The responsibility of the Presbytery as described in the Uniting Church Constitution is:

“The Presbytery shall have such oversight as is necessary to the life and mission of the Church in the area committed to it; it shall stimulate and encourage the Congregations within the bounds, providing them with opportunities for counsel in the strengthening and assistance of one another and in their participation in wider aspects of the work of the Church.…”.

The Uniting Church in Australia’s presbyteries have responsibility for oversight of the church’s life and work in their region, especially for the settlement of ministers; establishment, amalgamation and disbanding of congregations; assisting in the development of congregation mission strategies; and support of congregational life.

A presbytery is the council to which ministers of the word and deacons are responsible. It has the duty of caring for them and ensuring their work is carried out faithfully. Presbytery meetings include ordained ministers, lay pastors and elected lay persons from every congregation.

Together, members are called to exercise this oversight and fulfil our responsibilities by:

• hearing from bodies established to serve the Presbytery’s purposes,
• appointing people to continue delegated work, and
• sharing aspects of their worship, witness and service, as they look to our future.

It is in this spirit that we look forward to meeting, serving each other’s needs and working more closely together as a Presbytery: discerning how we, as members of the one body, can encourage, strengthen and support each other as a pilgrim people sharing in the one ministry of Christ.