Island Falls United Baptist Church

United Baptist Church of Island Falls
By-Laws & Amendments

CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

As a body of believers in Jesus Christ, organized for the purpose of spreading His gospel and biblical teaching through our Baptist heritage, we adopt this constitution that “everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”

ARTICLE I—NAME & ASSOCIATION

We name our organization: United Baptist Church of Island Falls.  We choose to express our mission through affiliation with the Southern Aroostook Baptist Association, American Baptist Churches of Maine and American Baptist Churches in the USA. 

ARTICLE II—PURPOSES

A. Our purposes are:

1. To promote and develop personal allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in ourselves and others
2. To train our character in Christian living
3. To proclaim Christ’s gospel in our world through word and deed

B. These purposes are further expressed in our church Covenant.

ARTICLE III—MEMBERSHIP

A. Entry: new members may be adopted by vote of the church after being examined and recommended by the pastor, diaconate and clerk.

B. Responsibilities include:

1. Profession of faith in Jesus Christ and baptism
2. Commitment to our Covenant relationship
3. Personal contribution to vision, leadership and financial support.

C. Exit procedures include:

1. Transfer: members in good standing who wish to unite with another church may apply in writing for
    transfer.  The clerk will send letters of transfer to the pastor or clerk of the designated church. 
2. Resignation: members who wish to withdraw for other reasons may present a written resignation to the
clerk.  The diaconate will examine this resignation and initiate reconciliation proceedings when appropriate. 
3.  Dismissal: members whose actions bring serious disrepute on the name of Christ and our covenant
community and who resist all reasonable efforts toward biblical reconciliation may be dismissed by the diaconate.  Restoration may occur at any time with recommitment to our covenant community through the membership process.
4. Death: upon their death members will be removed from our roll and condolences will be extended to
    their families.

 ARTICLE IV—OFFICERS

A. Diaconate

1. Responsibilities:
a. Pastoral—join in pastoral ministry by visiting the sick and needy, prepare and distribute the Lord’s Supper and administer the Deacon’s Fund
b. Spiritual—assess church spiritual health, discern church vision, disciple members through the
Covenant relationship, and oversee and advise the pastor
c. Administrative—determine the church calendar, examine and recommend individuals for membership, elect their own chair, and negotiate pastoral evaluations and compensation annually 
2. The diaconate will serve in proportion to the active church membership roll in a ratio of 1:12 with a
minimum of six (6).

B. Pastor: will preach, teach, visit those in need, administer baptism and the Lord’s Supper and perform other
duties determined by the diaconate.  The pastor will be ex-officio, a member among officers and teams and will have access to all books and records.  The diaconate will regularly evaluate the pastor-people relationship.  This relationship may be terminated by either party with three month’s notice, or earlier by mutual consent.  Pastoral compensation will be paid regularly and will be negotiated annually.

C.     Moderator: will preside at all church business meetings or appoint a deputy when absent.

D.  Trustees: five (5) will steward all church property, keeping it safe, insured, beautiful and in good repair. They
    will also arrange maintenance as needed and determine public use.  They will select and oversee ushers.

E.      Treasurer: will steward all expenditures, rendering semi-annual reports.

F.      Financial Secretary: will steward the reception of all funds for record and deposit.

G.      Clerk: will record church business meetings, catalogue historical church documents and maintain an accurate
roll of active and inactive members.  The clerk will appoint a deputy to act when absent.

H.     Association Delegates: will represent our church in the proceedings of the Southern Aroostook Baptist
Association according to the cooperating member relationships described in the rules of procedure of the American Baptist Churches of Maine.

I. All officers will be elected annually from among active church members.

ARTICLE V—TEAMS

A. Finance Team: will pursue long-term financial planning and prepare a budget to be recommended for vote at the annual meeting.  This team will consist of all officers or delegates of their respective offices and one (1) member-at-large.

B. Pastoral Search Team: will be appointed by the church to diligently examine pastoral candidates when a pastoral vacancy occurs.  This team will consist of seven (7) members drawn from among representative officers. A legal business meeting will be called to provide for election.  A three-fourths (3/4) vote of members present will be necessary to extend a call.  After securing a new pastor, this team will remain a support resource through their initial year in ministry together.

C. Nominating Team: will nominate individuals to fill vacant offices and present nominations for officers, team leaders, worship team members and auditors at the annual meeting.  They will be three (3) active members elected annually by nomination from the floor at the annual meeting.

D. Worship Team: will seek to assist the officers in designing worship venues that glorify God through music, scripture reading, decoration, drama and other appropriate arts media.  They will be three (3) active members elected annually.

E. Christian Outreach Team: will promote our purpose described in Article II, A, 1.  Seeking to become a church where people Come to God, inviting individuals to personal allegiance to Jesus Christ thru gospel-centered outreach, one (1) Christian Outreach Team Leader will be nominated and elected annually to form this project team, focus its vision and pursue practical strategies.

F. Christian Education Team: will promote our purpose described in Article II, A, 2.  Seeking to become a church where people Grow in Christ, digging deeper in our personal relationship with Jesus Christ through biblical learning, one (1) Christian Education Team Leader will be nominated and elected annually to form this project team, focus its vision and pursue practical strategies. 


G.   Christian Service Team: will promote our purpose described in Article II, A, 3.  Seeking to become a church
where people Serve Together, using biblical insight and spiritual gifting in practical ways in our local and global communities, one (1) Christian Service Team Leader will be nominated and elected annually to form this project team, focus its vision and pursue practical strategies. 

H. Auditors: two (2) will audit all church accounts on an annual basis, including: check books, savings accounts,
ledgers, bank statements and electronic programs.

I.     Teams will consist of active church members, reporting directly to the diaconate.

ARTICLE VI—MEETINGS

A. Worship: the church will meet regularly every Lord’s Day for public worship. Additional worship venues, celebration of the Lord’s Supper and opportunities for corporate prayer and study will be determined by the pastor and diaconate.

B. Regular Business Meetings: will be held semi-annually in January and June.  Annual Meeting will include presentation of written annual reports from church officers and teams, election of new officers and transaction of other outstanding business.  Annual meeting will occur on the final Sunday of January, while Semi-Annual meeting will occur the final Sunday of June.  For the transaction of legal business, seven days’ notice will be posted in a conspicuous place.  A quorum for transaction will consist of 20% of active membership.  Elected officers will otherwise transact regular business. 

C. Special Meetings: may be called for business at any time when prior notice is not required by law.  The pastor, clerk or five members, presenting their request in writing to the clerk, may call special meetings.

 ARTICLE VII—AMENDMENTS

A. These rules may be amended at any regular church business meeting by a majority vote of active members present and voting. Proposed amendments will have been submitted in writing and will have been noted at two Sunday services prior to the business meeting where submitted for final action.

B. The rules and regulations adopted in this constitution will be construed as setting aside and making null and void all former acts, rules and regulations for the government of the church.
   
Last amended June 2010

 

Church Covenant

Having already given ourselves to God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ,
We now give ourselves to each other in this Covenant:

We covenant to Come Together
 
We will gather regularly to worship in a way that would bring God honor.
We will affirm Scripture as the basis for our common life in Christ.
We will seek unity in essentials, liberty in non-essentials and charity in all things.
We will labor together to build up His Church by proclaiming the gospel of faith in Jesus Christ.

We covenant to Grow Together

We will pursue spiritual discipline in prayer and study.
We will dig deeper in our personal relationship with Christ through shared biblical learning.
We will carefully guard the value, dignity and reputation of each as we strengthen one another.
We will confess our faults to each other and watch over each other in love.

We covenant to Serve Together

We will strive to demonstrate our profession of faith by practical action.
We will accept God’s call to lead and to be led.
We will support the ministry of the Church according to our ability.
We will assist the needy, especially the poor among our own Church.

May the God of peace sanctify us through and through,
And may He preserve us blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.