church elder
Congregational governing member
A church elder is a lay leader in certain Christian denominations, particularly Presbyterian and Reformed churches, who shares in governing the congregation alongside clergy.
Elders typically oversee spiritual matters, discipline, and church administration.
The role derives from New Testament descriptions of early Christian communities.
The church elders met to discuss the budget and pastoral search.
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- lay leaderNon-ordained church coordinator
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
- presbyterOrdained church elder
- vestryChurch robing chamber
ordained · pulpit · sermon · pews · Sunday service · prayer meeting · synod · steward · patriarch · council · shepherd · spiritual guidance · anointed · session · overseer · wise · gray-haired · robes
- eldersgrandfather, grandmother, grandparent, grandma, grandparents
- church rolesbishop, deacons, priest, pastor, lay readers
- church staffpastor, altar boy, parish priest, senior pastor, associate pastor
- religious peoplebeliever, devotee, faithful, worshiper, worshipper
- Victorian Clergyparson, vicar, rector, curate, preacher
- seniorssenior citizens, senior, old woman, old lady, older adults
church eldernew convert
neophyte · congregant · parishioner · layperson · novice
church, elder, churches, churched, churchly, elders, elderly, eldership