May 21, 1997
Updated September 9, 2000

1.0 Article 1-----Name
2.0 Article 2-----Mission Statement
3.0 Article 3-----Governance
4.0 Article 4-----Membership
5.0 Article 5-----Meetings
6.0 Article 6-----Election and Nomination Process of the Council
7.0 Article 7-----Committees
8.0 Article 8-----Officers
9.0 Article 9-----Quorum
10.0 Article 10--Subordination to Constitution
11.0 Article 11--Rules of Order
12.0 Article 12--Responsibilities
13.0 Article 13--Invalidity
14.0 Article 14--Amendments
 

1.0 ARTICLE 1 - NAME

The name of the Church is United Church of God - Lafayette, Indiana.

The United Church of God - Lafayette, membership congregation is part of the United Church of God, an International Association, which preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God in all the world. The purpose of our local congregation is to assist in making and teaching disciples God calls, and setting an example of God's Way of Living.

Recognizing the Biblical pattern that a church is overseen by a minister of Jesus Christ, the local church is spiritually pastored by a paid minister(s)-(pastor) credentialed and supervised by the Home Office of the United Church of God, an International Association. The congregation is guided and shepherded by the pastor(s), who is assisted by elders, deacons and deaconesses.

The Church Council provides direction and oversight of the financial, physical, and organizational concerns of the local congregation. Its duties shall include, but not be limited to:

Church Council Members must be baptized members who regularly attend services of the Lafayette Congregation of the United Church of God, an International Association.

Church Council members may serve a maximum of three consecutive terms. The interim Church Council members elected in 1996 will be designated by lot for a two or three year term, to expire in December, 1997 and December, 1998 respectively. Three elected members will be chosen for a two year term, and three elected members will be chosen for a three year term. Thereafter, expired terms will be filled each year at the annual meeting, to be held in December of each year. Church Council members selected beginning in December, 1997 will serve for a two year term. Council Members' terms will expire at the December annual meeting.

3.6 Check Signing

Voting Membership in the Lafayette Congregation is limited to baptized members of the United Church of God, an International Association, who regularly attend services of the Lafayette Congregation.

An individual retains his/her voting membership until such time as:

The Church Council shall meet every two months during the year. A published agenda will be distributed to Council Members by the Recorder one week before the meeting. Any council member may request that an item be put onto a meeting agenda by submitting it in writing to the Recorder at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting. Items submitted within two weeks of the meeting may be included at the discretion of the Council Chairman.

The Church Council will hold a general membership meeting twice annually. These meetings are in addition to the meetings for the nomination and election of Council Members. Any church member may request that an item be put onto an open meeting agenda by submitting it in writing to the Recorder at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting. Items submitted within two weeks of the meeting may be included at the discretion of the Council Chairman.

The nomination of members to fill expired terms on the Church Council will occur at a special Nominations meeting of the Council, to be held in November, one month before Council Members' terms expire. Nominees will be chosen by ballot, as provided in Section 6.4, at this November meeting.

Special Meetings may be called by three (3) Council Members at any time, upon three (3) day prior notice by telephone, giving time and location of special meeting. A meeting may not be held if at least two Council Members object to the time and/or location of the special meeting. Business transacted at all special meetings shall be confined to the subject stated in the call and matters relevant thereto, unless all Council Members entitled to ballot are present and consent.

Teleconference Meetings of the Council Members may be conducted by utilizing teleconference technology as long as three days notice is given to all Council Members, and the technology utilized provides every Council Member the opportunity to hear, respond and ballot.

6.1 Submitting Nominations

Any baptized member of the United Church of God - Lafayette, congregation, is eligible to nominate an individual and/or individuals to be a Council Member(s).

The Lafayette Church Council shall have seven (7) members, with one of the positions reserved for the Pastor of the Lafayette Congregation.

If the United Church of God, an International Association, assigns an employed Associate Pastor to the Lafayette Congregation, he may represent the "Pastor" at any Church Council meeting at which the "Pastor" is not present. No other Council Member may designate a representative for any Church Council Meeting or action.

At the November Nominations meeting, any member of the Lafayette congregation may put into nomination for the Church Council any member who meets the qualifications specified in Section 3.4. Members who are not present may put names into nomination by supplying them in a sealed envelope to a member of the committee described in Section 6.7. At this Nominations meeting, each member, whether in person or in writing, may place into nomination up to six persons. The total of all ballots will be tallied as provided in Section 6.7. The six members receiving the most votes will be designated as nominees. These six nominees will be eligible to be elected to the Church Council at the December meeting. In case of a tie for the sixth position, all who are tied for this position will be designated as nominees.

At the annual December meeting, all members of the Lafayette Congregation may cast ballots to select council members. Each member may vote for up to three nominees to serve on the council. Absentee ballots may be requested of the Council Recorder no later than one week before the December meeting. The absentee ballots must be delivered to a member of the committee described in Section 6.7 in a sealed envelope at or before the December meeting. The three nominees who receive the most votes will be elected as Council Members for a two year term. In event of a tie for the final position, there will be a runoff ballot on the same day.

The election of Council Members shall be the first item of business at the December meeting. The newly-elected council members do not assume office until the December meeting is adjourned. All other business brought before the Council will be addressed by incumbent council members, whether or not they are reelected at the December meeting.

Council Members shall choose a Chairman at the first Council Meeting after the Council elections in December. Any Council Member is eligible to serve as Chairman. Each Council member shall vote for one person to serve as Chairman. The person who receives a majority of all votes cast shall be designated as Chairman to serve a one year term. If no person receives a majority of the votes on the first ballot, a second ballot will be held, with only the two top vote getters from the first ballot eligible for consideration. Ballots will be cast for one of these two individuals until someone receives a majority vote of all ballots cast. That person shall serve as Chairman for a one year term. If the Chairman cannot finish his term, there will be a new ballot taken to select another Council member who will serve until the following February.

A committee of three baptized members who do not wish to be considered for service on the council will be selected by the Pastor to tally all ballots to nominate and elect council members. The names of these individuals will be announced to the congregation at least two weeks in advance of the November nominations meeting. These three individuals will count all ballots and report the results to the Council Recorder, who will announce them to the congregation. For balloting for the Chairman, all ballots will be opened and tallied in the presence of all council members by the Council recorder.

When a Council Member no longer can serve for any reason, a new council member shall be chosen in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.4. One month prior to the next regular council meeting, a special Nominations meeting will be held. Two nominees will be chosen for each vacancy which exists. The following month, new council member(s) will be chosen in accordance with the provisions of 6.4, to serve the unexpired term(s) of the Council Members whom they are replacing. In the event that multiple Council Members must be replaced at the same meeting, and these members have unexpired terms of different lengths, the length of terms to be served by each newly-elected Council member will be determined by lot.

Work groups shall be established by the Board as needed. The groups will consist of at least one local member to serve as coordinator. Any number of members within the Lafayette Congregation of the United Church of God may serve as coordinator and/or member. Other committee members in addition to the coordinator may volunteer and serve (upon approval of the coordinator) or may be selected by coordinator (if they are willing to serve). It is not necessary that one be a baptized member to serve on a committee.

Officers chosen by the Council: Chairman, Recorder, and Treasurer, shall serve a one year term. The office of Chairman shall be filled by the Council. Individuals will be selected to serve in the offices of Recorder and Treasurer by a majority ballot of the Council. Ballots will be tallied in the same manner as ballots for the Council Chairman, as provided in Article 6.7. The Recorder and Treasurer need not be members of the Council, but they must be baptized members of United Church Of God, an International Association.

Chairman - Shall preside at meetings, organize agendas, and maintain an environment conducive for the proper functioning of the Council.

Recorder - Will be responsible for maintaining a record of proceedings of the Council Meetings, notifying Council Members and the congregation of scheduled open meetings and distributing all information regarding Council Activities. An additional duty of the Recorder is to provide the Council with names, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses of all who regularly attend Sabbath Services. This listing shall be updated quarterly for all council members, and monthly to the pastor.

Treasurer - Will maintain or supervise the local church checking account, issue receipts for tithes/free will offering/third tithe/donations received from the local members, and report on the financial condition of the local church.

Five Council Members shall constitute a quorum. Every action taken or decision made by a quorum of Council Members at a duly called meeting shall be an act of the Council. A meeting at which at least five Council Members initially are present may continue to transact business despite the withdrawal of a member. If any action or decision is made after the withdrawal of a member, it must be by unanimous vote of all remaining members. Four Council Members constitutes the minimum number who must be present to transact any business. The withdrawal of Council Members which leaves three or fewer present shall constitute an adjournment.

No action of the Council will be contrary to, or be at variance with, the Bylaws, the Rules of Association, or Constitution of the United Church of God, an International Association.

All Council meeting shall use as a guide "Robert's Rules of Order."

The Advisory Council shall understand fully without reservation that any and all acts which are supported by the Council should also reflect the support of a majority of the congregation. It is the responsibility of each member of the congregation to voice their honest, heart felt opinion on any matter which may be in question, to a Council Member and/or at a Council Meeting. This will assist the Body of the Church in knowing completely or as fully as possible what can be best for the local Church.

The invalidity or enforceability of any provision hereof shall not in any way affect the remaining portions hereof, which shall continue in full force and effect.

These Rules of Procedure must be ratified at a regular Council Meeting which will be held after a weekly Sabbath service. They must be approved by a minimum of 75% of those casting ballots to be ratified. Members may vote for or against ratification using the procedures outlined in Section 6.4. Ballots for and against ratification shall be counted by a committee of three members (none of whom may be Council Members), and the results given to the Council Recorder for presentation to the congregation.

At the first regular Council meeting after adoption of these Rules of Procedure, the Chairman shall appoint an amendment committee, consisting of at least three members of the Lafayette congregation. This committee shall be charged with writing an amendment process for these Rules of Procedure. This amendment process shall be presented to the Lafayette Congregation for its approval within six months after the committee is appointed. This amendment process must be approved at a regular Council meeting. The amendment process also must be ratified by at least 75% of those voting at that time.

Proposals for amending the Lafayette Rules of Procedure should be submitted in writing to one of the members of the Amendment Committee. Anyone attending services of the United Church of God, an International Association may submit a proposal at any time during the year. The Amendment Committee will review the amendment proposal; following the Amendment Committee's review, the committee will present its findings to the Lafayette Church Council Members. The Lafayette Church Council Members will then vote on the proposed amendment(s). If they are approved by the previously named body, the proposed amendment(s) will be submitted to the congregation for ratification.