The Clerks’ Corner
“In the future, when your children ask” (Joshua 4:6b).
Welcome to the Clerks’ Corner of PLR!
Thank you for accepting the call to be clerks of session. Clerking is an important ministry. Just like every book tells a different story, the minutes and records you write tell the unique story of the life of your congregation. Like the stones the twelve appointed took up from the middle of the Jordan, the who, what, where, when, and why of the congregation’s witness of how God has led your community on faith will be a memorial for future faith communities.
Clerks’ Corner aims to make pertinent information and resources easily accessible so that the clerks of session can carry out their work efficiently and effectively.
Praying with you for a happy and meaningful clerking!
Rev. Sandra S. Kim
Stated Clerk
당회 서기의 부름에 응답해 주신 장로님들 정말 감사합니다. 당회 서기는 중요한 사역입니다.
모든 책이 서로 다른 이야기를 전하는 것처럼, 당회 서기가 기록한 당회록과 다른 기록들도 귀 교회의 특별하고 독특한 신앙공동체의 삶을 이야기해 줍니다. 마치 매 지파의 열두 사람이 요단
가운데 여호와의 궤 앞에서 주운 돌들처럼, 여러분이 기록하는 당회록들은 “누가, 언제, 어디서, 무엇을 어떻게” 사역하였으며, 신실하신 하나님께서 어떻게 여러분의 교회를 인도하셨는가에 대한 감사의 산 증거가 되어 후일에 우리 자손에게까지 물려 줄 신앙의 유산이 될 것입니다.
서기 코너는 당회 서기의 사역을 효율적이고 효과적으로 수행할 수 있도록 관련 정보와 자료에 쉽게 접근할 수 있도록 하는 것을 목표로 합니다.
기쁨으로 섬기시는 의미 있는 서기 사역을 위해 함께 기도합니다!
김선향 목사
정서기
*NEW*
2025 LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Committee Moderator Orientation:
Saturday, January 11th from 10am-1pm at Canvas
Elder Training:
- Korean: Saturday, January 18th from 9am-1pm
- English: Saturday, January 25th from 9am-2pm
*NEW*
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
The Commissioners to the 226th General Assembly voted to send 12 amendments to the Book of Order to the presbyteries for their approval. A proposed Ecumenical Agreement between the Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA) is also to be voted on.
*NEW*
*NEW*
LEADER FORMATION 임직자 교육
*NEW*
SPECIAL OFFERINGS CHANGES
Beginning in 2026, the PC(USA) will reduce the number of denominational Special Offerings from four to three: Christmas Joy, One Great Hour of Sharing, and World Communion. The Pentecost Offering will be phased out, with the last one to occur in 2025. The General Assembly approved these changes as recommended in the report of the Special Offerings Task Force. Some key ideas: reduce the number of offerings to avoid donor fatigue, and focus on funding causes, such as reducing hunger or poverty, rather than specific programs.
*NEW*
The deadline to review Employer Agreements for 2025 benefits is Friday, October 4, 2024. According to the Board of Pensions, ministers enrolled in Pastor’s Participation as of December 31, 2024, will automatically be enrolled in the Transitional Pastor’s Participation plan for 2025. If you would like to make changes to the benefits, employer representatives should log in to Benefits Connect to review benefits selections or call the Board at (800) 773-7752.
BOARD OF PENSIONS BENEFIT CHANGES INFORMATION
Please click here to access BoP Season of Rebuilding general information, PowerPoint presentation, videos, etc.
The Decision Guide for Minister Benefits
Please click here.
Now you can access the “About the Decision Guide for Minister Benefits” page, which will help you to determine 2025 costs.
Congregations and ministers, including installed pastors and other congregational pastoral leaders, can use this decision guide to help determine 2025 eligibility and costs for the:
- Covenant Package
- Congregational Pastors Package
- Transitional Pastor’s Participation
2025 Board of Pensions Changes: A Season of Rebuilding letter from Tom and Sandra 2025년 연금 프로그램에 관하여: Learn More
2024 ANNUAL REPORTING 연례보고
The Office of the General Assembly (OGA) Statistics reporting for 2023 is open. To learn more, please consult Statistical Reporting and FAQ.
To report click PCUSA Church Statistics
If you need your church’s PIN please contact Carol Bridgeman
2024 CLERK/SESSION REPORTING FORMS (서기/당회 보고 양식):
- 2023 Membership form
- 2024 Annual Pastor Salary Report
- Stated Clerk’s Memo RE-2024 Annual Pastor Salary (3/5/2024)
- 2024 Ruling Elders Report
- 2024 Church Leadership
- 2024 Non-Clergy Compensation Survey
- 2024/2025 Commissioner to Presbytery
- 2024 Schedule of Completion
2024 REVIEW OF RECORDS (2024 당회록 검부)
Saturday, April 13, 9:00 am to noon, San Juan Cap. Community Pres
Tuesday, April 16, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Cypress, New Praise Pres
Saturday, April 27, 9:00 am to noon, Downey, First Pres
2024년 당회록 검부 등록 링크를 사용하여 등록해주십시오. You are invited to register for Review of Records at this link: https://losranchos.org/congregational-annual-review-of-records-registration/
2024 Per Capita – Presbytery of Los Ranchos
Understanding PLR Per Capita & Mission Giving
The presbyteries, synods, and General Assembly of our Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) annually make assessments that our session is committed to paying because we treasure our relationship with the wider church. To learn more, click here.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A) INFORMATION
PCUSA Mission Yearbook 미국 장로교회 선교 연감
The 226th PCUSA General Assembly
The Book of Order (G-3.0501) states, the General Assembly constitutes the bond of union, community, and mission among all its congregations and councils, to the end that the whole church becomes a community of faith, hope, love, and witness. With “Live into Hope” as the theme, Commissioners will gather from 166 presbyteries in Salt Lake City this year. RE Anne Sivley and Rev. Leanne Strommen were elected to serve as PLR commissions. Click here for updated information.
*NEW*
The Book of Confessions is the first part of the church’s Constitution, which contains the official texts of the confessional documents.
Book of Order 2023-2025 reflects 33 approved amendments proposed by the 225th General Assembly. The most extensive changes are in the Church Discipline, which replaced the Rules of Discipline section. Some highlights of the changes include a 12-week paid family medical leave for installed pastors, deletion of “honorary” designation for retired ministers, and a requirement of church sessions to adopt and implement four different policies: child protection and sexual misconduct, harassment, and anti-racism policies. Download the 2023-2025 Book of Order in English, in Korean, in Spanish, or purchase a copy from the PCUSA Store.
MINUTES and RECORDS 회의록과 기록
Wondering about how to preserve your church’s records?
Please read this discussion from the Presbyterian Historical Society: It’s a matter of record
*NEW*
Presbyterian Historical Society Records Archivist David Staniunas leads a webinar on document retention.
Are you curious about which records are essential to preserve or wondering about handling photos, audio, or video recordings? Please click here to read insights from David Staniunas, Records Archivist at the Presbyterian Historical Society, who shared valuable tips on document retention in a recent webinar.
REVISED MINUTE MINDER (당회록 기록 지침) is a resource for you to use. If the Monthly Minute Minder does not match the pattern for your Session, move the item to the appropriate month but keep all the items. You will find a revised Minute Minder in English and Korean:
CHURCH REGISTER SPREADSHEET 
Dear Clerks,
I am happy to share this excellent CHURCH REGISTER TEMPLATE with you with Karen Gregory’s permission. I am grateful to Karen, a former clerk at Trabuco Presbyterian Church who made this spreadsheet for the Church Register. My gratitude also goes to Lynn Browning, the clerk at St. Peter’s By the Sea, who introduced Karen and this useful spreadsheet.
For the CHURCH REGISTER TEMPLATE, click here.
For instructions on how to use the CHURCH REGISTER TEMPLATE, click here.