FBC Restructure Team 2013 Proposal
BYLAWS OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF MARSHVILLE, INC.
ARTICLE I – Name
First Baptist Church of Marshville This body shall be known as First Baptist Church of Marshville, a non-profit corporation, having its address in Marshville, North Carolina. Wherein these bylaws the word “church” appears, the same shall also mean “nonprofit corporation”.
ARTICLE II - Purpose
The general purposes of this organization are stated in the Articles of Incorporation and these Bylaws. It shall be the specific purpose of this body to: Proclaim and embody the Good News of God’s kingdom by becoming a family of faith that worships God, grows in Christ and serves others.
ARTICLE III – Statement of Faith
We affirm that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and with the Spirit’s guidance, forms the basis for our beliefs. We steadfastly maintain the divine privilege, given to every believer, to hear and receive God’s Word under the direction of God’s Spirit. We hold fast to the autonomy of the local church body, and the priesthood of the believer as found in the “Baptist Faith and Message” of the Southern Baptist Convention adopted in 1963 which the church adopts as its statement of faith. This statement, though respected, should not be regarded as complete, final, infallible, or binding on the conscience of the individual. We have no creed but Christ.
ARTICLE IV – Church Polity
The church is a free, autonomous, independent body, congregational in nature, with authority to determine for itself in the manner set forth in the Articles of Incorporation and by these bylaws, free of any outside control, authority or power, whether governmental or otherwise, all church policies and this use of its property.
ARTICLE V – Relationships/Affiliations
First Baptist Church of Marshville is a cooperating church. We are affiliated and share in the mission endeavors of several Christian organizations. They include, but are not limited to: the Union Baptist Association, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. In addition, First Baptist Church works with, and in the future may work with, other churches and groups in projects of mutual interest.
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ARTICLE VI – Church Covenant
We the members of First Baptist Church of Marshville, having been led by the Holy Spirit to embrace the grace and love that are offered to us in Jesus Christ, do acknowledge that God has called us together to proclaim and embody the Good News of God’s kingdom.
Scripture alone can fully express the blessings and responsibilities inherent in this call. We acknowledge, however, several key commitments that shape our understanding of what it means to be part of God’s church. Therefore we do solemnly and joyfully covenant together:
We will become a family of faith. We will participate faithfully in the life of our church. We will act in love toward one another. We will refuse to gossip, and will guard each other’s reputation. When we disagree we will avoid a divisive spirit. We encourage each other and bear each other’s burdens. We will expand the boundaries of our fellowship by inviting others to participate in the life of our church and offering hospitality.
We will worship God. We will live in a manner that brings glory to God. We will gather regularly to celebrate the grace of Christ our Savior, the love of God our Father, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the call to join in God’s redemptive mission to the world. We will offer our abilities and financial support to advance the work of God’s kingdom through our church.
We will grow in Christ. We will make it our aim, individually and corporately, to mature in the character of Christ. Through teaching and personal study, we will commit our hearts and minds to understanding and obeying God’s Word. We will nurture our children in faith.
We will serve others. We will find the ministries to which God calls us, both as individuals and as a church. We will spread the love of God by meeting needs in our community, our nation and our world.
ARTICLE VII – Membership Section 1: Admission An invitation for membership shall be regularly extended. Any person desiring membership will be given the opportunity to come forward and declare what method he/she seeks to unite with the church, whether by baptism, letter, or statement. Each candidate shall share his/her reasons for seeking membership and his/her prior relationship with other churches. The Pastor shall then present the names to the congregation for affirmation.
Persons wishing to become members may present themselves in any one of the following ways: Baptism: Any believer who has never been baptized shall be immersed in the manner practiced by this congregation.
Letter: Members of churches of like faith and practice shall be accepted by transfer of letter of membership.
Statement: Members may be accepted by a statement of faith after having practiced believer’s baptism.
Immersion is not required for those baptized as believers. Immersion will be required for membership by persons who were christened as infants.
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Section 2: Deletion Letter: Upon requests of a member desiring to unite with another church, a letter shall be sent to the designated church confirming the membership of that person in First Baptist Church.
Death: The clerk shall remove the names of those persons who are deceased and shall report their removal to the church.
Removal: The clerk, upon recommendation of the church in conference, shall remove from the roll a. The names of members who cannot be located b. The names of members requesting removal of their names.
Section 3: Member Rights Members of First Baptist Church shall have a voice in all church affairs and are entitled to vote in all elections and on all questions, submitted to the church in conference.
Section 4: Responsibilities It shall be the responsibility of members of First Baptist Church to pattern their lives after the teachings of Christ, to attend regularly the services of the Church, to give regularly and systematically to its support, to share in its work, and to assume the mutual obligations set forth in the Church Covenant.
Section 5: Publication of Membership Rights and Responsibilities At the beginning of each business conference, the moderator (the Pastor), or person appointed by the moderator, shall remind those present of the rights and responsibilities of membership as described in the sections 3 & 4, titled Member Rights and Responsibilities.
ARTICLE VIII – Meetings
Section 1: Place of Meeting All meetings of members shall be held at First Baptist Church of Marshville, or at such other places as agreed upon by a majority of the members entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 2: Annual Meeting There shall be an annual meeting of the members for the election of deacons, church committee members and other positions as recommended to the Church by the Nominating Committee and for the transaction of any other business. The meeting shall be on the second Sunday in August of each year. If for any reason the meeting cannot be held on the 2nd Sunday, the Pastor, Deacons and Nominating Committee will work together to reschedule this meeting to another Sunday in the month of August.
Section 3: Regular Business Meetings The Church shall hold regular business meetings quarterly on the second Sunday of the month. Additional meetings may be called as deemed necessary by the Pastor and Deacons. The 1st and 3rd quarter business meeting will include updates and information regarding opportunities to serve from each of the standing committees.
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Section 4: Notice of Meeting Written or printed notice of meetings shall be published and announced at least two weeks (to include two Sundays) before the meeting is to take place, unless inclement weather makes such notice impractical. The notice shall always include the subject, date, time and place, and any item that the Church will be asked to vote upon. The notice must be communicated in any manner in which members already receive church information to ensure that all members have the opportunity to be made aware of the meeting (i.e. weekly newsletter, phone tree, church bulletin, etc).
Section 5: Governing Rules of Procedure The Pastor, who is the Moderator, may appoint a parliamentarian. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all business meetings of the church in areas not addressed by these bylaws.
Section 6: Quorum A quorum shall consist of not less than twenty five (25) members who are entitled to vote at a meeting. If there is no quorum at a meeting, the meeting may be adjourned to a future date/time by vote of a majority of the members present at the time. Business planned to be address at the original meeting will be transacted at the adjourned meeting. The moderator has a duty to declare the absence of a quorum if he sees that a quorum is no longer present during a meeting.
Section 7: Voting Each member shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members. Voting on all matters may be by voice or by a show of hands. The exception is the election of deacons which shall always be by ballot. Should one tenth of the present members desire for a particular matter to be voted on by ballot, they may request such prior to voting on the manner.
At a meeting where a quorum is present, the vote given by the majority shall act as the church decision on a matter, unless the vote of a greater number is required by law or the church bylaws.
Section 8: Worship Services The church shall meet regularly for preaching, instruction, evangelism, and for the worship of almighty God. These meetings will be open to everyone and shall be conducted under the direction of the Pastor.
ARTICLE IX – OFFICERS & MINISTRY TEAM
Officers of the Corporation The chairman, vice chairman, and secretary of the Deacons shall serve as trustees. They shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any real property without a specific vote of the Church authorizing each action. It shall be the function of the Trustees to affix their signatures to legal documents involving the sale, mortgaging, purchase or rental of property or other legal documents where signatures of trustees are required. The Trustees will serve as the officers of the corporation.
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Removal Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the Church may be removed whenever in the Church’s judgment the best interests of the Church will be served thereby.
Clerk The Clerk shall: (a) keep the minutes of the meetings of members and assure they are properly archived at the Church; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws or as required by law; (c) in general, perform all duties related to the Office of Clerk and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the Church.
Treasurer The Treasurer shall: (a) have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Church; receive and give receipts for moneys due and payable to the Church from any source whatsoever and deposit all such moneys in the name of the Church in such depositories as shall be selected by the Church; (b) train and familiarize the Assistant Treasurer with the duties of the office of the Treasurer; and (c) in general perform all of the duties related to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the Church.
Assistant Treasurer The Assistant Treasurer will be trained in the responsibilities of the office of the Treasurer to ensure the duties of the office will continue in the event the Treasurer is unable to perform such duties.
Deacons The Deacons will serve as the spiritual leaders of the church, praying for God’s wisdom and guidance. Their duties shall be to support and aid the pastor as he works to carry out the ministry which the Holy Spirit has brought him to this church to accomplish for the Kingdom of God; to minister to and aid in meeting the material needs of the poor, the widows, and the afflicted; to seek God’s wisdom and discernment in serving the Church’s needs, as well as, serving as ministers to the Body of Christ.
The First Baptist Church of Marshville’s Fellowship of Deacons shall consist of five men and/or women. Deacons shall be held to the biblical qualifications for leadership as described in Acts 6, and Timothy 3 and other passages of the scripture. No person shall be eligible to serve as a Deacon until he or she has been a member of the Church for at least one year. Deacons will serve a term of three consecutive years, to begin September 1 of each year. An individual who has served as a deacon will not be eligible for re- election until the expiration of one year from the date of their last service in that position.
At the first meeting of each church year, the Fellowship of Deacons shall elect three individuals for the position of chair, vice-chair, and secretary.
NOTE: All who serve as officers of the church and those who serve as church committee chairpersons shall be members of this church.
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ARTICLE X – Elections & Terms
Prior to August of each year the Nominating Committee will prayerfully seek names to fill church offices and positions as needed, with the exception of deacons. The Nominating Committee will bring their recommendations to the church at the August business meeting. The church will vote to approve or not approve the slate of names as presented. See Article VIII for specifics on meeting procedures. Should a position become vacant during a term, the Nominating Committee will bring a recommendation for replacement to the church at the next business meeting, or if necessary, request a special meeting be called in order to fill the vacant position.
Election of Deacons:
In a special called meeting in July, church members will be given the opportunity to nominate by ballot the number of persons needed to fill the vacant deacon positions (i.e. if two deacon positions are available, you would nominate 2 persons). The current deacons will count the nominations. Those receiving the highest number of nominations will be contacted by the deacons who will discuss in depth the qualifications and duties of the deacon position; after which nominees will confirm their willingness to serve. If a nominee is not willing to serve, then the person with the next highest number of nominations will be contacted. The importance of nominees meeting the qualifications and feeling led by the Holy Spirit to serve in this capacity, supersedes the need to fill a certain number of vacant positions. Therefore, the Deacons may bring to the Church a slate of names which may be lower than the number of vacancies.
Once the Deacons have the confirmed nominees, the slate of names will be brought before the Church at the August business meeting to be voted on.
Terms
Deacons………………………………………………….…..3 years (limit of one (1) term, then out one year before being eligible to serve again)
Standing Committees (except Nominating Committee)……..3 years (Chair & Members)
Nominating Committee………………………………………1 year
Church Clerk…………………………………………….…...5 years (may serve two (2) terms in succession, then out one year before being eligible to serve again)
Treasurer…………………………………….……………….5 years (may serve two (2) terms in succession, then out one year before being eligible to serve again)
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ARTICLE XI – Pastor-Church Relationship
Section 1: The Call of the Pastor A pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs. The election shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, for which a two week notice (to include 2 Sundays) has been given. The nomination of a prospective pastor shall come from a Pastor Search Committee which has been nominated by the Deacons and elected by the church. The committee shall seek as pastor a minister of the gospel whose character and qualifications fit the person for the office. The committee shall bring only one name at a time. Election shall be by ballot with an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those present and voting necessary for extending a call. Should the recommendation fail, the meeting will be adjourned without debate. The Deacons shall then instruct the Pastor Search Committee or nominate another Pastor Search Committee. The call of a pastor shall be for an indefinite term.
Section 2: Pastor-Church Covenant The First Baptist Church of Marshville (the “Church”) and the Pastor acknowledge that they have been led to each other by the Holy Spirit to join in a ministry that is profitable to the spiritual interests of the Church and fruitful for the Kingdom of our Lord. In order to further this shared ministry, the Church and the Pastor agree to this statement of covenant relationship.
A. Principles a. Scripture teaches that the relationship we have entered into jointly is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-12, Ephesians 4:11-13)
b. Scripture affirms that those who labor for the Gospel of our Lord deserve support (Luke 10:4-7, 1 Corinthians 9:14, 1 Timothy 5: 17-18)
c. Scripture affirms that all relationships within God’s church will be undertaken in a spirit of love, unity, and mutual concern (Ephesians 4:1-3, Philippians 2:1-4).
d. The candidate minister called as Pastor is recognized as a skilled person with high responsibility for which preparation and training have been required.
e. The Pastor is encouraged to continue his education in order to develop skills and further broaden his knowledge in the area of ministry.
f. For the peace, unity and effectiveness of the Church, general acceptance of each of these principles is essential so that the Minister and the members of the congregation may be able to work together to carry out the mission of the Church.
B. Covenant Concerning Expectations
The Pastor’s Responsibility to the Church: a. To proclaim the gospel with the goal of reaching persons for and nurturing them toward maturity in Christ.
b. To love and affirm persons and families within the Church.
c. To be an encourager to persons and ministries of the Church family.
d. To provide counsel to members and non-members and to keep confidential such communication.
e. To administer and guide church programs; serving as visionary, working in coordination with other leaders of the Church to accomplish that vision.
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f. To work with committees, organizations, teams and individuals in the development and implementation of the congregation’s ministry and mission. To provide counsel and guidance to these groups and individuals. While individuals are elected by the Church to fill leadership roles and are responsible for the work in their particular area, they are encouraged to seek counsel and to accept guidance from the Pastor as we all strive to accomplish the vision God has for the Church.
g. To supervise members of the staff as outlined in the Church’s personnel, policy and procedure guidelines.
h. To maintain regular office hours for the benefit of all Church members and the business of the Church; to be accessible at all times in case of emergencies. The Pastor is asked to inform the church secretary and the Deacon Chair if he is unavailable (i.e. sickness) or away from the church field. In the event that the Pastor is away for more than 36 hours, he is asked to secure another minister to serve the congregation while he is unavailable.
i. To guide the functioning of the Church office, overseeing maintenance of records and calendars, advising other leaders of information needed to carry out their duties, and serving in other reasonable activities related to church administration.
j. To visit the sick, the elderly and the bereaved, to maintain contact with the membership as a whole.
k. To represent the Church to visitors, the Marshville community, the Union Baptist Association, and other regional and national entities with which the Church chooses to affiliate.
l. Should misunderstandings and/or conflicts arise the Pastor will seek resolution through the Pastoral Relations Committee.
m. To provide the Church with not less than 30 days notice in the event of resignation.
The Church’s Responsibility to the Pastor: a. To show sensitivity to the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the Pastor and family.
b. To pray for, affirm and work with the Pastor toward the end of accomplishing God’s purposes in the Church and the community.
c. To allow the Pastor full responsibility for the preaching ministry of the Church with the privilege of calling on others for participation.
d. To allow the Pastor responsibility for the administration of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and for receiving new members and assisting in their orientation.
e. To support the Pastor through participation in the Church’s ministries and give careful consideration to his counsel and guidance in the implementation of the programs and ministries of the Church.
f. To communicate openly and honestly with the Pastor so that misunderstandings can be avoided. However, if such misunderstanding/conflict does arise, resolution will be sought through the Pastoral Relations Committee.
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Covenant Concerning Financial Care a. Pastor Call Agreement: So that the Pastor may be devoted full-time to the ministry of the Word among the congregation, the Church shall obligate itself to provide compensation agreeable to both the Church and the Pastor. The compensation arrangement developed by the minister candidate and the Pastor Search Committee will be presented to the Finance Committee for affirmation and then shall be voted on by the church at the time a call is extended. The compensation arrangement may include but is not limited to: salary, housing, retirement, travel allowance, reimbursable business expense allowance, health insurance, vacation and appropriate one-time benefits associated with the Pastor’s move to Marshville.
b. Annual Review: Financial matters as related to the Pastor call shall be reviewed annually by the Personnel Committee. Any recommended changes shall be presented to the Finance Committee for review and inclusion in the annual budget.
Covenant Concerning Conflict Resolution a. Grievance Procedures: Grievances concerning the Pastor and Church shall be brought (submitted in writing) to the attention of the Pastoral Relations Committee where with God’s ultimate guidance, a resolution will be sought for all parties involved.
b. Declaring Office of Pastor Vacant: The church may declare the office of pastor vacant. Such action shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which the membership has been given two weeks written notice. The meeting may be called upon the recommendation by the Deacons. The Chairman of the Deacons shall preside at the meeting. An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present shall be necessary to declare the office vacant. If the membership votes the office vacant, the termination of pastoral duties shall be effective immediately upon publication of the results of the vote. The Deacons will recommend to the church for approval a fair separation package; in rare cases will less than 30 days salary be honored.
c. Interim Minister Call: In the event that the office of pastor becomes vacant, the church will nominate persons to serve on an Interim Pastor Search Committee.
ARTICLE XII – Church Council & Committees
The purpose of the Church Council is to coordinate all ministries and activities and to ensure understanding of the vision and ministries of the church, as well as, encourage the actions necessary to accomplish the church's vision.
The Church Council will be comprised of: The Senior Pastor, Asst Pastor of Students, Asst Pastor of Pastoral Care, Minister of Music, Deacon Chair, Church Secretary and the chair from each committee. The Deacon Chair will serve as the chair of the Church Council. This council will meet quarterly to plan and coordinate events and to provide updates from their respective committees. If for any reason the committee chair cannot attend the meeting, then he/she will select a representative from that committee to be present. The Church Council will also be prepared to report bi-annually at a business conference.
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COMMITTEES
All church committee chairs and members shall be recommended by the Nominating Committee and elected by the church unless otherwise provided herein. The committee chairs shall serve a three year term; while committee members will serve on a three year rotation system with one-third to be elected each year.
Committees of the church may include but are not limited to: Building & Grounds Committee, Discipleship Committee, Fellowship Committee, Finance Committee, Ministry Committee, Missions Committee, Nominating Committee, Pastoral Relations Committee, Personnel Committee, and any other regular and special committees as the church shall authorize.
BUILDING AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE: The Building & Grounds Committee assists the church in matters related to properties administration. Its work includes such areas as maintaining all church properties for ready use, recommending policies regarding use of properties, consulting with the personnel committee and the church staff regarding the need for, and the employment of maintenance personnel, and assignment of supervisory responsibility to appropriate personnel.
This committee shall be composed of three (3) persons on a rotating basis.
The duties of this committee shall be but are not limited to:
1. To develop and recommend policies and procedures about maintenance, insurance, and general use of building and properties. 2. To make regular inspections of the buildings, grounds, and equipment. 3. To plan inspections of the general appearance of the buildings and grounds and make recommendations regarding need for repairs to the church. 4. To see that all utilities are in proper working order. 5. To supervise the work of the custodian, and to supervise the purchase of all supplies needed by the custodian to perform his duties properly. 6. To assist the church in determining need, arranging, equipping, and administering of parking areas and spaces. 7. To make reports to the church as to the condition and needs of the building and grounds. 8. To maintain church vehicles and make recommendations as to repairs and upgrades as needed. 9. To prepare a recommendation for financial need to be presented to the finance committee for inclusion in the annual budget. 10. Coordinate the use and maintenance of the church buildings & grounds and church vehicles.
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DISCIPLESHIP COMMITTEE The Discipleship Committee will help develop strategies for deepening the spiritual life of the church through study, prayer and other spiritual disciplines. The chair of this committee will also serve on the Pastoral Relations Committee.
This committee will consist of three (3) persons on a rotating basis.
The duties of this committee shall be but are not limited to:
1. To develop and support a program of Christian discipleship for children, including the Nursery for Sunday services. 2. To develop and support a midweek program of Christian discipleship for children, working in conjunction with the Youth Minister. 3. To develop and support a program of Christian discipleship for adults that will include midweek Bible Study 4. To consult with the Pastor to determine the needs of the congregation, and then plan and offer discipleship experiences to meet these needs (i.e. prayer ministry, special Bible Study focuses, etc.). 5. To select the Vacation Bible School director and ensure that VBS is planned in coordination with the Church Council. 6. The chair of this committee will also serve on the Pastoral Relations Committee. 7. To prepare a recommendation for financial need to be presented to the Finance Committee for inclusion in the annual budget.
FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE The Fellowship Committee will work to provide opportunities for members of First Baptist Church, as well as all other willing participants, to achieve God’s will through events and activities. The chair of this committee will also serve on the Pastoral Relations Committee.
This committee will consist of three (3) persons on a rotating basis.
The duties of this committee shall be but are not limited to:
1. To enlist and ensure there are greeters and ushers in place for Sunday services, as well as, for other services and programs throughout the calendar year. 2. To set up and serve during Welcome & Coffee time on Sunday mornings. 3. Work together with Church Council and the congregation to encourage and plan any and all activities that will further the fellowship and growth of our church. 4. Coordinate, organize and offer support to other committees when it is time to entertain and plan fellowship activities like special events (i.e. new member luncheon, high school graduate luncheon). 5. To enlist a team to coordinate events related to both the joy and sorrows of the congregation (i.e. wedding & baby showers, deaths, etc.) 6. To enlist teams that will be responsible for the kitchen (purchase and preparation of food, kitchen equipment, clean-up etc). 7. The chair of this committee will also serve on the Pastoral Relations Committee. 8. To ensure that the church (all areas) are decorated for special church-wide events (i.e. sanctuary flowers, Christmas, etc.) 9. To prepare a recommendation for financial need to be presented to the finance committee for inclusion in the annual budget.
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FINANCE COMMITTEE The Finance Committee will work to develop and recommend an overall stewardship development plan, and a unified church budget. The committee will work with the treasurer to prepare and present to the church the required reports regarding the financial affairs of the church.
This committee shall be composed of six (6) persons on a rotating basis. The church treasurer will serve in an advisory role to this committee.
The duties of this committee shall include:
1. After receiving recommendations from church staff, appropriate Ministry Coordinators, and Committee Chairpersons; the Finance Committee will prepare a budget indicating by line-item the amount needed and sought for all expenses for presentation to the church. 2. Manage the Mission Endowment Budget with recommendations from the Missions Committee. 3. Manage the scholarship fund and notify scholarship team of available funds. 4. Recruit and oversee offering counting team. 5. Submit the proposed budget to the church as a recommendation for an annual guideline. 6. Lead church in pledging the budget.
MINISTRY COMMITTEE The Ministry Committee will work to support ongoing ministries within the church and will also work with the Ministry team to identify new ministries in which members can become involved.
This committee shall be composed of three (3) persons on a rotating basis.
The duties of this committee shall include but are not limited to:
1. Support and work with existing ministry groups (Men’s, WMG, Prayer Shawl, and Preschool) in identifying ways to reach and serve the congregation and community. 2. Work closely with Preschool Ministry to ensure that they are included in all church activities and that the church is provided with updates regarding the preschool. 3. Work in conjunction with the Pastoral Team to identify new ministries.
MISSIONS COMMITTEE The Missions Committee will work in conjunction with the Pastor, to evaluate, recommend, and provide oversight of mission work to be undertaken both locally and internationally, as well as, within the church. This includes mission opportunities that are conducted independently by the church and/or in conjunction with another church or organization.
This committee shall be composed of three (3) persons on a rotating basis.
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The duties of this committee shall include but are not limited to:
1. Evaluation of mission needs and opportunities and recommend specific plans for enlisting the support and participation of the church in mission work. 2. To develop the interest of the church membership in an expanding missionary program. 3. Establish and maintain communication with the Union Baptist Association as a resource for mission work within our church and association. 4. Communicate with and promote joint growth and development of the WMG and Baptist Men as they function within our church. 5. Encourage prayer support for all state & foreign missionaries and mission offerings. 6. To prepare a recommendation for financial need to be presented to the finance committee for inclusion in the annual budget. (this includes the Stegall Endowment budget).
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The Nominating Committee coordinates the staffing of all church leadership positions to be filled by volunteer workers, unless otherwise stipulated in these by-laws.
This committee shall be composed of three (3) persons on a rotating basis with a term of one year. Names to fill vacant positions of this committee will come as a recommendation by the Deacon chair, vice chair, & secretary and will be presented with the slate of names at the annual meeting in August.
The duties of this committee shall be:
1. To select and enlist church program organization leaders; church committee chairpersons, where applicable; committee members; and general officers. Note that the Deacon Chair will serve as the chair of the Church Council and the Pastoral Relations Committee will be chaired by the Personnel Committee chair. 2. To be constantly on the alert to find prospective workers so that any vacancies during the year may be filled immediately. 3. This committee shall nominate all church officers: Sunday School Director, Church Committees, and all other church elected officials. WMU, Baptist Men, and Adult Sunday School classes are to recommend their leaders to the Nominating Committee. 4. To bring the committee’s slate of recommendations to the Church at the August business meeting for election prior to each new church year which begins in September.
PASTORAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE: The Pastoral Relations Committee has been created to support and maintain an open, healthy relationship between the ministers and the congregation of First Baptist Church-Marshville and to aid the Church by following Paul’s instructions, “help carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.” (Galatians 6:2, 10) The Pastoral Relations Committee will be comprised of the chairman of the Discipleship Committee, the Fellowship Committee, & the Personnel Committee. The Personnel Committee chair will serve as the chair of the Pastoral Relations Committee.
This committee will provide a method by which issues/conflicts may be both heard and resolved in a loving, spiritual setting.
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PERSONNEL COMMITTEE The Personnel Committee assists the church in matters related to employed personnel administration, including those called by church actions. This committee shall assist in determining staff needs, employment, salaries, benefits, other compensation, policies, job descriptions, and personnel services. The chair of this committee will also serve on the Pastoral Relations Committee.
This committee shall be composed of three (3) persons on a rotating basis.
Personnel Committee Responsibilities shall include:
1. Work with the Pastor to determine church staff needs and make recommendation(s) for new staffing as needed. The recommendation will include a written job description of the new position. 2. Develop church policies and procedures relating to church staff personnel. 3. To aid in salary recommendations, this committee shall formulate and maintain a written description of each staff position, describing major duties assigned to that position. These descriptions are to be reviewed annually. 4. This committee shall design a program of salary administration and make annual recommendations to the finance committee. 5. A program of employee benefits shall be recommended by this committee. This is to include such things as retirement, pension plan, vacation, holidays, other time off, hospitalization, etc. 6. Work with the Pastor to assess the job performance of each staff member on an annual basis. 7. Work with the Deacons to assess the job performance of the Pastor. 8. The chair of this committee will also serve on the Pastoral Relations Committee. 9. Recommend candidates for non-ordained staff positions to the church conference for employment by church action.
WORSHIP COMMITTEE The Worship Committee will work to provide members and guests with genuine experiences of worship by planning worship services (including Baptism, Lord’s Supper), by involving congregation members in worship leadership, and by arranging the physical and technical resources that contribute to the worship life of the church.
This committee shall be composed of three (3) persons on a rotating basis.
The primary duties shall be but are not limited to:
1. To work with the Pastor and Minister of Music in identifying the worship needs and opportunities of the congregation. 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the worship services and work with Pastor and Minister of Music to identify ways to enrich the worship experiences for all ages. 3. To work with the Pastor and Minister of Music in planning the order and content of worship services, and making recommendations about regular, community, and special seasonal services. 4. To enlist and train a team which will ensure all audio visual equipment is in proper working order and will be operated during any service or event. 5. In consultation with the Pastor, oversee preparations for Baptisms and for Communion, including arranging and training Deacons on how to secure and ready the elements, how to serve the elements, and how to store the elements after the service.
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FBC Restructure Team 2013 Proposal
6. Develop and keep up to date guidelines for wedding and funeral services at the church 7. To prepare a recommendation for financial need to be presented to the finance committee for inclusion in the annual budget.
ARTICLE XIII - Amendments It is the responsibility of the Pastor, church staff, and Deacons to review the bylaws, proposing any revisions or adjustments necessary to maintain their effectiveness, and to bring these changes to the church in conference for a majority vote.
ARTICLE XIV – Dissolution In the event the church ceases to exist any remaining assets shall be conveyed to a similar non-profit organization qualifying for tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or as they may hereafter be amended, designated by the church at its final business meeting.
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