Petitions for Congregational Meetings

[Bryce]

PCA's Book of Church Order provides for an option whereby communing members can ask for a congregational meeting through a petition.

"25-2. Whenever it may seem for the best interests of the church that a congregational meeting should be held, the Session shall call such meeting and give public notice of at least one week. No business shall be transacted at such meeting except what is stated in the notice. The Session shall always call a congregational meeting when requested in writing to do so [emphasis added]:
[The BCO then lists the number of signatures needed based on the size of the church.]
Upon such a proper request, if the Session cannot act, fails to act or refuses to act, to call such a congregational meeting within thirty (30) days from the receipt of such a request, then any member or members in good standing may file a complaint in accordance with the provisions of BCO 43."

When a Session receives a request for a congregational meeting with the sufficient number of signatures, what parameters are there around the valid reasons for the request? Are there any invalid reasons (excluding obvious violations of the PCA Constitution)? For example, the members might ask that a congregational meeting be held to vote on the type of music played in the church. They might ask for a congregational meeting to vote on the topics of adult Sunday School classes. They might ask, based on the SCOTUS decision, that the church preform marriages of all types that are legally allowed. Or they might ask any number of other things.

How is a Session to decide which matters that a congregation might request are appropriate for a congregational vote and which matters are not appropriate?

 

[Edward]

The leadership shouldn't have any discretion when they receive the petition. The vote of the congregation might not be binding if it is outside the purview of the congregation, but there are ways to deal with that. See BCO 24-7.

This will get messy in a hurry. All other avenues should be exhausted first.

 

[Romans922]

PCA's Book of Church Order provides for an option whereby communing members can ask for a congregational meeting through a petition.

"25-2. Whenever it may seem for the best interests of the church that a congregational meeting should be held, the Session shall call such meeting and give public notice of at least one week. No business shall be transacted at such meeting except what is stated in the notice. The Session shall always call a congregational meeting when requested in writing to do so [emphasis added]:
[The BCO then lists the number of signatures needed based on the size of the church.]
Upon such a proper request, if the Session cannot act, fails to act or refuses to act, to call such a congregational meeting within thirty (30) days from the receipt of such a request, then any member or members in good standing may file a complaint in accordance with the provisions of BCO 43."

When a Session receives a request for a congregational meeting with the sufficient number of signatures, what parameters are there around the valid reasons for the request? Are there any invalid reasons (excluding obvious violations of the PCA Constitution)? For example, the members might ask that a congregational meeting be held to vote on the type of music played in the church. They might ask for a congregational meeting to vote on the topics of adult Sunday School classes. They might ask, based on the SCOTUS decision, that the church preform marriages of all types that are legally allowed. Or they might ask any number of other things.

How is a Session to decide which matters that a congregation might request are appropriate for a congregational vote and which matters are not appropriate?

Bryce,

Haven't seen you since RPR like 5 years ago.

If the congregation calls a meeting to change something in worship, I don't believe they could do that. What happens in worship is under the 'authority' of the Session. The congregation could meet to 'get rid of an elder' (I think) or to change the makeup of the Session in some way since they are the one's who elected them there. They could request the dissolution of the pastor's relationship (but that'd have to be approved by Presbytery - final decision). They could request something about the property, as they are the members of the corporation.

For requesting what is taught on, they could request it but I'd take that what is taught would be up to the Session.

SCOTUS - No that would be against our Constitution.

With these things and outside of these things, I really wouldn't know how to handle it. I would seek wise advice from 'above' (I.e. my presbytery or State Clerk of GA).

But I agree, if the congregation is ever petitioning for a congregational meeting, things are probably messy already.