Governance
Presbyterianism is named for its system of governance. Each church is governed by a group of officers elected from the congregation. This group is known as the Session; Session members are called, "Elders." Each church also belongs to a greater organization called a Presbytery which is an organization of churches. Presbyteries belong to Synods and Synods to the General Assembly. Both Pastors and individuals elected from each congregation attend the Presbytery meetings and may therefore be elected to the Synod or the General Assembly. The governance of the church is, therefore, representative, and organized from the grassroots upward. Cripple Creek Church is part of the Synod of Living Waters. www.synodoflivingwaters.org/
The role of the Pastor
Pastors are called (selected) by the individual congregation and function as a learned teacher in the worship community. The Pastor administers Sacraments such as Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; he or she also chairs the Session.
The parent organization in the United States is Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA): www.pcusa.org