What is Session?

In Umoja Presbyterian Church, the Session is the governing body of ruling elders elected by the congregation. The Session is responsible for making administrative decisions and serving as spiritual leaders of the church.

Term of Service?

• All Session members are entitled to vote.

• Each ruling elder serves for two terms of three years.

• The Pastor serves as the Moderator of the Session. The Session cannot meet without the Pastor or a designated moderator.

Role of the Pastor?

• The Pastor is the spiritual overseer of Umoja Presbyterian Church and is responsible for:

• Leading worship and presiding over all church business meetings.

• Guiding the church in matters of governance, teaching, and mission.

• Providing pastoral care and spiritual leadership to the congregation.

• Serving as an ex-officio member of all committees and departments.

Responsibilities of the Session

The Session is entrusted with both spiritual oversight and administrative duties, ensuring that the church remains a community of faith, hope, love, and witness. The Session’s key responsibilities include:

• Worship & Sacraments: Ensuring that God’s Word is preached and heard, authorizing the celebration of sacraments.

• Membership Oversight: Receiving and dismissing members, reviewing active membership annually.

• Leadership Development: Training, examining, ordaining, and installing ruling elders and deacons.

• Church Administration:

• Directing the work of deacons, trustees, and all church organizations.
• Employing and overseeing the administrative staff.
• Maintaining Session meeting minutes, membership rolls, baptism registers, and records of church leadership.

• Financial Stewardship:

Ensuring transparency and faithful stewardship of financial resources.

Preparing and adopting the church budget.

Determining the distribution of benevolences (charitable contributions).