CONSTITUTION OF GRANGER COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

PREAMBLE

We, the members of Granger Community Christian church, a congregationally-governed body, in order to promote the work of the church in the spirit of Christ and thus advance His Kingdom, do hereby adopt this constitution.

ARTICLE I.  NAME AND PURPOSE

Section A.  Name

The name of this organization shall be Granger Community Christian Church of West Valley City, Utah, affiliated with the brotherhood known as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and committed to the historic principles of this body.

Section B.  Purpose

The purpose of this church shall be as revealed in the New Testament:  to win people to faith in Jesus Christ, to do His will, to serve the community of which it is a part and to work for the unity of all Christians and with them engage in the common task of building the Kingdom of God.

ARTICLE II.  MEMBERSHIP

The membership of this church shall consist of those who are identified now as members of the congregation, and those who unite with it by the New Testament commandment of confession of faith in Christ and baptism or by transfer of membership.  Voting privileges shall be accorded to all members.

ARTICLE III.  GENERAL BOARD

The congregation shall have a general board which shall be responsible to the congregation and have authority to act on behalf of the congregation when it is not in a congregational meeting.  It shall be responsible also for conduction all legal business matters of the congregations and carry out such other responsibilities as may be defined in the By-laws.  The following shall be members of the General Board and shall be elected from the membership at the annual meeting:

Section A.  Three (3) year terms

1.  Elders:      Not to exceed twelve (12) in number.

2.  Deacons:  Not to exceed thirty (30) in number.

Section B.  One (2) year term or until a successor is elected:

1.  Moderator

2.  Vice-Moderator

3.  Secretary

4.  Financial Secretary

5.  Treasurer

Section C.  Other Non-elected Members as defined in the By-laws.

ARTICLE IV.  CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGS

Congregational meetings shall be held at least annually during the fourth quarter of the church year.  Notice of all stated or special congregational meetings shall be announced at a regular Sunday morning worship service of the congregation at least one week in advance of the meeting an by means of the church newsletter or a written notice sent through the mail and postmarked at least ten days before the meeting.  Purpose, date, time and place of meeting shall be indicated in each notice.

ARTICLE V.  AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended at any congregational meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting on the amendment, provide written notice of the proposed amendment has been sent through the mail to members of the congregation at least ten days prior to the time the vote is to be taken, or the proposed amendment has been read at or following the Sunday Morning Worship Service two successive weeks immediately prior to the time the vote is taken.

BY-LAWS OF GRANGER COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

I.  CHURCH YEAR

The church year shall begin January 1.

II.  GENERAL BOARD

A.  MEMBERSHIP

1.       Membership of the General Board shall be composed of the officers of the congregation, elders, deacons, chairpersons of the standing committees and the chief elected officers of major constituency groups of men, women, and youth.

B.  ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE

1.       Officers of the congregation shall serve on the General Board by virtue of office held and for their 2 year term of office.  They shall serve the General Board, as well as the congregation.

2.       Elders and deacons shall be elected by the congregation to membership on the General Board for a term of three years.

3.       Chairpersons of standing committees established by the General Board and the chief elected officers of major constituency groups of men, women, and youth shall be members of the Board by virtue of office and for their current terms of office.

C.  AUTHORITY

(The General Board shall meet each month or as required.)

1. The General Board shall perform its duties according to the authority granted in the Constitution or otherwise delegated to it by the congregation.

2. In keeping with the traditions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Ultimate authority of the congregation shall rest with the congregation.  All organizations within the congregation shall be responsible to and report regularly to the General Board and through it to the congregation.

3. The General Board shall concern itself with the policy rather than administration matters, taking into full account the responsibility of the congregation to the total nurture, witness and mission of the Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) and the needs of the immediate community in which the members of the congregation live.

4. All business meetings of the General Board shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised).

5. Quorum shall consist of those members present and voting.  Official action can be taken when two-thirds of the members present agree.

D.  RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The General Board shall conduct its affairs in harmony with the Constitution and the By-Laws of the congregation.

2. The General Board shall be responsible for conducting the business affairs of the congregation and providing for the planning, coordination, resourcing, evaluation and implementation for the work and activities of the congregation.

3. The General Board shall establish standing committees related to the basic characteristics of the congregation as church, as follows:  Relationship, Scholarship, Membership, Ownership, Stewardship, Communicaship, Fellowship and Worship.

4. The General Board shall establish, when necessary, a Pulpit Committee for the purpose of securing a pastor for the congregation.  Membership and responsibilities of the Pulpit Committee shall be as described in By-law VI, B-1.

5. The General Board shall establish other committees as needed for the conduct of its work, such as Budget and Audit Committees, Memorial Purchasing Committee, Helping Hand Committee, the Nominating Committee, and Pastoral Relations Committee to name a few.

6. The General Board shall receive regular written reports from its committees and from other organizations within the congregation; and it shall act upon such reports with approval, disapproval, modification or referral back to the respective committee or other organization.

7. The General Board shall receive the proposed annual budget of the congregation from the Budget Committee, (Committee chairs, fellowship leaders and chairs of Elders and Deacons, along with church officers), recommend its approval, or approval with amendment, to the congregation at its annual meeting.  Subsequent over-expenditure or request for additional funds from organizations within the congregation shall be approved or disapproved by the General board.

8. The General Board shall recommend to the congregation the calling of the minister and the employment of other staff.

9. The Moderator shall appoint the chairperson of each standing committee with ratification by the General Board.

ELDERS, DEACONS

A.  ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE

1. The congregation, at its annual meeting shall elect for terms of three (3) years, the following:  elders and deacons.

B.  QUALIFICATIONS

1. The qualifications for elders and deacons shall be the same as described for the officers of the congregation in By-law IV, B.

C.  RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Elders primarily shall be responsible for the spiritual life and development of the congregation, preside at the Lord’s Table, assist and share with the pastor in the conduct of his or her pastoral and priestly functions and provide supportive counsel for the pastor regarding the spiritual life and development of the congregation. 

2. Deacons shall be responsible for preparing and serving the Lord’s Supper, for the care of the Communion vessels, for receiving the offering during worship services.  They shall also assist during baptisms and care for the baptistery and baptismal garments.  They shall also perform servant ministries in the church and in the community.  (Support pastor and /or Elders in spiritual life and development of congregation.)

IV.  OFFICERS OF THE CONGREGATION

A.  ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE

1. The congregation, at its annual meeting, shall elect for terms of two (2) years, the following officers:

a.  Moderator of the congregation, who also shall serve as moderator of the General Board and a legal agent of the congregation.

b. Vice-Moderator of the congregation, who also shall serve as vice-moderator of the General Board and a legal agent of the congregation.  (Recommend that Vice-Moderator succeed to Moderator.)

c.  Secretary of the congregation, who also shall serve as secretary of the General board and a legal agent of the congregation.

d.  Financial Secretary of the congregation shall serve as a member of the General board.

e.  Treasurer of the congregation shall serve as a member of the General Board.

B.  QUALIFICATIONS

1. Officers must be members of the congregation.

2. Officers must be active in the congregation’s life and give evidence of seeking to grow in their own understanding and practice of the Christian life.  Such evidence would include the following:

a.  Conduct of one’s life in light of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

b.  Promotion of good will and Christian fellowship in the congregation and community.

c.  Commitment to the church and its programs, including regular attendance, giving and service.

d.  Willingness to fulfill assignments in behalf of the congregation and regular attendance at meetings of the Board and congregation.

C.  RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The Moderator shall fulfill the usual duties of such an officer, call and preside at all regular and special meetings of the congregation and General Board.

2. The Vice-Moderator shall fulfill the duties of Moderator in the absence of the Moderator at meetings of the congregation and General Board.

3. The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the congregation and General Board and provide for these minutes to be received and approved by their respective bodies.

4. The Financial Secretary shall be responsible for receiving all income of the congregation, keeping accurate records of the source and amount of such income, depositing such income to its proper accounts, providing the treasurer of the congregation with copies of all deposit receipts, and making regular written reports of income received to the General Board.

5. The Treasurer shall receive all income of the congregation from the Financial Secretary, pay all accounts of the congregation as authorized by the budget or special action of the General Board when such items are not in the budget, provide accurate records of all expenditures, make regular written reports to the General board, provide for an annual audit of both income and expenditures for action by the General Board and the congregation.

IV.  PASTOR

A.  RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The pastor of the church shall perform the usual duties of such an office.  The pastor shall be responsible for the spiritual leadership, worship, witness, evangelism and shepherding of the congregation with the elder ship of the church.

2. The Pastor shall be the chief administrator of the ships for the congregation, and in cooperation with the Moderator of the congregation and the General board, encourage orderly procedures in the life and work of the congregation’s Constitution and By-laws and the Policies and Procedures of the congregation and the General Board.

3. The Pastor shall be an ex-officio member, without vote, of all Boards, Committees, Departments, Commissions, Task Group and Constituency Groups of the congregation.

B.  SELECTION

1. The Pastor of the church shall have and maintain ministerial standing with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and shall be chosen by the congregation as herein after described:

a.  A Pulpit Committee shall be appointed by the Moderator subject to approval of the General Board.  It shall consist of six members of the congregation.

b.  The Pulpit Committee shall consult with the Regional Minister of the congregation’s Region for information concerning prospective candidates.

c.  The Pulpit committee shall consult only one prospective pastor at a time; however, information may be secured on several persons in a given period.

d.  The Pulpit Committee shall recommend a prospective pastor to the General Board.

e.  The General Board, at a stated or called meeting, may approve the recommendation of the Pulpit Committee by at least a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.  Upon approval, the General Board shall recommend employment of the prospective pastor to the congregation. 

f.  The congregation, in a stated or called meeting, may approve the recommendation of the General Board by at least a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.

g.  Upon approval of the congregation, a call shall be extended to the prospective pastor by the Moderator of the General Board, on  behalf of the congregation.

C.  TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

1. An agreement of employment setting forth the salary to be paid to the pastor and other conditions of the ca1l shall be provided the pastor, with a copy filed in the church office and with the Regional office.

2. An initial contract of employment shall be signed.  It shall be updated, reviewed and renegotiated on an annual basis with a committee appointed by the General Board.

3. The term of ministry shall be for an indefinite period and may be terminated by either party upon 60 days notice.

D.  RESIGNATION

1. Voluntary resignation of the pastor shall be submitted to the General Board in writing, after consultation with the Moderator and the Elders.

2. Involuntary resignation of the pastor shall be dealt with confidentially between the pastor, the moderator, the elders and the regional executive minister.

3. The General Board shall approve the resignation, voluntary or involuntary, of the pastor, by at least a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, and recommend approval to the congregation.

4. The congregation, in a stated or called meeting, shall take final action in approving or disapproving the resignation of the pastor.

V. NOMINATING COMMITTEE

A.  MEMBERSHIP

1. The moderator of the congregation shall appoint a standing Nominating Committee of not more than six members, no more than one-third of whom shall be new in any year.  The terms of office shall be for three years, not subject to reappointment without the lapse of one year.

2. Appointment of the Nominating Committee shall be ratified by the General Board.

B.  RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The Nominating Committee Shall nominate those to be elected by the congregation at its annual meeting, however, nominations to any office may be made from the floor.

2. The Nominating Committee, upon the request of the Moderator, subject to approval of General Board, shall make nominations to fill vacancies.

VI.  PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND INSURANCE

Maintenance of all property and insurance of the congregation, including personal liability insurance, shall be the responsibility of the standing committee on the property, subject to approval of the General Board.

VII.  DISTRIBUTION OF PROPERTY AND FUNDS

In the event that the congregation ceases to exist or is no longer affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) then this property shall revert to the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), its successors and assigns.

VIII.  AMENDMENTS

These By-laws may be amended at any congregational meeting by a majority of the members present and voting on the amendment, provide written notice of the proposed amendment has been sent through the mail to members of the congregation at least ten days prior to the time the vote is to be taken, or the proposed amendment has been read at or following the Sunday Morning Worship Service two successive weeks immediately prior to the time the vote is taken.