Elders

SIPC Is Guided by a Council of Elders Elected from the Congregation

As there were in the Old Testament times elders for the government of the people, so the New Testament church provided persons with particular gifts to share in discernment of God’s Spirit and governance of God’s people. Accordingly, our church elects persons of wisdom and maturity of faith who have demonstrated skills in leadership and being compassionate in spirit. They are chosen by the congregation to discern and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life.

Active elders, along with the installed pastors, constitute the session, the council for the congregation. The session has the responsibility for governing the congregation and guiding its witness to the sovereign activity of God in the world, so that the congregation is and becomes a community of faith, hope, love, and witness. The session has responsibility and power to provide that the Word of God may be truly preached and heard, provide that the Sacraments may be rightly administered and received, and nurture the covenant community of disciples of Christ.

-from The Book of Order G-2.03 and G-3.02