Bylaws

First Congregational Church of Kingston, NH, Inc.

Article I – Name

This organization shall be known as the First Congregational Church of Kingston, NH., Inc. {Incorporated under the laws of the State of New Hampshire in 1940} A congregational church is a gathering of people who covenant to follow Christ together (church) and believes that every individual has immediate access to God without need of bishops, hierarchies, or presbyteries. We believe that Jesus Christ alone is Head of His church and that the Holy Spirit can act through and speak directly to each member and each congregation who seeks His will and direction. As Congregationalists we believe that every member has a duty to actively participate in the local church doing the work of Christ by ministering to each other, serving our local community and proclaiming His truth to all we meet.

Article II – Faith

Our Statement of Faith can be found here.

Article III – Covenant

Our Covenant can be found here.

Article IV – Our Shared Vision

Our current Shared Vision can be found here.

Article V – Our Shared Mission

By God’s infinite mercy we are gathered to:

PROCLAIM the Good News of Jesus Christ.

We exalt Jesus Christ and confess Him as God in the flesh and Lord of our lives. We covenant with one another to grow a community of grace and to collaborate with His followers.

John 1:14; Hebrews 10:24-25; Romans 5:5-7

TEACH the ways of the Lord.

We strive to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ in word and deed. We teach His command, as Head of the Church and as revealed in Holy Scripture, to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:18; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 22: 37-39

REACH a lost and hurting world.

We seek to make disciples of all people by the grace, peace, hope, and love of the one true living God. Trusting in Jesus Christ alone to have made our peace with God and empowered by the gift of the Holy Spirit, we assist others to be reconciled with God and each other.

Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 2:14-16; 2 Corinthians: 5:20-21

Article VI – Membership

Section 1 - Qualifications

A. All persons who at time of adoption of the Bylaws of April 12, 2014, were members of the First Congregational Church, Kingston, New Hampshire, in good and regular standing and also members of the First Congregational Society of Kingston, are automatically members.

B. All persons who:

Having been baptized;
Having been recommended by the Elders;
Having been accepted by members of the Church through the covenanting process, are formally received into its membership and are received as members.

All candidates for membership must be willing to make a confession of faith in Jesus Christ; must be willing to adhere to all of these Bylaws; and must be sincere in the search for God’s truth as revealed in the Holy Bible and directly by the Holy Spirit.

C. Any member wishing to transfer his/her membership from this Church to some other Church may do so by written request to the Board of Elders. Upon an affirmative vote of the Elders acting upon the request, a letter of transfer will be issued by the Church Office.

D. Any member wishing to be put on the inactive list or wishing to resign from the Church may do so by written request to the Board of Elders. The Board of Elders shall act upon the request within 30 days, recognizing that membership is a voluntary association. However, being mindful of wanting to always bring glory to God, the Elders shall attempt to ascertain by proper inquiry why the member is seeking a change in status. If there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed in order to bring peace among brothers and sisters in Christ and/or to avoid damage to the Kingdom of God, the Elders shall swiftly take whatever action they deem necessary to accomplish this.

E. The Elders shall annually review the membership list and shall reach out to those members who may appear to have disengaged from the Church, with their primary goal being to encourage members to continuously adhere to the Covenant. The Elders may decide to place a member on the inactive list and shall communicate this to the member if this occurs. Inactive members are not allowed to vote in any Church meetings.

F. Any member wishing to be removed from the inactive list and transferred to the active list will be required to make a request in writing to the Board of Elders. The standard for doing so shall be the same as full membership.

G. As described in the Covenant, all members are expected to:

Respect and adhere to these ordinances (the Bylaws of the Church and as they may be amended from time to time);
Volunteer and serve in ministries appropriate to their individual Spiritual Gifts; and
Submit and defer to Church discipline and reconciliation, including membership revocation in the unfortunate event that reconciliation cannot be achieved, as appropriate. 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; Matthew 18

Section 2 - Voting and Eligibility to Hold Office

All members of this Church, sixteen years of age and upward, may vote on any matter of Church business. All members of this Church, twenty-five years of age and upward, are eligible to hold office of Elder, Deacon, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Financial Administrator, Moderator, or to be a member of the Nominating Committee.

Article VII – Pastors

A. We recognize that Jesus Christ is the head of this Church.

B. This Church shall seek out and call as its Lead Pastor a candidate who gives evidence of a divine call to the ministry; satisfactory preparation and exemplary life; and who gives promise of adaptability to the special needs of the Church. 1Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Ephesians 4:11; Romans 16. The call extended to him/her shall be for an indefinite period; but it shall contain provisions for the termination of the pastoral relationship with due notice upon the initiative of either the pastor or the Church. The Lead Pastor shall serve as a member (with non-voting privileges) of the Board of Elders by virtue of his/her position.

C. No person shall be called as a Pastor unless he/she wholeheartedly subscribes to the Statement of Faith of this Church as outlined in Article II and unless he/she agrees in writing to direct the affairs of this Church in conformity with these Bylaws. A contract covering the pastoral relationship shall be prepared by the Elders in agreement with the Trustees and shall specify salary and other benefits, time and extent of vacation, manner of termination of contract (including a “moral failure” clause, which shall serve as a forfeiture of all contractual rights); and it shall include the stipulation that all Pastors are subject to the discipline of the members of this Church while this contract is in force. Signed copies of this contract shall be retained appropriately by the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry.

D. All Pastors and spouses (as applicable) shall be expected to become members of this Church at their earliest convenience.

E. The primary duties of the Lead Pastor shall be to preach the Word of God, to administer the sacraments; to arrange for the regular conduct of worship services; to visit the sick and shut-ins and all in the community who may welcome what spiritual ministry he/she may give in the name of the Church.

F. The Pastors shall not propagate any doctrine foreign to this Church; nor shall they, without express permission by a vote of the Church, advocate cooperation with any religious, social, or political organization with which this Church is not in fellowship.

G. The Pastors shall be granted the traditional Congregational Privilege of freedom of the pulpit so long as they abide by the other stipulations of this article.

H. All current and future Pastoral positions will take direction from the Lead Pastor and will have duties and responsibilities as negotiated with the Board of Elders and the Lead Pastor. It is expected that all Pastoral positions actively engage with each of the Ministries as appropriate. They shall be subject to the same discipline described within this section. The Lead Pastor shall conduct an annual evaluation of each staff member in a pastoral position.

I. A Pastor shall be accountable for the activities of the Church Office, including daily supervision of any Church employees and the Church Clerk who support these functions, which will have the following responsibilities:

1. Develop, use, and ensure regular communications and information flow both within the Church and to those outside of the Church using current and accepted Information Technology. To facilitate this, they shall regularly communicate with the Elders, Deacons, and appointed communication administrators within each Ministry. They shall provide a structured flow of information to members and non-members of the Church through appropriate means (e.g., email, letters, the monthly Spire, etc.). They shall also work with the Caring Ministry to communicate to those outside the Church to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. Ensure that a complete written record of the transactions of all Article XIII meetings of the Church is kept. These records shall be stored indefinitely and in an easily retrievable format and location. They shall be made available to any member upon request for review and copying.

3. Ensure that relevant Church records are kept and securely stored. These records shall include:

a. Current vital statistics (including members’ names, addresses, contact information, and, if the member assents, birthdays and anniversaries);
b. Listing of members, their status, changes in membership roll;
c. Manner of admission and termination of all memberships;
d. Listing of all persons filling roles according to these Bylaws;
e. All Reports called for under these Bylaws;
f. Policies and procedures for each Ministry;
g. Baptisms and marriages.

4. Issue letters of transfer and recommendations voted by the Elders.

5. Prepare the calls for all meetings and give notice of same when a notice is necessary in accordance with these Bylaws.

6. Make a detailed Report for the Annual Meeting.

Article VIII – Elders

Role: The Church shall select a Board of Elders to serve as the spiritual leaders of the Church with the authority to organize, guide, and direct Church strategy. This authority shall be in accordance with the Word of God and these Bylaws. They shall be empowered to make strategic decisions for the Church, however they will defer to the voting authority of Church membership on any matter. The Lead Pastor shall serve as a member (with non-voting privileges) of the Board of Elders by virtue of his/her position.
Duties: The Elders shall:

Serve as the executive board of the Church;
Supervise the spiritual program of the Church;
Assist in the administration of sacraments;
Teach and defend the doctrine and policies of the Church, subject to ratification by the membership of the Church;
Counsel with the Pastors and, where necessary, admonish them;
Call and hire all staff, and
Be entrusted with the authority of membership revocation.

Their oversight shall ensure that all activities performed within and by the Church are in accordance with and in support of the Mission and Vision. They shall engage in prayer often and regularly.

Qualifications: The Elders shall be men and/or women of spiritual maturity and good character. 1 Peter 5:2-3; James 5:14; Titus 1:6-9; 1Timothy 3:1-7, Romans 16
Term of Office: They shall be approved or removed from office by the Congregation. With the exception of the Lead Pastor, they shall serve 3-year terms. No Elder shall be elected to serve more than 2 consecutive terms. At least 1 year must pass before an individual can serve as an Elder again.
Organization: The Board of Elders shall have up to 9 members, as approved by the congregation at the Annual Meeting.
Regular Meetings: They shall regularly meet and shall regularly communicate the results of their work to the congregation. Their meetings shall be open to all members of the church with the exception of occasions where they meet in Executive Session as allowed by Roberts Rules of Order.
Interaction with Ministries: An Elder is assigned to each Ministry as a representative to ensure effective communication between the Elders and Ministry teams. As part of this, each Elder is responsible for ensuring that each Ministry regularly reviews and improves how they operate as well as ensuring that all individuals within the Ministry are properly trained to function in their assigned capacities. The Elders will also ensure all church leaders are effectively trained in roles and responsibilities as defined within approved bylaws. The Elder, Deacons and at least one Trustee representative shall meet in combined fashion, at least quarterly, to ensure proper communication between the groups.
The Elders shall interact regularly with the Church Office, and shall appoint a Church Clerk to help this function as necessary to complete their assigned tasks.
Selection of Pastors: When a new Pastor is to be chosen, the Elders shall act as a pulpit committee with representation from the Trustees to obtain and interview candidates and to make recommendations to the Church. The Board of Elders shall negotiate a written agreement approved by the Trustees with the chosen candidate as directed by the Church and described in Article VII with copies retained by the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry and the elected Pastor. Said contract shall include a “moral failure” clause (see Article VII, C) and shall be subject to disclosure at least 30 days in advance and approval of the full Membership at a Congregational Meeting called for that purpose in accordance with these Bylaws.
The Elders shall select a Chair who is responsible for coordinating all activities and meetings of the Board. The Lead Pastor will report organizationally to the Chair.
Vacancies in Officers/Ministries: When vacancies occur in any of the Officers or Ministry leadership positions, the Elders will make temporary appointments until a permanent appointment can be made at the next annual meeting.
The Elders shall appoint delegates to represent the Church at external functions as required.
The Elders shall interview all candidates for Church membership and shall recommend to the Church only those who meet the requirements outlined in Article VI.
In the absence of the Lead Pastor, the Elders are authorized to arrange for the stated services of worship and, if necessary, to administer the sacraments and to preach the Word from the pulpit.
The Board of Elders shall ensure that Human Resource needs are met for the employees of the Church. In this capacity, they shall ensure that Human Resource policies and procedures are developed, implemented, and ensure compliance with all employment laws. They shall coach and mentor employees and leaders alike to ensure that the working environment in the Church is optimal, and they shall be available to resolve any employment-related grievances that may occur. While all Elders share this responsibility, one shall be designated to be accountable for the Human Resource component. The HR Elder shall ensure that all employees are properly and periodically evaluated, with the goal of optimizing performance and employee satisfaction in support of our shared Mission and Vision. Feedback shall be obtained from an appropriate number of members to assist with this activity.
In the event of a mid-term vacancy within the Board of Elders, the remaining Elders shall determine whether their duties can be met by rearranging internal responsibilities. If this is insufficient, they shall charter the Nominating Committee as defined in Article XII to find a suitable replacement to be confirmed by the congregation at a Special Meeting as described in Article XIII.
The Elders shall annually appoint an Elder representative to the Nominating Committee.

Article IX –Deacons

A. Role: The Church shall select Deacons to lead the Ministries identified within Article XI of these Bylaws. These roles may change within their tenure to meet changing needs within the church. The Elders shall be responsible for making sure that there is adequate coverage within the Ministries.

B. Duties: The Deacons shall:

Appoint lay members to their respective Ministries.

Recommend any staffing requirements and recommendations to the Board of Elders.
Ensure that the responsibilities of the Ministry are met. The Deacon shall communicate regularly with the Elder assigned to the team to ensure that operational issues, personnel needs, and other potential impediments to the Ministry’s success are understood by the Elders. The Deacons shall regularly communicate with each other to ensure that relevant issues and topics are understood by each of the Ministries. The Deacons are empowered to make decisions regarding their individual Ministries which are in alignment with the vision set by the Elders. They need to collaborate with the Deacon responsible for any other potentially affected Ministry to ensure proper communication and that consensus is reached.
Generally oversee the lay-member teams charged with carrying out the Ministries.
Annually serve as a Deacon representative to the Nominating Committee. (Note that only one Deacon may serve at a time.)
Ensure that all activities performed by the Ministries are in accordance with and in support of the Mission and Vision of the Church.

C. Qualifications: The Deacons shall be men and/or women of spiritual maturity and good character. 1 Timothy 3:8-12

D. Term of Office: They shall be approved or removed from office by the Congregation, and they shall serve 3-year terms. No Deacon shall be elected to serve more than 2 consecutive terms. At least 1 year must pass before an individual can serve as a Deacon again.

Article X – Officers

The Chairman of the Board of Elders, the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry, and the Treasurer shall be provided legal signatory authority for the Church.

Section 1 - Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer

A. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall be chosen at each Annual Meeting of the Church and shall serve for one year or until another person is chosen in his/her stead.

B. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall not be related by blood or marriage.

C. The Treasurer shall keep separate accounts as follows:

Of all money raised for the projects of Christian benevolence, to be paid by him/her to the several persons or societies entitled thereto,
Of all money received by him/her for the support of public worship or
Of any department of Church work to be paid out on the order of the Deacon responsible for the Operations Ministry.

D. All the Treasurer's accounts shall be kept distinct from all other accounts and all deposits made and all checks drawn by him/her shall be in the name of the Church.

E. He/she shall make an annual written Report in detail of his/her receipts and expenditures for the Annual Meeting of the Church and shall furnish monthly reports to the Deacon responsible for the Operations Ministry.

F. The Assistant Treasurer shall:

Assist the Treasurer whenever necessary;
Act in his/her absence of seven days or more to carry on in his/her place; or
In the case of vacancy of the Treasurer, carry out the duties of the Treasurer until a new Treasurer is selected.

G. The Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, or counters designated by the Operations Ministry shall accept all offerings from the Worship Ministry or from any Church-sanctioned activity where funds are raised and count any collection taken. If either of them has to be absent for any reason, a Deacon or Elder shall be present.

H. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer will work with the Deacon responsible for the Operations Ministry to appoint a Financial Administrator who will assist with the daily operation of the financial management of the Church. The Financial Administrator shall be bonded.

I. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall be bonded and shall serve as members (with voting privileges) by virtue of their positions on any teams operating within the Operations Ministry.

Section 2 – Moderator

To be chosen at each Annual Business Meeting of the Church and to serve for one year. The Moderator shall have the same qualifications as an Elder and cannot hold any other Ministry duty while in the office of Moderator
The Moderator shall preside at Annual and Special Meetings of the Church.
The Moderator shall facilitate both regular and special Church meetings and shall not vote in any meetings that they are leading. The Elders shall facilitate any such meetings if the Moderator is unable to attend.

Article XI – Ministries

A. All Ministries shall consist of men and/or women of spiritual maturity, good character, and generally be good ambassadors for the Church.

1 Timothy 3:8-12

B. All Ministries shall report organizationally to the Board of Elders. These shall consist of:

Worship Ministry

Caring Ministry

Operations Ministry

Christian Education Ministry

C. An Elder is assigned to each Ministry to oversee its operation and to ensure effective communication between the Elders and Ministry teams.

D. Each Ministry shall be led by a Deacon, whose responsibilities are outlined in Article IX.

E. Each Ministry will:

Appoint a person responsible for ensuring that monthly report is communicated to the Church body;
Prepare an annual budget and submit it for approval to the Elder responsible for Operations as part of the overall Church budget to be voted on at the Annual Meeting. This shall be submitted prior to October 1.
Establish policies and procedures (subject to approval by the Board of Elders) and file same with the Church Office;
Annually assess the effectiveness of the Ministry with respect to the Church’s Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives;
Be divided into functional teams to facilitate carrying out each Ministry. All team leaders shall be members of the Church. Non-Church members may serve on the teams but may not serve communion or vote on team-related matters. Individual teams may develop additional requirements or expectations for their members as well. Employees of the Church may serve in lay (i.e., elected or team) leadership positions; the Elders shall ensure that no conflicts of interest exist. A listing and description of current teams can be found on the church website (link to website)

Section 1 - Worship Ministry

A. The Worship Ministry shall be responsible for ensuring that the logistics for all worship services are properly planned and conducted. This Ministry shall place the utmost emphasis on ensuring that an overall environment conducive to excellence in worship is provided to all.

B. They shall prepare for and serve communion.

C. They shall be responsible for ensuring that there is a process to assure the safety and security of all in attendance and the Church before, during, and after worship services.

D. They shall be greeters and ushers at regular and special services.

E. They may invite people from other Ministries and leadership functions to perform some of these duties, but only members of the Church may administer communion. They shall ensure that anyone administering communion is properly trained, and they shall maintain a list of everyone who has been trained.

F. They shall provide for the Music program of the Church in collaboration with the Pastors by ensuring that a functional team is actively engaged for this purpose.

G. They shall provide for the Worship Technology ministry of the Church by ensuring that a functional team is actively engaged for this purpose. This includes ensuring that all of the technical elements related to audio, visual, and other communication methods are effectively and proficiently used to enhance worship for everyone.

H. They shall ensure that the Meeting House(s) or other places of worship are suitably decorated to facilitate worship for all.

I. They shall establish an Order of Worship in collaboration with the Pastors for each service.

J. The Worship Ministry shall make a detailed Report for the Annual Meeting.

Section 2 - Caring Ministry

A. The Caring Ministry shall be responsible for caring for people both within and outside of the Church family.

B. They shall provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support whenever possible using any number of available ministries.

C. They shall visit those in need.

D. They shall organize and solicit meals as needed.

E. They shall support food-related needs and social events within the Church.

F. They shall strive to make the Church a welcoming and inviting body of believers to the community.

G. They shall have supervision and direction of the mission work of the Church.

H. The Caring Ministry shall make a detailed Report for the Annual Meeting.

Section 3 - Operations Ministry

A. The Operations Ministry is comprised of a team of Trustees, Deacon of Operations, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Financial Administrator, Sexton/Facilities Manager and an Elder of Operations.

B. The Trustee Team shall have a charge, under the direction of the Church, of its financial and business affairs and the care of its physical property. Trustees shall serve 3 year terms, and only those Trustees who are church members are allowed to vote on financial decisions. “Friends of the Trustees” are encouraged to volunteer for short-term projects where their gifts can be utilized appropriately. The Trustees shall:

1. Prepare an annual budget of estimated expenditures for action by the Church at the Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry.

2. Authorize and direct the Treasurer as to the payment of all debts.

3. Provide for a financial review of the Treasurer's account every two years by an independent, qualified CPA.

4. Make a detailed report at each Annual Meeting of the following but not limited to:

a. Financial status

b. Physical property condition

c. Trust Funds and income therefrom

5. Ensure that the properties are properly cared for. This includes ensuring that subcontractors and employees are organized and directed appropriately.

C. The Operations Ministry is responsible to ensure that all logistical issues related to the regular operation of the Church are managed.

D. The Operations Ministry shall strive to ensure that the Church, its members, and guests, are adequately protected from physical or financial harm. This Ministry shall provide reasonable precautions to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws, as well as ensuring that proper insurance policies are in place.

E. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall serve as members with full voting privileges of any teams operating within the Operations Ministry.

Section 4 - Christian Education Ministry

A. The Christian Education Ministry shall be responsible for the teaching of Christian doctrine according to the faith and policy of this Church and fostering of the logical development of Christian character therefrom. This may include Sunday Christian instruction, other regular Christian instruction, Vacation Bible School, adult Bible study, small group studies, and youth fellowship.

B. The Christian Education Ministry shall investigate and provide suitable Christian education material for the Church. The Christian Education Ministry shall appoint qualified teachers and any other needed assistants.

C. All offering and other receipts of the Sunday School shall be received and turned over to the Treasurer of the Church to be applied to the expenses of the School or to the mission objective of the School's choosing.

D. The Spiritual Gifts Team helps individuals in the congregation to discover, to develop, and to deploy their spiritual gifts for the purpose of building up the body of Christ and ministering to the needs of the Church community and the world. To this end:

The Team will encourage individuals and work with the Nominating Committee to nominate people according to their spiritual gifts to serve the Church as described in these Bylaws.
The Team shall use a variety of resources to suggest possible matches with the spiritual gifts of individuals and the needs and vacancies; they shall use the same resources to encourage individuals to serve in non-elected positions.

E. The Christian Education Ministry shall make a detailed Report for the Annual Meeting.

Article XII – Committees

Section 1 - Ad Hoc Committees

The Board of Elders shall appoint Ad Hoc Committees when needed. Generally, such committees shall have finite life spans; all shall have purposes that are consistent with achieving the Vision and Mission of the Church with the goal of continuously improving the effectiveness of how the Church functions.

Section 2 - Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall annually review and recommend candidates to the Church to serve in the following positions as they become vacant:

Board of Elders, Deacons, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Moderator.

The Nominating Committee shall consist of Team Leader of the Spiritual Gifts Team, a Deacon, an Elder, and 3 At-Large Church Members. All members of the Nominating Committee shall be members of the Church. The Team Leader of the Spiritual Gifts Team shall chair this Committee.
At-Large Members: At-Large Members shall be elected by the Church at the previous Annual Meeting. They shall indicate in writing their desire to serve and provide qualifications to the Spiritual Gifts Team at least 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting. The full list of candidates, stated qualifications, and photograph shall be provided to the Church members at least 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting. They shall serve 1-year terms. No At-Large member of the Nominating Committee shall be elected to serve more than 3 consecutive terms. At least 1 year must pass before an individual can serve on the Nominating Committee again.
The Nominating Committee may recommend staggering terms of office to ensure that sufficient continuity of Church leadership is preserved on a yearly basis. Such recommendations shall be within the descriptions of terms described within this document. Terms of office shall run in accordance with the Church calendar (January to December).

Article XIII – Meetings

Section 1 - Worship and Devotional Meetings

The Church shall meet regularly each week and as frequently as decided by the Elders for worship and the preaching of the Gospel.
The Church shall meet for the observance of the Lord’s Supper upon the first worship service of the month and/or such other times as the Elders may decide.
The Church will provide as many opportunities as possible throughout the week for people to meet for prayer and intercession.
The Church shall conduct Christian education for all ages for the study and teaching of the Bible.

Section 2 - Annual Meeting

The Moderator will preside over the Annual Meeting of the Church. An Elder may fill this role if the Moderator is unable to attend.
The Annual Meeting of the Church shall be held on an appropriate date as set by the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry during the month of November. At this time, the annual reports for the fiscal year (January to December) from each Ministry shall be presented in printed form for distribution to each member; officers elected; and such other business transacted as may be specified in the call of the meeting or authorized in the Bylaws.
This meeting shall be called by the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry; such notices shall be read publicly and made available by all normal methods of communications at least two Sundays immediately preceding the date of the meeting.
Any five or more members can have an article entered in the call of the Annual Meeting by making a request in writing to the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry at least 20 days before the date of the meeting.
The Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry shall present a detailed report of the finances of the Church for the preceding calendar year and a recommendation of what money will be needed for the current year.
Each organization shall, in advance of this meeting, submit to the Elder responsible for the Operations Ministry their financial needs for the current year.

Section 3 - Special Meetings

The Moderator will preside over Special Meetings of the Church.
Special meetings of the Church may be called by the Elder responsible for Operations Ministry upon request of Elders or any five members of the Church following the same procedure as for the Annual Meeting.
At any of the regular meetings for worship, the Church may, without special notice, act upon the reception of new members but not upon other business.

Section 4 - Quorum

Quorum for all meetings shall be 35 (thirty-five) members for the transaction of business.

Section 5 - Rules of Order

Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall be used in all transactions at all Church meetings and its various teams.

Article XIV – Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended by a 75% (seventy-five percent) vote of its members present at the Annual Meeting of the Church or at a special meeting called for the purpose, provided that the proposed amendment is inserted in the "Call" and that no change is made in Articles I through V inclusive. To amend Articles I, II, III, IV, or V, or any documents that are electronically linked to those sections, a special meeting shall be held at least 30 (thirty) days prior to the above mentioned meeting, to discuss the proposed change.