CONSTITUTION
LAKE OCONEE LUTHERAN CHURCH, INC.
PREAMBLE
The Word of God
requires that a Christian congregation shall conform to that Word in doctrine
and practice (Psalm 119:105; Galatians
1:6-8; 2 Timothy 4:1-5) and that all
things be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). Therefore, we, the members of
ARTICLE I - NAME
This congregation
shall bear the public name of
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
ARTICLE III - CONFESSIONAL STANDARD
This congregation
accepts, without reservation, all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments
as the inspired Word of God, and as the sole rule of faith and practice; and
accepts, without reservation, all the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the
Word of God, to wit: The Three
Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian
Creed), the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg
Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Large Catechism of Martin Luther, the
Small Catechism of Martin Luther, and the Formula of Concord.
ARTICLE IV - SYNODICAL AFFILIATION
This congregation
shall be affiliated with The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the Synodical
District in which it is geographically located, so long as the confessions and
the constitution of said Synod and District are in accordance with the Confessional
Standard of this congregation. It shall
be the duty of this congregation and its individual members to support the work
of the Synod and to ensure the attendance of the pastor and a lay delegate to
our District conventions.
ARTICLE V - DISSOLUTION
No earnings or
assets of any kind whatsoever of Lake Oconee Lutheran Church, Inc. shall inure
to the benefit of any members, directors, officers or other individuals. In the event the corporation is dissolved,
its entire assets shall be distributed to the Missouri Synod District in which
the congregation exists.
ARTICLE VI - PROPERTY RIGHTS OF THE
CONGREGATION
This congregation
may receive, acquire, hold title to, and manage such real estate and other property
as is needed to accomplish said Purpose and may sell or dispose of such real
estate and other property or any part thereof; and this congregation shall have
all the rights and the powers that are granted by the laws of the State of
Georgia to religious corporations.
ARTICLE VII - SEPARATION
If, at any time, a
separation should take place in this congregation on account of doctrine, or
any other reason, the property of
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENT TO THE
CONSTITUTION
Any Article of
this Constitution, except Article III, may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3)
majority vote of the Voters Assembly as defined in the By-laws of the
congregation. Constitutional amendments
require a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the voters present at two
consecutive meetings; these meetings shall be convened with at least thirty
(30) days separating the meeting dates.
BY-LAWS
LAKE OCONEE LUTHERAN CHURCH, INC.
ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP
A. Baptized Membership. Baptized members are those who have been
baptized with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, including the baptized children on the membership rolls who have not
yet made public confirmation of their baptismal vows.
B. Communicant Membership. Communicant members are all baptized members
of the congregation who have either (1) participated in the Rite of
Confirmation, or (2) have been declared eligible by the mutual consent of the
Pastor, parent(s) and child to partake of Holy Communion prior to the Rite of
Confirmation.
C. Reception of New Communicant Members. Non-member Christians who are baptized may
become communicant members of this congregation in one of the following ways,
subject to recommendation by the Pastor and subsequent approval by the Church
Council:
1.
By the Rite of Confirmation for all who have not been confirmed
members of a Lutheran congregation, following completion of instruction
by the Pastor.
2.
By Letter of Transfer for
all who are currently members of another Lutheran congregation.
3.
By Reaffirmation of Faith for all who, at one time, were
confirmed members of a Lutheran congregation.
D. Termination of Membership. The membership of both baptized and
communicant members may be terminated by means of one of the following ways,
subject to recommendation by the Pastor and subsequent approval by the Church
Council:
1.
By Letter of Transfer for members joining another
2.
By Letter of Release for members joining a non-Lutheran
congregation.
3.
By Removal for members whose whereabouts are unknown and members
who have declared membership in another congregation.
E. Excommunication. Members who are leading an openly sinful
and impenitent life shall be lovingly and patiently admonished according to the
Word of God. If they refuse to submit to
the spiritual care of the congregation by repenting and amending their sinful
life, they may be removed from membership - but only by the unanimous
approval at a Voters Assembly meeting.
ARTICLE II - ELECTED OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS
The elected
officers of the congregation are the President, Vice President,
Congregational Secretary, Treasurer, and
Financial Secretary. The elected officials
are the Directors of the Boards of Christian Education,
Christian Service, Church Properties, and Lay Ministry; also elected is each
member of the Board of Lay Ministry. The President and the Congregational
Secretary shall be the corporate officers of the congregation. Delegates to the District Convention and
nominees for delegates to the Synodical Convention shall be elected by the
congregational Voters Assembly according to the By-laws of the District and
Synod.
ARTICLE III - GOVERNING BODIES
A. Voters Assembly. Any confirmed member who has reached the age
of eighteen (18) years, and has read and signed the Constitution of this
congregation shall be accepted as a voting member of this congregation. The qualified members at any meeting
constitute a quorum, and the meetings shall be governed by generally accepted
parliamentary procedures. All meetings
shall be announced at the regular worship services. The Voters Assembly shall meet four times a
year on a quarterly basis and the dates of such meetings shall be determined by
the Church Council. One meeting shall be
held in the fall (preferably October) and will include consideration of the
following years preliminary budget which will be finalized for adoption at the
next quarterly meeting. The fall
meeting will also include election of church officers and
officials. Special meetings of the
Voters Assembly may be called by the Pastor, the President of the congregation,
the Church Council, or in response to a written request signed by at least ten
(10) percent of the qualified voting members.
B. Church Council. The Church Council
consists of the President, who heads the Church Council, the Vice President,
Congregational Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, the Director of
each congregational board, and the Pastor. The Church Council prepares
recommendations, resolutions, proposed budgets and reports for submission at
the
Voters Assembly meetings. The
Church Council has the authority to approve unbudgeted expenses of no more than
$1,000.00 annually for each congregational board, except Church Properties,
which would be limited to a maximum $5,000.00 annual variance. In addition, the Church Council may authorize
emergency expenditures as deemed necessary by them to prevent bodily injury or
damage to church property. The Church
Council shall meet monthly, except in months when the Voters Assembly
meets. A simple majority of the Church
Council members shall constitute a quorum for voting purposes, and a simple
majority of those present is necessary to adopt any resolutions on voting
matters within the Council's authority.
C. Congregational Boards and Committees. All
other congregational boards and committees shall meet bimonthly or more
frequently when their activities require.
The meetings shall be open to all, except for executive sessions of the
Elders. The President of the
congregation and the Pastor are nonvoting ex-officio members of all boards and
committees.
ARTICLE IV - ELECTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
A. Elections. The
President of the Congregation, in conjunction with the Church Council, shall
appoint a Nominating Committee each year.
This committee presents a slate of candidates to the Voters Assembly at
the fall meeting, ensuring each candidate's eligibility for office and willingness
to serve. The slate will consist of at
least one candidate for each elected office as defined in Article II. Members of the Nominating Committee may be a
candidate for any office. Additional
nominations may be made from the floor providing eligibility and willingness to
serve are determined. Elections shall be
held at the fall Voters Assembly meeting, and those elected will assume office
on January 1st the following year. The
election of all congregational officers will alternate years with the election
of all Board Director positions.
One-half of the members of the Board of Lay Ministry will be elected
each given year.
B. Appointments. The
director of each board and the Church Council, with advice of the Nominating
Committee, will appoint members to that board.
Members of any ad hoc committees and delegates to local church agencies
will be appointed by the President and approved by the Church Council. In the event of a vacancy in any office, the
President, with the concurrence of the Church Council, will appoint a successor
to serve until the next election.
ARTICLE V - TERMS OF OFFICE
Elected officers
and officials of the congregation shall serve terms of two years. No elected individual shall serve more than
two consecutive terms in the same office.
Appointees to the standing Boards will also serve terms of two
years. All terms shall begin January 1st
in the year following elections. Members
appointed to ad hoc committees and delegates to church agencies will serve one
year terms beginning January 1st.
ARTICLE VI - RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS AND
OFFICIALS
A. President. The
President presides at the Voters Assembly meetings and the Church Council
meetings, ensuring that they are conducted in a Christian manner and according
to generally accepted parliamentary procedures.
The President is an ex-officio member of all boards and committees, and
will be welcomed at any meeting, except during an executive session of the Elders. The Elders may chose to invite the President
to attend an executive session, but is not obligated to do so. The President will sign all contracts, divine
calls, and other documents approved by the congregation. The President will appoint an Auditing
Committee consisting of two (2) members to audit the congregation's financial
records at the end of each fiscal year.
B. Vice President. The
Vice President performs the duties of the President in that officer's absence,
or when requested to do so by the President.
The Vice President shall be available for other duties the President may
assign to him/her.
C. Congregational Secretary. The
Congregational Secretary keeps accurate minutes of the Voters Assembly meetings and the Church
Council meetings. The Congregational
Secretary will sign all documents issued in the name of the church when
requested to do so by the President, the Church Council or the Voters Assembly.
D. Treasurer. The
Treasurer shall make payments by check of all current expenses or other
payments as directed by the Voters Assembly or Church Council (providing that
the payment directives of the Church Council are within their approved
limits of authority), and shall reconcile all monthly
bank account statements. All
special bills and obligations not budgeted must be previously reviewed and
approved by the Church Council if within their limits of authority, otherwise
approved by the voters assembly prior to payment.
The Treasurer makes available reports showing the results of all
financial activities at Voters Assembly meetings, Church Council meetings and
Stewardship Committee meetings. The
Treasurer shall receive from the Financial Secretary a report of all monies
received at worship services, special offerings, or any other sources, and
shall enter all receipts and disbursements in financial records which will
remain the property of the congregation.
The financial records, together with the proper vouchers, shall be
submitted for an annual audit to the audit committee appointed for this
purpose. The Treasurer shall be bonded
in the amount specified by the congregation, and the premiums thereon shall be
paid by the congregation.
E. Financial Secretary. The
Financial Secretary, with the assistance of any designated tellers, shall make
accurate counts and keep accurate records of the congregation's financial
receipts, shall deposit such receipts promptly into designated church bank
accounts, and shall report all such receipts promptly to the Treasurer in the
manner designated by the Treasurer. An
accurate record shall be kept of each members individual contributions which
can be member identified, and confidential contribution reports shall be issued
to each member at intervals prescribed by the Church Council or Voters
Assembly, but in no event less often than annually for each calendar year. The Financial Secretary shall be bonded in
the amount specified by the congregation, and the premiums thereon shall be
paid by the congregation.
F. Directors of Congregational Boards. The
Director of each board shall cooperate with the Nominating Committee following
the election of Board Directors to provide each board with the necessary number
of members. Each Director is the head of
his respective board and will prepare his board's proposed annual budget for
the subsequent year for presentation and review by the Church Council at their
September meeting. The Directors attend
all meetings of the Church Council as a voting member, and report the activities
of their respective Boards. Any Director
may give a report at the Voters Assembly meeting, but must advise the President
in advance of the meeting to be included on the agenda. Each Director consults with and supplies a
summary of each board meeting to the Pastor.
ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF CONGREGATIONAL BOARDS
A. Christian Education. The
Board of Christian Education supervises all educational ministries of the
congregation. These include, but are not
limited to, adult bible classes at church and in homes, Sunday School,
confirmation classes,
B. Christian Service. The
basic objectives of the Board of Christian Service are:
1. To
foster programs for the development of good stewardship attitudes in the
members of the congregation in regard to time, talents and treasures, to
provide for the training and utilization of members of the congregation for the
work of Christ's kingdom, and to ensure the financial stability of the
congregation and its work through a developed program of dedicated, proportionate,
first fruits giving.
2.
To foster fellowship among congregation members spiritually and
socially, the integration of new members into the life and work of the
congregation, and the spirit of mutual cooperation, trust and enjoyment among
the members of the congregation.
3.
To develop youth programs and ministries to the aged and needy within
the congregation.
C. Church Properties. The
Church Properties Board manages the real and personal property owned by the
congregation, maintains it in good repair, and has the authority to make
emergency repairs. However, any
unbudgeted major repair in excess of $500 must be approved by the Church
Council if within their limits of authority, otherwise by the voters assembly.
D. Lay Ministry. The
Board of Lay Ministry will be composed of Elders who will pray for their
appointed families and will be in contact with them on a regular basis. The basic objectives of the Board are
the spiritual welfare of the Pastor and members of the congregation,
individually and corporately; the
supervision of everything pertaining to congregational worship including, but
not limited to, (1) providing for Altar Guild service, (2) soliciting and
developing the Ushering Staff, (3) assistance at baptismal services, (4)
assisting the pastor in providing for worship services in the Pastor's absence,
and (5) the proper soul accounting and other vital statistics of the
church. The board is also responsible
for preparing the annual budget for the Board of Lay Ministry which includes
the compensation of the Pastor and other church positions, and for all items
necessary for conducting worship services.
There shall be
elected one Elder for each twenty (20) family member units or fractions
thereof. If between Voters Assembly
elections, additional Elder(s) are required due to membership growth, the
Church Council may appoint them to serve until the next election.
E. Christian Outreach. The
basic objectives of the Board of Christian Outreach are:
1.
To provide programs for evangelism outreach including, but not limited
to, prompt follow up contacts to visitors and other individuals or families
referred to this board.
2.
To recommend proposed budgets for missions and charities at Synodical
and District levels, and to provide outreach and consider aid to local
charities and hardships.
3.
To publicize the work of the congregation through various channels or
media, thereby bringing to the public’s attention our Christian care and
concern within the community we serve.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENT TO THE BY-LAWS
With the exception
of Article I, these By-laws may be amended by a simple majority vote of the
Voters Assembly. Amendment of Article I
of these By-laws requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Voters
Assembly in two consecutive meetings; such meetings shall be convened with at
least thirty (30) days separating the meeting dates.
Revised