CONSTITUTION AND BY- LAWS
CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF NEW SALEM
ADOPTED JUNE 3, 1984
ARTICLE I
This Church shall be called the Central Congregational Church of New Salem, Massachusetts.
ARTICLE II
The object of this Church shall be to maintain in the Town of New Salem the means of worshiping God according to the teachings of the Gospel, and the customs and usages of the Congregational denomination; and to minister so far as is possible to the every need of every member of the community in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ.
ARTICLE III
The Covenant by which this Church exists as a distinct body, and which every member accepts, is as follows:
Confessing our faith in God the Father Almighty, infinite in wisdom, goodness and love; engaging to walk in the way of love and service which He had made known to us through His Son, our Lord; accepting the Holy Scriptures as our rule of faith and practice, we do, in the sight of Almighty God and asking His blessing, covenant with each other and with this Church of Christ to consecrate ourselves and our possessions to the furtherance of His Kingdom among men. We hold it to be the mission of the Church of Christ to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, exalting the worship of the one true God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, the reign of peace and the realization of human brotherhood. We agree to walk together in a spirit of forbearance and brotherly kindness, avoiding those things which bring reproach and seeking those things which are of good report. We will strive together for our mutual growth in grace, and for the comfort, help, and salvation of our fellowmen. We will share with each other in maintenance of our worship, the support of our benevolences, and in every Christian activity which promote the life of this Church or the larger life of the Kingdom of God.
ARTICLE IV: Polity
The government of this Church is vested in the body of believers who compose it. It is subject to the control of no other ecclesiastical body, but recognizes and sustains the obligation of mutual counsel and cooperation which are common among Congregational Churches, and it is in fellowship with all Churches which acknowledge Jesus Christ to be their divine Savior and Lord. This Church is in direct fellowship with the Franklin Association of Congregational Churches and Ministers, the Massachusetts Congregational Christian Conference, and the United Church of Christ of the United States.
ARTICLE V: Statement of Faith
We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father, and to His deeds we testify: He calls the worlds into being, creates man in His own image and sets before him the ways of life and death. He seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin. He judges men and nations by His righteous will declared through prophets and apostles. In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, He has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to Himself. He bestows upon us His Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the Church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races. He calls us into His Church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be His servants in the service of men, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ's baptism and eat at His table, to join Him in His passion and victory. He promises to all who trust Him forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, His presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in His kingdom which has no end. Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto Him. Amen.
(adopted unanimously at the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, Oberlin, Ohio, July 8, 1959).
ARTICLE VI: Membership
Any person who gives fair evidence of his desire to be identified with the purposes of the Church as expressed in the covenant of the Church is eligible for active membership. Membership shall be given without regard to race, nationality, or social position.The membership of this Church shall consist of Members or Associate Members:
Members: Those who present satisfactory letters of transfer from other Churches or confess their Christian faith, receive baptism, assent to the covenant of the Church, and have been accepted by a majority vote of the Church Committee.
Associate Members: Those who do not desire to assent to the covenant of the Church but who are interested in its work and are willing to support it and its activities.
Members are expected to be faithful to all duties essential to the Christian life, to attend regularly the services of the Church; to give systematically for its support and its benevolences; to share in its organized work; and to seek diligently the spiritual welfare of the Church and the winning of others to Christ.
Associate Members are expected to be persons of good character; to attend regularly the services of the Church; to give systematically for its support and its benevolences. Persons desiring to become Associate Members shall sign a request to that effect and present it to the Church Committee. Candidates for associate membership shall be elected to membership by a majority vote of the Church Committee. Associate members, twenty-one years of age or over, may vote upon financial questions only: provided, however, that no action at a meeting in which Associate Members took part, concerning the reduction of a minister's salary or the alienation of Church property, shall be valid until the action has been ratified by a majority of Church members only, or until sixty days elapse without a written request from ten Church Members for such ratification.
Persons desiring to unite with the Church shall present themselves to the Church Committee. Candidates are elected to membership by a majority vote of the Church Committee.
Persons who bring from other Churches letters of dismissal may be accepted by a majority vote of the Church Committee and received into membership.
Members in good standing, twenty-one years of age or over, may act and vote in all transactions of the Church.
Inactive members: Any member of the Church who has been absent from the public service or work of the Church for more than two years without sufficient reason may, after notice, be dropped from the active role and placed on the inactive list. Members moving to a distant community may be transferred to the inactive list at the discretion of the clerk. If after the expiration of a year, they are unwilling to renew their active connection with the Church of Christ their names may be dropped from the roll by a further vote of the Church.
A member of good standing may request, and by vote of the Church Committee, be granted a Letter of Transfer to any Christian Church but the particular Church shall be named in the letter of transfer and a general letter without specifications shall not be granted.
Letters of Transfer shall be valid for a period of six months. The name of the member shall be retained on the role until official notice is received of reception by the Church to which the member has been dismissed. If a member desires to join a religious body with which the Church is not in fellowship or which would not receive its letter, the Church may, at his request, give him a certificate of his standing, and his membership shall terminate upon receipt of notice that he has been received into the body to which the letter was given. If a member requests in writing to be released from his covenant obligations, the Church shall personally endeavor to secure his continuance in its fellowship. Failing in such effort, the Church may grant the request and terminate his membership. An associate member may be released from membership if he is insistent in his request for such a release. Should a member or associate member become an offense to the Church and continuously disregard his covenant duties, the Church may terminate his membership, but only after due notice and hearing and after faithful efforts have been made to bring such member to repentance and amendment. No membership shall be terminated by exclusion at the meeting in which the motion for exclusion is made. Any persons whose membership has been terminated may for good and sufficient reasons be restored to membership by vote of the Church.
ARTICLE VII: Officers and Committees
The officers of this Church shall be a Minister, two deacons, two deaconesses, a clerk, a treasurer, an auditor, a collector, three trustees, a Christian Education Committee, a Benevolence Committee, a Music Committee, a Floral Committee, and a Social Committee. There shall also be a Nominating Committee. All officers and the nominating committee shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting by a majority vote.
The Minister: The Minister shall be chosen at a meeting of the Church by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting and shall be notified in writing by the clerk. He shall be called to serve for an indefinite period of term as long as both parties are mutually satisfied and agreeable. The Minister may resign with not less than 60 days notice in writing to the Clerk. The Church may request the Minister to resign with not less than 60 days notice in writing from the Clerk. The Church may request the resignation of the Minister only at a Church meeting by a majority vote of those present and voting. The Minister shall promote the spiritual development and guide the activities of the church; conduct its public services of worship; preach the gospel; administer the sacraments; give pastoral care and spiritual guidance to members of the Parish and community; and be permitted to fulfill his ministerial obligations to the Massachusetts Congregational Christian Conference, the Franklin Association of Congregational Churches and Ministers, and other such organizations which the Church has privileges and obligations of fellowship. He shall be an advisory member of all boards and committees of the Church, and shall attend their regular meetings by invitation.
Deacons: The Deacons and the Deaconesses shall be chosen for a term of three years, with one member being elected each year, and shall be ineligible for re-election after a service of two terms until the lapse of one year. The Deacons shall assist in the preparation and administration of the ordinances, and with the Deaconesses shall assist in caring for the poor, the sick, the sorrowing and the stranger, and in ministering to the spiritual interests of the Church and community.
Clerk: The Clerk shall keep a faithful record of the proceedings of the Church and of any organization of which he may be a member ex-officio. He shall also keep a register of the membership of the Church with date of their reception and removal, record baptisms, marriages and deaths, and make a full report to the Church at its annual meeting. He shall issue letters of transfer voted by the Church, notifying the Churches to which they are addressed, preserve on file all communications, documents and written official reports, notify all persons elected to office, to committees or to membership in the Church, give legal notice of all meetings when such notice is necessary, report all communications intended for the Church, and conduct as may be necessary its correspondence.
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall keep separate accounts of all moneys received by him for the support of the Church and those for benevolent interests or for the conduct of any of its organizations. He shall make a report at the annual meeting with vouchers for all disbursements, and his account shall be certified by the Auditor. He shall make all payments by bank check and then only after such bills have been approved and payment authorized by a majority of the members of the Board of Trustees, with the following exceptions: Minister's regular salary, bills for electricity and water, janitor, and all payments to the regular benevolent organizations, and any payments under the sum of fifty (50) dollars. The Treasurer shall be bonded by a surety company for an amount agreed on by the Trustees.
Auditor: The Auditor shall audit the accounts of the Church and present a report to the Church at its annual meeting.
Collector: The Collector shall assist the treasurer by collecting the Sunday morning offerings and such monies as generated in support of the Church. He/She shall count the money, make note of the parishioners’ wishes, deposit the money weekly in the bank to the church accounts, and forward all deposit slips and records to the Church Treasurer.
Trustees: There shall be a board of three Trustees, one-third of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve for three years or until their successors are chosen. They shall have the care and custody of the property of the Church and have charge of its financial affairs, but shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease or transfer property without specific authority by vote of the Church. They shall constitute the business committee. They shall provide for prompt payment of salaries and current expenses, and shall make full report of all their doings at the annual meeting.
Christian Education Committee: A Christian Education Committee consisting of one member shall be elected at each annual meeting. This Committee shall be responsible for the operation of the Sunday School Program and will appoint the Superintendent of the Sunday School.
Benevolence Committee: A Benevolence Committee shall consist of four members, one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve a term of four years. This committee shall keep in touch with the missionary work of our denomination and will relate the work to our local scene.
Music Committee: The Music Committee shall consist of two members, one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve a term of two years. This committee shall encourage and oversee the music program of the Church.
Floral Committee: The Floral Committee shall consist of two members, one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve a term of two years. This committee shall oversee the floral display at each Church service, and distribute appropriate remembrances in the name of the Church to the sick, grieving or shut-in.
Social Committee: The Social Committee shall consist of three members, one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve a term of three years. The duties of the Social Committee shall be as follows:1. To appoint the coffee hour hostess chairman, who will name the hostesses, remind them each month, and replace them when necessary.2. To appoint a general kitchen chairman whose duties are to check and replenish long term supplies, and have charge of the upkeep of the appliances and general cleaning.3. To appoint a committee for special events such as weddings, parties, and funerals. 4. To appoint a committee for the gathering and distribution of the white gifts at Christmas.5. To appoint a coordinator for the supper committees.
Pastoral Relations Committee: A Pastoral Relations Committee consisting of three members to serve a term of two years shall be appointed by the Moderator from a list of names submitted by the Church Committee with input from the Pastor.The purpose of this committee is to be a trusted and caring body in which the Pastor feels confident to bring before it and discuss any concerns or issues he/she may have with regards to his/her ministry in the life of the Church. Likewise the committee can bring before the Pastor and discuss with him/her any concerns or issues the congregation may have with his/her ministry.
Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members, one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve for three years and not be eligible for re-election for one year after serving a full term. The Nominating Committee shall prepare and present at the annual meeting a list of necessary officers and board or committee members for the ensuing year. In the event that vacancies occur during the year, the Nominating Committee will present nominations to the Church Committee, who will fill the vacancies.
Church Committee: The Church Committee shall consist of the Minister, the Deacons, the Deaconesses, two members at large (one of whom shall be a woman), the Clerk, the Treasurer, and the chairman or delegate of the following committees: Christian Education, Trustees, Missionary, Music, Floral, Social. The Committee shall pass upon all applications for Church membership and for letters of dismissal and make recommendations to the Church; it shall be the duty of this Committee to recommend measures of discipline and revision of the roll, to keep in touch with absent members, to see that the pulpit is supplied in the Pastor's absence and that the services and ordinances of the Church are observed with regularity and reverence. Unless otherwise provided it shall have the direction of the musical service of the Church. It shall watch over the spiritual interests of the Parish, and see that the denominational and interdenominational interests and fellowship obligations of the Church are fulfilled. It shall assist the Minister in conserving a faithful membership, in developing a vital fellowship, in procuring and distributing devotional literature, in promoting public and family worship and in providing opportunities and helps for the deepening of the spiritual life. It shall annually present a budget covering the work of this Committee.
ARTICLE VIII: Organizations
The Church regards as integral parts of itself all organizations formed for the purposes of Christian fellowship and service and depending upon the Church for strength and support. The Pastor shall aid such organizations in the realization of their Christian objectives. The Church may call upon them for a report at any annual meeting.
ARTICLE IX: Meetings
The Annual Meeting shall be held on the Sunday after the 15th of January to hear the yearly reports of officers, organizations and to elect officers, to transact business and to adopt plans for the new year. Ordinary business may be transacted at any regular meeting of the Church. Seven members present at any regular or special meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
ARTICLE X: Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the members present and entitled to vote at any annual meeting of the Church or at a meeting especially called for this purpose, the proposed amendment having been inserted in the call. No change shall be made in the government as outlined in Article IV except at an annual meeting and by two-thirds vote of the members present and entitled to vote, said proposal change having been placed before the Church in writing at a business meeting not less than one month before the time of the proposed action and read from the pulpit on the Lord's Day next preceding such proposal.
ARTICLE XI: By-Laws
1. Public Service shall be held each week on the Lord's Day.
2. The Lord's Supper shall be observed ordinarily on the first Sunday of January, April, July, and October.
3. Special meetings of the Church may be called by the Minister or the Clerk or any member of the Board of Trustees or on the written request of any five members specifying the objects thereof; such notice shall be read at the public service on the Lord's Day next preceding a day fixed for such meeting. No special meeting shall be held on the same day on which the notice is given except meetings concerning acceptance of members and Letters of Transfer. 4. A quorum at any meeting of the Church shall consist of seven regular members of voting age.
5. A majority vote of the members shall ordinarily be decisive. The calling of a Minister, to be done upon the recommendations of not less than two-thirds of the Church Committee, shall require a two-thirds vote by ballot of all voting members of the Church present at a meeting especially called for this purpose.
6. All publicity given of the meetings and work of the Church as well as the care of music, ushering, etc. shall be under the direction of the Church Committee.
7. These By-Laws may be amended at any business meeting of the Church by a two-thirds vote of the members present and entitled to vote, notice of the changes proposed having been given in writing one week previous.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THECENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF NEW SALEM
The above By-Laws were adopted June 3, 1984.
Date of the following amendments - January 24, 1987.
In Article VII, Officers and Committees, first paragraph, change the words ''one deaconess'' to ''two deaconesses.'' In the same paragraph, change the words "Missionary Committee'' to "Benevolence Committee." The remainder of the By-Laws shall be changed as necessary to comply with these two changes.
All the Article VI amendments were voted and adopted on January 22, 2006 at the Annual Meeting of the Church.
1. Article VII, paragraph 10 was amended as follows:
The Benevolence Committee shall consist of five members, one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve a term of four years, and one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting to serve a term of one year.
2. Collector: The Collector shall assist the treasurer by collecting the Sunday morning offerings and such monies as generated in support of the Church. He/She shall count the money, make note of the parishioners’ wishes, deposit the money weekly in the bank to the church accounts, and forward all deposit slips and records to the Church Treasurer.
3. Pastoral Relations Committee: A Pastoral Relations Committee consisting of three members to serve a term of two years shall be appointed by the Moderator from a list of names submitted by the Church Committee with input from the Pastor.The purpose of this committee is to be a trusted and caring body in which the Pastor feels confident to bring before it and discuss any concerns or issues he/she may have with regards to his/her ministry in the life of the Church. Likewise the committee can bring before the Pastor and discuss with him/her any concerns or issues the congregation may have with his/her ministry.
