Bylaws

Section 17 – Church Meetings   

§17.01. The church council will schedule at least one annual church meeting. This meeting will take place on a Sunday at the regular meeting place of the church.  

§17.02. The church council may also schedule other business meetings as needed. These meetings will take place on a Sunday at the regular meeting place of the church.  

§17.03. To ensure that all active members are given an equal and fair opportunity to participate in all church meetings, the scheduled meetings must be announced at least in two consecutive Sunday services prior to the church meeting.   

§17.04. The church council will schedule quarterly family meetings. During these meetings, the church leaders will provide updates for the church members, and active members may ask questions, make suggestions, and make requests.  

Section 18 – Matters for Voting, Quorum, and Majority Vote 

§18.01. The active members vote for the following matters:  

§18.01.01. To elect leaders  

§a. Senior Pastor (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§b. Pastors (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§c. Deacons (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§d. Trustees (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§18.01.02. To approve the church’s budget (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§18.01.03. To approve changes to the budget (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§18.01.04. To excommunicate members (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§18.01.05. To restore members who were previously excommunicated (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote) 

§18.01.06. To remove leaders from leadership positions and/or employment in the church  

§a. Senior Pastor (requires 2/3 quorum and 2/3 majority vote)  

§b. Pastors (requires 2/3 quorum and 2/3 majority vote)  

§c. Deacons (requires 2/3 quorum and 2/3 majority vote)  

§d. Trustees (requires 2/3 quorum and 2/3 majority vote)  

§18.01.07. To amend the church constitution and bylaws (requires 3/5 quorum and 3/5 majority vote)  

§18.01.08. To dissolve the church (requires 5/6 quorum and 5/6 majority vote)  

§18.02. During church business meetings, active members may also oppose motions, propose motions, and second motions.  

Order of Meetings 

Section 19 – The chair   

§19.01. The church council will delegate beforehand a church leader to act as chair.

§19.02. If the delegated chair is absent, the council will may delegate a new chair.

§19.03. If the council is absent, the active members may delegate a new chair.

§19.04. The chair presides the meeting and manages its pace and duration.

§19.05. The chair chooses the order in which items will be discussed.

Section 20 – The secretary  

§20.01. The senior pastor will delegate the secretary, or he may ask the council to delegate another secretary.

§20.01. If the secretary is absent, the senior pastor may delegate a secretary.

§20.02. If the senior pastor is absent, the members of the council may delegate a secretary.

§20.03. If there are no members of the council present, the members of the church may delegate a secretary.

§20.04. The secretary will calculate the attendance and record the minutes. 

Section 21 – The members   

§21.02. Members submit to the council items outside the agenda (the council may censor if inappropriate).  

§21.03. Members vote on proposals.

§21.04. Members request the discussion of impromptu items, the chair will decide unless someone seconds.

§21.05. Members may request priority for impromptu items, the chair will decide unless someone seconds.

§21.06. Members may call for recess, which will be granted if someone seconds it (chair will determine length of recess).

§21.07. Members may call to adjourn. The chair will first express concerns about adjourning, and then will request a vote to either adjourn or continue.

Section 22 – The items   

§22.01. The items in the council’s agenda will usually be given priority.

§22.02. Items outside the council’s agenda will usually follow.

§22.03. Members may request the discussion of impromptu items.  

§22.04. Members may request priority for impromptu items, these will be discussed immediately.

Section 23 – Sequence

§23.01. These are the steps for presenting an item and voting on it:

§23.01.01. The chair will call an item and allow for the item to be presented andaproposal to be made.   

§23.01.02. The chair will allow the item to be examined (members will ask questions).

§23.01.03. The chair will allow the item to be discussed (members will voice endorsement or concerns). 

§23.01.04. The chair will ask the members to voteto approve the proposal. If the proposal is not approved, it will have to wait for the members to vote again on it during wrap up.

§23.01.05. Unless a specific majority vote is required by this document, common majority vote wins.

§23.02. This is the procedure handle all subsequent items: the chair will continue calling items and allowing them to be processed according to §23.01

§23.03. These are the steps for processing the wrap up and the items chosen to wait:

§23.03.01. After all proposals have been considered, the chair will call for wrap up.

§23.03.02. The chair will call items that were voted to wait and call for counter proposalsto be presented.

§23.03.03. If counter proposals are presented, the chair will ask members to vote to adopt either the original proposal or a counter proposal (majority wins).

§23.03.04. Once a proposal has been adopted, members will then vote again to approve the adopted proposal. If the proposal is not approved, the ones making the proposal will have to reconsider it if they want to present it again at the next meeting. Reconsider means that the proposal will have to be reevaluated and possibly modified for it to be presented again at the next meeting.

§23.03.05. Unless a specific majority vote is required on this document, common majority vote wins.

§23.03.06. If no counter proposals were presented for items waiting, then the members will skip voting for adopting and will vote to approve or reconsider the items. 

§23.04. After all proposals have been voted on, the chair will adjourn the meeting.