Commission on Ministry (COM)*

• Policy 01 - Criteria for Reception of PCUSA Ministers into the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta (now part of Policy 02)

• Policy 02 - Categories of Minister Membership (including the Validated Ministry Policy)

  • Application to Validate the Ministry of an Ordained Person

  • Application to Validate the Ministry of Person Seeking Ordination

  • Annual Report for Validated Ministers (available November 15-February 15)

  • Annual Report for Minister Members At Large (available November 15-February 15)

• Policy 03 - Ethical Guidelines Governing the Relationship Between Pastors and their Former Congregations (Additional resource: Holding On and Letting Go)

• Policy 04 - Protocol for Exit Interview

• Policy 05 - Interim Pastors

• Policy 06 - The Examination for Suitability of the Match Between a New Pastor and Calling Church

• Policy 07 - Request for Re-Examination for Reception

• Policy 08 - Examination and Reception of Honorably Retired Clergy (now part of Policy 02)

• Policy 09 - Commissioned Ruling Elder Status

• Policy 10 - Moderators of Session

• Policy 11 - Installation and Ordination of Teaching Elder Service Offerings

• Policy 12 - Minimum Compensation Standards (see also Guideline 06 - Guidance for Total Compensation & Benefits for 2025)

• Policy 13 - Review of Annual Terms of Call for Installed Clergy

• Policy 14 - Pastoral Designations

  • Policy 14 Tool for Contract Call Process

  • Policy 14 Pastoral Designations Companion Piece

• Policy 15 - First Call Pastors Program

• Policy 16 - Required Boundaries Training

• Policy 17 - Criminal Background Checks for Clergy Received into the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta

• Policy 18 - Administrative Leave for CoPastors who are Spouses

• Policy 19 - Policy on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct

• Policy 20 - Paid Family Medical Leave

• Policy 21 - Interpretation of G-2.0509

• Policy 22 - Child and Youth Protection Policy

• Policy 23 - Congregational Engrafting

• Policy 24 - Pastors and Students from other denominations serving our congregations

• Policy 25 - Policy on Churches Desiring to Relocate

• Policy 26 - Temporary Members of Presbytery

• Guideline 01 - Sabbatical Leave

• Guideline 02 - Parental Leave (see Policy 20 above)

• Guideline 03 - Suggested Minimum Pulpit Supply and other Pastoral Services

• Guideline 04 - Dissolution of Pastoral Relationships

• Guideline 05 - Contract Call Guideline

• Guideline 06 - Guidance for Total Compensation & Benefits for 2025

Each congregation with an installed pastor is required to submit an update of the pastor’s compensation to the Commission on Ministry each year. Submit your report here.

The presbytery maintains a pulpit supply list of interested persons to preach in our congregations. To receive a copy, contact your congregation’s congregational consultant. To be considered for inclusion, contact Andy James.

• Boundaries Training

• Care of Church Professionals

• Church Leadership Connection - Visit to download/fill out online MIF & PIF forms (links will be in a box on the left).

• First Call Pastors Program

• Pastor-to-Pastor Team

• Transitions Team

Commission on Ministry (COM)

(Must be ordained ruling/teaching elder)

Overview: COM provides care of congregations, pastors, and educators in the Presbytery. They set policies related to congregations and pastors. They are involved in providing guidance in matters of church conflict, review teams and commissions, pastoral designations, pastoral transitions, ordinations, installations, dissolutions and severance, and congregational viability. 

Terms of Service: elected for a 3-year term 

Meetings: Monthly, Third Thursday of the month, 5-7 p.m. Additionally, each COM member agrees to serve on a sub-committee. Sub-committees meet at various times throughout the month. 

All meetings will be held virtually until further notice. 

Structure of COM: The current sub-committees of COM are:   

• Care of Churches - deals with matters related to congregations -- e.g., conflict, review teams, viability – and policies related to congregations 

• Validated Ministry and Members at Large – reviews applications for validating ministers serving in non-parish ministries and makes recommendation to the COM. Reviews annual reports of members at large. 

• Transition – updates and communicates the policies and procedures for churches searching for pastors, training and equipping Transitions Liaisons for each congregation in transition 

Requirements and Expectations:  Members of COM are expected to have a high level of understanding of how congregations work, an ability to advise in difficult situations, creative openness to the work of the Spirit, an ability to keep confidences and a high level of commitment to the work of COM.  

Members are expected to carry on the work of the COM outside of the meeting structure depending on the sub-committee assigned.  This may involve recruiting others for limited time and tasks. 

For more information, contact Aisha Brooks-Johnson at ep@atlpcusa.org

Class of 2025

1. Kathy McCloud - RE

2. Katie Owen Aumann - TE

3. Jonathan Ball - TE

4. Gail Funderburk - RE

5. Michael Sanchez - TE

6. Lucy Strong - TE

Class of 2026

1. Sherri Bozardt - RE - Co-Moderator

2. Nayoung Kim - TE

3. Carrie Barnes - TE

4. Ray Johnston - RE 

5. Aaron Roberts - RE

6. VACANCY 

Class of 2027

1. David Rogers - TE - Co-Moderator

2. John Chattin - RE

3. Kevin Park - TE

4. April Pilgrim - RE

5. David Wallace - TE

6. Cindy Kai Dockett - RE

Representatives

• Jeanne Simpson - Examinations

Commission on Ministry – Typically 3rd Thursdays – 5-7 PM
Subcommittees (Care of Churches Team, Transitions Team) meet at 4-5 PM

Note: Some dates may be different from the usual schedule or canceled due to conflict. 

• Thursday, January 16 

• Thursday, February 20 

• Thursday, April 3 

• Thursday, May 15 

• Thursday, June 19 – Conflict: Juneteenth, meeting canceled 

• Thursday, July 17 

• Saturday, August 9 – In-person retreat, PGA Office, 9:00am-12:00pm 

• Thursday, September 18 

• Thursday, October 16 

• Thursday, December 4 – Merged November/December into December 4 

COM Liaison Training – Saturday, March 29, 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 

Commission on Ministry – Typically 3rd Thursdays – 5-7 PM
Subcommittees (Care of Churches Team, Transitions Team) meet at 4-5 PM

Note: Some dates may be different from the usual schedule or canceled due to conflict. 

• Thursday, January 15, 2026 

• Thursday, February 12, 2026 

• Thursday, March 19, 2026 

• Thursday, April 16, 2026 

• Thursday, May 21, 2026 

• Thursday, June 18, 2026 – Cancelled  

• Thursday, July 16, 2026 

• Retreat? 

• Thursday, August 20, 2026  

• Thursday, September 17, 2026 

• Thursday, October 15, 2026 

• Thursday, December 3, 2026 – Merged November/December into December 3 

• COM Liaison Training – Saturday, March 28, 2026, 10:00am–12:00pm