New Wineskins Association of Churches Convocation IV Several minor changes approved in Association's constitution The Layman Online Wednesday, October 31, 2007 FAIR OAKS, Calif. – With little discussion, delegates to the New Wineskins Association of Churches unanimously approved several changes to the organization's constitution, which was described as "a work in progress." The changes, all approved by a single voice vote, were described as changes for such reasons as grammar or consistency with the rest of the document. The sections of the constitution and the approved changes (crossed out and marked in bold black type) are as follows: Chapter Five: The Ministry Network I. The Purpose of the Ministry Network A Ministry Network is a relational connection between congregations and their leaders who ordinarily share a common geographic proximity. The Ministry Network does not exist for itself but to serve its constituent congregations in their respective works of ministry and mission. Congregations will be healthier when their spiritual leaders are joined in close friendships of mutual support, trust and encouragement and accountability. Such relationships create a natural opportunity for sharing resources, fostering spiritual growth, offering encouragement, and providing theological, moral and missional accountability. Congregations will also be healthier when they are able to link together in some form of common mission: sharing strengths to compensate for weaknesses, sharing wisdom to offset ignorance, and sharing in collaboration to offset individualism. II. Formation of Ministry Networks A) Every congregation, pastors of a congregation, and pastoral candidates within a congregation will be members of a Ministry Network, which it may start or join. B) A Ministry Network is a cluster of congregations, formed by mutual agreement and for mutual benefit. A Ministry Network is formed when at least three congregations, ordinarily sharing geographic proximity, agree and sign a Ministry Network Covenant (see sample Ministry Network Covenant in Appendix A). The original Covenant, as well as each subsequent revision, is delivered to the Support Network for its review and approval. C) A Ministry Network is a cluster of several congregations formed by mutual agreement and will be composed of not fewer than three and ordinarily not more than eight congregations. D) While meetings of the Ministry Network will generally be informal and of a consensual nature, when matters are put before the Ministry Network for formal vote, pastors, retired pastors (such as parish associates, or visitation pastors), commissioned lay pastors, and pastoral candidates actively serving in a congregation, and elders serving on a Leadership Team have voice and vote. Clergy serving outside the congregation, including retired pastors, may be members of the Ministry Network with voice but without vote. E) Each Ministry Network will establish Equipping and Fellowship Groups for its members, which are covenanted fellowship groups which that develop and review annually a group covenant (see Appendix B). The Equipping and Fellowship Group exists for the purposes of worship, prayer, fellowship, Bible study and theological reflection, training and equipping, resource sharing, planning for cooperative ministry, and mutual submission and accountability. These groups will include: 1) A Pastors' Covenant Group, which will consist of all pastors, pastoral candidates, parish associates, visitation pastors, commissioned lay pastors and commissioned lay pastor candidates in active ministry in a congregation, and retired pastors. The Pastor's Covenant Group will meet regularly for worship, prayer, study, mutual support, accountability, and ministry planning. These meetings may be less frequent and of longer duration, or more frequent and of shorter duration, but must take place at least once per quarter. Exceptions will be considered for reasons of travel/logistical difficulties alone and must be submitted to the Support Network for its review and approval. 2) If desired, Equipping and Fellowship Group(s) for elders, deacons, educators, trustees, worship and music leaders, parachurch workers, and other ministry leaders may be formed. F) Each Ministry Network will provide a shared ministry event for its member congregations no less than two times per year. These events may include, but are not limited to, training events, evangelistic events, service outreach events, shared mission partnerships, special projects, concerts of prayer, and worship gatherings. G) If a congregation wishes to join an existing Ministry Network, the Session will ask the Ministry Network for consideration of the request. If the Ministry Network approves, the congregation will join after the Session signs the Ministry Network Covenant. H) Ministry Networks may form, evolve and re-form in a fluid, ministry-focused manner. A congregation may transfer from one Ministry Network to another. The Session will make application to the Ministry Network that it desires to join, and send notice to its network of current membership. Upon receipt of the application the network will consult with the network of current membership, review, and act upon the application. If approved the transfer is effective. III. Ministry Network Components A) A Facilitator/Moderator, elected by the Ministry Network for a one year term open to re-election, who leads the Leadership Team. B) A Leadership Team, consisting of one pastor and or one elder elected by each Session for a one year term open to re-election, that gives direction and conducts business as needed. C) Pastors' Covenant Groups for pastoral leaders. D) Other Equipping and Fellowship Covenant Groups, as developed by the Ministry Network. Chapter Six: The Support Network V. Meetings of the Support Network A) The purpose of Support Network meetings is to support the Ministry Networks and the individual congregations within its bounds. Its meetings should be designed to promote this purpose. The Support Network will meet at least twice a year and is encouraged to meet more often if possible for worship, equipping, prayer, and, when necessary, an efficient business meeting. B) Delegates to the Support Network Meetings 1) Any members from within the New Wineskins for Presbyterians may attend and participate in meetings of the Support Network except for its business meetings. At meetings involving business and discipline, only elected delegates will have voice and vote. 2) If actively serving a congregation, each Pastors, parish associates, visitation pastors and commissioned lay pastors, or retired pastor is a delegate with actively serving in a congregation have voice and vote at any meeting of the Support Network to which the congregation belongs. In addition, each Session of a member congregation will elect two elders to correspond with each delegate who is a pastor, parish associate, visitation pastor, commissioned lay pastor, and pastoral candidate actively serving the congregation as a delegate with voice and vote at Support Network meetings to correspond with each delegate who is a pastor, commissioned lay pastor, or retired pastor actively serving the congregation. If the congregation is currently without a pastor, or commissioned lay pastor, or retired pastor actively serving the congregation, the Session will elect one additional elder to serve as a delegate for such time until the congregation has pastoral staff. An elder does not have to serve on the Session to serve as a delegate. 3) Pastors or commissioned lay pastors not currently serving a congregation, whether retired or engaged in ministry outside a local congregation, and pastoral candidates will have voice but no vote at any meeting of the Support Network. Clergy serving outside the congregation, including retired pastors, may be members of the Support Network with voice but without vote. Chapter Seven: The National Network V. Meetings A) The National Network will call at least one regular meeting per year to conduct its business. The docket will be set by the Moderator and Stated Clerk and will include any proposal which a Support Network sends as a common concern to the whole body. B) Delegates are every pastors, in active pastoral leadership in a congregation and one elder corresponding to each pastor. parish associates, visitation pastors, commissioned lay pastors, and pastoral candidates actively serving in a congregation. Each Session of a member congregation will elect two elders to correspond with each delegate who is a pastor, parish associate, visitation pastor and commissioned lay pastor actively serving the congregation as a delegate with voice and vote at National Network Meetings. If the congregation is currently without a pastor or commissioned lay pastor, actively serving the congregation, the Session will elect one additional elder to serve as a delegate for such time until the congregation has pastoral staff. An elder does not have to serve on the Session to serve as a delegate. Clergy serving outside the congregation, including retired pastors, may be members of the National Network with voice but without vote. Delegates so elected will serve until the convening of the next regular business meeting. Delegates alone will have voice and vote in the Delegate Meeting. All Delegate Meetings for business and discipline will be open to observers. C) A quorum of the National Network will be at least one pastor delegate from twenty-five percent of the Support Networks and one elder delegate from at least twenty-five percent of the Support Networks. D) The Moderator may call a special business meeting of the National Network upon his or her initiative with notice of at least sixty days. E) The Moderator will call a special business meeting of the National Network upon receipt of a request for such meeting from ten per cent of the Support Networks whose members approved such request by a majority vote. At least sixty days notice will be given. F) The Moderator may, at his or her discretion, call a meeting of the National Network for worship, Bible study and theological reflection, equipping of members, and/or sharing of resources. Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications and Executive Editor of the Presbyterian Lay Committee. He can be reached at cmkibler@layman.org..

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