Article 1 – Name
The name of this Church is Ford River Community Chapel, located in Bark River, Michigan.
Article 2 – Purpose of this constitution
To communicate the guiding principles and expected behavior of all those who are a part of the ministry community at Ford River Community Chapel. The Pastor, elders, governing board members, and the entire church membership at large are all a part of our ministry community.
Article 3 – Purpose of the Church
The fundamental purpose of the local church is to glorify God by proclaiming and obeying His word. This unwavering commitment to God’s word is the most basic and vital obligation of the church {Acts 2:42}. The proclamation of Scripture includes both the preaching of the Gospel and the teaching and equipping of the saints with the goal of helping each other attain the unity of the faith and the knowledge and maturity that results in Christlikeness {Eph 4:11-16}. As our attention is focused on the scripture in the way here described, the individual members will be poised to respond to the greatest obligation God gave to the church universal. Jesus described this obligation when he was approached by a lawyer. The lawyer asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” {Matt 22:37-40 ESV}.
Thankfully, we are not being invited to try to fulfill the greatest of the commandments solely thru our own human effort. Like everything else the Lord asks us to do, He expects us to elicit His help to accomplish the thing being asked. Paul helps us understand how to appropriate the Lord’s help when he said, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” {Eph 6:10}. Because the verb is in the passive voice it means, “continually be strengthened”. And, because the controlling phrase is “in the Lord”, we are encouraged to actively/ prayerfully ask the Lord for His strength to carry out what we’ve been commanded to do.
Article 4 – Statement of Faith
1. Concerning the Scriptures
We believe that the Bible is without error in the original manuscripts. As Solomon wrote, “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar” {Prov 30:5-6}. We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Bible, meaning that the inspiration extends to all parts of the Bible equally. Paul reminds, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” {2 Thess 3:16}. And, we believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible, meaning that the inspiration extends to the words, letters, tenses, and other parts of speech. We don’t just believe that the thoughts are inspired, as some teach, but that the very words themselves were inspired by God thru human personalities. Peter confirms, “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” {2 Pe 1:20-21}.
2. Concerning the Trinity
Though one God, He yet exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All 3 persons of the trinity were present at Jesus’ baptism: ”And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” {Matt 3:16-17}.
In a different scenario we see Jesus declaring himself to be Yahweh, i.e., the Lord of the OT: “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” {John 8:58}. Basic to the expression, “I Am”, are such passages as Exod 3:14, Deut 32:39, and Isa 41:4 where God declared Himself to be the eternally pre-existent God.
The Holy Spirit being identified as deity is most plainly seen in a conversation Jesus had with his disciples. Jesus announced to his disciples that he was going back to heaven but would send “another Helper”. Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” John 14:16}. The underlying Greek word that translates into the English word “another” means, another of the same kind, i.e., someone like Jesus Himself. The Spirit of Christ is the Third Person of the Trinity, having the same essence of deity as Jesus and is perfectly one with Him as He is with the Father.
The inclusion of a discussion about the trinity in this constitution is our way of acknowledging that the scripture clearly identifies all 3 persons as deity. No man fully understands all the ramifications of this reality. God said the following thru Isaiah: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” {Isa 55:9}. There are topics, such as the trinity, and the grace of God, ect., that are above our “complete” comprehension. However, we are given enough light to carry on a relationship with all three persons of the Godhead.
The essence of the new covenant relationship, which we New Testament believers are a part of, is to “know” the Lord. That is, to press in to know Him. Hosea helps us here where he says, “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” {Hos 6:3}. The similes in this verse using the words “dawn” and “shower” are a way of comparing God’s reliability to the recurrent activities in nature. God is essentially saying, “I’m accessible, I’m predictable – come get to know me!” In the very next verse He says, “What shall I do with you O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away” {Hos 6:4}. Here God is lamenting that His people are fleeting in their affection for Him, like the morning cloud and morning dew that give way to the light of day. I don’t know about you, but I have behaved like Ephraim and Judah for the better part of my Christian life. And, I’m earnestly striving to be more consistent in my relationship with the Lord, so says Pastor Jay ;-).
God’s stance remains: “Submit yourselves therefore to God, Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” {Jas 4:7-8}.
Folks, we’re on this journey together. We have a heavenly Father who describes Himself as predictable, as He stated in the Hosea passage above. Astonishingly, He said in the James passage, if you draw near to me – I’ll draw near to you. What more can we ask for?
Let’s get after it!!!
3. Concerning God the Father
We believe that there is only one living and true God who is infinite, eternal, self-existing, and unchanging. Moses expressed this well where he said, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” {Deut 6:4-5}. Habakkuk chimes in to say, “Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?” {Hab 1:12a}. Asaph adds by acknowledging God’s position, “that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth” {Ps 83:18}. And, John the Revelator said, ”Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” {Rev 4:11}.
4. Concerning God the Son
We believe that God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, is eternal, and eternally begotten of the Father. He is fully God and fully man. He’s God’s designated creator of all things. All of this is on open display in the preamble to the gospel of John where it reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made” {John 1:1-3}. He was rejected by His own people, but those who received Him were granted permission to join the eternal family of God: “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” {John 1:11-12}. Luke describes Jesus’ integral role in the salvation process: “And there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” {Acts 4:12}. The apostle Paul adds his support in a letter to his disciple, Timothy, with the following words: “for there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” {1 Tim 2:5}.
You might be reading about the concept of joining God’s forever family here, for the first time. You may even be a member of Ford River Community Chapel, but upon reading about the salvation offered exclusively thru Jesus Christ you have questions about whether you have ever fully accepted Jesus as your savior and Lord. As the late Bible teacher E. W. Kenyon put it: “Believing demands action, creates action. Mental assent admires, admits, but does not act.”
So, the actions required to receive Jesus as your savior and Lord are as follows: 1) acknowledge that eternal life is a free gift offered by God, and that you cannot earn nor deserve it, Eph 2:8-9 explains that. 2) Admit that you are a sinner as, Rom 3:23 points out. 3) Understand who God is. Moses was being commissioned to rescue Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. Moses wanted to “see” God, and he asked God to show him “His glory”. God reminded Moses that no one could see His face and live. However, He set Moses on a cleft of a rock and passed by Him, but only showed Moses His back. However, as God passed in front of Moses, He began to explain to Moses who He was. Here is what God said: “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty,…”{Exod 34:6-7ab}. God has several aspects to His character. When He works with people, the primary 2 aspects of His character to consider are: His Mercy & His Justice. God is merciful, but He must punish sin. He desires to relate to you and I in mercy, but can only do so when sin has been justly punished by death. God says in His word, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” {Rom 6:23}. This created a dilemma for God. On the one hand He is Just and must punish sin, on the other hand He wants to move toward you and I in mercy. 4) God solved the problem by sending His son Jesus to die in our place. Because Jesus lived a sinless life, when He offered His life on the cross His death and resurrection became available to us. 5) We appropriate the merit of Christ’s death and resurrection by taking the action of acknowledging His sacrifice in the following way: “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” {Rom 10:9-10}. Is this what you really want to do? If so, pray the following prayer:
“Lord Jesus Christ, I know I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life. But I believe you died and gave your life for me and purchased a place in Heaven for me. I repent of my sins and now place my trust in You for my salvation. I accept the free gift of eternal life. Amen”
*Only those who truly turn from their sins and place their faith in Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection actually receive eternal life.
5. Concerning God the Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, proceeds from both the Father and the Son. “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me” {John 15:26}. He is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature. This is clearly illustrated in the story of Ananias as follows: “But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the Land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God” {Acts 5:3-4}. Notice the Holy Spirit in this passage is referred to as God. The Holy Spirit wears many hats. The Holy Spirit, also called the Comforter, teaches the saints, and brings things to our remembrance as John states here: “But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” {John 14:26}. Perhaps the Holy Spirit’s most important job is to act as the “seal” of our redemption: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” {Eph 4:30}.
The Greek has it, “And stop grieving the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God”. This grieving of the Spirit can take the form of you and I uttering evil or worthless words. As Eph 1:13 shows, the Holy Spirit was placed in us as a seal or a down payment. Then Eph 1:14 reads, “Which is [the Holy Spirit] the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” {Eph1:14}. This is saying that Jesus bought us with the price of His blood, and deposited the Holy Spirit in us to safe vouch His purchase until we are finally in His presence.
6. Concerning Marriage
We believe the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture ( Gen 2:18-25). We believe that marriage between one man and one woman, for life, uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with His Church (Eph 5:21-33). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor 6:18, 7:2-5; Heb 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, cohabitation, homosexual behavior, rejection of one’s biological sex or use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God ( Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10).
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Ford River Community Chapel.
7. Concerning Sexuality
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
8. Concerning Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Ps 139).
9. Statement of Final Authority
Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Ford River Community Chapel’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Elders in conjunction with our Governing Board, are Ford River Community Chapel’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s application.
Article 5 – Membership
1. Concerning Qualifications
Members of this church will be believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
a. Who give evidence of regeneration;
b. Who have been baptized after salvation;
c. Who are in agreement with the Statement of Faith and are committed to uphold all the beliefs and doctrines described therein, as well as all the Articles of this Constitution.
d. Who commit to keep the church Covenant; and
e. Who seek to glorify God with their lives and do not harbor known sin.
2. Concerning becoming a member
A member is a person who, upon public profession of faith, baptism, and affirmation of the members, has placed themselves under the accountability of this church, promising together with this church to uphold our covenant and statement of faith.
After qualifications have been reviewed by the Pastor, applicants will be affirmed by a majority vote at any regularly scheduled Governing Board meeting.
*Baptism, is the English transliteration of the Greek word “baptizmo” and is not always used to indicate full immersion in water. As circumstances may require, eg., the elderly or infirmed, may be sprinkled in lieu of full immersion.
3. Concerning the Church Covenant
Ford River Community Chapel Covenant
I covenant with this body that with the aid of the Holy Spirit:
a. I will faithfully attend the gatherings of this church and support its worship, ordinances, ministries, discipline, doctrine, and leaders.
b. I will contribute willingly and faithfully of my time and money as acts of worship.
c. I will pursue unity, love, wholesome and edifying speech, and will seek to serve others as I exercise genuine concern and spiritual care.
d. I will rejoice with those who rejoice and will bear the burdens of those who suffer.
e. I will faithfully admonish and encourage others to live holy lives, considering their spiritual needs to be more important than my own desires.
f. I will devote myself to the Word, prayer, and the faithful proclamation of the Gospel.
g. I will seek to be a faithful member of this or another authentic New Testament local church until the Lord returns or calls me home.
4. Church Membership Policy
We believe that to carry on the religious mission of the church, to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons who associate with the church as members should abide by and agree to the following statements and conduct themselves in accordance with them.
————— A. Statement of Faith
(initial) – initialing here indicates your agreement to abide by the statement of faith in article 4 of this document.
————— B. Statement on Church Discipline
(initial) – initialing here indicates you’ve read and agree to submit to the statement of church discipline below.
The threefold purpose of church discipline is to glorify God by maintaining purity in the local church (1 Cor 5:6), to edify believers by deterring sin and promoting purity (1 Tim 5:20), and to promote the spiritual welfare of the offending believer by calling him or her to return to a biblical standard of doctrine and conduct (Gal 6:1).
The Lord Jesus Christ has entrusted the local church with the authority and responsibility to discipline members for flagrant sin or serious doctrinal error, with the goal of the restoration of the offender. This discipline is entrusted to the Elders in conjunction with the Governing Board and is to follow the biblical pattern as set forth in Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5; 2 Cor 2:7-8; Gal 6:1; 2 Thess 3:6; Titus 3:10-11; and 2 John 7-11. Any member of this church who practices or affirms a doctrine or conduct that, in the judgment of the Elders in conjunction with the Governing Board, is opposed to the teaching of the Word of God, or is threatening to the testimony of this church, or is divisive to the body, shall be subject to church discipline.
Discipline will follow the said biblical pattern and is an effort to bring the individual to repentance and protect the church from unrepentant sin. Discipline may involve exclusion from participation in ministry and communion, as well as dismissal from the fellowship of this church. An individual may be disciplined by the Elders in conjunction with the Governing Board short of dismissal from the fellowship, as they deem appropriate for the specific circumstance (for example, an individual may remain in certain circumstances a member of this church but be denied the privilege of serving in a particular ministry). The Elders in conjunction with the Governing Board, as is required by Scripture, may report to the congregation the names of those who have lost membership by reason of church discipline, and the reason for that discipline, as described in Matt 18:15-20.
————— C. Statement on Mediation
(Initial) – initialing here indicates your agreement to follow the mediation process described below for unresolved conflicts
Members of the church agree to submit any legal dispute with the church for mediation before a mutually agreed-upon mediator, or if none can be agreed upon, one selected by Peacemaker Ministries. Lawsuits between believers, or threats of lawsuits between believers, are a matter of grave concern for the church, are contrary to biblical and church teaching, and mediation is an effort to resolve disputes in a biblical fashion (1 Cor 6:1-7).
Mediation will be governed by the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation of the Institute for Christian Conciliation (ICC Rules), unless modified as stipulated by the parties. In particular, subject to the more detailed provisions of the ICC Rules, mediator(s) will attempt to assist us in reaching a voluntary settlement of any disputes through mediation. The confidentiality of the mediation process will be protected, and these matters will not be discussed with people who do not have a necessary interest in them. If settlement can be agreed upon, the concilators may, at their discretion, issue an advisory opinion. Neither the opinion, nor any communications exchanged in the mediation process, will be admissible for any purpose in any subsequent legal proceeding.
I have reviewed the statements above and agree to be governed by all the provisions herein.
________________________________________ ____________________________________
Name Date
Article 6 – Governing Board
1. Concerning the Pastor/Elder
The Pastor of this congregation must agree with and execute all the articles contained in this constitution. The Pastor must be a man who possesses the qualities as described very aptly in the book of Timothy as follows: “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil” {1 Tim 3:1-7}.
Most of the biblical qualifications relate to the Pastor’s moral and spiritual qualities. The first and overarching is that of being “above reproach”. Being above reproach is defined by the items that follow that term in the passage cited above. The first item on the list is “husband of one wife”. This has primary reference to sexual purity, as this is the area spiritual leaders are most prone to fall. Does He cherish his wife and govern his thoughts and actions in a way that reflects that. Anything less is unacceptable. Also, if he’s remarried after a divorce, he is eligible to be a Pastor only if he was the victim of the sexual sin of his previous spouse (see Matt 5:31-23; 19:9 or was deserted by an unbelieving spouse (see 1 Cor 7:15). If there has been a biblically permitted divorce, it must have been so far in the past as to have been overcome by a long pattern of solid family leadership and the rearing of godly children.
“Sober minded”: Alert, Watchful, Vigilant, or Clear-headed. Elders must be able to think clearly.
“Self-controlled”: Knows how to properly order his priorities and is serious about spiritual matters. “Respectable”: The Greek word means “orderly.” Pastor’s must not lead chaotic lives; if they cannot order their own lives, how can they bring order to the church? “Hospitable”: From a compound Greek word meaning “love of strangers”. As with all spiritual virtues, elders must set the example. “Able to teach”: The pastor must be able to teach, as is most eloquently explained by the apostle Paul: “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” {Titus 1:9}. The rest of the qualifications that fill out the balance of the above cited passage, e.g., not a drunkard, not violent, gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, etc. can be easily examined in a broader consideration of what it means to be sober-minded and self-controlled.
As a servant leader, he must not only preach, teach, and equip the congregation. He must also provide counsel and prayer as circumstances may require. He shall oversee the worship services, programs, and all ministries of the Church. He shall be an ex-officio member of all organizations within the Church.
2. Concerning Non-Pastor Elders
Non-Pastor Elder(s) must agree to all the articles enumerated in this constitution.
Non-Pastor Elder(s) are recommended by the Pastor, and their candidacy is vetted before the Governing Board. Their tenure is not limited in time, but is subject to the evaluation of the Pastor in conjunction with the Governing Board.
The number of Elders appointed shall be determined by the needs of the Church and availability of qualified Men.
All the qualifications identified for the Pastor/Elder, in the previous section, apply to the non- Pastor/Elder(s) as well. The lone exception involves the qualification, Able to teach. In our context at Ford River Community Chapel, the non-Pastor Elder(s) are not expected to teach or preach, although in some instances they may. Elders are men selected to be Elders based upon a recognition that they possess the qualities found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. They stand as examples to the congregation in their conduct. They shall serve, under direction of the Pastor, the spiritual needs of the congregation according to their gifts and talents. They assist the Pastor in the development and carrying out of the vision of the church. They provide the Pastor with counsel on issues that require a high level of confidentiality. They participate in a mutual accountability with the Pastor to ensure the qualities once identified in them are maintained. All of this, so that the name of the Lord is glorified both in the church and in the broader community!
When the church is without a Pastor, the Elders shall be responsible to find qualified speakers for the pulpit ministry. The Elders shall serve on the Pastoral Search Committee if one is appointed by the Church Governing Board. Should there be a need to replace the Pastor, a member of the search committee will invite the prospective candidate to be interviewed. The committee should focus their questions to determine if the candidate possesses the qualities outlined in article 6, item 1, in this document, concerning the Pastor/Elder requirements. The references supplied by the candidate should be checked, a criminal background investigation conducted, and any body of work he has produced should be examined. The candidate will be invited to present a sermon to the congregation and remain after the service to interact with the membership. If the committee, after hearing feedback from the members, reaches a consensus, the candidates name will be brought forward to the membership for a vote. If a 2/3 majority of the membership votes in favor of the candidate, the candidate will be invited back to appear before the committee and offered the position.
Elders by the virtue of their position are ex-officio members of all organizations within the Church and are granted full voting rights.
3. Concerning other Governing Board Members
The governing Board shall consist of the Pastor, Elders and up to eight (8) representatives and be elected by the membership during the annual January meeting.
Governing Board Members must agree with the statement of faith (Article 4) and shall assist the Pastor and Elders in leading the Church to fulfill its Organizational Purpose (Article 3) and be a member as established in Article 5.
Chairman – shall preside at all meetings.
Vice Chairman – shall preside if the President is not able.
Secretary – Shall keep the records of all church matters discussed during Board Meetings and the Annual Membership Meeting and distribute printed copies of the minutes to each Governing Board member.
Treasurer – shall keep the records of weekly contributions, make deposits, pay bills, and keep accurate records of Church finances.
The Treasurer shall not be the Pastor, nor anyone closely related to the Pastor through family or business.
Assistant Treasurer – shall assist in the weekly contribution and attendance records, provide accountability, and perform a general audit of financial records prior to each Annual Membership Meeting.
The Assistant Treasurer shall not be the Pastor nor anyone closely related to the Treasurer through family or business.
All Board Members shall participate in Governing Board Meetings on behalf of the Church Membership.
It shall be the responsibility of the Governing Board to address the spiritual, practical, financial and legal concerns of the Church in keeping with the articles of this constitution.
Any significant legal or financial decisions (equal to or greater than $2,000) must be brought to the membership for discussion and approval by a 2/3 majority vote.
The Governing Board will have final say regarding use of the Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, and any Church property.
4. Concerning the election of Governing Board Members
Qualified candidates for the Governing Board shall be submitted to the Governing Board for consideration of nomination before the 2nd Thursday of January. The annual meeting is usually held on the 3rd Sunday of January, unless otherwise scheduled.
The election shall be conducted by closed ballot at the Annual Membership Meeting. Absentee ballots will be available from the pastor or any Governing Board Member upon request prior to the election.
The top eight vote recipients shall be elected as Governing Board Members.
Governing Board Members are elected for a one-year term and may be re-elected every year.
At the First Governing Board Meeting after the Annual Business Meeting the representatives shall elect the five Officers of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer by majority vote.
A member must have passed his or her eighteenth birthday to hold voting privileges or to be a candidate for office.
5. Qualifications of Governing Board Members
Members (with the exception of the Pastor) shall have been members of the Ford River Community Chapel for at least one year.
Members must have attained the age of eighteen (18) years.
Members shall be chosen upon spiritual maturity, ability, and faithfulness to the church.
Members shall be in full agreement with the Articles of this Constitution and doctrinal practices of the Church.
Members shall regularly attend Sunday morning worship services.
6. Membership Meetings
The Church shall hold its Membership Annual Meeting (aka Annual Business Meeting) during the month of January. The meeting shall be announced at least two weeks prior from the pulpit during Sunday morning worship.
Additional congregational meetings may be held if called by the Pastor or the Governing Board President.
Agenda items to be considered will be announced at least two weeks prior from the pulpit during Sunday morning worship.