Heritage
Congregational Christian Church
Madison,
Wisconsin
effective
January 1,
2006
We enter into this
Covenant with God and with one another, believing that our faith in God is
relevant to each day as it comes and affirming our desire to live and grow in
fellowship as followers of Jesus Christ.
We believe in God the
Father, our Creator; in Jesus Christ, His Son, our risen Lord and Savior; and
in the Holy Spirit, alive and at work in the world today. We seek to know the will of God as
taught in the Holy Scriptures and revealed to us in prayer. We recognize each person's freedom to
interpret the Scriptures according to individual conscience. We strive to walk in the ways of Jesus
Christ as we know them now or may come to know them.
We believe the mission
of this Church is to lead people to commit their lives to Christ, to witness
and minister to the world through involvement in the concerns of contemporary
society, and to work to achieve social justice, equality and community.
We
welcome to our Fellowship all who wish to worship and work with us. We pledge to participate in the life of
this Church, to give generously of ourselves and of our substance, to sustain
one another in time of trouble, and to worship together.
Article III.
- Membership
A. Membership in this Church means owning
the Church Covenant. Members of
the Church have both voice and vote in all the affairs of the Church, may hold
office, and may serve on boards and committees. Non-members may be given the courtesy of the floor in
meetings but may not vote, and may participate only informally in the work of
boards and committees.
B. A person desiring membership and
baptized in the Christian faith may become a member by demonstrating some
knowledge of church life, as specified in the By-laws; owning the Covenant in
the presence of other members and affirming the same by signing the Covenant
Book; and being welcomed with the right hand of fellowship, thereby signifying
Covenant membership in our gathered body.
Article IV.
- Association
The Church acknowledges and accepts the equally
important obligations of mutual consent, courtesy and cooperation involved in
the free fellowship of both the National Association of Congregational
Christian Churches and the Wisconsin Congregational Association, and pledges
itself to safeguard and to share their common aims and work. The Church
declares its fellowship further with all churches which seek to promote the
Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Article V. -
Governance
The Church, under the Headship of Christ, shall
be governed by its membership. Official meetings of the membership shall occur
at least annually. When not in official meeting the church shall be represented
by the Prudential Board, as defined in the by-laws.
Article VI.
- Property and Dissolution
The Church shall have the right to own both real
and personal property and to hold the same, sell, mortgage or otherwise deal in
both real and personal property. Upon the dissolution of the Church, the net
assets of the Church after payment of all debts shall be distributed to the
Corporation of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches of
the United States of America, a Wisconsin Corporation, its successors and
assigns.
Article VII.
- Amendments
Amendment shall be made to this constitution by
a three-quarters affirmative vote of the membership present at an official
meeting. Members shall have been notified by announcement from the pulpit on
three consecutive Sundays and by mail to the members at least 14 days in
advance.
Revised by amendment November 6,
2005
Constitution
and Bylaws of
Heritage
Congregational Christian Church
Madison, Wisconsin
effective
January 1, 2006
Article I. -
Membership
A. The membership of this Church shall
consist of all persons who are members on the date of this revision of the
Constitution and By-Laws and those who hereafter are received into membership
in accordance with this article.
B. To join the Church, a person must do
all of the following:
1. Notify the Congregation of his or her
desire to become a member by informing the Minister, the Clerk, or the Chair of
the Board of Spiritual Life; and whichever of them receives such notice shall
promptly inform the others and the Church office.
2. Be baptized, or give evidence (by
certificate or by a simple statement) of having been baptized in a Christian
church.
3. Show knowledge of church life by one of
the methods below:
a. Faithfully attend a membership course
prescribed by the Board of Spiritual Life.
b. Faithfully attend a confirmation class
prescribed by the Board of Spiritual Life to confirm his or her baptism.
c. Provide a letter of transfer or
dismission from another church.
4. Own the Covenant of this Church in the
presence of other members — normally, but not necessarily, at a regular worship
service or business meeting of the Church — and sign the Covenant Book to
affirm owning the Covenant.
C. Upon a person’s joining the Church,
officers and members of the Congregation shall welcome the new member with the
right hand of fellowship, and the new member shall be entered on the Church
Membership Roll by the Church office.
D. Continuance of membership shall rest
upon the member’s adherence to the Covenant pledge “to participate in the life
of this Church, to give generously of ourselves and of our substance, to
sustain one another in time of trouble, and to worship together.”
1. Each year the Board of Spiritual Life
shall review the Church Membership Roll and determine which members have been
completely inactive for one year or more.
2. Before November 1 the Board shall mail
to all such members notice of the impending lapse of their membership effective
the next January 1, with encouragement to remedy such lapse by resuming
participation.
3. Any such members who do not thereupon
resume participation shall be removed from the Roll on January 1.
4. No member shall be removed from the
Roll, or notified of impending lapse, for inactivity due to illness,
incapacity, or the pursuit of education in a distant city.
5. The Board shall consider members as
individuals, giving the benefit of doubt where reasonable but remembering that
participation is a necessary part of membership.
E. Persons manifesting a close
relationship with this Church and desiring to affirm that bond without the
privileges or obligations of full membership may request and receive
associate-membership, with voice but without vote in Congregational meetings.
Article II. - Governance
A. Qualifications: all elected members of
all Boards shall be members of the Church. No person shall be eligible for
election to any one Board for more than two consecutive full terms (terms are
defined under each board). Anyone appointed to fill a term exceeding one-half
will be considered to have served a full term. All board members shall take
office at the beginning of the fiscal year (see Article VI).
B. Except as reserved to the Boards, the
Prudential Board shall be responsible for all matters of the Church when it is
not in meeting.
1. The Prudential Board shall consist
of:
a. the Moderator, a voting ex officio
member, who shall be its chairperson
b. the Moderator-elect, a voting ex
officio member
c. the Clerk, a voting ex officio
member, who shall be its secretary
d. the Treasurer, a voting ex officio
member
e. the Chairperson of the Board of
Trustees, a voting ex officio member
f. the Chairperson of the Board
of Spiritual Life, a voting ex officio member
g. the immediate past-Moderator, a
voting ex officio member
h. two “at-large” representatives
elected from the congregation for alternating two year terms
i. non-voting ex officio,
Minister(s)
2. The responsibility of the
Prudential Board shall be to:
a. Promote cooperation and
coordination among the Boards and Committees of the Church in all matters of
concern to the whole Church.
b. Act for the Church, when necessary,
to fill vacancies in the Offices, Boards, and Committees of the Church, except
Moderator and Moderator Elect, and to appoint such special committees as
necessary.
c. Nominate a committee for the
selection of a Minister when necessary, to be elected by the Church.
d. Serve as a committee, chaired by
the immediate Past Moderator, for the selection of an interim Minister when
necessary.
e. Serve as the Long-Range Planning
Committee.
f. Develop a job description for
and annually evaluate the Minister(s).
g. Review employment actions of the
Board of Trustees.
C. In addition to the Prudential Board,
there shall be the following Boards: Spiritual Life and Trustees. Each Board
shall hold an organizational meeting, which shall be called by the retiring
Chairperson within fourteen days after the Annual Meeting. At that time each
Board shall elect a Chairperson, who shall represent the Board to the
Prudential Board, and a Recording Secretary. Thereafter, each Board shall meet
at least once every two months. Each Board shall submit a written report of its
activities to the Annual Meeting.
1. The Board of Spiritual Life shall
consist of the Minister(s) and twelve members each with two-year terms. Half of
the terms will be elected at the (Election) Annual Meeting in even years and
the other half in odd years. The
Minister shall act as co-Chairperson of the Board.
a. The main task of the Board is to
oversee the spiritual life of the Church. The tasks defined in the Bylaws are
the responsibility of the Board; and other tasks may be identified as the need
arises.
b. The Board assists in preparing the
Stewardship message to the church and appoints a representative to the
Stewardship committee and prepares budget requests for the Board of Trustees.
c. The Board acts annually to remove
inactive church members from the Church Membership Roll, as specified in
Article I.D. of these Bylaws.
d. It is intended that the Board of
Spiritual Life shall divide up its tasks among Board members formed into
working subcommittees; and that said Board members shall, in turn, call upon
non-Board members from the Congregation to assist them in carrying out said
tasks throughout the Church year.
The tasks of the working subcommittees existing in November 2005 are
listed below, but this list shall not preclude other working subcommittees
being established, as needed, by the Board.
(1) Worship:
(a) Assists the Minister(s) in preparation
and celebration of the Sacraments.
(b) Provides for pulpit supply in cases of
temporary absence of the Minister(s) and arranges for compensation.
(c) Arranges and provides training for ushers,
greeters and liturgists.
(2) Missions:
(a) Develops
Mission and Benevolent activities and proposes to the Congregation possible
mission projects. (It is noted that members give directly to missions through
the “Heritage Missions Pipeline” and that such gifts do not become the property
of Heritage Congregational Christian Church, which merely administers the
transfer of funds.)
(b) Encourages the spiritual growth of
church members through facilitating opportunities for service in the examples
of Christ.
(3) Membership/ Fellowship:
(a) Advises Minister(s) on new member
preparatory classes.
(b) Assists in the reception of new
members.
(c) Nurtures the fellowship and social
outreach of the church.
(d) Seeks new ways to serve members.
(e) Performs a yearly removal of inactive
members from the Church Membership Roll.
(4) Christian Education:
(a) Provides oversight and support to the
Christian Education program.
(b) Has regular consultation with the
Minister(s), Coordinator of Children’s Ministries, and Pilgrim Fellowship
advisor(s).
(c) Provides for well-trained nursery staff
for Sunday worship and other special events.
(d) Promotes, maintains and provides
materials for the Church Library.
(5) Congregational Care:
(a)
Nurtures the spiritual needs of members who are unable to regularly attend
Church due to illness, aging or other difficulties, and fulfills this mission
by phone calls, cards, flowers and personal visits.
(b) Supports
bereaved families of the Church by serving meals for funerals.
(c) At
least one Board of Spiritual Life member shall participate in the tasks of this
group and shall also serve as liaison to the Board.
(6) Other subcommittees may be defined by
new initiatives.
2. The Board of Trustees shall consist of
six members, three to be elected each year to serve for two years. The
Treasurer shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member, as will the Minister.
a. The Board of Trustees shall constitute
the business committee of the Church.
b. It shall be the responsibility of the
Board of Trustees to:
(1) Have in its care and custody the property and
financial affairs of the Church, except as otherwise provided by the By-Laws,
subject always to the regulations prescribed by law and to the expressed
direction of trusts and gifts, but it shall not have authority to buy or lease
real property for the Church, nor to sell, lease, mortgage or transfer real
property of the Church without specific authority granted by the Church in
Meeting.
(2) Provide for the annual auditing of the books of
all officers, Boards, and groups handling monies of the Church and include such
audit in the Church Annual Meeting report.
(3) In cooperation with the Board of Spiritual
Life, plan, organize and conduct annually a stewardship program in support of
current expenses and benevolences.
(4) Provide a comprehensive budget from the
information provided by the Boards and Committees to the Church membership to
be approved by the Church in Annual Meeting.
(5) Keep the Church membership informed of the
financial health of the Church throughout the year.
(6) Provide guidance and supervision to all persons
employed by the Church and to arrange for the adequate compensation of such
persons.
(7) Provide clear and current job descriptions for
all employees, other than the Minister.
(8) Employ or discharge persons in such positions
as the Church or the Prudential Board establishes, excepting the Minister, such
actions being subject to review by the Prudential Board.
(9) Be responsible for annually evaluating the
performance of all non-ordained persons employed by the Church and serve as a
Committee of Grievance for such persons; the Board may choose to appoint a
subcommittee to undertake either function.
(10)
Enlist other members of the Congregation to assist in performing any of its
functions as it deems necessary, e.g. memorials and special gifts, and
decorating.
(11) Recommend
candidates to the Nominating Committee when called upon.
D. Committees
1. Pastoral Relations
Advisory Committee
a. The purpose of the Pastoral Relations
Advisory Committee shall be to tend regularly to the cultivation of good
relations between the Congregation and the minister(s).
b. The Committee shall consist of five
members chosen in the following manner.
The minister shall recommend to the Prudential Board a list of at least
ten members of the congregation.
The Prudential Board shall name five members for the Pastoral Relations
Advisory Committee from that list.
(1) The members shall serve a 2-year term beginning
January 1 of odd numbered years.
(2) Members will be named in November of even
numbered years.
(3) No member of the committee may serve
consecutive terms.
(4) Vacancies in the committee may be filled by the
Prudential Board in consultation with the minister.
(5) Members of the Prudential Board are not
eligible for membership on the committee.
(6) The moderator will serve as an ex-officio
member of the Committee.
c. The Committee, in consultation with
the minister, shall determine the frequency of its meetings, but in no case
shall it meet less than quarterly.
d. At its first meeting, the committee
shall elect a chair.
2. Nominating Committee
a. The Nominating Committee shall
consist of six members, three to be elected each year to serve for two years.
The Moderator Elect shall serve as its chair. The Committee shall elect a
Secretary. The Secretary is responsible to forward the nominations to the Clerk
to be entered into the church record. The committee’s term will end upon the
Congregation’s filling all offices by election at the Annual Meeting.
b. It shall be the responsibility of
the Nominating committee to prepare nominations for the following offices,
boards, and committees:
Moderator-elect, Treasurer, Clerk, Board of Spiritual Life, Board of
Trustees, and at-large members of the Prudential Board. The committee shall, at least two weeks
prior to the Annual Meeting, post its completed list of nominations in two
different places in the Meeting House. No persons shall be nominated for any position without their
consent.
c. No member shall be nominated or elected
to more than one standing Board or Committee (named in these Bylaws) at the
same time, except that the immediate Past Moderator may be nominated and elected
to serve on a Board or Committee in addition to the Prudential Board.
d. Nominations for any office, board,
or committee may be made at the annual meeting provided that the nominee has
agreed in advance to serve if elected.
3. Other Committees
a. Standing or ad hoc committees of the
Congregation shall be formed as needed to facilitate the activities of the
Church.
b. These committees shall be formed by
action of the Congregation, the Prudential Board, or the Moderator.
c. All ad hoc committees terms shall
expire at the end of the fiscal year.
d. The Pastoral search committee nominated
and elected in accord with Article II.B.2.c., whose duties shall be:
(1) to select candidates for the office of
Minister, and to arrange for their presentation to the Church.
(2) to arrange the details of the call, subject to
the confirmation by the Church at a meeting called for that purpose and no
other.
(3) to make such other recommendations as they see
fit, and to extend the call, as ordered by the Church.
(4) This committee shall dissolve upon the election
of a new Minister.
Article III. - Officers
A. Elected
Officers
The officers of this
Church shall be members thereof. They shall be elected at the Annual Meeting to
serve for one year beginning at the start of the fiscal year, or until their
successors are chosen.
1. Moderators
The principal officer of
the Church shall be elected annually for a three-year term to serve in
successive one-year positions, first as Moderator-Elect, then as Moderator, and
finally as immediate Past Moderator. All nominees shall preferably have served
at least two prior years on the Prudential Board. In the event the
Moderator-Elect or Moderator resigns, or is otherwise unable to continue in the
position, a Special Meeting shall be promptly called to fill the position.
The responsibilities of the Officer in each
position are as follows:
a. As Moderator, this officer shall
preside at Church Meetings, shall chair the Prudential Board, and shall serve
as a non-voting ex-officio member on all boards and committees. The Moderator
may not serve successive terms.
b. As Moderator-Elect, this officer shall
chair the Nominating Committee, and shall assume the responsibilities of the
Moderator if the Moderator is unable to perform those duties.
c. As immediate Past Moderator, this
officer shall be a member of the Prudential Board.
2. Clerk
The Clerk shall keep a
record of all business meetings of the church, which shall be read for approval
in each case at the next business meeting; have custody of all books and
records when they cease to be in active use and keep them available for
inspection; notify all Officers, Board and Committee members, and delegates of
their election or appointment by the Church or Prudential Board; conduct
correspondence as directed by the Church or Prudential Board; preserve a file
of communications and written reports; give legal notice of all meetings
requiring same; and be the secretary of the Prudential Board.
3. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have
custody of all Church funds and shall deposit them in such depositories as the
Board of Trustees shall direct, and shall expend and disburse monies as
authorized by the Board of Trustees. The accounts shall be audited annually
following the close of the fiscal year and prior to the Annual Meeting. The
Treasurer shall submit a written report at said meeting, shall be non-voting
ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees, and shall be a member of the
Prudential Board. The Treasurer shall give such bond as the Board of Trustees
prescribes, at Church expense; shall make such payments from general Church
funds and such investments as the Board of Trustees shall have authorized; and
shall account for all receipts and disbursements.
B. Appointed Officers
Appointed officers shall
be members of the church and be appointed by the Prudential Board annually.
Appointed officers shall not be barred from election to a board.
1. Assistant Treasurer: The Assistant Treasurer shall assist
the Treasurer and act when the Treasurer is absent or otherwise unable to act.
2. Historian: The Historian shall keep a record of the principal events of
the Church and shall be custodian of the historical records of the Church.
C. Minister
A minister or ministers
shall be chosen and called by the Church whenever a vacancy occurs.
1. It shall be the responsibility of the
Minister(s) to:
a. have been ordained and before being
installed, each shall become a member of the Church.
b. oversee the spiritual welfare of the
congregation.
c. communicate the Gospel effectively.
d. have under their care the services of
public worship.
e. administer the sacraments.
f. serve as (a) non-voting ex-officio
member(s) of all Boards, Committees, and the Prudential Board, and
g. seek to enlist followers of Jesus
Christ.
2. When a vacancy occurs in the office
of Minister, it shall be filled in the manner prescribed in II.B.2.c-d.
3. The relationship between the
Minister and the Church shall be at will unless it is terminated by resignation
or dismissal. In the event of termination the Prudential Board may suspend a
minister with pay.
a) Resignation: The Minister shall
tender his / her resignation to the Clerk at least sixty days prior to its
effective date unless he / she and the Prudential Board shall have agreed upon
some other period.
b) Dismissal: The Church may dismiss a
Minister by a majority vote of the members present and voting at a meeting of
the Church duly called for that purpose and no other. Such a meeting shall be
called by the Clerk only upon written request signed by a majority of the Board
of Spiritual Life or the Prudential Board or, a written request by one third of
the membership of the church. At
least twenty-one days notice shall be given to the Minister in writing either
in person or by mail, and he / she shall be given adequate opportunity to speak
in his / her own behalf at said meeting. The members shall be notified in
accordance with III.2.b. The
Minister shall continue in office until sixty days have expired from the date
upon which his dismissal is voted, unless suspended.
A Minister who has
served the Church faithfully for many years may be elected Minister Emeritus by
the Church in Annual Meeting or by a special meeting called for that purpose.
Such election shall be honorary only, and shall be for life unless rescinded by
vote of the Church or resigned by the Minister Emeritus.
Article IV.
- Meetings
A.
Meetings for Worship
1. Worship: Meetings for worship shall be
held upon the Lord's Day and at such other times as may be agreed upon by the
Minister and the Board of Spiritual Life.
2. Communion: Communion
shall be observed not less than fifteen (15) times annually as fixed by the
Minister and the Board of Spiritual Life.
3. Meetings of Worship are open to all who
wish to attend.
B. Meetings for Business
1. Meetings of the
Congregation
a. The Budget and Election Meeting shall
be held the first Sunday in November for the purpose of
(1) adoption of a budget
(2) election of officers
and boards members
(3) election of members
of the nominating committee, and
(4) for the transaction
of other business.
b. The Annual Report meeting will be held
on a Sunday in January chosen by the Prudential Board for the purpose of
(1) receiving the annual reports of the officers,
boards and committees
(2) the transaction of other business.
c. Special Meetings
(1) Special meetings of the congregation
may be called by:
(a) The Prudential Board
(b) The Moderator, or
(c) The Clerk at the written request of
fifteen members
(2) Matters to be considered at such meeting shall
be confined to those items set forth in the notice of the meeting.
(3)
Special meetings may be called for the transaction of business or for
informational purposes
d. Notice of meetings
Notice of all business
meetings shall be given to the membership from the pulpit for two consecutive
Sundays immediately preceding the Sunday of the meeting, and by a notice mailed
at least ten days prior to the meeting.
This notice may be included in the church newsletter.
e. All members of the congregation may
take part and vote at any congregational meeting.
f. Quorum
15% of the membership
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of
the congregation.
g. Robert’s Rules of Order Revised, In
Brief (2004)
is the parliamentary guide for all meetings of the congregation or its boards or
committees.
h. All
members of the congregation may attend any Board or Committee meeting, unless
the Board of Trustees vote to close a portion of their meeting to act as the
Personnel Committee.
Article V. - Records and Documents
A. Only
the chair of the Board of Trustees and the Church Clerk may sign legal
documents in the name of the Church, and only after proper approval by the
congregation at a business meeting.
B. All
checks, or other draws on the funds of the church shall be executed by the Administrative
Assistant and co-signed by the Treasurer, or if absent, the Assistant
Treasurer, or other person designated by the Board of Trustees.
C. The Church shall maintain records of
its business and affairs, including Membership, financial affairs, and property
on file in the Church Office:
1. Financial records
Financial records shall
be kept by the administrative employee(s) of the church under the direction of
the Treasurer. The records are as
follows:
a. Bookkeeping and financial records
b. Employment
records, including all forms necessary for tax and other governmental purposes.
c. All records relating to church debt
including member loans, mortgage and any other borrowing.
2. Membership records
Membership records shall be kept by the administrative
employee(s) of the church under the direction of the Clerk. The records are as follows:
a. A list of all members of the
Congregation and the dates of their membership.
b. A list of all baptisms officiated
by a minister of the church.
c. A list of all marriages officiated
by a minister of the church.
d. A list of all funerals officiated
by a minister of the church and funerals for members conducted by any other
minister.
e. Letters of transfer and dismission.
3. Business Records
Business records shall
be kept on file by the administrative employee(s) of the church under the
direction of the Clerk or Boards.
These include:
a. Minutes of all Board meetings
b. Communications, written reports and
policies of Prudential Board, Board of Spiritual Life and the Board of Trustees
c. The Annual Reports
Article VI. - Fiscal Year
The fiscal year
of the Church shall be from January 1 to December 31.
Article VII. - Amendments
These By-Laws may be amended at any Annual Meeting
or at a special meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting,
provided that notice of the proposed amendment(s) shall have been given in
writing at the preceding Annual meeting or at a meeting of the Prudential Board
and in the call, as prescribed for the Annual meeting.
Revised by amendment November 6,
2005
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