The Session is the governing body of the church and functions as the council for the congregation. It is comprised of teaching elders (the installed pastor is the Moderator of the Session) and ruling elders (who are elected by the congregation). Together they exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a congregation as well as the whole church (Book of Order, G-2.0301). Ruling elders and teaching elders are the foundation of the Presbyterian Church’s form of government (the word “Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word for “elder”).