The Role of Synod Council

by George W. Baird, Synod Stated Clerk and Council Secretary

When the Synod of the Covenant was reorganized in 2003, a synod council was created. Council became responsible for many of the functions formerly assigned to the standing committees of the Synod Assembly, and those assembly committees were discontinued.

Because of the heavy load of work assigned to the council, it has found it necessary to meet four times a year, while the Synod Assembly now meets only once. To assist it in its work, Council has created six committees which oversee various aspects of the synod's work.

Council committees are

• Church Development and Transformation and Loan Committee
• Multicultural, Racial Ethnic and Justice Ministries Committee
• Ministries in Higher Education Committee
• Covenants and Connections Committee
• Personnel Services Committee
• General Operations Committee

In addition, a Moderator's Committee has been established to guide the synod in its review of mission and assists in planning the work of the Synod Assembly and the council.

Council's responsibilities as a whole are to implement and coordinate the synod's strategy for mission and ministry, to coordinate the work of the various units of the synod, to prepare and propose budgets and per capita apportionments to the Synod Assembly, to plan and prepare for meetings of the Synod Assembly, and to plan and oversee all the work of the synod.