Duties of the Presbytery Clerk

The following are the duties of the Presbytery Clerk agreed by the Presbytery of Lanark.

  1. To prepare agendas, attend and Clerk the meetings of the Presbytery and its Business Committee.
  2. To maintain and retain the minutes and attendance records of these meetings.
  3. To be an ex officio member of all Presbytery Committees, noting that it is not expected that the Clerk should attend each Committee meeting.
  4. To send out Call Notices, printing of Presbytery papers, and posting of the same.
  5. To issue Extract Minutes of the Presbytery.
  6. To be a link with the Church Offices in Edinburgh.
  7. To deal appropriately with all matters of correspondence both internally and externally, or as required by the Presbytery or the councils of the Church.
  8. To be custodian of the Presbytery records (from the Union of 1929), and the Formula Book.
  9. To recognise and support the role of the Moderator of Presbytery.
  10. To liaise with the Moderator in terms of dates of Inductions, Invitations to attend functions etc.
  11. To arrange and attend Special Services such as Ordinations and Inductions (appointing preacher and one to lead the worship) liaising with the congregation and the new minister.
  12. To advise the Presbytery on matters of procedure, Church Law and Regulations, both at the meetings and personally.
  13. To be a member of the Association of General Assembly and Presbytery Clerks and to attend the overnight meeting of the Presbytery Clerks Association.
  14. To attend the General Assembly regularly as a commissioner, if Presbytery so agrees when it decides its list of commissioners.
  15. To attempt to maintain accuracy in the Presbytery handbook, receive updates and supervise the updating, checking and electronic distribution of the handbook which should be available for the September meeting of Presbytery.
  16. To establish a list of appropriate persons who may be willing to undertake certain duties on request which includes leading worship, pastoral cover, locums, interim moderator duties etc.
  17. To be aware of the current statutory guidelines and obligations in regard to Safeguarding and to support the Safeguarding Officer in checking and confirming annually to Presbytery, that congregations are making all reasonable endeavours to comply with these guidelines and obligations.
  18. To act as Data Controller and register Data Protection issues.
  19. To act in an advisory capacity, advising both parties should a case arise.
  20. To deal with all above matters in a manner which is timeous and which respects the confidentiality of those involved.
  21. To arrange appropriate cover, in consultation with the Business Convener, when on holiday.
  22. To undertake any other duties reasonably deemed necessary by the Presbytery.

Our work