Constitution and Bylaws
of Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf
Constitution
Preamble
We, members of the body of Christ, desiring to manifest the inner unity which we have in the common confession, maintenance and defense of our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, unite in the adoption of this Constitution.
Article I - Name
The name of this Congregation shall be Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
Article II - Purpose
Christ commanded us to go into all the world and teach all the things He taught us and to baptize all people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This Congregation shall serve its members and spread the Kingdom of God by preaching the Word of God and by administration of the Sacraments. Our special purpose is to spread the Word of God among the deaf people of the Southeastern District and to support the Synod in its ministry to deaf people throughout the world.
Article III - Doctrine
This Congregation acknowledges and accepts all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed Word of God. We also acknowledge and accept all the Confessional Writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church contained in the Book of Concord of the year 1580 to be the true and genuine exposition of the doctrines of the Bible. These Confessional Writings are the three Ecumenical Creeds (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian), the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, Luther's Large and Small Catechism and the Formula of Concord.
Article IV - Membership
The membership shall consist of Baptized, Communicant and Voting members.
Section A - Baptized Membership. All Persons on the membership list who are baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".
Section B - Communicant Membership. Communicant members are those who have been received into this Congregation by Adult Baptism, Confirmation, Certificate of Transfer, Declaration of Faith, or Restoration.
Section C - Voting Membership. All communicant members who have reached their eighteenth birthday, have been accepted by the Voter's Assembly and have read and signed the Constitution and Bylaws of this Congregation shall be entitled to vote. These members shall constitute the Voters' Assembly.
Article V - Officers
The officers of this Congregation shall be the President, the Chairman of Education and Evangelism, the Chairman of Stewardship and Finance, the Chairman of Social Concerns and the Chairman of Worship.
Article VI - Administration of Congregation Affairs
Section A - The Governing Body. The Voters' Assembly shall be the governing body of the Congregation. It shall establish policies for all of the Congregation's affairs. All organizations, groups and societies in the Congregation shall be under the supervision of the Voters' Assembly. The Voters' Assembly has no power to decide anything contrary to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions (Article III).
Section B - The Right of Calling. Only the Voters' Assembly shall have the right to call pastors or teachers. This responsibility may never be given to a smaller group or to an individual person.
Section C - The Officers' Powers. The officers and committees of this Congregation shall administer its affairs. They shall have only that power given to them by the Voters' Assembly. This power may be revoked or changed at any time by the Voters' Assembly. Questions of teaching or conscience shall be decided by a majority vote of the Voters' Assembly unless this Constitution and Bylaws states otherwise.
Section D - Removal From Office. A pastor or teacher may be removed from office by the Voters' Assembly. This shall be done in a Christian and lawful way following the procedure outlined in the Bylaws of this Constitution.
Article VII - Synodical Membership
This Congregation shall hold membership in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. It shall be the duty of this Congregation and its individual members to support the work of the Synod by giving financial support to the programs and drives of the Synod and the Southeastern District; by participating in the activities of the Synod, especially at District and Synodical Conventions; by praying for the leadership and the membership of this Synod and for all of its institutions.
Article VIII - Property Rights
If, at any time, a separation should take place on account of doctrine, the property of the Congregation and all benefits therewith connected shall remain with those voting members who continue to adhere in confession and practice to Article III of this Constitution. In the event the Congregation should totally disband, the property and all rights connected therewith shall be transferred to the Southeastern District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
Article IX - Amendments
Section A. Article III of this Constitution shall be unalterable and irrepealable.
Section B - Procedure.
1. Any voting member of this Congregation may propose an amendment to the Constitution or Bylaws at a Voters' Assembly or by submitting the proposed amendment to the Executive Council in writing.
2. The Executive Council shall give notice of proposed amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws to every voting member at least one month prior to the Voters' Assembly at which the proposal will be discussed.
3. A quorum of one-third of the Voters' Assembly must be present to vote on a Constitutional Amendment and an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present shall be necessary to adopt the amendment.
We, members of the body of Christ, desiring to manifest the inner unity which we have in the common confession, maintenance and defense of our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, unite in the adoption of this Constitution.
Article I - Name
The name of this Congregation shall be Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
Article II - Purpose
Christ commanded us to go into all the world and teach all the things He taught us and to baptize all people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This Congregation shall serve its members and spread the Kingdom of God by preaching the Word of God and by administration of the Sacraments. Our special purpose is to spread the Word of God among the deaf people of the Southeastern District and to support the Synod in its ministry to deaf people throughout the world.
Article III - Doctrine
This Congregation acknowledges and accepts all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed Word of God. We also acknowledge and accept all the Confessional Writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church contained in the Book of Concord of the year 1580 to be the true and genuine exposition of the doctrines of the Bible. These Confessional Writings are the three Ecumenical Creeds (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian), the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, Luther's Large and Small Catechism and the Formula of Concord.
Article IV - Membership
The membership shall consist of Baptized, Communicant and Voting members.
Section A - Baptized Membership. All Persons on the membership list who are baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".
Section B - Communicant Membership. Communicant members are those who have been received into this Congregation by Adult Baptism, Confirmation, Certificate of Transfer, Declaration of Faith, or Restoration.
Section C - Voting Membership. All communicant members who have reached their eighteenth birthday, have been accepted by the Voter's Assembly and have read and signed the Constitution and Bylaws of this Congregation shall be entitled to vote. These members shall constitute the Voters' Assembly.
Article V - Officers
The officers of this Congregation shall be the President, the Chairman of Education and Evangelism, the Chairman of Stewardship and Finance, the Chairman of Social Concerns and the Chairman of Worship.
Article VI - Administration of Congregation Affairs
Section A - The Governing Body. The Voters' Assembly shall be the governing body of the Congregation. It shall establish policies for all of the Congregation's affairs. All organizations, groups and societies in the Congregation shall be under the supervision of the Voters' Assembly. The Voters' Assembly has no power to decide anything contrary to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions (Article III).
Section B - The Right of Calling. Only the Voters' Assembly shall have the right to call pastors or teachers. This responsibility may never be given to a smaller group or to an individual person.
Section C - The Officers' Powers. The officers and committees of this Congregation shall administer its affairs. They shall have only that power given to them by the Voters' Assembly. This power may be revoked or changed at any time by the Voters' Assembly. Questions of teaching or conscience shall be decided by a majority vote of the Voters' Assembly unless this Constitution and Bylaws states otherwise.
Section D - Removal From Office. A pastor or teacher may be removed from office by the Voters' Assembly. This shall be done in a Christian and lawful way following the procedure outlined in the Bylaws of this Constitution.
Article VII - Synodical Membership
This Congregation shall hold membership in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. It shall be the duty of this Congregation and its individual members to support the work of the Synod by giving financial support to the programs and drives of the Synod and the Southeastern District; by participating in the activities of the Synod, especially at District and Synodical Conventions; by praying for the leadership and the membership of this Synod and for all of its institutions.
Article VIII - Property Rights
If, at any time, a separation should take place on account of doctrine, the property of the Congregation and all benefits therewith connected shall remain with those voting members who continue to adhere in confession and practice to Article III of this Constitution. In the event the Congregation should totally disband, the property and all rights connected therewith shall be transferred to the Southeastern District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
Article IX - Amendments
Section A. Article III of this Constitution shall be unalterable and irrepealable.
Section B - Procedure.
1. Any voting member of this Congregation may propose an amendment to the Constitution or Bylaws at a Voters' Assembly or by submitting the proposed amendment to the Executive Council in writing.
2. The Executive Council shall give notice of proposed amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws to every voting member at least one month prior to the Voters' Assembly at which the proposal will be discussed.
3. A quorum of one-third of the Voters' Assembly must be present to vote on a Constitutional Amendment and an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present shall be necessary to adopt the amendment.
Bylaws
Article I - Membership
Section A - Admission to Membership.
1. Baptized Membership. The baptized membership of this Congregation shall be given to all those who have received the Sacrament of Baptism. These members are "complete members" in every way. Through God's grace, they are saved and they are members of His one true invisible Church. Only for the purpose of instruction and Christian growth are they excluded from the Lord's Supper.
2. Communicant Membership.
a. By Confirmation. All persons who are received with the sacred act of confirmation by this Congregation shall become communicant members.
b. By Transfer. Persons coming with a communicant letter of transfer from a congregation in church fellowship, if they conform in all ways to the requirements for membership in this Congregation, shall be received by the Council, whose action is to be approved in the next meeting of the Voters' Assembly.
c. By Profession of Faith. Other persons shall make their application to the Council, and when they give proper evidence of their faith and life in agreement with Article III of this Constitution, they shall be received as communicant members, to be approved in the next meeting of the Voters' Assembly.
3. Voting Membership. An eligible person (per Article IV, Section C, of this Constitution) who desires to become a member of the Voters' Assembly shall first demonstrate his intent by attending a regular meeting of the Voters' Assembly as a guest. At the beginning of the next regular meeting of Voters' Assembly, he shall sign the Constitution and Bylaws of this Congregation. Upon acceptance by two-thirds of the voting members present, he shall be declared a voting member.
Section B - Duties of Members.
1. Baptized Members. Baptized members are, as much as in their ability, to grow in Christian Faith and Love. They are to participate in the worship and activities of the Congregation and to study the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions. All this is to be in preparation for their own mature participation in the body of Christ, the Church.
2. Communicant Members. It shall be the duty of the members of this Congregation, by faithful use of the Word and Sacraments, to grow in faith and Christian life; to provide for the proper Christian training of their children by instruction at home and through the agencies of the church; to contribute toward maintenance of the Congregation and the extension of the Kingdom of God at large according as God has blessed them.
3. Voting Members. It shall be the duty of every voting member to attend meetings of the Voters' Assembly. The president shall arrange for absentee balloting with voting members in good standing who, for valid reasons, are unable to attend. (Such absentee balloting shall be restricted to those motions which have been presented in writing prior to the day of voting.) Voting members shall accept nomination for office, committee appointments, etc., if possible, and generally participate in the business activities of the Voters' Assembly.
Section C - Termination of Membership
1. Baptized Membership.
a. Transfer to other Congregations. Baptized members who desire to join another Congregation in church fellowship shall present their request to the Pastor. He shall present the request to the Council for approval.
b. Joining Other Churches. If a baptized member joins another congregation outside our own fellowship, they shall, with the recommendation of the Council, be considered as having terminated their membership and their name shall be removed from the membership list approved by the Voters' Assembly.
2. Communicant Membership.
a. Transfer to other Congregations. Communicant members who desire to join another Congregation in church fellowship shall present their request to the Pastor. He shall present the request to the Council for approval.
b. Joining Other Churches. If a communicant member joins another congregation outside our own fellowship, they shall, with the recommendation of the Council, be considered as having terminated their membership and their name shall be removed from the membership list approved by the Voters' Assembly.
c. Inactivity. Members who are inactive for a period of two years may be removed from the membership list by the Council, with the approval of the Voters' Assembly. With that action, their membership is terminated.
3. Voting Membership.
a. Inactivity. A voting member who is absent from the meetings of the Voters' Assembly for one full year without offering a valid excuse shall have his name removed from the list of voting members; however, he may be reinstated by again applying for voting membership as stated in Article I, Section A-3, of these Bylaws.
b. Status. A person whose voting membership has been terminated has given up all rights of a member of this Congregation and all claims on property of the Congregation as such, or on any part of it, so long as he is not reinstated into membership again.
Article II - Administration of Congregational Affairs
Section A - The Voters' Assembly
1. The Voters' Assembly shall meet at least twice annually. The regularly scheduled meetings shall be on the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in November. In the event of unavoidable schedule conflicts, the date for a given meeting may be changed by the Executive Council.
a. The May meeting shall have the evaluation of goals as the primary business.
b. The November meeting shall have the election of officers and approval of the next year's budget as the primary business.
2. The Executive Council may call special meetings of the Voters Assembly as it feels necessary; however, the Executive Council must call a Voters' Assembly meeting not more than one month after receiving written petition for such a meeting signed by one-fourth of the voting membership.
3. Notice of all regularly scheduled and special meetings of the Voters' Assembly must be given to all voting members not less than two weeks prior to the meeting.
4. A quorum shall consist of at least one-third of the voting membership. All motions shall be passed by a simple majority vote unless otherwise noted in this Constitution or Bylaws.
5. The Voters' Assembly shall follow Robert's Rules of Order (Newly Revised) unless otherwise noted in this Constitution and Bylaws.
Section B - The Executive Council.
1. The Executive Council shall be made up of the Officers listed in Article V of this Constitution. It shall see that the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws are maintained and that the resolutions of the Congregation are carried out. The Pastor shall be a non-voting member of the Council.
a. The Executive Council may conduct its business either by in-person meetings or through telecommunications technology (e.g. Email, text, video conferencing, etc.). All electronic communication relating to Council business must include all Council members.
b. The Executive Council shall meet in person at least twice each year, prior to each meeting of the Voters' Assembly. The President may call special Council meetings as necessary.
c. All Council members shall be given notice of Council meetings, with pertinent information included, not less than two weeks prior to the meeting date.
d. A quorum shall consist of four voting members, and motions shall be passed by a simple majority vote.
2. The Council shall have responsibility to see that the financial affairs of the Congregation are conducted efficiently; to appoint two auditors to audit the Treasurer's Annual Report; and to fill all vacant offices until the next meeting of the Voters' Assembly.
3. The Council shall not buy, sell or encumber real estate without Voters' Assembly permission and shall not incur any financial obligation exceeding the amount set by the Voters' Assembly.
Section C - Committees
1. Standing Committees.a. The Board of Elders. This Committee shall be chosen by the Pastor to work with him. Among its functions shall be encouraging faithful attendance at Worship Service and at the Lord's Supper; visiting sick and housebound members; and visiting negligent members to remind them of their Christian responsibilities.
b. The Audit Committee. This Committee shall consist of two members who are not officers. They shall be appointed annually by the Executive Council to audit the Treasurer's Annual Report.
2. Ad Hoc Committees. Various ad hoc committees may be formed at any time by the Voters' Assembly or by the Executive Council to fulfill specified duties.
Article III - Calling of Workers
Section A - The Call Board. The Call Board shall consist of the following voting and non-voting members:
1. The officers of this Congregation shall be the voting members of the Call Board.
2. The President of the Southeastern District (or his representative), the Circuit Counselor and the Regional Advisor of the Eastern Region of the International Lutheran Deaf Association shall be advisory, non-voting members of the Call Board.
Section B - Preparation of the Call List.
1. When it is necessary to call a worker (i.e.: pastor or teacher), the Call Board shall request the President of the Southeastern District to prepare a list of workers that are eligible for call.
2. If any of the individuals under consideration for the call are presently serving deaf people, these names should also be submitted to the office of the Secretary for Deaf Missions at the National Office in St.Louis for certification of eligibility.
3. If members suggest possible candidates for the call, those names shall be added to the call list only after having been cleared through the above channels.
Section C - Extending a Call.
The Call Board shall submit to the Voters' Assembly a list of eligible candidates, together with an evaluation of each. The Congregation shall choose a candidate by a two-thirds vote. If no candidate receives a two-thirds vote, the lowest ranking name shall be eliminated and another ballot taken. A call shall be extended to that candidate elected by the Congregation.
Section D - Removal from Office.
1. A called worker may be removed from office without his consent if he persistently adheres to false teaching contrary to the Confessional Standard of this Congregation; a scandalous life; inability to perform or willful neglect of duties.
2. The process for such action is as follows:
a. At the request of the Voters' Assembly or the Executive Council, the President of the Congregation shall write to the Regional Pastoral Advisor and the Circuit Counselor, explaining the situation and ask both to become involved.
b. If either of these men feel the situation warrants such action, they, together with the President of the Congregation, shall bring the matter to the attention of the President of the Southeastern District.
c. If a board consisting of the District President (or his representative), the Regional Pastoral Advisor and the Circuit Counselor decides that the best possible solution to the conflict is removal from office, then the worker shall be relieved of all duties and removed from office. This may be done immediately.
Article IV - Election of Officers
Section A - Nomination. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the President and shall consist of three members, two of whom shall not currently be officers. This committee shall present a slate of candidates to the Congregation at least two weeks prior to the November meeting. Additional candidates may be nominated from the floor. The candidate receiving the majority of votes cast by written ballot shall be elected. If there is no majority, the name of the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes shall be deleted and another ballot taken.
Section B - Terms of Office. The term of all officers shall be two years. All officers shall be elected during the November voters’ assembly in even-numbered years. All officers shall take office on the first Sunday of January in odd-numbered years. With the exception of the Chairman of worship, no officer shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
Article V - Duties of the Officers
Section A - The President. The president shall be the Executive Officer of the Congregation. He shall prepare the agenda and preside at all meetings of the Executive Council and of the Voters' Assembly. He shall perform such duties as pertain to his office and he is to be an ex-officio member of all boards and committees of the Congregation.
Section B - The Chairman of Education and Evangelism.
This Chairman shall perform the duties of the President of the Congregation in the absence of the President.
This Chairman shall be responsible for supervising all educational activities of the Congregation, including Sunday School programs, Bible Study classes.
This Chairman shall plan, promote and carry out an evangelism program in the Congregation and in the community and maintain record files in order to keep such a program active. He shall be responsible for presenting to the Executive Council applicants for membership.
Section C - The Chairman of Stewardship and Finance.
This Chairman shall be responsible for encouraging Stewardship of time and talent among the members. He shall instruct the members in the grace of proportionate giving to God's work in their own church and in the world.
He shall present to the Council for recognition, any organization within the Congregation. He shall see that such organizations adhere to the basic goals of the Congregation and shall obtain annual reports of each organization's activities.
This Chairman shall consult with the Executive Council and shall then submit, for approval at the November Voters' Assembly, a budget for the following calendar year.
This Chairman shall act as the Treasurer of the Congregation. As such, he shall see that all monies belonging to this Congregation are properly collected and distributed.
Section D - The Chairman of Social Concerns
This Chairman shall act as the Secretary of the Voters' Assembly and of the Council, and shall carry out such responsibilities as are incidental to this office.
This Chairman shall inform the Congregation of specific needs in the community and shall encourage Congregational support of Lutheran Social Services.
This Chairman shall be responsible for organizing social activities such as coffee hours, the Christmas dinner and the Easter breakfast, and shall coordinate social events of the various organizations within the Congregation.
The Social Concerns Chairman shall also be responsible for public relations and shall keep the public informed of the activities of the Congregation by means of appropriate news releases.
Section E - The Chairman of Worship.
This Chairman shall be responsible for the care of the sacred vessels, the altar furnishings, vestments and supplies, and provide any assistance at baptisms and at communion services. In cases of pastoral absence, he shall see that services are conducted regularly.
He shall be responsible for the selection and Worship training of Lay-Readers.
Section F - Assistants.
Each Chairman shall have the authority to appoint such assistants as he deems necessary to the proper fulfillment of his responsibilities.
Article VI - Changes in Regulations
The Congregation shall, from time to time, adopt, alter or amend rules and regulations for the guidance of officers and committees in their work.
Section A - Admission to Membership.
1. Baptized Membership. The baptized membership of this Congregation shall be given to all those who have received the Sacrament of Baptism. These members are "complete members" in every way. Through God's grace, they are saved and they are members of His one true invisible Church. Only for the purpose of instruction and Christian growth are they excluded from the Lord's Supper.
2. Communicant Membership.
a. By Confirmation. All persons who are received with the sacred act of confirmation by this Congregation shall become communicant members.
b. By Transfer. Persons coming with a communicant letter of transfer from a congregation in church fellowship, if they conform in all ways to the requirements for membership in this Congregation, shall be received by the Council, whose action is to be approved in the next meeting of the Voters' Assembly.
c. By Profession of Faith. Other persons shall make their application to the Council, and when they give proper evidence of their faith and life in agreement with Article III of this Constitution, they shall be received as communicant members, to be approved in the next meeting of the Voters' Assembly.
3. Voting Membership. An eligible person (per Article IV, Section C, of this Constitution) who desires to become a member of the Voters' Assembly shall first demonstrate his intent by attending a regular meeting of the Voters' Assembly as a guest. At the beginning of the next regular meeting of Voters' Assembly, he shall sign the Constitution and Bylaws of this Congregation. Upon acceptance by two-thirds of the voting members present, he shall be declared a voting member.
Section B - Duties of Members.
1. Baptized Members. Baptized members are, as much as in their ability, to grow in Christian Faith and Love. They are to participate in the worship and activities of the Congregation and to study the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions. All this is to be in preparation for their own mature participation in the body of Christ, the Church.
2. Communicant Members. It shall be the duty of the members of this Congregation, by faithful use of the Word and Sacraments, to grow in faith and Christian life; to provide for the proper Christian training of their children by instruction at home and through the agencies of the church; to contribute toward maintenance of the Congregation and the extension of the Kingdom of God at large according as God has blessed them.
3. Voting Members. It shall be the duty of every voting member to attend meetings of the Voters' Assembly. The president shall arrange for absentee balloting with voting members in good standing who, for valid reasons, are unable to attend. (Such absentee balloting shall be restricted to those motions which have been presented in writing prior to the day of voting.) Voting members shall accept nomination for office, committee appointments, etc., if possible, and generally participate in the business activities of the Voters' Assembly.
Section C - Termination of Membership
1. Baptized Membership.
a. Transfer to other Congregations. Baptized members who desire to join another Congregation in church fellowship shall present their request to the Pastor. He shall present the request to the Council for approval.
b. Joining Other Churches. If a baptized member joins another congregation outside our own fellowship, they shall, with the recommendation of the Council, be considered as having terminated their membership and their name shall be removed from the membership list approved by the Voters' Assembly.
2. Communicant Membership.
a. Transfer to other Congregations. Communicant members who desire to join another Congregation in church fellowship shall present their request to the Pastor. He shall present the request to the Council for approval.
b. Joining Other Churches. If a communicant member joins another congregation outside our own fellowship, they shall, with the recommendation of the Council, be considered as having terminated their membership and their name shall be removed from the membership list approved by the Voters' Assembly.
c. Inactivity. Members who are inactive for a period of two years may be removed from the membership list by the Council, with the approval of the Voters' Assembly. With that action, their membership is terminated.
3. Voting Membership.
a. Inactivity. A voting member who is absent from the meetings of the Voters' Assembly for one full year without offering a valid excuse shall have his name removed from the list of voting members; however, he may be reinstated by again applying for voting membership as stated in Article I, Section A-3, of these Bylaws.
b. Status. A person whose voting membership has been terminated has given up all rights of a member of this Congregation and all claims on property of the Congregation as such, or on any part of it, so long as he is not reinstated into membership again.
Article II - Administration of Congregational Affairs
Section A - The Voters' Assembly
1. The Voters' Assembly shall meet at least twice annually. The regularly scheduled meetings shall be on the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in November. In the event of unavoidable schedule conflicts, the date for a given meeting may be changed by the Executive Council.
a. The May meeting shall have the evaluation of goals as the primary business.
b. The November meeting shall have the election of officers and approval of the next year's budget as the primary business.
2. The Executive Council may call special meetings of the Voters Assembly as it feels necessary; however, the Executive Council must call a Voters' Assembly meeting not more than one month after receiving written petition for such a meeting signed by one-fourth of the voting membership.
3. Notice of all regularly scheduled and special meetings of the Voters' Assembly must be given to all voting members not less than two weeks prior to the meeting.
4. A quorum shall consist of at least one-third of the voting membership. All motions shall be passed by a simple majority vote unless otherwise noted in this Constitution or Bylaws.
5. The Voters' Assembly shall follow Robert's Rules of Order (Newly Revised) unless otherwise noted in this Constitution and Bylaws.
Section B - The Executive Council.
1. The Executive Council shall be made up of the Officers listed in Article V of this Constitution. It shall see that the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws are maintained and that the resolutions of the Congregation are carried out. The Pastor shall be a non-voting member of the Council.
a. The Executive Council may conduct its business either by in-person meetings or through telecommunications technology (e.g. Email, text, video conferencing, etc.). All electronic communication relating to Council business must include all Council members.
b. The Executive Council shall meet in person at least twice each year, prior to each meeting of the Voters' Assembly. The President may call special Council meetings as necessary.
c. All Council members shall be given notice of Council meetings, with pertinent information included, not less than two weeks prior to the meeting date.
d. A quorum shall consist of four voting members, and motions shall be passed by a simple majority vote.
2. The Council shall have responsibility to see that the financial affairs of the Congregation are conducted efficiently; to appoint two auditors to audit the Treasurer's Annual Report; and to fill all vacant offices until the next meeting of the Voters' Assembly.
3. The Council shall not buy, sell or encumber real estate without Voters' Assembly permission and shall not incur any financial obligation exceeding the amount set by the Voters' Assembly.
Section C - Committees
1. Standing Committees.a. The Board of Elders. This Committee shall be chosen by the Pastor to work with him. Among its functions shall be encouraging faithful attendance at Worship Service and at the Lord's Supper; visiting sick and housebound members; and visiting negligent members to remind them of their Christian responsibilities.
b. The Audit Committee. This Committee shall consist of two members who are not officers. They shall be appointed annually by the Executive Council to audit the Treasurer's Annual Report.
2. Ad Hoc Committees. Various ad hoc committees may be formed at any time by the Voters' Assembly or by the Executive Council to fulfill specified duties.
Article III - Calling of Workers
Section A - The Call Board. The Call Board shall consist of the following voting and non-voting members:
1. The officers of this Congregation shall be the voting members of the Call Board.
2. The President of the Southeastern District (or his representative), the Circuit Counselor and the Regional Advisor of the Eastern Region of the International Lutheran Deaf Association shall be advisory, non-voting members of the Call Board.
Section B - Preparation of the Call List.
1. When it is necessary to call a worker (i.e.: pastor or teacher), the Call Board shall request the President of the Southeastern District to prepare a list of workers that are eligible for call.
2. If any of the individuals under consideration for the call are presently serving deaf people, these names should also be submitted to the office of the Secretary for Deaf Missions at the National Office in St.Louis for certification of eligibility.
3. If members suggest possible candidates for the call, those names shall be added to the call list only after having been cleared through the above channels.
Section C - Extending a Call.
The Call Board shall submit to the Voters' Assembly a list of eligible candidates, together with an evaluation of each. The Congregation shall choose a candidate by a two-thirds vote. If no candidate receives a two-thirds vote, the lowest ranking name shall be eliminated and another ballot taken. A call shall be extended to that candidate elected by the Congregation.
Section D - Removal from Office.
1. A called worker may be removed from office without his consent if he persistently adheres to false teaching contrary to the Confessional Standard of this Congregation; a scandalous life; inability to perform or willful neglect of duties.
2. The process for such action is as follows:
a. At the request of the Voters' Assembly or the Executive Council, the President of the Congregation shall write to the Regional Pastoral Advisor and the Circuit Counselor, explaining the situation and ask both to become involved.
b. If either of these men feel the situation warrants such action, they, together with the President of the Congregation, shall bring the matter to the attention of the President of the Southeastern District.
c. If a board consisting of the District President (or his representative), the Regional Pastoral Advisor and the Circuit Counselor decides that the best possible solution to the conflict is removal from office, then the worker shall be relieved of all duties and removed from office. This may be done immediately.
Article IV - Election of Officers
Section A - Nomination. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the President and shall consist of three members, two of whom shall not currently be officers. This committee shall present a slate of candidates to the Congregation at least two weeks prior to the November meeting. Additional candidates may be nominated from the floor. The candidate receiving the majority of votes cast by written ballot shall be elected. If there is no majority, the name of the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes shall be deleted and another ballot taken.
Section B - Terms of Office. The term of all officers shall be two years. All officers shall be elected during the November voters’ assembly in even-numbered years. All officers shall take office on the first Sunday of January in odd-numbered years. With the exception of the Chairman of worship, no officer shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
Article V - Duties of the Officers
Section A - The President. The president shall be the Executive Officer of the Congregation. He shall prepare the agenda and preside at all meetings of the Executive Council and of the Voters' Assembly. He shall perform such duties as pertain to his office and he is to be an ex-officio member of all boards and committees of the Congregation.
Section B - The Chairman of Education and Evangelism.
This Chairman shall perform the duties of the President of the Congregation in the absence of the President.
This Chairman shall be responsible for supervising all educational activities of the Congregation, including Sunday School programs, Bible Study classes.
This Chairman shall plan, promote and carry out an evangelism program in the Congregation and in the community and maintain record files in order to keep such a program active. He shall be responsible for presenting to the Executive Council applicants for membership.
Section C - The Chairman of Stewardship and Finance.
This Chairman shall be responsible for encouraging Stewardship of time and talent among the members. He shall instruct the members in the grace of proportionate giving to God's work in their own church and in the world.
He shall present to the Council for recognition, any organization within the Congregation. He shall see that such organizations adhere to the basic goals of the Congregation and shall obtain annual reports of each organization's activities.
This Chairman shall consult with the Executive Council and shall then submit, for approval at the November Voters' Assembly, a budget for the following calendar year.
This Chairman shall act as the Treasurer of the Congregation. As such, he shall see that all monies belonging to this Congregation are properly collected and distributed.
Section D - The Chairman of Social Concerns
This Chairman shall act as the Secretary of the Voters' Assembly and of the Council, and shall carry out such responsibilities as are incidental to this office.
This Chairman shall inform the Congregation of specific needs in the community and shall encourage Congregational support of Lutheran Social Services.
This Chairman shall be responsible for organizing social activities such as coffee hours, the Christmas dinner and the Easter breakfast, and shall coordinate social events of the various organizations within the Congregation.
The Social Concerns Chairman shall also be responsible for public relations and shall keep the public informed of the activities of the Congregation by means of appropriate news releases.
Section E - The Chairman of Worship.
This Chairman shall be responsible for the care of the sacred vessels, the altar furnishings, vestments and supplies, and provide any assistance at baptisms and at communion services. In cases of pastoral absence, he shall see that services are conducted regularly.
He shall be responsible for the selection and Worship training of Lay-Readers.
Section F - Assistants.
Each Chairman shall have the authority to appoint such assistants as he deems necessary to the proper fulfillment of his responsibilities.
Article VI - Changes in Regulations
The Congregation shall, from time to time, adopt, alter or amend rules and regulations for the guidance of officers and committees in their work.