Governance within the Synod of the Northeast serves as more than organizational structure — it enables a spiritual practice of shared leadership and accountability.
Governance within the Synod of the Northeast serves as more than organizational structure — it enables a spiritual practice of shared leadership and accountability. Rooted in Presbyterian polity yet open to innovation, this pillar ensures that the Synod carries out its work with transparency, integrity, and faithfulness. In the hybrid-missional model, governance balances the fiduciary responsibilities of the Synod Corporation with the missional commitments of the whole body, ensuring that decisions are both responsible and visionary.
The Governance pillar is composed of the Synod Assembly, the Synod Council, and Ecclesiastical and Administrative structures.
The Synod Assembly serves as the central gathering where the Synod’s shared work is brought into focus, discerned, and acted upon. It conducts the business of the Synod and advances its six pillars through the work of pillar committees and task groups whose reports, recommendations, and insights shape the Assembly’s deliberations.
The Synod Council, which consists of the Pillar Conveners and elected officers of the Synod, serves as the decision-making body between Synod Assemblies. The Council meets monthly to hear reports from the pillars, discuss issues that have arisen, make decisions that enable the pillars to continue their work, and help plan collaborative efforts that require several pillars to accomplish.
The Ecclesiastical structure outlines the functions of the Permanent Judicial Commission, Committee on Representation, and the Nominating Committee.
The Administrative ministry area outlines the functions of the Personnel Committee and Finance and Fiduciary Management.