OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

1 THE BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA Includes all amendments approved up to and including the 47th General Assembly, in Dallas, Texas June 24-28, 2019 Published by The Office of the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in AMERICA Distributed by Committee on Discipleship Ministries 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 102 Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043-8143 1-800-283-1357 PUBLISHER'S INTRODUCTION Amendments finally adopted by the General Assembly in the current year are indicated in The Book of CHURCH Order (BCO) by a bullet in the margin beside the line where the change was made. New wording is underlined. In subsequent BCO reprints, marginal bullets and underlining for previous years are deleted.

2 See the following page for a listing of changes in the BCO, the Rules of Assembly Operations (RAO), the Operating Manual for the Standing Judicial Commission (OMSJC), and the Corporate Bylaws. The Stated Clerk will appreciate receiving notice of any needed corrections to this 2019 update of the BCO. Editorial Note: For a chronological history of changes to the BCO, RAO, and OMSJC from 1982 to the present, see the list following the title page of the BCO. For a topical (chapter by chapter) listing of BCO changes, go to Copyright 2019 by the Office of the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in AMERICA All rights reserved This publication is intended for the work and mission of the CHURCH .

3 It may not be republished in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. Publication of any commentary or other reference work must include written permission for use of text from this document. NOTE: The following amendments to The Book of CHURCH Order (BCO), Rules of Assembly Operations (RAO), Operating Manual of the Standing Judicial Commission (OMSJC), and Corporate Bylaws were adopted by the General Assembly in: 1982 8-7; 13-5; 14-1-12; 21-4; 23-2; 26-4; Index 1983 8-4; 10-3; 13-2; 23-1; Index 1984 Chapter 5; 13-2; 14-1-12; 24-9; Chapter 42; Chapter 43; Index 1985 5-9; 13-2; New 15-4; 20-1; 23-1; Index 1986 Pref. II, 1; 8-3; 12-5; 13-10; New 14-7; 18-2; 19-7; 19-8; 19-11; 19-16; 20-12; 20-13; 21-4; 24-1; 38-2; Index 1987 42-4; 43-2; 3; Chapter 45; Index 1988 Pref.

4 III; 8-3; 12-5; 13-8; 13-10; 14-3; 19-6; 19-10; 20-5; 20-9; 21-4; 22-3; 22-4; 24-6; 25-2; 26-1; 28-4; 32-2; 35-5; Index 1989 Pref. II, 1; III; 13-6; 14-1-12; 18-2; 19-2,b, 2; 19-5; 21-1; 21-4; 23-2; 23-3; 26-1; 30-1; 30-3; 31-1; 33-1; 34-1; 34-8; 34-9; 56-4; (also 15-1; 15-3; 15-4; 15-5 adopted in 1988) 1990 BCO ; 19-10; 30-1,3; 34-7,8; 36-4,5; 37-1,2,3,7,8; 42-6; 45-1,4,5; 46-5 1991 BCO ; ; 14-2; 15-2 1992 BCO 10-3; 42-11; 43-3; 43-7 1993 BCO ; 15-4; 24-5 1994 BCO 15-1; ; 24-1; 37-9; RAO 4-3; 4-6; 5-1; 13-1; 13-6; ; ; ; Corporate Bylaws Article VI, p. R-39 and Certificate of Incorporation, pp. R-29-31 1995 BCO 13-10; ; 32-18; RAO 15-3 and Corporate Bylaws Article IV,4 and VII,1 1996 BCO 35-14; 42-5; 42-6; RAO 14 and Corporate Bylaws Article VI,5 1997 BCO Preface II, 15-1, 15-4, 15-5, 19-1, 19-6, 38-4, 39-3, 46-2, 46-5 1998 BCO 13-6; 15-5c; 38-3; RAO 14-7; Corporate Bylaws Article VI,5 1999 BCO 13-5; 13-12; 20-2; 32-6; 33-2; 33-3; 34-4; RAO 4-18 [editorial changes to 15-3 and 16-3]; SJC Manual ; ; ; and [editorial changes to and ] 2000 BCO 13-12; 15-1; 24-1; 38-1; 43-5 2001 BCO ; Appendix B; Appendix H; RAO 4-5, 9-6, 15-2; Corporate Bylaws Article VI,1; VI,4; VI,5 2002 BCO , 13-1, , 32-3, 32-4, 32-18, 35-7, 43-1, Appendix I; RAO 4-2, 4-3, 4-8, 4-9, 5-1, 6-4, , 13-1.

5 SJC Manual , 6, 16, 18, 19-22 renumbered; Corporate Bylaws Article V,E; V,F; V,G; Article VI,1; VI,5 2003 BCO , 21-4, ; RAO , 13-2, 13-5d, , renumbered; , 14-8; SJC Manual , , , , , , ; Corporate Bylaws Article VI,1 2004 BCO 58-5; SJC Manual , , 2005 BCO 24-3; 24-5; 24-6-9 relettered; 24-9 (now 24-10) 2006 BCO 15-4; ; 40-5; RAO 2006 revised edition 2007 RAO 4-11; 11-1; ; 19-2; SJC Manual 21-3 2008 BCO 2-1, 12-2; RAO ; , g; relettered; , e; relettered. [Editorial note added RAO and ; editorial changes SJC ; ; ; (d); (a); ; ]] 2009 21-4 (editorial numeration); 59-1, 6; RAO (3); (3); ; SJC Manual ; (a), (b); ; ; ; ; ; 16; ; (a), (c); 2010 No BCO changes; no RAO changes; SJC Manual new Section 2 added with renumbering there- after; ; Sections 6 & 7 deleted; Section 17 moved to replace original 11:8; ; ; ; 2011 BCO 5-2; 5-3; 5-4; 5-8; 5-9; 5-10; 5-11; add new 5-5 & renumber as needed; 9-7; 13-6; 15-2; 37-7; RAO ; SJC Manual ; ; ; ; ; 2012 BCO 19-11; RAO 5-4; 8-3; 10-8; 11-5; 12-1; ; 15-1; OMSJC , b; ; 18:12; 18:13 2013 BCO 19-2; 20-3; 24-2; 25-4; 42-4; 43-2; 43-3; Appendix J added; RAO ; 10-9 added.

6 OMSJC ; ; 2014 BCO 34-8; 37-6; 43-10; [editorial corrections: BCO 13-6; 39-3]; RAO ; , 8 (renumbered); ; [editorial corrections: RAO 11-5; 11-8]; [OMSJC editorial corrections: ; (4)]; References to Committee on Christian Education and Publications (CEP) changed to Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM) BCO ; RAO 4-2; ); 6-1; 2015 BCO 5-2; 8-6; 18-7; 43-3, 8, 9; RAO ; ; OMSJC ; ; ; ; 2016 [editorial correction: BCO 58-5]; RAO ; OMSJC ; ; (add and re-letter); ; , c 2017 BCO 5-3; 13-2; editorial BCO 55-1; RAO ; 9-2 (added and renumbering); 13-2; 13-6 (added); 14-8; 17-4; OMSJC ; ; (6) and (7); ; ; Reformed University Ministries (RUM) name changed to Reformed University Fellowship (RUF): BCO ; RAO 4-2, 5-1, 6-4, ; Bylaws Article V.

7 2018 BCO [editorial additions/corrections: 42-6, parenthetical reference; Appendices, introductory note; Appendix C, Scripture references; Appendix I, preface]; RAO ; 13-2; ; ; formatting corrections: 6-1; ; OMSJC ; (2); ; ; ; ; ; ; ; 2019 BCO 8-1; 8-3; 25-11; 35-11; Preface to Directory for Worship; 59-3; RAO 11-5; 11-12; 13-2; 13-6 (struck); ; ; 16-4. d. May the Lord, the King and Head of the CHURCH , bless and honor these efforts to make clearer our form of governance. L. Roy Taylor Stated Clerk of General Assembly CONTENTS PREFACE I. The King and Head of the CHURCH II. Preliminary Principles III. The Constitution Defined PART I -- FORM OF GOVERNMENT CHAPTER 1 The Doctrine of CHURCH Government CHAPTER 2 The Visible CHURCH Defined CHAPTER 3 The Nature and Extent of CHURCH Power CHAPTER 4 The Particular CHURCH CHAPTER 5 The Organization of a Particular CHURCH CHAPTER 6 CHURCH Members CHAPTER 7 CHURCH Officers - General Classification CHAPTER 8 The Elder CHAPTER 9 The Deacon CHAPTER 10 CHURCH Courts in General CHAPTER 11 Jurisdiction of CHURCH Courts CHAPTER 12 The CHURCH Session CHAPTER 13 The Presbytery CHAPTER 14 The General Assembly CHAPTER 15 Ecclesiastical Commissions CHAPTER 16 CHURCH Orders - The Doctrine of Vocation CHAPTER 17 Doctrine of Ordination CHAPTER 18 Candidates for the Gospel Ministry

8 CHAPTER 19 The Licensure of Candidates for the Gospel Ministry and Internship CHAPTER 20 The Election of Pastors CHAPTER 21 The Ordination and Installation of Ministers CHAPTER 22 The Pastoral Relations CHAPTER 23 The Dissolution of the Pastoral Relation CHAPTER 24 Election, Ordination and Installation of Ruling Elders and Deacons CHAPTER 25 Congregational Meetings CHAPTER 26 Amending the Constitution of the CHURCH PART II -- THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE CHAPTER 27 Discipline - Its Nature, Subjects and Ends CHAPTER 28 Discipline of Non-communing Members CHAPTER 29 Offenses CHAPTER 30 CHURCH Censures CHAPTER 31 The Parties in Cases of Process CHAPTER 32 General Provisions Applicable to all Cases of Process CHAPTER 33 Special Rules Pertaining to Process Before Sessions CHAPTER 34 Special Rules Pertaining to Process Against a Minister (Teaching Elder)

9 CHAPTER 35 Evidence CHAPTER 36 The Infliction of CHURCH Censures CHAPTER 37 The Removal of Censure CHAPTER 38 Cases Without Process CHAPTER 39 Modes in Which the Proceedings of Lower Courts Come Under the Supervision of Higher Courts CHAPTER 40 General Review and Control CHAPTER 41 References CHAPTER 42 Appeals CHAPTER 43 Complaints CHAPTER 44 Vacated CHAPTER 45 Dissents, Protests and Objections CHAPTER 46 Jurisdiction PART III -- THE DIRECTORY FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD CHAPTER 47 The Principles and Elements of Public Worship CHAPTER 48 The Sanctification of the Lord's Day CHAPTER 49 The Ordering of Public Worship CHAPTER 50 The Public Reading of the Holy Scripture CHAPTER 51 The Singing of Psalms and Hymns CHAPTER 52 Public Prayer CHAPTER 53 The Preaching of the Word CHAPTER 54 The Worship of God by Offerings CHAPTER 55 Confessing the Faith CHAPTER 56 The Administration of Baptism (The Baptism of Infants and Children)

10 CHAPTER 57 The Admission of Persons to Sealing Ordinances CHAPTER 58 The Administration of the Lord's Supper CHAPTER 59 The Solemnization of Marriage CHAPTER 60 The Visitation of the Sick CHAPTER 61 The Burial of the Dead CHAPTER 62 Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving CHAPTER 63 Christian Life in the Home OPTIONAL FORMS FOR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS [NOTE: The following documents are for information. They are not part of the Constitution of the PCA.] Appendix A Marriage Service Appendix B A Second Marriage Service Appendix C A Funeral Service Appendix D A Child's Funeral Appendix E Service at the Grave Appendix F The Dedication of a CHURCH Building Appendix G Suggested Forms for Use in Discipline I. Charge and Specifications II.