Call Commission

The Call Commission is responsible for most of the actions formally vested in the Committee on Preparation for Ministry, and the Examinations Commission. It is empowered to:

  1. Guide, nurture, and oversee the process of becoming a teaching elder for persons in the care of the presbytery, including actions with respect to inquirers, candidates, and final assessments;
  2. Examine and admit to membership all persons seeking membership in the Presbytery of St. Augustine, and approve calls and terms of call for those it examines;
  3. Provide a Pastor Nominating Committee liaison to congregations in transition;
  4. Approve temporary membership in the presbytery for a period of service;
  5. Approve and conduct ordinations and installations of teaching elders and commissioning services for commissioned ruling elders;
  6. Recommend exceptions and accommodations to requirements of the Book of Order regarding ordination, installation of a temporary pastor or associate as an installed pastor, and any other action requiring a super-majority vote of the presbytery;
  7. Provide a liaison to congregations searching for temporary pastoral service;
  8. Approve contracts and terms of call for temporary pastoral service;
  9. Dissolve teaching elder and commissioned ruling elder relationships when requested by the teaching elder/commissioned ruling elder and the congregation;
  10. Approve the retirement of teaching elders;
  11. Approve validated ministries of teaching elders;
  12. Certify ruling elders as ready to receive a commission and approve commissions of ruling elders to particular pastoral service;
  13. Recommend the annual teaching elder roll for approval by the presbytery; and
  14. Recommend presbytery action relating to a teaching elder’s renunciation of jurisdiction or release from ministry as a teaching elder, and take all actions preliminary to the presbytery’s final.
  15. Approve Board of Pensions (BOP) grants and matching grants for members of the presbytery, such as seminary debt assistance, emergency grants, special need grants, etc., all subject to the presbytery budgeting process and the guidelines of the Board of Pensions.
  16. Take all actions contemplated in G-3.0306 of the Book of Order, including granting a minister member permission to engage in ministry that is outside of our geographic bounds or which is not under our jurisdiction, requesting the consent of the other presbytery, and considering and acting on requests for members of other presbyteries to engage in work within our bounds.

Call Commission Members

Chair
Joy Laughridge
Vice Chair
Rebecca Putman

Class of 2024
Joy Laughridge (TE)
Cliff Lyda (TE)
Robert McCrary (RE)
Mary Beth Neely (RE)
Rebecca Putman (TE)
Jeff Welch (TE)
Kathryn McLean (TE)
Janice Clerk (TE)		Class of 2025
Carolyn Ettlinger (RE)
Sandra Hedrick (TE)
James Kendrick (TE)
Ricky Kirby (RE)
Wayne Letizia (RE)
Vacant
Vacant		Class of 2026
John White (TE)
Joe Rigsby (TE)
Fran Higson (RE)
Do In Kim (TE)
Lauren Scott (RE)

Open Search Policy For Filling Non-Installed Pastor Openings

Minimum Effective Salary

Effective 10/04/22, the presbytery’s minimum effective salary for full-time installed positions is $48,489.
Effective 01/01/25, the presbytery’s minimum effective salary for full-time installed positions will be $52,370.

Separation Ethics Policy

This Separation Ethics Policy was adopted on 10/5/21.

Commission Examination Precedes Congregational Meeting or Starting Temporary Position

Examination of teaching elders shall be conducted by the Call Commission: (1) in the case of an installed position, after the pastor nominating committee has issued the call and the candidate has accepted, but before the session schedules a congregational meeting; and (2) in the case of a temporary pastor (stated supply, interim, parish associate, etc.), after the session and candidate have agreed to a written agreement and terms of call, but before the pastor begins serving under the agreement and terms of call (provided that a stated supply or parish associate may serve as Sunday supply before the examination). These requirements may be waived for good cause with a 75% affirmative vote of the membership of the Call Commission, which may be taken via email or at a called meeting at the discretion of the chair.

Forms

Guidelines for Church Transition

Other Policies

Coming Soon

PNC Materials

Coming Soon

Preparation for Ministry in the Presbytery of St. Augustine
PDF download 

Preparation for Ministry Forms
Inquirer Application Forms
  • Form 1A – Application to be Enrolled as an Inquirer
  • Form 1B – Questions for Reflection
  • Form 1C – Financial Planning
  • Form 1D – Session Evaluation and Recommendation

The process of enrollment as an inquirer also includes a ministry assessment which is paid for 1/3 by the church, 1/3 by the presbytery, and 1/3 by the person seeking to be enrolled.
Candidate Application Forms
  • Form 5A – Application to be Enrolled as a Candidate
  • Form 5B – Session Evaluation and Recommendation Regarding Enrollment as a  Candidate