BYLAWS (rev 2001)
1. CONTENTS
This document is supplementary to and defined by the Constitution of the Aldergrove Fellowship Baptist Church. It contains policies and procedures to implement the said constitution.
2. MEMBERSHIP
(1) Interviews
Any candidate for membership, whether:
(i) also a candidate for baptism
(ii) already baptized (immersed)
shall be interviewed by two or more members of the church board to hear the candidate's testimony concerning:
(a) repentance from sin
(b) faith in Christ
(c) the meaning of baptism
(d) belief in the doctrines of this church.
(e) adherence to the practices of this church
The board members conducting the interview shall ascertain that the candidate is not under the scripturally applied discipline of a former church, and shall then bring a recommendation to the rest of the board, and thence to the church.
(2) Voting
When the board puts the matter to the church for a vote, it shall be without the candidate being present. In the event of any objection to a candidate being raised at this meeting, the motion shall be tabled until the board has investigated and reported to the church, at which time the motion will be either withdrawn or voted upon.
3. CHURCH GOVERNANCE
1. ELECTIONS
(1) Elder
Men are recognized as elders of this church in three situations:
(a) They may be elected to a designated ministry position whose job description includes ex officio board membership as elders. This is the case for the senior elder (pastor), and is normally the case for other salaried elders, usually designated "associate pastors."
(b) The church may at any time decide to recognize a qualified man from among its members as an elder (pastor) for the purpose of conducting a specific ministry, whether within the church itself or on assignment to another Christian organization of like faith and practice. For ministry within the church, the job description associated with the position shall determine whether ex officio board membership is included; otherwise, board membership is not implied in such a recognition unless a separate election to the board is conducted as in (c) below. The church may take into consideration whether a candidate for such recognition has previously been recognized as an elder or pastor by another church of like faith and practice, or is already conducting ministry in another Christian organization, but shall make its own determination of eligibility for eldership. Any such recognition remains valid as long as the specific ministry for which it was made continues to be carried out in good standing.
(c) They may be called or elected to the church board as elders for the standard term of office that applies to a non ex officio board member.
NOTES 1: Whenever it is deemed necessary or appropriate to call or elect an elder (pastor) or an assistant elder (pastor) to any paid ministry position, whether including board membership or not, the board shall form a search committee which shall:
(i) include some or all members of the board itself, along with such other members of the church as the board may deem necessary to add to the committee;
(ii) produce a job description for the position if one does not already exist,
(iii) notify the Church on two successive Sundays before any meeting called for the purpose of voting on a candidate.
2: A job description for a non-elder paid ministry position may include the requirement to attend board meetings as a non-voting member.
3: The nominating committee shall take into consideration the differing qualifications for elder and deacon in proposing the names of men as board members.
(2) Other Offices
(i) Nominations
The church shall maintain a nominating committee. Upon any elective office or committee position becoming vacant, either by resignation or death during a term of office, or by the term of office expiring, or by it being deemed necessary to create a new office, this committee shall propose to the church the name(s) of (a) suitably qualified candidate(s).
(ii) Elections
All non ex officio board members (deacons or elders), the church clerk, treasurer, auditors, and all other officers and standing committees shall be elected at a business meeting of the church. The retiring officers and committee members shall be eligible for re-election. For ordinary elections, voting is by ballot if more than the required number are nominated.
(iii) Balloting
(a) If an office is contested, voting is to be by ballot and the name with the lowest vote total is dropped and further votes are taken until one person has a majority of the votes cast.
(b) When any vote by ballot is taken, the meeting shall elect tellers to distribute the ballot papers and collect and count the votes. After summing up the ballots for each candidate the result shall be handed to the chairman of the meeting, who shall announce the result. In the case of a contested office, the chairman shall announce only the name of the successful candidate and not give the number of ballots cast for each person. After this, all ballots shall be destroyed by the tellers.
(iv) Term
The term of an elder holding office for a specific pastoral ministry position under 3 (1) (a) or 3 (1) (b) lasts for the duration of the performance of the ministry.
Otherwise, the normal term of office is one year, but meeting dates may cause this to vary. However, the maximum term of office apart from reconfirmation at a new election is thirteen months, with new officers assuming their positions at the close of the business meeting that elects them.
The church may vary the annual dates on which elections are held so that some hold office on a calendar year basis, others on a school year basis, or whatever other arrangement is deemed suitable for the particular office.
(3) Ex Officio Offices and Special Requirements
(a) The senior elder, at his discretion, may be an ex officio member of and may attend the meetings of any committee of the church. He and any other elders whose job descriptions so specify, are ex officio members of the church board.
(b) The board may also designate one of its other members to be a member of or to chair any committee of the church.
(c) The church chairman and the church clerk are automatically also the trustees with respect to any debentures issued by the church. Should these be the same individual, the second trustee is the treasurer.
(d) The Sunday school superintendent, Brigade chairman, Pioneer Girls' coordinator, youth sponsors, college and career sponsors, children's church leader, Bible study group organizer, and daily vacation Bible school organizer (whenever such offices exist) are members of the Christian education committee. This committee is to be chaired by a member of the church board.
(4) Elections and Appointments by the Board
The church chairman and vice-chairman and a secretary for board meetings are selected by a vote of the board at its first meeting following the annual meeting of the church.
(5) Vacant Offices
In the event of any office becoming vacant, the same may be refilled at the first ordinary business meeting to which the nominating committee is able to make a recommendation. Only the church board may determine that there is a vacancy for the position of deacon.
(6) Auxiliary Leaders
The election of superintendents, presidents and chairmen of auxiliaries of the church constitutes a recommendation to the nominating committee for its consideration by the respective auxiliary. The nominating committee will bring name(s) to the Church for ratification.
2. RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
(1) Board Members (Deacons and designated elders)
(i) The board shall have full authority to decide on the character of all meetings that may be held within the church buildings or under the name of the church.
(ii) Any board member may, at the request of the responsible officer of the church, serve as a member of any standing committee of the church. This includes, but is not limited to, the tellers and ushers. At their discretion, the board may appoint (or approve the election of from the committee) a head usher, head teller, or other chairman to oversee the activity of some committee of the church. The individual so appointed automatically becomes a member of this committee, if not already elected to it.
(2) Elders
(i) All positions appointed under 3 (1) (a) must have a job description.
(ii) All salaried elders shall be entitled to an annual paid vacation of four weeks (pro-rated if part time), at a time agreed upon by the board. The senior elder or a designate shall be entitled to expenses to the annual conventions if funds are available.
(3) Auditors
The auditors shall be empowered to call for all papers, books, and documents they may consider necessary to supply the information required, except for the specific names associated with the contribution records.
3. RESIGNATIONS
(1) A Church office holder who resigns office before the term has finished should indicate this in writing to the board or the church clerk. The resignation is effective immediately upon receipt of the letter by a church table officer, or on the effective date indicated in the letter, if any.
(2) If a committee member or office holder delivers a verbal resignation to the appropriate committee chair or to a table officer of the church, the person receiving the resignation shall endeavour to confirm the intent, then inform the church board, which shall, in the absence of information to the contrary, deem the resignation to be effective upon its delivery.
(3) Any announcements the board may deem appropriate of resignations from church offices (not necessarily of committee members) shall be made at the next business meeting.
4. SCHEDULE OF BUSINESS MEETINGS AND DATES
1. Regular business meetings shall be held during the month following the end of each quarter of the calendar year. The board may cancel one or two of these for lack of business, provided that reasonable notice is given to the church.
2. The annual business meeting shall be held no later than February 29, the date to be fixed by the board.
3. The financial year shall close at midnight on the 31st day of December.
5. DISPOSITION OF CHURCH PROPERTY
1. For the purposes of this article, the church constitution, covenant, statement of faith and bylaws shall be those that were in effect ninety days before the event of an organic division or a dissolution of the church that triggered an application of some part of this article.
2. In the case of organic division of the church, the trustees shall continue to hold the property in the name of the congregation--which is those members who abide by the church constitution (including the statement of faith and covenant) and these bylaws. If two or more parties claim to adhere to the church constitution and bylaws, a party of more than one tenth of the voting members of the church may request that the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in British Columbia and Yukon mediate the dispute. Provided that the parties to the dispute and the Fellowship all agree that the Fellowship itself is in agreement with the constitution and bylaws of this church, the decision of the Fellowship will be final. Otherwise, the decision of the trustees will be final.
3. Should the congregation of the church decide to dissolve the church, the trustees, upon such dissolution, shall transfer all the assets of the dissolved church to the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in British Columbia and Yukon.
4. As the bylaws in this article relate to the possible sale or disposition of Church property, any amendment to this article constitutes an extraordinary motion.