Wimberley Presbyterian Church

Polity is another word for the governance of the Presbyterian Church.  The primary components are:

• Session.  The governing body of WPC is the Session.  Members of the church are elected for three-year terms as Ruling Elders.  There are twelve members of Session; each is chair of a Session committee.  The Session is moderated by Rev. Anne Beall, our Sr. Pastor.  In Anne's absence, it is moderated by Rev. David Slyter, our Associate Pastor.  The committees of the Session are shown on a separate page of this web site.  All decisions concerning the life and work of the church are made by the Session.  All groups and organizations in the church are under the oversight of the Session.
  
  
• Diaconate.  Some Presbyterian churches have a Diaconate in addition to a Session.  When there is a Diaconate, they are usually responsible for Fellowship, Nurture, and Property.  WPC does not have a Diaconate; its functions are covered by the Session.
  
  
• Presbytery.  WPC is part of Mission Presbytery, which covers the Central Texas area from north of Austin to the Mexican border.  It serves 157 Presbyterian Churches in our area.  Ministers are automatically members of Presbytery.  In addition, two Ruling Elders are elected to represent WPC at each Presbytery meeting.  Presbytery is responsible to oversee the work of the Presbyterian Church in our area.  They examine all ministers who are called to serve in our area.  They help churches in need, and have the authority to exercise discipline over ministers and churches, when necessary.  The office of the Presbytery is in San Antonio, Texas.  Because of its size, the Presbytery is sub-divided into clusters.  WPC is in the Austin cluster.
  
  
• Synod.  The Synod of the Sun covers the four-state area of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.  Presbytery elects representatives to attend Synod meetings.  Synod oversees Presbyterian higher education in our four-state area and the MoRanch Conference Center.  The Synod office is in Irving, Texas.
  
  
• General Assembly.  The highest judicatory of the Presbyterian Church USA is the General Assembly.  It rules on many issues of Presbyterian polity.  Presbytery elects representatives to attend GA meeting.  In 2006, Johnna Dennis from our church was a representative to GA from our Presbytery.  The GA office is in Louisville, Kentucky.
  
  
• Book of Order.  The Book of Order and the Book of Confessions comprise the constitution of the Presbyterian Church.  Every Ruling Elder receives a copy of this when elected to serve on the Session.   Any member who wishes to see a copy can find it in the Church Library.

This is the 2007 Budget for WPC that has been approved by the Session and presented to the Congregation.

Click here to open a copy of the 2003 WPC Long Range Plan.  The Session reviews this plan on an annual basis at the January Session Retreat.