The Session is the council for the congregation.  The session shall have 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.
– Book of Order G-3.0201

Session Guidelines

     The Board of Session of Highland Presbyterian Church shall function as defined by the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and by the by-laws of Highland Presbyterian Church.

     The officers of the Session shall be the Moderator and Clerk.

     The Moderator possesses the authority necessary for preserving order and conducting efficiently the business  of this governing  body.

     The Pastor shall be the Moderator of the Session.

     The Clerk shall read the transactions of the Session, keep its rolls of membership and attendance, preserve its records carefully, and furnish extracts from the records when required.

     The Clerk of Session shall be an Elder elected by the Session for such a time as it shall determine.

     All meetings shall be opened and closed with prayer.

     All meetings shall be ruled by Robert's Rules of Order except  when the constitution rules otherwise.

     Minutes of the Session are the property of the Session and will be held in our building.

     The Session of the Highland Presbyterian Church shall consist of the Moderator and twelve Elders elected by the congregation after proposal by the Nominating Committee.

     All Stated Meetings of Session shall be on the third Wednesday of the month except when Session decides otherwise.

     Quorum for all Session meetings shall include the Moderator and 50% of ruling Elders in current service on the Session

     All meetings of the Session shall be closed.

     The minutes of the Session shall be closed and viewed only by active Session members.

     The Elders who sit on each Committee will be appointed by the Session.  Session members may be reassigned to a different committee at the beginning of each year.  The Chair of each Committee shall be an Elder in current service on the Session appointed by the Pastor.

     The Session shall be divided into the following committees.  Each committee will report to the Session through the Committee Chair.

          1)  Christian Education Committee

          2)  Congregational Life Committee

          3)  Finance Committee

          4)  Memorials Committee

          5)  Mission Committee

          6)  Personnel Committee

          7)  Security Committee

          8)  Worship Committee

     All Committees are asked to meet bimonthly at a place and time determined by the Committee Chair.

     Committees are asked to expand their memberships by asking members of the congregation to serve.

     Each Session Committee is asked to present written reports.  The Secretary must receive reports by the Tuesday preceding Session.

     Each Committee is asked to supervise its own budget.  Each Committee is to prepare its budget request for the upcoming year by the first day of December.  The proposed budget is then submitted to the Session for approval at the December Session meeting and to the congregation for informatioal purposes at the Congregational Meeting in January.