Serving Grace Presbytery

Our congregation has a long history of serving the greater church. One of the ways we do this is to serve on the committees of Grace Presbytery, the regional governing body of which our congregation is a member. Nearly all our our staff and a large number of our members have served at one time or another. Several serve currently. Please take a moment to read the message below and to consider serving. It's a great way to make new friends and learn more about inner workings of the church. Self-nominations are both accepted and encouraged.

Links to an online nomination form and a downloadable brochure follow the letter from the committee, as do lists of the Presbytery's committees and other opportunities to serve. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at (254)752-1665 or call Grace Presbytery directly at (800)678-4502.

From Grace Presbytery's Nominating Committee:
Greetings from your presbytery’s nominating committee! We have one of the best jobs in the presbytery – that of inviting willing folks to use their God-given talents with the Presbyterian family of faith known as Grace Presbytery.
Maybe you have been a Presbyterian all your life, or perhaps only a short time. Whatever the case, there is a place for you to serve Jesus Christ in the life of the presbytery.

Have you heard the word “presbytery” but wondered exactly what it means? What does the presbytery do, after all? And why do they want us to get involved? The first step is to realize that they are us. We’re in this thing together, which means that Grace Presbytery is you. In fact, it is all 44,000
Presbyterians in 180 congregations who make up this part of the church of Jesus Christ.

There are many ways to get involved, and that’s the purpose of this page – to acquaint you with opportunities to serve. We hope you will use this page:

1) To familiarize yourself with our presbytery structures;

2) To find a way to become personally involved.
After you have had a change to think and pray about
these opportunities, please consult with your pastor about
anything that needs clarification and discuss with her or him a
possible match between your gifts and the presbytery needs.
Think of it as a calling. We believe that God calls people
to serve both in the congregation and beyond in the larger
church, and that this is part of what it means to be Presbyterian.
We are grateful for God’s presence in Grace Presbytery,
and we pray that God will use all of our gifts to strengthen the
church in this time and place.

Nominating Form & Brochure

Online Nominating Form

Downloadable & Printable Brochure (with Nominating Form)
This publication requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader (Version 8 or higher) to view. It can be downloaded here.

Printed brochures (which contain a nominating form) are also available in the church office.

Grace Presbytery
Committees & Commissions

Budget and Finance (meets 6-8 times a year)
Responsibilities: Proposes budget, monitors finances, arranges audits
Skills: Financial Management, budget negotiating

Camps and Conferences (meets 6-8 times a year)
Responsibilities: Oversight of camping and conference program and staff
Skills: Curriculum writing, site development, staff recruitment

Church Development (meets 6 times a year)
Responsibilities: New church development/tranformation/evangelism
Skills: Congregational planning, creative thinking

Committee on Ministry* (meets monthly +20 hours/month)
Responsibilities: Pastor/congregation relationships, calls
Skills: Consulting, problem solving, coaching

Communication and Technology (meets 4 times a year)
Responsibilities: Provides communication resources for congregations
Skills: Creative communication, awareness of current technology

Congregational Support (meets 6-8 times a year)
Responsibilities: Leadership support and development
Skills: Christian education, older adults, leader development, small church,
spirituality

Examinations (meets monthly)
Responsibilities: Examination of candidates for ordination, as well as ministers
transferring from other presbyteries
Skills: Knowledge of reformed theology, polity, worship, scripture/preaching

Grace Presbyterian Village Board (meets 4 times a year)
Responsibilities: Policies and oversight of Grace Presbyterian Village
Skills: Strong commitment to older adult ministry and care

General Assembly/Synod Commissioners* (orientation)
Responsibilities: Serve as commissioner to General Assembly or Synod
Skills: Leadership within context of “big picture” issues

Mission Interpretation (meets quarterly)
Responsibilities: Oversees work of peacemaking, global partnerships, and
stewardship
Skills: Openness to explore mission both locally and internationally

Permanent Judicial Commission* (meets as needed)
Responsibilities: Conduct administrative and disciplinary review
Skills: Knowledge of Book of Order, Discipline

Personnel (meets 6-8 times a year)
Responsibilities: Personnel policy, staff oversight
Skills: Workplace, caring, supportive attitude

Preparation for Ministry (meets monthly)
Responsibilities: Enables process for ordination, monitors person as inquirers & candidates
Skills: Liaison with students and sessions, discernment of call

Presbyterian Women (meets 4 times a year and retreat)
Responsibilities: Coordination of women’s study and service
Skills: Planning, Organizing, leadership development

Presbytery Council* (meets quarterly)
Responsibilities: Oversight of presbytery’s life & work
Skills: Knowledge of presbytery structures and “big picture” issues

Presbytery Life (meets quarterly)
Responsibilities: Planning worship at Presbytery, bills and overtures, discussion of current theological and culture issues
Skills: Basic knowledge of reformed theology & worship and a desire to connect it to Presbytery in meaningful ways.

Representation (meets 4 times a year)
Responsibilities: Reviewing presbytery’s leadership (balance)
Skills: Inclusiveness, encouraging leadership

Texas Conferences of Churches (meets once a year)
Responsibilities: Theological reflection with ecumenical community and interest in shared mission with other churches
Skills: Ecumenical dialogue and advocacy

Youth Ministry (meets 5-6 times a year + 2 overnights)
Responsibilities: Ministry with youth and young adults
Skills: Strong commitment to this age group

*Requires Elders and Ministers

Other Opportunties to Serve

In addition to the presbytery committees and commissions,
there are numerous sub-committees, task groups, and planning
teams working with the committees, such as:
• ACT Planning (Annual Educational Event)
• African American Task Group
• Congregational Transformation Sub-committee
• Dallas County Property Sub-committee
• Demographics Sub-committee
• District Teams to conduct triennial visits with sessions
• Evangelism Sub-committee
• Hispanic Ministry Task Group
• India Partnership Sub-Committee
• Korean Task Group
• Multicultural Sub-committee
• New Church Development Sub-committee
• Peacemaking Sub-committee
• Stewardship Sub-committee
• Tarrant County Property Sub-committee