Church By-Laws
Article 12: Consistory
1. All members are elected by the congregation for two years except the permanent pastor, who is elected by the congregation for an indefinite period of time.
2. Purpose of consistory is to take charge of all:
a. Spiritual and social concerns of the congregation.
b. Christian teaching of the congregation.
c. Other unmentioned Christian concerns of the congregation.
3. Members of consistory
a. Permanent pastor.
b. Elders (two to four in number).
c. Deacons (two to four in number).
4. Officers (elected by the consistory for one year, except the permanent pastor):
a. President - he will be the permanent pastor of the church, except as per By-Law Article 6.4.d. He will preside over all congregational and consistory meetings.
b. Vice-President - in the absence of the president, he will fulfill all his duties. He must be an elder.
c. Secretary - he will record all minutes of all consistory meetings and keep all other records as necessary. He will be the correspondent for consistory.
5. Other rules and regulations:
a. Consistory may make all other necessary rules and regulations that conform to the constitution and By-laws and use the Bible as authority.
Article 13: Board Of Trustees
1. All members are elected by the congregation for one to three years.
2. Purpose of trustees:
a. Take charge of temporal concerns of the church (temporal being worldly, not religious or sacred and of this life only).
b. Manage the finances and property of the church.
c. Be responsible for all contracts between the church and all other parties, except as prescribed in By-law Article 15.2.
d. Be the only purchasing agent of the church.
3. Members will be six in number.
4. Officers (elected by the trustees for one year):
a. President - He will preside over all trustee meetings.
b. Vice President - He will fulfill all duties of president in his absence.
c. Secretary - He will record all minutes of all trustee meetings and keep all other records as necessary. He will be the correspondent for the trustees.
d. Financial Secretary - He will collect, record and bank all income money. All offerings may be taken up by the consistory and then turned over to the financial secretary on the same day they were collected.
e. Treasurer - He will make payment of all bills as directed by the board of trustees (the financial secretary and the treasurer may be the same person).
5. Motions passed by the trustees to purchase real property and to erect or make additions to buildings must secure congregational approval before action may be taken. The trustees must have approval of the consistory before making any purchase of religious material.
6. Other rules and regulations: The trustees may make all other necessary rules and regulations that con form the the By-laws.
Article 14: General Rules For Both Consistory/Board Of Trustees
1. Members:
a. A person may serve on both bodies simultaneously.
b. A person may serve as an officer of either body simultaneously.
c. When an officer’s term has expired, he may succeed himself by election.
2. Quorum:
a. A majority of the total number of each body will constitute a quorum.
3. Motions:
a. All motions required a second, including the nomination of candidates for office.
b. A majority of the votes cast will carry or defeat a motion.
4. Attendees of Meetings:
a. Any church member may attend all regular meetings.
b. Portions of any meetings and all special meetings may be closed to all except members of the
body that is holding the meeting.
Article 15: Joint Authority Of Consistory And The Trustees
1. The permanent pastor will not be part of this authority.
2. Purpose:
a. To make contracts between the church and permanent pastor or preachers. This includes setting the wage and fringe benefits. Contracts will be signed by all members of both bodies.
b. Other business may be conducted at joint meetings, but only with mutual agreement of both parties.
3. Meetings:
a. May be called at any time by the vice-president of consistory or president of the trustees.
b. All members of both parties may attend meetings, but only an equal number of votes may be cast from each body. The members who are allowed to vote will be determined by separate voting of each body, at the beginning of the meeting.
4. Quorum shall consist of a quorum from each body.
5. A majority of the votes cast will carry or defeat a motion.
6. Officers:
a. There will be no elected officers.
b. At each meeting a temporary chairman and secretary will be elected.
7. Minutes of all meetings will be given to consistory and the trustees.
Article 16: Sunday School
1. Will be under the direction of the consistory at all times.
2. Purpose:
a. To teach Christianity to children and adults.
b. Aid the church in all ways possible.
3. The leader will be the superintendent. He will be elected for two years by the congregation in the manner that consistory and trustees are elected.
4. By-Laws, rules and regulations:
a. The Sunday school may adopt its own By-Laws, rules and regulations but they will be subject to the approval of the consistory. Consistory will make certain they conform to the By-Laws of the church.