BYLAWS OF THE NORTHWEST ASSOCIATION OF THE INDIANA-KENTUCKY CONFERENCE of the United Church of Christ

Transcription

1 BYLAWS OF THE NORTHWEST ASSOCIATION OF THE INDIANA-KENTUCKY CONFERENCE of the United Church of Christ Adopted September 27, 1998 Last Approved Revision May 1, 2005 ARTICLE I. NAME, DEFINITIONS AND MISSION 1. The name of this Association is Northwest Association of the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ. 2. Unless otherwise indicated by the context: a. "Conference" means the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ; b. "Association" means the Northwest Association of the Conference; c. "Church" or "Churches" means the member churches of this Association; and d. "Denomination" means the United Church of Christ. 3. The mission of this Association is to strengthen and support the ministry of its Churches. ARTICLE II. PURPOSES, POWERS AND DUTIES 1. The Churches of this Association, gathered for the following purposes, shall exercise the following powers and perform the following duties: a. To express our unity in Jesus Christ; b. To make more effective our Christian witness and service; c. To do the work and exercise all powers as described in the Bylaws of the Conference; d. To continue the work of the judicatories of the Congregational Christian and Evangelical Churches which functioned in Northwest Indiana prior to the formation of the United Church of Christ; e. To determine, confer and certify to the standing of all bodies which desire to be recognized as Churches in this Association; f. To determine, confer and certify to the standing of ministers of the United Church of Christ or other Christian denominations with which the Denomination is in fellowship; 1

2 g. At the request of a Church and the Committee on Ministry, to exercise the duties and perform the functions of an Ecclesiastical Council according to the customs and procedures of the Denomination; h. To encourage and support the spiritual and missionary tasks of the Churches; i. To cooperate with the Conference and the Covenanted Ministries, Agencies, and Recognized Groups of the Denomination; j. To exercise all powers and prerogatives customarily exercised by Associations in the Denomination, to extend the Gospel, advance the Christian faith, promote education and encourage Christian charity; k. By notice of the proposal given in the call of the meeting, the Association may, by a two-thirds vote of members present, request the Conference to exercise the functions of the Association with respect to the standing of clergy or Churches and when the Conference has accepted such responsibility the Association shall transfer the standing of the clergy or Churches to the Conference; and 1. Adjustment in Association boundaries shall only be made after consultation with and approval by other Associations concerned, the Conference and Churches which would be affected. ARTICLE III. FAITH The Association claims as its own the faith of the Christian Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the Protestant Reformers. In particular, we claim that faith as expressed in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United Church of Christ and in the Statement of Faith adopted by the General Synod of the Denomination on July 8, 1959 as amended. ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP 1. Churches - Membership in the Association shall include: a. All Churches which are presently members in good standing of the Association on the date these revised Bylaws are adopted and all Churches subsequently admitted to membership in the Association; b. Each Church is entitled to be represented at meetings of the Association as follows: Membership # of Lay Delegates

3 Membership shall be determined by the most recent published yearbook of the Denomination. 2. Individuals - The following individuals shall be members of the Association: a. Ordained ministers of the United Church of Christ or of other denominations with whom the Denomination has arrangements for reciprocal recognition of ministerial standing and whose standing has been conferred or recognized by official action of the Committee on Ministry of this Association. b. Any ordained minister of the United Church of Christ who: (1) Is retired, by virtue of age or disability, who chooses to hold his or her standing in this Association; or (2) Is without permanent residence because of special duties undertaken on behalf of the Conference or the Denomination and who chooses to hold his or her standing in this Association; or (3) Has been granted leave of absence and desires to hold his or her standing in this Association. c. Commissioned or licensed ministers recognized by the Committee on Ministry and by the Association. 3. The Conference Minister, other members of the Conference Staff, official representatives to General Synod and persons on Covenanted Ministries, Agencies, and Recognized Groups of the Denomination shall be accorded the privileges of membership during their attendance at Association meetings but shall have no vote. ARTICLE V. PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. A church holding membership in this Association has a God-given responsibility for the Association, its labors and its witness, even as the Association has a God-given responsibility for the well-being and aspirations of each Church. 2. The autonomy of the Church is inherent and can be modified only by its own action. Nothing in the Bylaws of this Association shall destroy or limit the right of each Church to continue to operate in the way customary to it, nor shall these Bylaws be construed as giving to the Association the power to abridge or impair the right of any Church to manage its own affairs. Nothing in the Bylaws of this Association shall destroy or limit the right of each Church to withdraw from this Association at any time without forfeiture of ownership or control of real or personal property or any rights therein belonging to the Church. 3. Actions by or decisions or advice emanating from the General Synod and the Conference and this Association should be held in the highest regard by every Church of the Association. 3

4 4. No Church may be removed from membership in the Association except upon recommendation of the Committee on Ministry and by a two-thirds vote of the delegates present at a duly called meeting of the Association after due notice of the proposed action has been given to the parties concerned. 5. The privilege and responsibility of witnessing to the Gospel belong to every member of each Church. The Association diligently seeks, therefore, in concert with the Conference and the Denomination, to provide opportunities for its members to exercise such gifts of teaching, evangelizing, healing, preaching and administration as God has bestowed upon them. 6. The Association recognizes that God calls certain persons to full time service for various forms of ministry in the Church. This calling is recognized by ordained ministry, commissioned ministry and licensed ministry. 7. Just as Churches and the Association have, in fellowship, a mutual responsibility laid upon them by God for each other's well-being and aspirations, so have the individual members of Churches and the Association. All recognized ministers agree to be faithful in attendance at meetings of the Association and in participation in its work. 8. An ordained or commissioned minister who withdraws from active full time service in the ministry may apply to the Association through the Committee on Ministry for leave of absence. The Association may grant a leave of absence for one year at a time. Such leave of absence is not granted for more than five successive years for an ordained minister, except in special cases, and three successive years for a commissioned minister. 9. An ordained minister retiring from the active ministry by reason of age or sickness shall not forfeit ministerial standing in this Association. 10. An ordained minister shall be a member of the pension fund of the Denomination unless excused from participation by the Association. 11. An ordained or commissioned minister who holds standing in this Association may receive a transfer to another Association in the Denomination upon written request to the Committee on Ministry, provided that such request does not violate the Constitution and Bylaws of the Denomination as amended. 12. No recognized minister shall be removed from the roll of members of the Association except upon recommendation of the Committee on Ministry and by a two-thirds vote of the delegates present at a duly called meeting of the Association, written notice of the proposed action having been given to the parties concerned at least two weeks in advance. ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS 1. Regular meetings of the Association shall be held in the spring and autumn at such times and places as the Association may designate or, lacking such designation, as may be determined by the President and the Association Council. Written notice of these meetings shall be given 4

5 to each Church and each minister not less than thirty days preceding the date of the meeting. The spring meeting shall be inspirational in purpose and shall elect the leadership of the Association and do such evaluation and planning as may be necessary. The autumn meeting shall focus on challenging, empowering and inspiring Churches for mission and ministry. 2. Special meetings may be called by the Registrar upon request of the Association Council or upon the written request of five Churches of the Association. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call and only such items stated in the call shall be considered. Written notice of special Association meetings shall be given to each Church and each minister not less than thirty days preceding the date of the meeting. 3. Delegates from not less than one-third of the Churches together with not less than one-third of the recognized ministers serving Churches shall constitute a quorum for regular and special meetings. 4. The Association shall meet as an Ecclesiastical Council at the call of the Registrar upon request by a Church or other parties concerned and with the recommendation of the Committee on Ministry and the approval of the Association Council. Ecclesiastical Councils shall be conducted in accordance with the Manual on Ministry of the Denomination. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call and only items stated in the call shall be considered. Written notice of the Ecclesiastical Council meeting shall be given to each Church and to each minister not less than thirty days prior to the date of the meeting. ARTICLE VII. OFFICERS 1. Officers of this Association shall be a President, President Elect, Past President, Program Coordinator, Registrar and Treasurer. The President, President Elect and Past President shall serve a term of one year. Each year a President Elect shall be elected and shall assume the office of President the following year. If possible, the office of the President Elect shall alternate between laity and clergy. The Program Coordinator, Registrar and Treasurer shall be elected for three-year terms and may be re-elected to the same office for one additional term. If a person is appointed to fill a vacancy of less than one year, that person may be elected to the office for two full terms. Those officers shall serve from the conclusion of the meeting at which they are elected and until their successors are duly elected. 2. The President shall perform those duties usually assigned the presiding officer, assist the Treasurer in preparing the budget, sign all legal and official documents on behalf of the Association, receive all expense vouchers and issue them in triplicate to the Treasurer for payment, and shall appoint an auditor or auditors to conduct an annual audit of the books of the Association. 3. The President Elect shall assist the President and act in the absence of the President. 4. The Past President shall be a member of the Association Council for one year following the end of his or her term of office and shall be available to the Council for such assistance and leadership as may be requested. 5

6 5. The Program Coordinator shall have primary responsibility for program coordination and development and shall assist the President and President Elect. 6. The duties of the Registrar are to: a. Issue the call for the meetings of the Association as provided in these Bylaws and record the minutes of such meetings; b. Have charge of the credentials of the voting delegates at Association meetings; c. Together with the President, sign all legal and official documents (except those related to the Committee on Ministry) on behalf of the Association; d. Keep the roll of the Churches and recognized ministers of the Association and provide all the necessary information required by the Conference to keep an official roster of the Churches and ministers; e. Report annually to the Association and to the Conference the list of Churches and ministers and, in consultation with the Committee on Ministry, suggest such revisions as may be appropriate for action by the Association; f. In cooperation with the Committee on Ministry, keep a record of the students In Care of the Association and transmit this record to the Conference; and g. In cooperation with the Committee on Ministry, keep a record of ordained ministers, licensed ministers and commissioned ministers who are credentialed in the Association and report their standing and transmit their records to the Conference. 7. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds of the Association according to instructions from the Association itself or the Council. All vouchers shall be signed by the President before checks are issued. The Treasurer shall be bonded and the accounts audited annually. The Treasurer shall request funds from the Conference as needed. An annual report shall be made to the spring Association meeting and to the Conference. Other financial reports shall be prepared and filed as requested. ARTICLE VIII. THE ASSOCIA TION COUNCIL 1. The Association Council shall provide administrative and program leadership for the Association and shall approve the budget. The Council shall consist of the President, President Elect, Past President, Program Coordinator, Registrar, Treasurer, Nominating Committee Chair, Committee on Ministry Chair and three members elected at large. The following persons shall be given the privileges of membership in the Council but not the vote: The Associate Conference Minister assigned to the Association; members of the Board of Directors of the Conference residing in the Association; Association representatives to the Conference Program Committees; the President of the Northwest Association Women; 6

7 delegates to General Synod from the Association; and members of the Denomination's Covenanted Ministries, Agencies, and Recognized Groups who reside in the Association. 2. The Nominating Committee Chair and the Committee on Ministry Chair shall be elected for three-year terms and may be re-elected for one additional term. The three Members at Large shall be elected for staggered terms of three years, one being elected each year. Members at Large may be re-elected for a second term. 3. In addition to normal administrative functions, the Council will plan, supervise and coordinate all Association programming with the assistance of the Program Coordinator. The mission of the Association is to ascertain the needs and strengthen the ministry of the Churches. Special attention shall be given to Christian Education, Youth Ministries, Mission Interpretation, Stewardship and Our Church's Wider Mission. 4. The Council shall meet a minimum of three times per year. A majority of the Council members shall constitute a quorum. 5. The Council will implement program goals and receive resources through the Program Committees of the Conference, as well as Covenanted Ministries, Agencies, and Recognized Groups of the Denomination. 6. The Council will develop a budget and communicate budget requests to the Conference Budget Committee. ARTICLE IX. TASK FORCES AND STANDING COMMITTEES 1. Special Task Forces - The President, with the approval of the Council, may appoint a Task Force charged with planning meetings and carrying out program objectives. A Task Force shall address any contemporary concerns and issues raised by Churches, individuals in the Association, the Conference or the Denomination. The Chair of each Task Force shall report to the Council. 2. The Committee on Ministry a. The powers of the Committee on Ministry are derived from the Constitution and Bylaws of the Denomination, and from the Association. The decisions of the Committee on Ministry are subject to the approval of the Association Council or the Association at a regular or special meeting as provided in these Bylaws. In performing its work the Committee on Ministry shall be governed by the Manual on Ministry of the Denomination as amended. b. The Chair of the Committee on Ministry shall be elected by the Association for a term of three years and may be re-elected for one additional term. The Chair of the Committee on Ministry shall be a voting member of the Association Council. The Chair shall sign documents and certificates related to the work of the Committee; keep an accurate record of individual members and Churches; and make an annual report to the 7

8 Registrar. In addition to the Chair, the Association shall elect twelve members to the Committee on Ministry for a term of three years. Members may be re-elected for one additional term. There shall be six lay and six clergy members on the Committee. Insofar as possible all areas of the Association shall be fairly represented. Four of the twelve Committee members shall be elected at each spring meeting of the Association. The President of the Association shall be entitled to participate in all meetings of the Committee with voice but without vote. c. The Committee shall meet as a full body at least annually. The Committee may divide into sub-groups when necessary. The Chair may appoint an acting chairperson for a sub-group. A quorum at any such meeting will be more than one-half of the eligible members of the sub-group. d. The Committee shall approve requests for In Care status from those preparing for the ministry of the church, following the guidelines in the Manual on Ministry. The Committee shall maintain contact with and encourage those preparing for the ministry. Students must be In Care of the Association for at least one year before a request for ordination may be submitted. The Committee shall guide the progress of those In Care through an advisor appointed by the Committee. e. The Committee shall receive requests from Churches for the ordination of qualified students In Care. After reviewing the materials submitted by the candidate, the Committee may vote to authorize an Ecclesiastical Council of the Association to hear the report of the Committee, to question the candidate and vote to proceed with ordination. The Ecclesiastical Council shall be a meeting of the Association and the decision of those voting at the Ecclesiastical Council shall be an official vote of the Association on behalf of the entire Denomination. The action shall be reported at the next regular Association meeting. Those attending an Ecclesiastical Council shall constitute a quorum, as long as representatives from 25% of the Association's Churches are present. A service of ordination may be authorized for any time following the lapse of two weeks from the date of the Ecclesiastical Council. f. In accordance with the Manual on Ministry, the Association recognizes three forms of ministerial standing in the Denomination: (1) Ordained Ministerial Standing - Standing as an ordained minister serving in the parish or other recognized ministries is granted for the period in which the minister serves in the Association, and is open to periodic review by the Committee on Ministry. (2) Licensed Ministerial Standing - Standing as a licensed minister is granted annually by the Committee on Ministry and is renewable, but not transferable, for those lay persons in recognized ministries. (3) Commissioned -Ministerial Standing - Commissioned Ministerial Standing may be granted annually and may be renewed by the Committee on Ministry to those lay persons in specialized ministries not requiring ordination. 8

9 (4) Other Types of Standing, Leave of Absence and Related Matters - The Committee on Ministry may grant dual ordained ministerial and partnership standing, privilege of call, and leave of absence. The Committee may also grant voting privileges to those not specifically entitled to vote under the Constitution of the Denomination or the Bylaws of the Association, provided that such action is approved by the Association Council. The Committee shall authorize and participate in services of Ordination, Installation and Recognition of specialized ministries and In Care standing. g. Admission of Local Churches - Local churches wishing to become members of the Association shall apply through this Committee, presenting supporting evidence as called for in the Manual on Ministry of the Denomination and the Constitution and Bylaws of the Denomination. The Committee on Ministry may recommend acceptance at a regular meeting of the Association. Final approval shall be granted only by affirmative vote at a regular meeting, and a church shall become a member only when so approved. h. When there is a need for counseling ministers, including periodic review, special review, or fitness review, this committee will: (1) Follow the guidelines of the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, as articulated in the Manual on Ministry and the document titled: Pastoral Misconduct: Dealing with Allegations of Sexual Contact or Harassment with the Pastoral Relationship (5th Draft and, upon review, all subsequent drafts). (2) In the case of fitness issues, the Committee on Ministry's recommendation will be forwarded to the Association Council, who will act on it at a closed meeting consisting of the Officers of the Association, the Committee on Ministry, and the Associate Conference Minister. (3) Appeals may only be made on procedural grounds and are to be made to the Association Council, who will decide if the process was followed accurately. If it was not, the Association Council will make a recommendation for follow-up action. i. Churches which fail to meet their obligations to the Association, Conference or the Denomination are subject to disciplinary action by the Committee on Ministry and the Association. All disciplinary proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the Manual on Ministry of the Denomination, to the extent applicable, and an accurate account of proceedings shall be maintained and filed in the Conference Office. The Committee on Ministry shall make recommendation to the Association, which shall make the final determination at a regular or special meeting of the Association. 3. The Nominating Committee a. The President and President Elect will serve as ex officio members of the Nominating Committee. The Committee shall be made up of the elected Chair and three members who will be elected by the Association for three-year terms, one to be elected each 9

10 year. Members may be re-elected for one additional term. The Chair will serve on the Conference Nominating Committee. b. The Nominating Committee shall nominate persons for all elective offices and standing committees in the Association, except as otherwise specifically provided; nominate candidates for all vacancies; nominate candidates for all elective positions in the Conference for which the Association has responsibility (including three Association Representatives to the Conference Program Committee who shall be elected for threeyear terms and may be re-elected for one additional term); and nominate candidates to fill any other office as the Association may direct. Candidates nominated to fill vacancies shall be approved and appointed by the Association Council. Vacancies in a Task Force appointed by the Council shall be filled by the Council unless otherwise specifically provided. c. The Committee may invite suggestions for all elective positions prior to the next Association Meeting. Nominations from the floor shall be invited, provided the consent of the person to be nominated has been obtained. Voting shall be by ballot whenever there is more than one candidate for an elective office. ARTICLE X. FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year of the Association shall be the calendar year. ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any regular meeting of the Association, or at a special meeting for that purpose, provided that an announcement of the proposed amendment is made in writing to Churches and ministers at least four weeks before a vote is taken on the proposed amendment. ARTICLE XII. RULES OF ORDER Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, business shall be transacted by a majority of members present and voting at any duly called meeting, provided that a quorum is present when the meeting is called to order. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, business shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order. 10