2024 @ 11:30 pm (In-person, lunch provided)
  • Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 @ 4:00 pm (In-person, snacks provided)
  • Monday July 8th, 2024 @ 10:00am (Zoom)
  • Tuesday July 30th, 2024 @ 7:00pm (Zoom)

You can register for these events here

The Commission on Ministry is aware of the concern as to how these changes will impact our pastors and congregations and is committed to implementing these changes in a transparent and open way.  It is the hope of the COM that when the final terms and policies are approved, people understand the implications of these changes for them and/or their congregations and believe that their concerns have been heard and addressed.

In Christ,

Brian

COM Forms & Policies

COM Forms & Policies

COM Forms & Policies

COM Forms & Policies

For forms that are in PDF format you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free.   They are listed alphabetically.  Contact Cathy Nelson with questions or for assistance.