Glossary

Do you know these words mean?

Vacant:
  1. The look of the faces in the pews during the sermon.
  2. The look on the minister’s face after 3 home communions, 2 hospital visits, and a long Session meeting – all in one day.
  3. The lot next to the church building which one day it is hoped will house a Christian Education building.
  4. The term used to describe a congregation that is looking for a minister.
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Search Committee:
  1. A committee organized to locate missing hats, gloves and casserole dishes after church dinners.
  2. A group of people who rarely know the answer to any questions within the congregation. Queries to this group are generally met with shrugged shoulders and the words, “Search Me!”
  3. The group charged with the responsibility of finding funds for the Presbyterians Sharing Allocation in the month of December
  4. The committee formed by Session to look for a new minister during
    a vacancy.
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Moderator:
  1. The person in a congregation who avoids extremes during a heated debate.
  2. The Presbyterian word for “bishop.”
  3. The convener of meetings of the church courts.
  4. Another word for ‘thermostat.’
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Session:
  1. A colloquial expression to describe a particularly length worship service – often
    prefaced with the words “It was quite a …”
  2. Elected representatives who serve for a term. They make decisions regarding the
    maintenance of the church buildings and ensure that bookkeeping of the church is in order
  3. The congregation’s minister(s), and the ruling elders.
  4. The members of the church charged with oversight of the work and worship of the congregation.
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Courts of the Church: 
  1. Session, Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly
  2. Where ministers go to be sentenced when their sermons are long a repetitive.
  3. A secret health facility for Presbyterian clergy consisting of basketball, tennis, squash, volleyball and handball.
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Lectionary:
  1. A remedy for ministers who find it difficult to select passages of Scripture on which to preach.
  2. A missionary who specializes in conversion by lectures.
  3. A dictionary of church terms.
  4. A three-year cycle of Scripture readings for worship services.
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Clerk: 
  1. The elder who leads and makes important decisions in the church.
  2. The secretary of a court of the church.
  3. Another word for ‘minister’.
  4. The secretary of the church.
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The Blue Book: 
  1. The Acts and Proceedings of General Assembly including minutes of the previous meeting and the reports of all committees.
  2. The 1998 Presbyterian hymn book.
  3. The 1972 Presbyterian hymn book.
  4. A useful guide for office bearers of the church. This book outlines the courts of the church, their work and responsibilities.
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The Book of Forms: 
  1. The book describing various shapes and sizes of Presbyterians.
  2. A book of church etiquette, eg. how to pour at church teas; when to leave a church when your baby cries; how to open bazaars, say graces, politely tell the minister his/her collar is twisted.
  3. The report put out by General Assembly including minutes of the previous meeting and the reports of all committees.
  4. A useful guide for office bearers of the church. This book outlines the courts of the church, their work and responsibilities.
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Multi Point Charge: 
  1. The electrical current which keeps the Energizer Bunny going and going and going.
  2. Two or more churches that share a minister.
  3. The experience at an annual meeting when one is volunteered to carry out an important task.
  4. A sermon with many and varied points preached to a newly ordained minister.
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