Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church

OPERATING POLICY FOR THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE TRINITY AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA

I. Purpose and Background of the Nomination To prayerfully consider and select for nomination to, and election by, the congregation of the church an annual class of nominees for the office of Ruling Elder and Deacon, from all available candidates, that most nearly possesses qualities required by the Book of Order, G-6.0300 and G- 6.0106. The Session and the Board of Deacons at Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church are each organized into three classes operating under a rotational system. The Session consists of twenty-one (21) active Elders, seven (7) in each class. The Board of Deacons consists of twenty-one (21) active Deacons, (7) in each class. Each year the congregation elects a new class of officers, seven (7) Elders and seven (7) Deacons to serve a full three-year term. Additional Elders and Deacons are elected at the same time to fill any vacancies and bring each class on each board to its full strength.

II. Time and Manner of Electing a Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee shall be elected by the congregation at the annual meeting during the month of January and in any event no later than the month of March.

III. Report of the Nominating Committee At the congregational annual meeting, the Nominating Committee shall present the committee's nominees for the offices Elder and Deacon (G-7.0401). There shall be sufficient nominees to fill all vacancies created by the annual retiring class of Elders and Deacons and also to fill any other vacancy or vacancies which shall have occurred. The Nominating Committee may also meet, at the request of the Session, at other times in order to make nominations to fill vacancies in the office of Ruling Elder. No person's name shall be presented to the congregation who has not advised the committee in advance of the congregational meeting that he or she will agree to serve as an Elder or Deacon if duly elected. Nominees shall be advised at the time they are contacted by the committee that the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. permits persons to be nominated from the floor. Such nominations will be accepted only if the person so nominated from the floor has agreed to be nominated and to serve if elected. If the number of nominations presented in the congregational meeting is greater than the number of vacancies in the Board of Deacons or the number of vacancies in the Session, then the election shall be held by paper ballot at the congregational meeting. If the number of nominations is less than or equal to the number of vacancies in the Board of Deacons or the number of vacancies in the Session, then the election shall be held by voice vote at the congregational meeting. 1 IV. Composition of the Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee shall be composed of the following members:

A. Two Elders, one of whom shall be active on the Session, designated by the Session. The Session shall designate one of the Elders to serve as Chair for a three-year term with the other Elder serving as Vice-Chair; B. One member who is active in the Presbyterian Women; C. One member who is over 60 years old and active in any senior adult ministry within the congregation; D. One member who is active in leading or teaching in the Church School; E. One member who is under 35 years old and active in any young adult ministry within the congregation; F. One member who is designated by and from the Board of Deacons. G. One youth member (i.e., who has been confirmed in the Church) who is at least 16 years old

The person to be nominated in each of these categories shall be chosen by the Session in consultation with the pastors and approved by the Session. Composition of the Nominating Committee shall be in conformity with the Book of Order, G- 14.0201. These persons shall be placed in nomination by the Session at a meeting of the congregation called for the purpose of electing a Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three (3) classes of no more than two (2) members each. Each member of the Nominating Committee (except for those members initially elected pursuant to this Policy) shall serve for a term of three (3) years. In the event of a vacancy in the Nominating Committee, the Session shall choose a nominee to fill such vacancy, who shall be elected pursuant to the procedure established hereby.

V. How the Nominating Committee Shall Assemble Prospective Nominees Before beginning its work, the Nominating Committee shall meet for the purpose of assembling the names of all possible persons who are to be considered as nominees for the Office of Ruling Elder or Deacon. The Nominating Committee shall seek nominees from the following sources:

A. The Nominating Committee shall ask the congregation to suggest nominees. Such request for nominees shall be placed in the bulletin by the Nominating Committee after consultation with the Pastor.

B. The Nominating Committee shall also ask that the Chairman of each of the "Permanent Standing Committees" of the Session furnish the names of prospective nominees who have

2 been active in the work of such Standing Committees and who have displayed the qualities required of a person holding the office of Ruling Elder or Deacon. C. The Nominating Committee shall carefully review the list of all inactive Elders of this congregation to determine those who have experience and/or talents that can again be enlisted in the work of the Session.

VI. Balancing the Panel of Nominees To the extent it is reasonably possible to do so, the Nominating Committee shall select a balanced panel of nominees for Ruling Elder using the following guideline: At least one-third (1 /3) of the panel nominated should be previously ordained Ruling Elders, and at least one-third (1 /3) of the nominees should be selected from among persons who have never previously occupied the office of Elder. The Nominating Committee shall elect a balanced panel of nominees for Deacon. Further, the panel of nominees shall be balanced in the sense that it reflects fairly the congregation at large with respect to such matters as race, sex, nationality and creedal point of view; provided, however, such worldly consideration should not in any case be a justification to ignore the fact that in selecting nominees for the office of Ruling Elder or Deacon, the highest priority at all times and in every regard shall be placed on the spiritual gifts and demonstrated spiritual commitment of the particular nominee, recognizing that no nominee is ever perfect or without fault, or ever fully meets the qualities and standards contained in the Book of Order. The Nominating Committee shall use good judgment in selecting the panel of nominees for Ruling Elder and for Deacon, seeking candidates for those segments of the congregation who are under-represented. The Nominating Committee shall set the expectation with the nominees that each will serve a three- year term which can be extended by exception to make gifts and talents available to the Session or to the Board of Deacons as needed. Nevertheless, the Nominating Committee shall remember that no church is ever stronger than the aggregate level of commitment of its Session and its Pastor when working together as the governing body of the Church.

VII. Obtaining Nominees' Agreement to Serve When the Committee or its designated representatives approach a prospective nominee to obtain his or her agreement to serve, the committee shall honestly and openly discuss with, and explain to the prospective nominee the time and commitment reasonably required of one holding the office of Elder or Deacon. Among other matters, the nominee shall be advised:

A. That agreement to serve as Ruling Elder and Deacon is an agreement to put the Church first in one's life ahead of all other competing, but unessential, personal, business or weekend activities. B. That agreement to serve as Ruling Elder and Deacon is an agreement to accept great responsibility in the governance of the Church.

3 C. Specifically, the prospective nominee shall be advised that the first year of a nominee's term of office may be spent in gaining experience and in developing the talents of a Ruling Elder and Deacon, with the clear understanding that during the final two years of such term of office, the Elder or Deacon would be expected to provide the creative and dedicated leadership required by the Session or the Board of Deacons. He or she must be told that his or her service as Elder will extend beyond the local congregation to attendance at meetings of Presbytery, Synod and possibly, the General Assembly. D. The Nominating Committee shall help prospective nominees to understand that their nomination is not an honor being bestowed on him or her by their peers; rather, such nomination is a call from God to active, time consuming and involved Christian ministry for which the nominee will receive no worldly benefits. The nominee must be advised that the true reward for faithfulness to the task is the inner reward which will result from a deeper relationship with Christ and his Church. E.. Prospective nominees who express serious doubts about their ability or desire to accept the responsibilities of being a Ruling Elder or Deacon should not be over persuaded; rather, the committee should urge such nominees to delay acceptance until they have sufficiently matured spiritually to enable them to accept their nomination with a sense of creative commitment.

VIII. Training Session The nominee shall also be advised that the Pastor will have training sessions for the newly elected Elders and Deacons. The times and places of such training sessions are to be established by the Pastor.

IX. Notice to Congregation of Proposed Nominees At least two weeks prior to the time the congregational meeting is called for the election of Ruling Elders and Deacons, the Nominating Committee shall cause to be printed in the church bulletin the names of the persons who will be nominated by the Nominating Committee. A brief biography for each nominee shall be included with the names.

This operating procedure for the Nominating Committee was unanimously adopted by the Session on August 9, 2006.