Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
A CONSTITUTION FOR THE FUNCTIONALLY ORGANIZED CHURCH 2014 (TIN: 34-0835582) PREAMBLE We, the members of the First Christian Church of New Philadelphia, Ohio, a congregationallygoverned body, in order to promote the work of the church in the spirit of Christ, and thus advance His Kingdom, do hereby adopt this constitution. ARTICLE 1 - NAME The name of this organization shall be First Christian Church of New Philadelphia, Ohio. This independent congregation is committed to the historic principles of the Restoration Movement, whose local congregations are known as Christian Churches or Churches of Christ. ARTICLE 2 - MISSION The mission of this Church shall be as revealed in the New Testament: First Christian Church exists to introduce people to Jesus Christ and to help them become better acquainted, in order to become more fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ARTICLE 3 – MEMBERSHIP/VOTING RIGHTS The membership of this Church shall consist of those who are now identified as members of this congregation and those who shall unite with this congregation by baptism into Jesus Christ by immersion or by transfer of membership when previously baptized by immersion. Voting rights are conferred at age 16. ARTICLE 4 - GOVERNANCE GENERAL BOARD Purpose: The General Board is that group of persons vested with the management of the affairs of the Church between congregational meetings. Membership: The General Board shall consist of the elected and appointed officers of the Church, and the chairpersons of the functional committees or their designees. Officers: The General Board shall organize itself at a special meeting or the first regular meeting following the annual congregational meeting by electing from the membership of the General Board a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and also appointing a secretary. Page 1 of 7 The Chairman shall fulfill the usual duties of such an officer. He shall call and preside over all regular and special business meetings of the congregation and serve as Chairman of the General Board. The Vice-Chairman shall fulfill the duties of the Chairman in his absence. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all regular and special business meetings of the Church, serve as secretary of the General Board, keep a record of all its regular and special meetings, and perform such other duties as may be assigned. Duties: The General Board shall perform its duties according to the authority granted in this Constitution, including: Review and approve, prior to the annual congregational meeting, the annual budget to be voted on by the congregation. Review and approve, prior to the annual congregational meeting, the slate of officers to be voted on by the congregation. Approve the by-laws and any amendments to the by-laws. Establish the functional committees of the church and coordinate their activities. Approve the monthly Treasurer’s report and payment of bills. Determine the numbers of Deacons and Deaconesses necessary to efficiently manage the Church. Perform other such duties as may be necessary to manage the affairs of the Church. OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH Elders There will be a minimum of five elders to lead the Church. Elders are elected by majority vote of the congregation at a congregational meeting. Duties: The Elders shall be the spiritual leaders overseeing the Church, in accordance with the principles of the New Testament. They shall lead and encourage the membership, by word and by example, in regular attendance at the Lord’s Supper, in visitation of the sick and infirm, and in concern for the morally delinquent and spiritually indifferent. They shall give thoughtful consideration to the policies of the Church that will enable it to fulfill its purpose. They shall be responsible for the supervision of the Senior Minister. Qualifications: Elders shall be male members of the Church who meet the Scriptural qualifications set forth in I Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, and I Peter 5:2-3. Page 2 of 7 Term: The initial term of a first-time Elder shall be one year. The subsequent term of Elder shall be three years. An elder may serve two consecutive terms and shall have a minimum one-year sabbatical before being eligible for re-election to any Church office or committee chair. Elder Emeritus Those elders who retire from active responsibility because of infirmity or advanced age, and who have exhibited exemplary service and dedication to the Church may be granted the honorary position of Elder Emeritus by the Board of Elders. Deacons Duties: The Deacons shall assist the Elders in the work of the Church. They shall serve the members of the Church with for regard to material and functional needs. They shall greet and usher worshippers, distribute the Lord’s Supper, visit the sick and infirm, and perform such other duties as may be appropriate or necessary. Qualifications: Deacons shall be male members of the Church who meet the Scriptural qualifications set forth in Acts 6:3 and 1Timothy 3:8-13. Term: The term of Deacon shall be two years. Deaconesses Duties: The Deaconesses shall prepare the Lord’s Supper, coordinate Church funeral dinners, assist candidates for baptism, and perform such other duties as may be appropriate or necessary. Qualifications: Deaconesses shall be female members of the Church who understand the Biblical role of service and exhibit the qualities set forth in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Term: The term of Deaconess shall be two years. Trustees Duties: The Trustees shall act as the legal agents of the church in all business matters, with the counsel of the Board of Elders and the approval of the General Board. They shall hold legal title to all Church property and handle all business transactions relative thereto, have supervision over all endowment and trust funds, and perform such duties as required by the laws of the State of Ohio. Trustees shall also be responsible for keeping the oversight of all real property and business personal property/equipment. in proper condition, They shall further be responsible for studying needs, and making recommendations for improvements, superintending the work of the custodian, caring for the grounds, and keeping the property adequately insured maintaining adequate insurance on all real property and business personal property/equipment. Page 3 of 7 Qualifications: Trustees shall be members of the Church who exhibit the Biblical qualities of honesty and integrity understand the Biblical role of service and exhibit the qualities set forth in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. They shall endeavor to be knowledgeable of the legal matters of the Church. Term: The term of Trustee shall be three years, two to be elected each year. Treasurer Duties: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the disbursement of all funds of the Church according to the authority designated to that office by the General Board, serve as a member of the Stewardship Committee, and make reports at each regular meeting of the General Board. Qualifications: The Treasurer shall be a member of the Church who exhibits the Biblical qualities of honesty and integrity. Term: The term of Treasurer shall be two years. Church Historian Duties: The Church Historian shall be responsible for the historic documents and artifacts of the Church. Qualifications: The Church Historian shall have been a member of the Church for an extended period of time. Term: The term of Church Historian shall be two years. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS Nominations Organization: A nominating committee consisting of six members shall be appointed. Three members of the committee shall be selected by the congregation at the annual congregational meeting and three members shall be appointed from the General Board. General Board members shall be those whose terms of office do not expire in the current year. Members selected by the congregation shall not be members of the General Board. Notice of appointment of the nominating committee shall be given to the congregation. Duties: The nominating committee shall make nominations and seek nominations from the congregation for Church officers. The nominating committee shall review the individuals in nomination for qualifications and prepare a proposed slate of nominee candidates for review by the Board of Elders. The Board of Elders will evaluate the proposed slate with regard to Scriptural qualifications. The Board of Elders will then return their recommendations for nominee candidates. The Board of Elders shall secure consent to serve from Elder nominee candidates. The nominating committee Page 4 of 7 shall secure consent to serve from all other nominee candidates. The nominating committee shall then prepare a slate of candidates for election and present it to the General Board for approval at least thirty days preceding the annual congregational meeting. Elections Church officers shall be elected at the annual congregational meeting. Each nominee who receives a majority of the votes cast by ballot of those members present and voting shall be declared elected to office. Vacancies At the direction of the General Board, vacancies in any office of the church, except Elders, shall be filled for the current term by nomination by the Elders in consultation with the Senior Minister. The General Board shall then act on the nomination. ACCOUNTABILITY Church officers shall be accountable to God, to each other, and to the Congregation. ARTICLE 5 - SENIOR MINISTER The Senior Minister of the Church shall perform the duties which usually pertain to that office, and, as spiritual administrator of the Church, he shall be a member of the General Board and an ex-officio member of organized groups, auxiliaries, committees, and departments of the Church. The Senior Minister shall report to the Board of Elders. The Senior Minister shall be chosen by the Church as hereinafter provided: A pulpit committee shall be responsible for recommending a candidate. The Elders must approve the recommendation. The General Board must approve the recommendation. The recommendation must be accepted by a two-thirds majority of the members voting in a regular or special business meeting of the Church before the call may be extended. The term of the Senior Minister may be an indefinite period. A written contract setting the salary to be paid and other conditions of the call shall be made in duplicate, one copy for the Senior Minister and one copy for the Church. The Senior Minister may be dismissed and his contract terminated by a majority vote cast by ballot of those members present and voting at a congregational business meeting. Page 5 of 7 ARTICLE 6 - MEETINGS MEETINGS The Church shall hold an annual business meeting of the congregation in the month of December. Special business meetings of the congregation may be called as required. Such meetings may be called by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the General Board, or upon request of the General Board, or by written petition of at least seventy-five voting members of the Church. An emergency meeting of the congregation may be called by the Senior Minister, Chairman of the General Board, and Chairman of the Board of Elders, or their respective designees, providing that written notice has been given to each member of the congregation at least one full week prior to the meeting date. NOTICE OF MEETINGS Notice of all regular and special meetings of the congregation shall be given at the regular Sunday worship services of the church each week for a period of three weeks in advance of the meeting. Announcements of special meetings and emergency meetings shall include a statement as to the purpose of the meeting. MEETING CONDUCT All business meetings of the Church shall be conducted according to Roberts’ Rules of Order. ARTICLE 7 – BY-LAWS The General Board may establish such By-Laws, consistent with this Constitution, as may be deemed appropriate for the conduct of its business. ARTICLE 8 - AMENDMENTS This Constitution may be amended at any business meeting of the Church by a two-thirds majority vote of the members voting on the amendment, provided that written notice of the proposed amendment has been given to each member of the congregation at least one full week prior to the meeting, or that the proposed amendment has been read at the regular Sunday worship services each week for a period of three weeks prior to the vote. Page 6 of 7 ____________________________ Chairman of the Elders ____________________________ Chairman of the Board ____________________________ Chair of the Constitution Committee Page 7 of 7 FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO BY-LAWS (Revised 2014) Article 1 - Governing Laws Definition of By-laws The By-laws constitute the code of rules adopted by First Christian Church of New Philadelphia, Ohio, hereafter referred to as ‘the Church’ or ‘this Church’ for the regulation and management of its affairs. Purpose and Powers This Church is organized exclusively for religious purposes. Its activities shall be conducted for the aforesaid purposes and comply with the requirements for tax-exempt status under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code No part of the income of the Church shall be distributed to its members, directors or officers, provided, however, that the payment of reasonable compensation for services rendered shall not be deemed a distribution of income. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the First Christian Church, and after payment of just debts and liabilities, all remaining assets shall be distributed to the members of Church. Article 2 - Membership Definition of Membership The membership of this Church shall consist of those who are now identified as members of this congregation and those who shall unite with this congregation by confession of Jesus Christ as Savior, repentance of sins, and baptism into Jesus Christ by immersion, or by transfer of membership from a church with identical membership requirements. Page 1 of 6 Termination of membership Membership in the Church will terminate only for the following reasons: Notification to the Church of withdrawal of membership. Transfer of active membership to another church. Death of the member. For cause, i.e., activities inconsistent with membership in First Christian Church or the body of Christ, as determined by Biblical scriptures, after an appropriate hearing with the Board of Elders. Article 3 - Congregational Meetings Location Meetings of the congregation of the Church will be held in the Church building unless determined otherwise by the General Board. Date The Annual Meeting of the congregation will be held in the month of December. Other meetings may be called according to the provisions of the Church Constitution. Definition of Quorum A quorum for a duly called meeting of the Church shall consist of not less than seventy-five voting members. Procedures All business meetings of the Church shall be conducted according to Roberts’ Rules of Order. Voting Only members of the Church of voting age (age 16) are eligible to vote at a congregational meeting. Page 2 of 6 Article 4 - Church Officers Selection Church officers must be members of the Church and shall be elected and serve, as set forth in the Church constitution. Dismissal A Church officer may be dismissed only by a two-thirds majority agreement of the Board of Elders. Prior to dismissal, a written statement of cause for dismissal of the Church officer will be presented to the officer under consideration. That officer will have five days to offer a rebuttal to the Board of Elders, after which a hearing will be scheduled to determine if the officer will be dismissed. Article 5 - Operations Fiscal Year The fiscal year of the Church will be January 1 through December 31. Checks and Drafts All checks and drafts for the payment of money, notes or other evidence of indebtedness issued in the name of the Church shall be signed by the Church Treasurer. Deposits All funds of the Church shall be deposited regularly to the credit of the Church in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Stewardship/Finance Committee may select in consultation with the Trustees and Treasurer. Books and Records The Church will keep correct and complete books and records of all Church accounts and funds, and will also keep minutes of the proceedings of its members, Board of Elders, and General Board. The Church will keep at its principal office a record of names and addresses of all members entitled to vote. Inspection of Books and Records Page 3 of 6 All books and records of this church may be inspected by any member, for any proper purpose, at any reasonable time, with the exception of individual member contribution records. At the discretion of the General Board, books and records may be made available to other persons or organizations for auditing purposes. Not-for-Profit Operations This Church will not have or issue shares of stock. No dividend will be paid, and no part of the income of this Church will be distributed to its members, Elders, or officers, except in the form of a benevolent gift. However, the Church may pay a reasonable compensation to members, Elders, or officers for services rendered. Article 6 – Pastoral Staff Senior Minister The senior minister shall be selected and serve as set forth in the Church Constitution. Associate Ministers and Directors Associate ministers and directors shall be called for employment by a twothirds majority vote of the General Board present and voting at a duly called meeting of the General Board. Upon accepting the call, all ministry staff shall enter into a written contract with the General Board, as mutually agreed upon by the minister or director and the General Board. Associate ministers and directors shall be responsible to the Senior Minister and the Board of Elders for the performance of their office and the character of their doctrinal teaching. Dismissal of an associate minister or director shall require a simple majority vote of the General Board present and voting at a duly called meeting of the General Board. Page 4 of 6 Article 7 – Operational Staff The operational staff is comprised namely, but not limited to, the Facilities Manager, the Office Manager and the Treasurer. Operational staff members shall be hired for employment by a two-thirds majority vote of the General Board present and voting at a duly called meeting of the General Board. Operational staff members shall be responsible to the Senior Minister and the General Board for the performance of their duties. Dismissal of an operation staff member shall require a simple majority vote of the General Board present and voting at a duly called meeting of the General Board. Article 8 – Groups Within The Church The organization and maintenance of all groups within the Church shall be under the oversight of the General Board. Members of standing committees of the Church shall be appointed by the Chairman of the General Board, subject to the approval of the General Board. Special committees shall be formed in similar manner, as needed. Committee chairmen shall be elected by committee members at the first organizational meeting. Standing committees shall be appointed to execute the four avenues of church development – Worship, Growth, Service, Outreach – that have been established to fulfill the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). At least one elder shall oversee each of these four avenues. The means of receiving or gaining monies for committees shall be overseen by the General Board. The disbursement of funds shall be executed by the committee and the Church Treasurer, upon approval by the General Board. Committees shall meet as determined by committee chairmen, at least quarterly. All groups within the Church shall establish their policies and procedures, which shall be subject to review by the Board of Elders and the General Board. Page 5 of 6 Article 9 - Property Exclusive ownership of Church property shall be in the name of First Christian Church of New Philadelphia, an Ohio not-for-profit corporation, and shall be legally and ecclesiastically independent of any and all denominations and denominational agencies, councils, or groups. Only the General Board and/or its designees may authorize the following transactions: purchase or otherwise acquire, lease, sell, exchange, transfer assets, or borrow funds, without the authorization of the congregation, provided that such transactions do not incur indebtedness in excess of $250,000. Transactions which incur indebtedness greater than $250,000 or the sale of the building and/or its immediate grounds shall require a majority vote of the congregation at a duly called meeting. Article 10 - Amendments The By-Laws may be considered for amendment by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at a duly scheduled meeting of the General Board. Notification of such a meeting shall be at least three weeks prior to the scheduled vote. Documents under consideration shall be available for review. Article 11 - Effect Upon adoption of these By-Laws by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at the duly scheduled meeting of the General Board, such By-laws shall become effective and all former By-laws shall be nullified and voided. Page 6 of 6