How are Commission members selected?

The Standing Rules of the Synod state:
“In order to fulfill the Synod’s value of diversity, the Leadership Team shall nominate to the Synod Assembly names of those to serve on the Synod Mission & Ministries Commission in the following fashion: each presbytery shall be encouraged to nominate three (3) persons of diverse backgrounds from which the Leadership Team shall select one name to submit to the Synod Assembly.”

This process helps the Commission to better reflect the rich diversity of our Synod Community, allowing us greater flexibility to achieve balance between ruling elders and teaching elders, as well as with age, race/ethnicity, and other diversities.

We recommend this because it is easier to achieve diversity within the commission when there is the opportunity to select people across the 22 presbyteries. If presbyteries elect only one person, it is much more difficult to achieve balance between ruling elders and teaching elders, as well as with age, gender, race/ethnicity, and other diversities.

What is the deadline for submitting the three names?

We ask for It is helpful to have nominations from presbyteries sixty (60) days in advance of the Synod Assembly to allow in order for the Leadership Team to select those to forward to the Assembly for election.

Can a presbytery submit one name instead of three?

Yes, however, when presbyteries submit only one nominee, the Commission is less likely to reflect the full diversity we know is present in the Synod of the Northeast.

Can our current commission member continue to serve?

Yes. Synod Mission & Ministries Commission members are allowed to serve a total of six (6) consecutive years, or three two-year terms. (We reset the clock and began tracking terms at the 2014 Synod Assembly.)

For 2017-2019 will there be a new set of YADs serving on the Commission?

Yes. The standing rules call for one-third of the presbyteries on a rotating basis to directly elect a young adult age 17 – 22 to the Synod Mission and Ministries Commission. We are rotating presbyteries in alphabetical order. For 2017-2019 the presbyteries eligible to elect YADs are: Hudson River, Long Island, Monmouth, New Brunswick, New York City, Newark and Newton.

How are Young Adult Advisory Delegates Selected?

The Standing Rules call for one-third of the Synod's presbyteries to elect a young adult (ages 17-22) to the Synod Mission & Ministries Commission. Electing presbyteries are rotated on an alphabetical basis, according to the following schedule:

2014-2016
     Albany
     Boston
     Cayuga-Syracuse
     Eastern Korean
     Elizabeth
     Genesee Valley
     Geneva

2017-2019
     Hudson River
     Long Island
     Monmouth
     New Brunswick
     New York City
     Newark
     Newton

2020-2022
     Northern New England
     Northern New York
     Palisades
     Southern New England
     Susquehanna Valley
     Utica
     West Jersey
     Western New York