These practical guides are designed to help individuals, congregations, and church councils prepare for, participate in, and follow through on consequential ecclesiastical discernment.
The guides are organized around three stages: Before, During, and After the Meeting. They offer practical questions, checklists, and suggestions to encourage meaningful participation, Whole-Truth Seeking, and sufficient discernment.
Choose the guides that best describe your role in the discernment process. These are educational resources, not official PC(USA) policies or substitutes for appropriate pastoral, constitutional, or legal guidance.
For a Person or Body Subject to Discernment
Before the Meeting — A Practical Preparation Guide
During the Meeting — A Practical Participation Guide
After the Meeting — A Practical Follow-Through Guide
For a Council Responsible for Discernment
Before the Meeting — A Practical Preparation Guide
During the Meeting — A Practical Participation Guide
After the Meeting — A Practical Follow-Through Guide