Presbytery Council

The Presbytery Council shall pursue the more-specific purposes stated below each with attendant particular responsibilities as noted:

1. To engage in strategic planning for the life and work of the Presbytery;

   1. a. to approach the Presbytery as a system of inter-connected parts;

   2. b. to hold regular meetings devoted solely to visioning, strategic planning, and assessment;

   3. c. to encourage each part of the Presbytery structure to think and plan in strategic terms. 

2. To strengthen and enhance the connectional system of our Church;

   1. a. to serve as a conduit for communication among congregations and between congregations and higher councils,

   2. b. to present to the churches the unified budget of the mission and benevolent causes and agencies as adopted by the Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly, and

   3. c. to provide a means for each part of the Presbytery structure to have access to each and every other part of the structure. 

3. To coordinate and oversee the Presbytery program and mission; 

4. a. to conduct a regular, ongoing review of the work of the Presbytery,

   1. b. to develop and refine the mood, style and spirit of the Presbytery meetings,

   2. c. to prepare the docket of business for the meetings of the Presbytery,

   3. d. to nominate members of the Nominating Committee/Committee on Representation,

   4. e. to fill vacancies on committees, teams and other bodies between meetings of the Presbytery,

   5. f. to approve or disapprove changes in Presbytery Personnel Policies recommended by the Personnel Committee and approve or disapprove or refer to the Presbytery for action personnel actions recommended by the Personnel Committee, and

   6. g. to serve as the ongoing committee on rules, reviewing the Bylaws & Standing Rules and the Manual of Operations and to recommend any changes that may be needed. 

Regular and Special Meetings: The Presbytery Council shall meet at least five times each year. The meetings shall be in concert with the Stated Meetings of Presbytery and Annual Meeting. The number and meeting dates will be determined by Council one year in advance. The Presbytery Council may meet at other times as necessary. 

Reports to Presbytery: The Presbytery Council shall report at each Stated Meeting of the Presbytery every item of business transacted by it. Its decisions shall be effective immediately wherever specific authority has been conferred to Presbytery Council by the Presbytery but may be reviewed and reversed or amended by the Presbytery.

Membership of Council: See Presbytery Bylaws for the members of Presbytery Council. In addition, a representative of Presbytery Women is traditionally invited to attend the Presbytery Council meetings.

Council Officers 

Chairperson, Chairperson Elect, and Immediate Past Chair: The Presbytery Council shall elect a Chairperson from among its own members or from those with previous Presbytery Council experience. The Chairperson shall preside at Council meetings and provide leadership in helping the Council fulfill its purpose and responsibilities. The term of the Chairperson shall ordinarily be two years, commencing following the Annual Meeting. The Chairperson shall be a voting member of the Presbytery Council for the full term of office as Chairperson, regardless of term limitations on the position from which the Chairperson may have come to Council.

Service in the office of Chairperson shall follow a four-year cycle. Prior to the Annual Meeting, the Presbytery Council shall elect a Chairperson Elect, who shall serve one year in that role before assuming the office of Chairperson. Upon completion of the two-year term as Chairperson, the individual shall serve one additional year as Immediate Past Chair.

The Chairperson Elect and the Immediate Past Chair may preside at meetings in the absence of the Chairperson or when requested and shall carry out other duties as assigned by the Council. Upon completion of service as Immediate Past Chair, the cycle shall repeat with the election of a new Chairperson Elect.

Nominations Process: The Presbytery Council shall form a nominating committee of no less than three persons from the At Large Members, the outgoing Presbytery moderator and the outgoing Council Chairperson to nominate the Chairperson Elect of the Presbytery Council. 

Council Leadership Team (CLT): To give leadership and direction to Presbytery Council activities in periods between the Council’s meetings, a leadership team will convene as necessary. The team will consist of the Presbytery Council Chairperson, Chairperson Elect, the Presbytery Moderator and Vice Moderator. The Presbytery Stated Clerk will serve ex officio.

The CLT will have no powers that its officers do not already have by virtue of their offices and will communicate about its work and proposals for Presbytery Council action to each bimonthly meeting of the Presbytery Council. The CLT will prepare the docket for Presbytery Council meetings and will propose Presbytery meeting dockets to the Presbytery Council for its action.

The Council Leadership Team for 2025-2026:

• Presbytery Council Chairperson
  Lisa Giacomazza, CRE, Bacon Memorial Presbyterian Church

• Chairperson Elect
  Rev. Robert Hagel, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown

• Presbytery Moderator
  Rev. Katelyn Nutter Dowling, Associate Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church

• Presbytery Vice Moderator
  Rev. Wylie Hughes, Pastor, Orchard Park Presbyterian Church

• Executive Presbyter, Stated Clerk (ex officio)
  Rev. Abigail Trautmann, Presbytery of WNY