Commission on Ministry

Presbytery Staff Liaisons – Rev. Brian Wallace, Associate Minister for Emerging Ministries & Acting Head of Staff, and Cathy Nelson, Executive Assistant

Co-chairs of the Commission –

Rev. Jessica McClure Archer (Sampsons Mills Presbyterian Church) and Rev. Ben Schneider (First Presbyterian Church, Elizabeth)

What We Do
Expectations of Committee Members
Forms & Policies

What We Do

The Commission on Ministry (COM) serves Pittsburgh Presbytery by visiting regularly and consulting with each minister of the Presbytery, ensuring they are successful in their calls, and reporting to the presbytery annually the type of work in which each minister is engaged. It counsels with churches and their sessions to discuss their mission and ministry in their community, the presbytery, and to the larger church, and helps guide them in the process of finding new pastors to lead them if there is ever an opening. The commission also serves as an instrument of the presbytery for promoting the peace and harmony of the churches, especially in regard to matters arising out of the relations between pastors and churches.

Expectations of Commission on Ministry (COM) Members

Understand and support the mission and strategies of Pittsburgh Presbytery.
Attend all COM meetings. There are six regular meetings and sometimes a special meeting each year. The meetings are scheduled from 4:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday evenings. Although we often conclude early, it is important to stay for the whole meeting.
Participate in the work of at least one subcommittee. The subcommittees are: Pastoral Vitality, Congregational Vitality, Transitional Liaison, and Specialized Ministries.
Serve as liaison to at least one church in transition.
Serve as congregational advocate for four or five congregations within their Branch.
Download and read the COM Handbook.
Attend Liaison Training.
Learn and practice behavior-based interviewing (instruction included in Liaison Training).
Participate in COM clearances (Each COM member should plan to attend one clearance per month).

Commission on Ministry