Constitution
Preamble:
Believing that the Lord God Almighty in His grace, has directed the
establishment of this church for the glorification of His Name, and in belief
that the affairs of this church should, therefore, abide by His Scriptures and
be carried out in a manner that promotes all things being done properly and in
order, we do hereby adopt this constitution as the guiding document for her
governance.
Article I. Name
This body shall
be known as
Article II. Objectives
1. To glorify God by reaching, teaching, and
loving in Jesus’ Name.
2. To increasingly endeavor toward this end,
both locally and globally, so that the saints may be strengthened and sinners
be exposed to the gospel message of hope through faith in the person of Jesus
Christ alone.
3. To use the means of God-centered worship,
biblical teaching, faith-sharing outreach, caring fellowship, and consistent
Christian living by her members.
Article III. Statement of Basic Beliefs
We accept the
Bible as the inspired Word of God and the only sufficient, certain and
authoritative basis for all our beliefs.
Additionally, this church affirms The
Abstract of Principles and The
Baptist Faith and Message, revised 2000.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Article IV. Church Covenant
By the
grace of God, having, as we trust, been brought by divine grace
to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up ourselves to Him,
and having been baptized upon our profession of faith, in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, relying on His
gracious aid, joyfully and solemnly enter into this holy covenant with each
other. Knowing that our Lord Jesus
taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our
heart, soul, mind and strength, and that the next is to love our neighbor as
ourselves, we endeavor to do these things in the following manner:
Regarding the Corporate Body of Grace
Community Baptist Church we desire and intend to:
1. Walk
together in Christian love, working and praying for the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace;
2. Strive
for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, unity and warmth of
fellowship;
3. Promote
her spirituality and well-being;
4. Sustain
her worship, ordinances, and doctrines;
5. Submit
to the church’s discipline upon ourselves and lovingly assume our
responsibility to participate in the discipline of other members, as taught in
Scripture;
6. Give
her sacred preeminence over all institutions of human origin;
7. Commit
our resources for the support of the ministries of this church, the relief of
the poor, the cause of revival and reformation, and the spread of the gospel
through all nations.
Regarding ourselves individually, we desire and intend to:
1.
Maintain
personal and family devotions;
2.
Religiously
educate our children and any others who are given to our care;
3.
Seek the
salvation of our kindred and acquaintances;
4.
Be just
in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our conduct;
5.
Personally
contribute time and money, cheerfully and regularly, to the support of the
ministries of this church, the relief of the poor, the cause of revival and
reformation, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
Regarding our relationships with one another, we desire and intend to:
1.
Watch
over one another in brotherly love, affectionately caring and encouraging
whenever possible, and gently correcting when necessary;
2.
Remember
one another in prayer;
3.
Aid one
another in sickness and distress;
4.
Cultivate
the ability to rejoice at each other’s joys and bear with each other’s burdens
and sorrows with tenderness and sympathy;
5.
Cultivate
Christian courtesy in speech by avoiding all tattling, backbiting, and
excessive anger;
6.
Be slow
to take offense, always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the teaching of
our Savior to secure it without delay.
Regarding our relationship with the world, we desire and intend to:
1.
Strive
by God’s grace and power to live as Christ in the world, walking circumspectly
and denying ungodliness and worldly lusts;
2.
Use our
influence as salt and light to combat practices such as prejudice, abuse of
substances and the spread of pornography, and any other which lead to moral and
spiritual decay both personally and socially;
3.
Be
zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior, seeking the
salvation of our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and all the nations.
When by
God’s hand we move from this place, we will as soon as
possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of
this covenant and the principles of God's Word.
May
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of
the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.
Article V. Church Governance and Relationships
Under
the Lordship of Christ, the government of
As
a local church, the style of government will be elder-led and congregational,
submissive to the Word and Will of God as best understood and congregationally
affirmed. The offices of the church will
be Elder and Deacon, (see Bylaws, Article II – Offices).
Article VI. Amendments to the Constitution
Amendments to
this constitution may be made at any Members’ Meeting of the church, regular or
special, provided :
1. That each proposed amendment shall have been
presented in writing at the previous
Members’
meeting.
2. That each proposed amendment shall have the
support of the Elders before coming before the
congregation
for official consideration.
3. That copies of the proposed amendment shall
have been furnished to the members no less than
two
weeks prior to the one in which the amendment is to be considered.
4. That the Members’ meeting at which the
proposed amendment will be considered is
announced
from the pulpit on two (2) successive Sundays prior.
5. That the proposed amendment must pass by a
two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members
present,
and that at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting membership (active members,
not under church discipline) of the church be present at such meeting.
The revised
version of this constitution shall be made available to all church
members.
By-Laws
Article 1 - Church Membership
Section
1 – How Members are Received
1. Grace Community Baptist Church will strive to
be comprised of regenerate church members.
She
will receive into her membership those individuals who come as a result of the
Lord’s leadership and who are willing to meet the following requirements:
A. Express a personal faith in Jesus Christ
as Lord and Savior evidenced by a changed life and a growing desire for
intimacy and holiness before God.
B. Have been or willing to be baptized by
immersion after profession of faith.
C. Attend and complete a Prospective Member’s
Class during which time they will, at a minimum, be made aware of the history,
doctrine and governance of GCBC, affiliation with the SBC and opportunities for
service.
D. Affirm the Church Covenant.
E. Meet with at least one Elder to discuss the
items above and any other issue a prospective member might need.
2. An individual shall be considered a candidate
for membership once they have completed the
above
and when they present themselves, before the congregation for membership. At the next appropriate Members’ Meeting,
candidates for membership will be formally submitted by the Elders and voted on
by the church body.
3. Individuals may be received into the membership
of the church through:
4. Watchcare Membership shall comprise those who
are in the military, college or who
otherwise
know of a short-term residency in our community and who, because of their
temporary residency, do not desire to transfer their membership. After meeting the requirements above,
Watchcare members will be afforded all the privileges of members, excepting the
privilege of voting during Members’ Meetings.
When a Watchcare member moves away, their membership shall be
terminated.
5. Non-Resident Membership shall comprise those
individuals who for reasons of health and
family
have moved away and who can not join a local church in their relocated area.
Section
2 – Responsibilities of Members
Noting that many
expectations of membership are outlined in the Church Covenant, let us be
reminded in summary that members are expected to joyfully fulfill the
following: (Malachi 3:8-10; John
15:12-17; Acts 2:43-47; Romans 12:10-11, 15:30; 1 Corinthians 12:15; Galatians
6:1; Ephesians 4:11-12, 6:18-19; 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:9-10; Hebrews
10:23-25, 13:17-18; James 5:16; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 John 4:7-8)
1. Be present during worship and prayer
services.
2. Be present during Members’ Meetings.
3. Be in prayer for the leadership of the
church, one another, and brother and sisters around the world.
4. Exhibit love for all the body.
5. Be involved with ministry as individually
gifted and impassioned.
6. Provide financially for the ministries of
the church through tithes and offerings.
7. Be watchful over and encourage one
another toward holiness.
Section
3 – How Members May Be Dismissed
1. Membership may be terminated for an
individual member through death, transfer of membership to another church, or
voluntary resignation.
2. A member who does not attend any service of
worship, bible study or prayer for an extended
period
of time, and after having been contacted about their non-attendance, continues
to be absent for an additional three (3) months, shall be reluctantly released
from church membership. Exceptions to
this will be made for the aged, homebound, non-resident member, those serving
in the military, or away for college. (Hebrews 10:23-25)
3. Any member being found guilty and unrepentant
after Church Discipline may be dismissed
by
the vote of the church.
Section
4 – How Members are Disciplined
1. Realizing that the Bride of Christ is called
to be pure and holy, and realizing that we are
called
to gently, lovingly, but firmly correct those in error, this church will
conduct, when necessary, church discipline as outlined in Scripture. (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 11;
Galatians 6:1-5; 1 Timothy 1:20; Titus 3:10-11; 1 Peter 4:17)
2. Such actions would be directed towards any
member who is known to be committing acts of
unchristian
conduct, or who consistently upsets the unity of the church, therefore
resulting in the defamation of both the Name of Christ and the witness of this
church.
3. We believe that church discipline, far from
unloving, is needful to honor the name of Christ,
protect
the flock, educate and edify the body, and ensure purity. It is pursued in the hope that an erring
brother or sister in Christ would repent and be restored into proper fellowship
with the Lord and this church.
4. It will be the responsibility of the Elders
to follow through on the action of Church Discipline,
and
any recommendation brought before the church concerning an individual member
will be made by the Elders.
5. The process includes:
B. If A, above, does not reveal the
accusation false, or result in repentance and restoration, a second admonition
in the presence of one or two other Elders will be given.
C. A reasonable effort must be made to
secure a private resolution of personal offense in the hope that such public
censure by the church will not be required.
D. If, again, A and B, above, does not
result in repentance and restoration, there will be a call for public
correction before the gathered church at a Members’ Meeting. If this also fails, then the member can be (1)
publicly admonished, (2) removed from leadership position and/or (3) expelled
from fellowship and his/her membership terminated with a two/thirds (2/3)
majority of the voting members present.
E. If along the way, the accused repents,
and makes any appropriate restitution, restoration will be considered
accomplished.
6. If, after having been dismissed through
church discipline, an individual becomes repentant
and
publicly confesses their previous wrongdoing, and makes any appropriate
restitution, the church will consider the sin to be dealt with and the offense
removed. The disciplinary process will
be considered ended, and the individual may again request for membership within
the body.
Article 2 - Offices
Section
1 – Summary
1. The Biblical offices in the church are
that of Elders and Deacons.
2. In
addition, our church recognizes the administrative positions under these
by-laws of Clerk and Treasurer.
3. Officers shall be called to office by
vote of the membership of the Church as provided for in Article 7, Section 3,
Paragraph 1 of these By-Laws.
4. All Officers must be members of the
church in good and regular standing prior to their nomination.
Section 2 – Elders
Section 2a: Elders (General Statements)
1. The church shall recognize men gifted and
willing to serve in this calling, and elect them in accordance with Article 7,
Section 3, Paragraph 1 of the by-law provisions on elections. These men shall be received as gifts of
Christ to His church and set apart as Elders.
2. The Elders shall be comprised of men who
satisfy the qualifications for the office of Elder set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7
and Titus 1:6-9.
3. The Elders shall lead in a Christ-like
example by:
A. Consistently modeling spiritual
character, attitudes, values, and behavior among the
Congregation.
B. Providing and inviting the opportunity
for frequent and ongoing contact with members of
the
congregation.
C. Conducting the affairs of the church in
an atmosphere of openness and mutual sensitivity,
focusing
as much on nurturing one another as on decision-making.
4. The Elders shall be members of the church
for a minimum of three (3) years prior to serving, (1 Timothy 3:6, 5:22), with
the exception of the initial Elders.
5. The majority of the active Elders shall
be members not in the regular pay of the church.
6. All Elders must agree wholeheartedly with
the Abstract of Principles and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
7. No Elder shall hold the office of Deacon
during his tenure.
8. All decisions made by the Elders shall be
reached after prayerful consideration, voting in a spirit of humility, with
each Elder regarding one another before himself, and moving toward the goal of
unity. (Philippians 2:3-4)
9. An Elder’s term of office may be
terminated by resignation or by dismissal if he is found to be physically or
mentally incapacitated or spiritually unqualified. (Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Timothy
3:1-7, and Titus 1:5-9)
Section 2b: Responsibilities of Elders
1. The Elders shall, first and foremost, devote
their time to prayer and the ministry of the Word by teaching and encouraging
sound doctrine and practice, and by shepherding God’s flock. (Acts 6:2, 4)
2. The Elders must be able to teach/preach
at the request of the Pastor, or in the absence of the Pastor. (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 4:2)
3. The Elders must give aid in procuring
speakers either at the Pastor’s request or in his absence. (Titus 1:9-11)
4. The Elders shall take particular
responsibility to examine and instruct prospective members and recommend to the
congregation those who fulfill the expectations for membership. (Titus 1:9)
5. The Elders must examine and recommend to
the congregation all prospective candidates for offices and ministerial/administrative
positions. (Acts 6:2-6; Titus 1:9-11)
6. The Elders shall examine and discern the
need for and recommend to the congregation the creation and dissolution of all teams.
7. The Elders shall oversee the work of the Deacons
and appointed teams and agents of the church.
(Acts 6:5)
8. The Elders shall administer/oversee the
ordinances of baptism and communion.
9. The Elders shall gently but firmly admonish
and correct those in error, aiding and overseeing the process of church
discipline as necessary. (Matthew
18:15-17, Galatians 6:1; Titus 1:9-11;) (see
Article 1, Section 4, on
10. The Elders shall coordinate and promote
the ministries of the church, ensuring a balance between edification of the
saints and evangelizing the lost, being mindful of the Kingdom’s work both
locally and globally. (Ephesians 4:12; 2
Timothy 4:5)
11. The Elders shall ensure that all who
minister the Word to the congregation are properly qualified and scripturally
sound. (1 Thess. 3:9, 5:22; 1 Timothy
6:3-5; Titus 1:9-11; James 3:1)
12. The Elders shall ensure that all song
leaders, as well as all songs sung in our services, are God-honoring and
edifying to the body. (Colossians 3:16;
Ephesians 5:19; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; Titus 1:9-11)
13. The Elders shall appoint the Moderator
for all Members’ Meetings.
14. The Elders shall be responsible for the
proper staffing and supervision of that staff. (See Personnel Handbook)
15. The Elders shall pray for the sick upon
request and visit the congregation.
(James 1:27, 5:14)
16. The Elders shall communicate to the
congregation on a regular basis, at least quarterly, concerning the activities
and concerns of the Elders.
17. The Elders shall establish policies and
practices for the Church consistent with her purposes.
18. The Elders shall approve guidelines of
church facilities and equipment for non-ministry related endeavors, including
the terms and conditions of any such use.
19. The Elders
and Deacons will meet together at least quarterly for the purpose of prayer.
Section 2c: Organization of Elders
1. The number of Elders serving at any one
time shall not be less than four (4) with a maximum number of nine (9).
2. An Elder’s term of office shall be for
three (3) years. If an Elder, other than
the Senior or Associate Pastor(s), has served two (2) consecutive three (3) year
terms, he may only be elected to the active Eldership after at least one year
following the close of his last term of service as Elder. Exception:
In unusual circumstances, the Elders may ask the congregation to allow
an Elder to serve one additional one-year term.
3. Of the initial Elders (other than the
Senior Pastor), one (1) shall serve an initial term of three (3) years, one an
initial term of four (4) years and the other an initial term of five (5)
years. This will ensure stability in the
infant years of the church and also allow only one (1) Elder to rotate off at a
time. As the number of Elders increases
to five (5), then only two shall rotate off at a time, with seven (7) Elders,
only three (3) shall rotate off at a time and with nine (9) Elders, only four
(4) shall rotate off at a time. Any
increase or decrease in number of Elders shall be made as a recommendation from
the Elders to the church body.
4. The Elders must meet at least once per
month.
5. A quorum for meetings of the Elders is
defined as at least one-half of the Lay Elders plus at least one-half of the
Vocational Elders. In any matter
affecting an individual Elder, at the request of the other Elders, that Elder
shall remove himself from the discussion and vote.
6. The Elders shall organize themselves on a
yearly basis to ensure orderly meetings.
Section 2d: Senior
Pastor as Elder
1. The Senior Pastor shall be an Elder of
the church. He shall perform the duties
of an Elder described in Section 2b, above, and shall be recognized by the
church as one, who in response to God’s call, has devoted his vocational life,
full-time, to the ministry of the Word and prayer in the service of the church
of Christ.
2. He shall preach, administer the
ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and perform such other duties as
usually pertain to that office.
3. In the absence or incapacity of the
senior Pastor the Elders shall assume responsibility for his duties, any of which
can be delegated.
Section 2e: Associate Pastor(s)as Elders
1. An Associate Pastor shall be an Elder of
the church. He shall perform the duties
of an Elder described in Section 2, above, and shall be recognized by the
church as one, who in response to God’s call, has devoted his vocational life,
full-time, to the ministry of the Word and prayer in the service of the church
of Christ.
2. In addition to his duties as outlined in
his job description, the Associate Pastor shall assist the Senior Pastor in the
performance of his regular duties as needed.
3. In the absence or incapacity of the
Senior Pastor for defined periods of time (such as sabbatical or illness), the
Associate Pastor(s) may assume the responsibility for his duties.
Section 2f: The Calling of the Senior Pastor and
Associate Pastors
In the calling
of any man to these positions, the Elders will be responsible for recognizing godly
and gifted men within the church, or searching for godly and gifted men outside
of the church. In addition, however, the
church must be given adequate opportunity to assess the preaching and ministry gifts
of any candidate before being asked to express her judgment, and must receive
assurance from the Elders that having interviewed the man concerned, they are in
no doubt as to his wholehearted agreement with our doctrine, church covenant
and constitution and by-laws. Having
been nominated by the Elders, the congregation will voice her prayerful
judgment during a Special Members’ Meeting, with a call being extended to the
candidate provided that two-thirds (2/3) majority of the voting members present,
during the Special Members’ Meeting affirm the Elders’ nomination. The quorum for this Special Members’ Meeting
shall be thirty percent (30%) of the voting membership. The call will also serve as receiving both
the Pastor and his wife, if he is married, and their children, if appropriate, into
the membership of the church.
Section 2g: The Termination of the vocational call of the
Senior Pastor and
Associate
Pastors
1. By Resignation: A Pastor, after sensing the call of God in a
new direction of ministry, may
submit
his resignation to the congregation, provided that four weeks notice is given.
2. By Grievance: When a grievance exists against
a Pastor, either due to his preaching or
teaching
contrary to the beliefs of this church or to alleged conduct on his part
unfitting an Elder, any member may bring such grievance before the Elders. If the Elders, after thorough investigation
and consideration, believe the grievance to be true and substantial, they shall
call for a Special Members’ Meeting. The
vocational call of the Pastor may be terminated at such a meeting given the
following:
A. A recommendation of the Elders for
removal, and,
B. That attendance of at least thirty
percent (30%) of the voting membership is present, and,
C. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by
ballot is reached.
The termination
shall be immediate and any compensation shall be rendered in not more than 30
days. Unless otherwise recommended by
the Elders, the church will compensate the Pastor so removed with not less than
one-twelfth of his total annual compensation.
Section 3 – Deacons
Section 3a: General Statements concerning Deacons
1. Deacons and nominees for Deacon shall be
qualified for the office as specified in the Bible (1 Timothy 3:8-12). The church shall recognize men who are
giving of themselves in service to the church, who possess particular gifts of
service and who are willing to serve in this calling. These men shall be received as gifts of
Christ to His church and set apart as Deacons.
The Deacons shall be active in all areas of church life.
2. The Deacons shall be members of the
church for a minimum of one (1) year prior to serving, with the exception of
the initial Deacons. A Deacon’s term of
office shall be for three (3) years. If
a Deacon has served two (2) consecutive three (3) year terms, he may only be
elected as an active Deacon after at least one year following the close of his
last term of service as Deacon.
Exception: In unusual
circumstances, the Elders may ask the congregation to allow a Deacon to serve
one additional one year term.
3. A Deacon’s term of office may be
terminated by resignation or by dismissal if he is found to be physically or
mentally incapacitated or spiritually unqualified. (Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Timothy
3:1-7, and Titus 1:5-9)
4. The Deacons shall be nominated by members
of the church. The Elders and a Deacon team
will compile and confirm the nominations and submit the names to the members
for affirmation at an appropriate Members’ Meeting.
5. The number of Deacons shall be determined
by the needs of the ministry and by the call and qualification of men in the
church. This number shall be recommended
by the Elders and Deacons and approved by the congregation.
Section 3b: Responsibilities of Deacons
The Deacons
shall be ready to assist the Elders in any service that shall support and
promote the ministry of the Word and Prayer, new and existing ministries of the
Church, and the care for the members of the congregation. Their responsibilities include:
1. Working for the unity of the body and
supporting the Elders;
2. Aiding the Elders in the visitation needs of
the congregation;
3. Administering the Benevolence Fund to assist
the poor and needy and otherwise providing aid in
times
of crises or distress;
4. Coordinating the greeting and welcoming
ministries of the church;
5. Assisting in administering the ordinances of
the Gospel;
6. Assisting at fellowship gatherings of the church;
7. Overseeing the gathering of tithes and
offerings;
8. Meeting together with the Elders at least
quarterly for the purpose of prayer.
Section 3b: Organization of Deacons
The Deacons
shall organize themselves however they determine to be best to achieve the
mission of the church. The Elders or the
Deacons may designate any specific Deacon or group of Deacons to specialize in
some particular Deaconal function. Meetings
of the Deacons, or teams thereof, shall be held monthly or more often as needed
to best fulfill the responsibilities of the Deacons.
Article 3 – Church
Meetings
Section
1 – Regular Worship Meetings
The church will
meet corporately at least on the Lord’s Day and Wednesday Evenings for the
purpose of worship through God-centered preaching, praise and prayer. The Elders will be responsible for the
direction of each of these services. (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:43-47)
Section 2 – Special Worship Meetings
Special worship
meetings may be called when the Elders perceive there is a special need for
prayer, renewal, and/or when a sense of the Lord’s stirring toward revival
necessitates such meetings.
Section 3 – Additional Meetings
Other
small-group/home-based discipleship, evangelism or prayer meetings may be
organized and promoted throughout the week by members of the church. Such
meetings must have the approval of the Elders to be considered a
church-sponsored activity.
Section 4 – Regular Members’ Meetings
The church will
hold Regular Members’ Meetings on a quarterly basis for the purpose of prayer,
congregational business and testimony of God’s activity. These meetings will be held on the second
Wednesdays of February, May, August and November. It is the expectation that all members will
be encouraged to attend these meetings.
The quorum will consist of those members present during the Members’
Meeting. The voting membership is
considered to be those who are active members and who are not under church
discipline.
Section 5 – Special Members’ Meetings
Special Members’
Meetings may be called in order to consider matters of a significant and urgent
nature to the life of the Church. Special
Members’ Meetings may be called as required by the Elders, or at the written
request, submitted to the Elders, of ten (10) percent of the voting
membership. The date, time, and purpose
of any Special Meeting shall be announced at all public services of the church
within two (2) weeks preceding the meeting.
In the event of a written request from the members, the Elders shall
call a Special Meeting to be held within one month of their receipt of the
request. The quorum and voting
membership for a Special Members’ Meeting will be the same as for a Regular
Members’ Meeting.
Section 6 – How Members’ Meetings will be
conducted
Members’ Meetings
will be conducted with a sense of decency and order (1 Corinthians 14:40), with
an attitude of love and selflessness (Philippians 2:2-5; Colossians 3:12-17).
If any Members’
Meeting begins to become disorderly, a time of prayerfulness will be called for
by the Moderator in the hopes that by doing so, both peace and order will be
restored.
As necessary,
and at the discretion of the Moderator, Roberts
Rules of Order will be utilized to help with the orderliness of any
Members’ Meeting.
Article 4 – Church
Ordinances
We believe that
the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: Baptism
and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that
Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water in the name of the
triune God. We believe that the Lord’s
Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should
be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Section 1 – Baptism
Baptism will be
offered to those who have publicly professed faith in Jesus Christ and who have
met with at least one of the Elders to discuss their conversion
experience. A baptismal service will be
scheduled as quickly as is permissible and convenient for the church and for
the baptismal candidate.
Section 2 – Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s
Supper will be observed at least quarterly during the months of February, May,
August, and November, on the Sunday following the Regular Members’
Meeting. The Lord’s Supper will be open
to anyone who professes personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and who has
made that profession known publicly.
Article 5 –
Section 1 – Nominating Team
Meeting as
needed, this team of five (5) members, including (1) Elder, will be discerning
of the people resources that the Lord has given us and be responsible for
ensuring that those having particular gifts are matched appropriately with the leadership/servant
needs of the church and present their nominations to the church for
approval. The policies and procedures of
this team are outlined in the Nominating Team Handbook. The members of the Nominating Team will serve
for a one (1) year term and will be presented to the congregation by the Elders
for approval.
Section 2 – Stewardship Team
Meeting monthly,
this team of five (5) members, including one (1) Elder, will be responsible for
overseeing the financial resources of the church, as stewards of the monies
given by individuals unto the Lord. This
team will be responsible for presenting an annual budget to the congregation for
approval and for monthly oversight of the budget. The policies and procedures of this team are
outlined in the Stewardship Team Handbook.
The members of the Stewardship Team will serve for a three (3) year term
and will be presented to the congregation by the Nominating Team for approval. The Treasurer will be considered an
ex-officio member of the Stewardship Team.
Section 3 – Properties and Equipment Team
Meeting as
needed, this team of five (5) members, including one (1) Elder, will be
responsible for helping the church in the acquisition and maintenance of all
church property and equipment. The
policies and procedures of this team are outlined in the Properties and
Equipment Handbook. The members of the Properties
and Equipment Team will serve for a three (3) year term and will be presented
to the congregation by the Nominating Team for approval.
Article 6 – Church-Life
Teams
Other teams may
be needed to help maintain the health of the life of the church in such areas
as discipleship, Outreach/Missions, Member Care and Fellowships. In accordance with Article 2, Section 2a, Paragraph
6, the Elders shall examine, discern the need for, and recommend to the
congregation the creation and dissolution of all such teams. At the time of their creation, a description
of their composition, term and responsibilities shall also be presented to the
congregation for affirmation. Teams will
be expected to give a brief report outlining past actions and future
opportunities at each Regular Member Meeting.
Article 7 – Other General
Information
Section 1 – Fiscal Year and Budget Plan
The fiscal year
for
Section 2 – Other Church Positions
1. Clerk – The Clerk, serving annually, will be
responsible to record the minutes of all regular and
Special
Members’ Meetings of the church, to preserve an accurate roll of the
membership, and to render reports as requested by the Elders, Deacons or the
church. In the absence of the Clerk from
any Members’ Meeting, the Moderator will appoint a member as clerk for that
particular meeting.
2. Treasurer – The Treasurer, serving
annually, will not be an active Elder, Deacon, or paid church staff member,
will ensure, while working with the Stewardship Team, that all funds and
securities of the church are properly secured in banks, financial institutions,
or depositories as appropriate. The
Treasurer shall also be responsible for presenting regular reports of the
account balances, revenues and expenses of the church at each Regular Members’
Meetings. The Treasurer will also ensure
that full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements are kept in books
belonging to the church, and that adequate controls are implemented to
guarantee that all funds belonging to the church are appropriately handled by
any officer, employee, or agent of the church.
The treasurer shall ensure an annual audit by a qualified individual(s),
as chosen by the Stewardship Team.
3. Trustees – The Clerk, Treasurer and 3 members
elected by the church shall serve annually
and
will hold in trust the church property.
Upon a specific vote of the church authorizing each action, they shall
have the power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any church property,
with at least three signatures of the Trustees appearing on any legal document.
Section 3 – Annual Leadership Nominations
and Affirmations
1. Elders:
With the exception of the initial Elders, regular elections for Elders
will be held
annually,
beginning in June 2007, unless special elections should be necessary. On the first
Sunday
of June, congregational nominations for new Elders will be received by ballot
and given to the Elders for review.
Election for Elders, by ballot, will be held on the first Sunday of July. The time of service will begin on September 1
of the same year. Ordination for new
Elders will be scheduled as appropriate and convenient to the church and to the
individuals.
2. Deacons:
Regular elections for Deacons will be held annually, unless special
elections should
be
necessary. On the second Sunday of July,
congregational nominations for new Deacons will be received, by ballot, and
given to the Elders and Deacons for review.
Election for Deacons, again by ballot, will be held on the second Sunday
of August. The time of service will
begin on September 1 of the same year. Ordination
for new Deacons will be scheduled as appropriate and convenient to the church
and to the individuals.
3. Each August, during the Regular Members’
Meeting, the Nominating Team will present a
slate
of servant leadership for the upcoming year including Clerk, Treasurer,
Trustees, Standing Church Resource Teams, any Church Life Teams and any other
position as requested by the Nomination Team.
These positions will begin September 1 of the same year.
Article 8 – Amendments
to the By-Laws
Amendments to
these by-laws may be made at any Members’ Meeting of the church, regular or
special, provided:
1. That each proposed amendment shall have been
presented in writing at the previous
Members’
Meeting.
2. That each proposed amendment shall have the
support of the Elders before coming before the
congregation
for official consideration.
3. That copies of the proposed amendment shall
have been furnished to the members no less
than
two (2) weeks prior to the one in which the amendment is to be considered.
4. That the Members’ Meeting at which the
proposed amendment will be considered is
announced
from the pulpit on two (2) successive Sundays prior.
5. That the proposed amendment must pass by a
two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members
present,
and that at least twenty percent (20%) of the voting membership of the church
be
present
at such meeting.
The revised
version of these By-laws shall be made available to all church members.