5.1  A presbytery consists of the ordained ministers and the elders elected to represent the session of the churches within a prescribed area. Presbyteries may be organized on the basis of geographical boundaries or, where the prosperity and enlargement of the church would justify it, on the basis of a common language other than English. Ordinarily, a non-geographical presbytery may overlap the bounds of geographical presbyteries.
     5.2  A minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church/Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America who has become a minister of a larger parish composed of denominational units, at least one of which is associated with another church; a minister of a union church; a minister for a limited time of a congregation of another church; or a professor of religion in a college or seminary of another church, may with the approval of the presbytery, accept for a period of such service, ministerial membership in another denomination or denominations. Such additional membership, in whatever manner conferred, shall not alter said minister's status as a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church/ Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America or terminate or modify any of the solemn obligations which the minister assumed by giving affirmative answer to the questions put by the presbytery at the time of ordination.
     5.3  A minister of another church with whom the General Assembly has a reciprocal agreement whose ecclesiastical relations have been certified by that church, who has become the minister of a congregation or of a larger parish composed of denominational units, at least one of which is associated with this church, a minister of a union church or a minister of a church outside of the United States with whom the General Assembly has a reciprocal agreement who is serving in a ministerial capacity in this church, including employment as a professor in a college or seminary of this church, may be enrolled for the period of such service as a member of the presbytery and have temporarily the rights and privileges of such membership.
     5.4  The session of every particular church shall be entitled to one or more representatives in the presbytery. In a particular church having an active membership of 1 to 300, the session shall be entitled to send one elder as its representative to presbytery; in a particular church having an active membership of 301 to 600, the session shall be entitled to send two elders as representatives to presbytery, and the basis for representation shall continue in the above proportion. Elder representatives may be required to give proper evidence of their election by the session they represent.
     5.5  The presbytery, having met at the time and place appointed, may proceed to business provided a quorum of four persons (ministers and session representatives) are present, including at least one minister and one elder.
     5.6  The presbytery is charged with pastoral oversight and has the responsibility to:

a.		Receive, examine, dismiss, and license candidates and ordain them to the ministry.
b.		Receive, dismiss, install, remove, and discipline ministers;
		(Forms for Dismission and Reception of Ministers, see Constitution Appendices 5 and 6 , respectively.)
c.		Approve ministers to serve as pastors and in other types of ministry;
d.		Require ministers to devote themselves diligently to their sacred calling and censure and otherwise discipline the delinquent;
e.		Review the records of the sessions, discipline sessions for whatever they may have done contrary to order, and take effectual care that they observe the government of the church;
f.		Examine and decide appeals, protests, and referrals brought before it in an orderly manner;
g.		Establish the pastoral relation and dissolve it at the request of one or both of the parties, or where the interests of religion imperatively demand it;
h.		See that the injunctions of the higher judicatories are obeyed;
i.		Condemn erroneous opinions which hinder the peace or purity of the church, and resolve questions of doctrine and discipline properly and seriously proposed;
j.		Visit particular churches, inquire into their condition, and redress the evils that may have arisen in them;
k.		Settle differences regarding church property and its use;
l.		Approve the location of new churches and the relocation of existing churches;
m.		Approve proposals and plans of churches considering building or rebuilding church facilities or additions;
n.		Unite or divide such churches as are in a chronic state of crisis or inaction, unite or divide other churches with the consent of a majority of the members thereof, and, for cause, dissolve a church and attach its members to another congregation;
o.		Form and receive new churches and concert measures for the enlargement of the church within its bounds;
p.		Take special oversight of churches which do not have the services of a minister, appointing a minister to moderate the session; and, if necessary, authorize an elder designated by the session to administer the Lord's Supper to the congregation, provided that the elder shall be instructed by the committee on the ministry in the meaning of the sacrament and how it should be administered; the elder shall serve under the authority of an ordained Cumberland Presbyterian minister selected by the presbytery, and each grant of authority shall be for one year;
q.		Formulate budgets and assign shares to the churches of the presbytery;
r.		Institute and oversee the agencies necessary in the work of the presbytery;
s.		In general, order whatever pertains to the welfare of the churches under its care;
t.		Elect representatives to the higher judicatories;
u.		Propose to the synod or to the General Assembly such measures as may be for the good of the church or of society in general.

     5.7  The presbytery shall keep full and accurate records of its proceedings and submit them to the synod for review at its stated meeting. It shall report regularly to synod and to the General Assembly its roll, including all candidates, licentiates, ministers, session clerks, and churches. In addition, it shall report on licensures and ordinations; on reception, dismission, or death of ministers; on the union division, and formation of churches, and on such statistical and other information as may be required to describe the state of religion in its midst.
     5.8  The presbytery shall meet as often as once a year on its own adjournment, and when an emergency shall require a meeting sooner than the time to which it stands adjourned, the moderator, or in case of the moderator's absence, death, or inability to act, the stated clerk shall with written concurrence or at the written request of two minister members and two session members of different churches, call a special meeting. The call shall give notice, specifying the particular business of the intended meeting, to every minister and session of every particular church on its roll, at least ten days prior to the proposed time of meeting. Nothing shall be transacted at such called meeting other than the particular business for which the presbytery was convened.
     5.9  If, for any cause, the presbytery shall fail to meet according to its adjournment, it shall be the duty of the moderator, or, in case of the moderator's absence, death, or inability to act, the stated clerk, or in case of the stated clerk's absence, death, or inability to act, persons constituting the equivalent of a quorum, to call a meeting as early as practicable, at such a place as may be designated, for transaction of the regular business. For this purpose notice shall be given, as before prescribed, not less than ten days prior to the proposed time for meeting.