BY-LAWS FOR THE BRETHREN CONFERENCE OF INDIANA PREAMBLE

Transcription

1 BY-LAWS FOR THE BRETHREN CONFERENCE OF INDIANA PREAMBLE It is intended that these By-Laws be interpreted as consistent with the Manual of Procedure of the Brethren Church. These By-Laws supersede all By-Laws prior to April ARTICLE I: AFFILIATION Section 1: The name shall be the Brethren Conference of Indiana, Inc. Section 2: The Brethren Conference of Indiana, Inc. is affiliated with the Brethren Church, Ashland, Ohio. Section 3: The Brethren Conference of Indiana encompasses those congregations in the state of Indiana and any other Brethren Congregations which choose to associate. ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP Each congregation, conforming to the Manual of Procedure of the Brethren Church, may be represented by Ministerial and Lay delegates, whom shall be considered the members of the corporation. Delegates shall be apportioned as follows: Section 1: All Elders holding membership in an Indiana Conference Brethren congregation, submitting a delegate credential, complying with the requirements of the Manual of Procedure, in good standing with the congregation and/or the Pastoral and Congregational Care Ministry and passed by the committee on Conference Membership, shall be considered the seated members of the Conference with the authority to approve the seating of all other lay ministerial and lay delegates. 25 Section 2: Licensed ministerial candidates or commissioned workers (Lay ministers) who are serving under the call of a local church and the care of the Pastor & Congregation Care Ministry shall be entitled to a Lay Ministerial Credential. Section 3: Each congregation within the Indiana District shall be entitled to a minimum of two (2) lay delegates. Each congregation is challenged to have 4% of their average membership participate in District Conference. Section 4: Any member of an Indiana District Brethren Church, in good standing and seated by the Elders 25, shall be permitted to serve as a delegate, which includes participating in discussions, making motions and voting on various decisions of the District ministry.. Section 5: Conference expenses shall be covered by each congregation contributing a delegate fee as determined by conference for each delegate. 26. Section 6: The Annual Meeting of the membership will be at the time and place which coincides with the District Conference of Brethren congregations. At each Annual Meeting the time and place shall be set for the next meeting. Additional meetings may be called by the Board of Directors. ARTICLE III: BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the BRETHREN CONFERENCE OF INDIANA, INC. Section 1: The Board of Directors shall consist of: 1) the Officers of the Corporation. 2) the Chairperson or designated representative of each of the cooperating Ministries. Section 2: The Board of Directors is responsible for the general policy matters of the corporation as directed by the corporation membership, the appointment of a resident agent and the appointment of a Rules and Organization Committee for any corporation meeting.

2 Section 3: The Board of Directors is responsible for the planning of the annual meeting of the Brethren Conference of Indiana, Inc. It shall appoint such committees as it deems necessary for the function of conference 27. Section 4: The term of office for all conference officers begins with their installation in office following their election at Annual Conference. Section 5: The Board of Directors will meet within 30 days following the Annual meeting. Meetings will be held upon the call of the President. The President shall call a special meeting upon the request of two 1 (2) of the members of the Board of Directors. The secretary will, at least ten days prior to the date of any called meeting, forward notice of the meeting to each member. Section 6: Properties of the Conference are held by and for the benefit of the corporation and shall be held in the name of the Brethren Conference of Indiana, Inc. Section 7: The Board of Directors shall be responsible for naming at-large delegates to represent the Indiana District at General Conference ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS The officers of the Corporation, being the officers of the conference, shall consist of the President, known as Moderator, President-elect, known as Moderator-elect, Secretary, 5 Secretary of Finance 31 and two At- Large officers 29 and shall be elected at the Annual meeting prior to their tenure. Seeking to select leadership based on giftedness, passion, ability and availability, terms limits for those serving as officers have been eliminated. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Moderator, Moderator-elect, and one other Director 31. Vacancies in the officers of the corporation shall be filled by appointment of the Board of Directors. 24 Section 1: The term of office for the conference officers shall be as follows: Moderator and Moderator - elect two (2) years; Secretary two (2) years, with the election being held in even numbered 7 years; Secretary of Finance two (2) years with election being held in odd-numbered years; 31 At- Large two (2) years, with one at-large being elected in even numbered years and the other in odd numbered years. 29 Section 2: Duties of the officers: A. The Executive Committee, under the leadership of the Moderator, shall assume the responsibility of setting before the District a visionary course that will help the churches individually and corporately to strive for their Biblical Mandate. 9 B. Moderator -Elect: To assist the President, to assume the duties of the President in his absence, to assist in implementing any of the recommendations or suggestions approved by Conference, and to the 26 chair the Conference Membership Committee. C. Secretary: To record minutes at each meeting, to record minutes of Conference, to send credentials for the delegates at conference, prepare programs for conference, to annually secure from the Pastoral & Congregational Care Ministry a list of Elders in good standing in the District and issue a ministerial card. D. At-large Members 29 : To serve on the Committee on Conference Membership; to provide the Board of Directors with guidance and suggestions as impartial observers of District Ministry; and to be available to head up task forces for special needs. 24 E. Secretary of Finance: to receive, record and deposit all funds according to the guidelines and directions of the Board of Directors; to oversee the disbursement of funds; to present a financial report at the meetings of the Board of Directors and at the District s Annual meeting. 31 2

3 ARTICLE V: NOMINATING COMMITTEE Section 1: The Annual Meeting. The nominating committee shall consist of two persons and one Director 31. Nominees will be presented on the ballot during the annual District Conference meeting. The manner of all elections shall be determined by the conference and a majority of all votes cast shall be required to elect. Section 2: Nominees shall be submitted for: A. Conference Officers B. Auditing Committee: Shall consist of three (3) members, one (1) elected each year. They shall be responsible for obtaining from the District Board of Directors, Ministries and Auxiliaries audited financial statement and make a report at each conference. Section 3: The Nominating Committee shall obtain from each District Ministry nominees for election to each respective ministry, may seek additional qualified nominees for each ministry, and shall present these as part of its report. 15 ARTICLE VI: DISTRICT MINISTRIES Section 1: The cooperating ministries of the Indiana District Conference shall be: The Ministry of Brethren Retreat, The Ministry of Missions, and 30 The Ministry of Pastoral & Congregational Care. Section 2: The ministries of the District shall have the authority to carry out responsibilities assigned to them, to spend funds approved by conference and to employ personnel. Section 3: Each ministry is responsible to keep accurate minutes, to report to the Annual Meeting, to maintain a written statement of procedures, to carry out responsibilities assigned to them by the Executive Board and to submit nominations to the Nominating Committee. With the exception of the Ministry of Brethren Retreat, which maintains its own financial records, the District Office manages all other financial activities and reports. 18 Section 4: Ministry Purpose Statements A. The Ministry of Brethren Retreat shall glorify God and contribute to the evangelical, educational and developmental ministries of the Brethren Church through camps, retreats, conference, rallies and similar activities. B. The Ministry of Missions shall organize and direct the missionary efforts of the District in the planting of new churches and care and encouragement of needy churches. They shall endeavor to work cooperatively with the appropriate denominational entities 28 C. The Ministry of Pastoral and Congregational Care shall represent the Indiana District in care of congregations and pastors by 1) examining and supervising candidates for commissioning, licensure and ordination; 2) assisting in the development and practice of Biblical standards of relationships and discipline for pastors and congregations. Section 5: No person shall serve on more than one (1) District Ministry at the same time. 20 Section 6: Ministry Membership: Each ministry shall be composed of members of the Brethren Churches in the District. Each ministry shall determine the number of its constituent members 21. Members of each ministry will be elected at the Annual Meeting of the District. 21 A. Exception: Up to 25% of the Ministry of the Brethren Retreat board seats are exempt from the requirement of membership in a Brethren Church of the Indiana District. 22 Section 7: Ministry Vacancies: If vacancies occur on a Ministry due to death or resignation between annual Conferences, that Ministry shall submit the name(s) of the replacement(s) for approval by the Board of Directors of the conference. 3

4 ARTICLE VII: Using a unified budget adopted by the membership at the Annual Meeting as a bookkeeping tool and expenditure guideline, the ministries and corporate affairs of the Brethren Conference of Indiana shall be financed by freewill offerings and contributions from, but not limited to, Indiana District churches, individuals, and auxiliary organizations. 23 ARTICLE VIII: CONFERENCE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Prior to the first session of the conference the Board of Directors shall appoint a committee of three (3), who with the At-Large Member as chairman, shall constitute the Committee on Conference Membership. Section 1: This committee shall be given opportunity to collect credentials, with fees, shall list all delegates under their respective churches, and shall report this list to the conference business session at the call of the President. Section 2: This committee shall determine the standard set for conference membership not herein specified, and when necessary, consider and dispose of irregularities arising from conduct of its members, and shall call the President to preside at its sessions. ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS These By-Laws may be amended at any regular session of the membership by two-thirds (2/3) of all votes cast in favor of such amendment, provided notice in writing at some previous session has been given of the desired change. Revised and Adopted April 2015 Revisions: 1. Approved by 2005 District Conference grammatical change. 2. Approved by 1998 District Conference. Section 4 was inserted necessitating the renumbering of sections 4, 5 and 6 to sections 5, 6, and Approved by 2005 District Conference to reflect Denominational nomenclature not updated with the 1998 change. 4. Approved by 1997 District Conference. 5. Approved by 1997 District Conference. Change in merging of Treasurer and Statistician position. 6. Approved by 1990 District Conference. 7. Approved by 2005 District Conference grammatical change. 8. Approved by 1997 District Conference see footnote 5 9. Approved by 1990 District Conference. 10. Approved by 1997 District Conference. 11. Approved by 1998 District Conference new section Approved by 2005 District Conference to reflect Denominational nomenclature not updated with the 1998 change. 13. Approved by 2005 District Conference to reflect Denominational nomenclature not updated with the 1998 change. 14. Approved by 1997 District Conference. 15. Approved by 2005 District Conference grammatical change. 16. Approved by 2005 District Conference to reflect Denominational nomenclature not updated with the 1998 change. 17. Approved by 2004 District Conference - name change of the Ministry of Christian Education. 4

5 18. Approved by 2005 District Conference grammatical change. 19. Approved by 2004 District Conference - name change of the Ministry of Christian Education. 20. Approved by 2005 District Conference grammatical change. 21. Approved by 2005 District Conference grammatical change. 22. Approved by 2003 District Conference. 23. Approved by 2005 District Conference grammatical change. 24. Approved at 2007 District Conference numerous changes including the way credentials are allocated, changes in the moderator track, elimination of term limits, added at-large representative to Board of Directors, eliminated naming nominees to the AU Board of Trustees. 25. Approved at District Conference 2012 Clarification of the role of elders in seating delegates at District Conference 26. Approved at District Conference 2012 language adjustment 27. Approved at District Conference 2012 eliminated conference committees listed that are no longer used. 28. Approved at District Conference 2012 eliminated references to US and International Ministries Councils per denominational reorganization - Art. III, Sect. 7; Art. IV, Sect. 3; Art. V, Sect. 4; and Art. VI, Sect. 4 B. Renumbered Art. III Sect. 8 as Art. III Section Approved at District Conference 2012 elimination of the Secretary of Finance and Statistics and added an at-large position to the Executive Board Sect. 1 and Sect. 2 D 30. Approved at District Conference 2012 eliminated references to Youth Ministry Network Art. VI, Sect. 1 and Art. VI, Sect. 4 D with grammatical changes. 31. Approved at District Conference