EBC Constitution and By-Laws

We declare and establish this constitution for the preservation and security of the principles of our faith, and that this body may be governed in an orderly manner. This constitution seeks to preserve the liberties of each individual member of this church and the freedom of action of this body in its relation to other churches.

Article I. Name

This body shall be known as Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rochester, Minnesota, a religious corporation.

Article II. Purpose and Objectives

Believing that Christ is the head of the Church, we, being a body of baptized believers, seek through love to glorify God.

We endeavor

To worship together regularly.
To proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in our community and world and seek actively to bring all people to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
To share our lives together in Christian fellowship.
To help believers grow to Christian maturity, discover their gifts for service and experience the blessings God promises.
To minister to the needs of all people, especially to those in the Church family.
To stand for truth, justice, freedom and compassion in the affairs of our community and world, until Christ returns.

Article III. Statement of Faith

The Church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of the "Baptist Faith and Message" as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963. We pledge to use curriculum materials provided by the Southern Baptist Agencies and the Holy Bible as the basis of our teachings.

Article IV. Government

The government of this church is vested in its membership under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is subject to the control of no other body, but it recognizes and sustains the obligations of mutual counsel and cooperation which are common among Baptist churches. This church shall cooperate with the Pioneer Baptist Association, the Minnesota-Wisconsin Southern Baptist Fellowship (state convention when so formed), and with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Article V. Amendment Procedure

Four weeks before voting on an amendment to this constitution, the proposed amendment will be posted in the church and mailed to every resident family. For the purpose of amending this constitution, a quorum will consist of 1/3 of the resident membership. Amendments to the constitution shall be made by approval of 2/3 members present.

By-Laws

Article I. Membership

Section 1. Candidacy

Individuals may offer themselves as candidates for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the Church at any regular worship service for membership in any of the following ways:

By a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and followed by baptism by immersion.
By promise of a letter of dismission and recommendation from another Baptist church.
By statement of a previous profession of faith and believer's baptism by immersion, or in consequence of any peculiar circumstance whereby a regular letter of dismission and recommendation is not obtainable.
Christians who have been baptized by immersion and believe they were converted before baptism and accept our statement of faith may be received upon their statement.

New church members will be expected to participate in the Church's new member orientation plan as held.

Section 2. Voting Rights of Membership

Every active member of the Church, including members of its mission, is entitled to vote at all elections and upon all questions submitted to the Church in regular or special business meetings provided the member is present.

Section 3. Duties

Members are expected to be faithful in all the duties essential to the Christian life, to attend habitually the services of this church, to give regularly for its support and its causes, and to share in its organized work.

Section 4. Termination

Membership shall be terminated in the following ways: (1) by death, (2) transfer of membership to another Baptist church, (3) by erasure when a member joins a church of another faith, and (4) upon request of member.

Letters of dismission to other churches may be voted upon at any regular meeting of the Church.

Section 5. Inactive Roll

It shall be the duty of all members removing from the vicinity of this church to, as soon as possible, unite with another church of the same faith and order, thus requesting dismission from this church. Should this not be immediately practicable, they are to furnish their names and places of residence to the Church within a year. The clerk, at the next regular business meeting, shall ask that their names be removed from the active church roll and placed on an inactive roll, such action subject to a vote of the Church.
Inactive roll: Any member who voluntarily remains wholly inactive in relation to the church obligations for a period of two years shall be removed from the roll of active members and cease to be counted as a member unless there is submitted to the deacons a reason which adequately justifies such inactivity. This does not apply to individuals who are unable to attend because of sickness or other conditions beyond their control. All names so removed from the active roll shall be carried on an "Inactive Members Roll." In all membership reports, those on the inactive roll shall be omitted. Before removing the names of inactive members from the roll of active members, they shall be listed in the official weekly publication of the Church or communicated with by letter in order that no injustice shall be done to any member of the Church.

Article II. Covenant

Believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and on the profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this Assembly, enter into this covenant with one another, as one in the body of Christ.

In relation to each other, we agree: to respect and accept in the spirit of Christ and in Christian fellowship, differences of opinion in all matters pertaining to church affairs and to our individual lives; to be ready always to forgive others their trespasses in the spirit with which God continually forgives our trespasses; to watch over one another in prayer; and to aid one another in times of distress and illness.

Believing that our call to be members of the Church is a call to be living witnesses of God in the world, we commit our lives and destinies to Christ. Wherever people are separated by barriers of hostility and distrust, we shall be ministers of God's reconciling love. As we pledge our support to the work of our missionaries throughout the world, we commit ourselves to the mission to which God calls us.

We shall seek to be obedient to Christ in our daily living. In our homes, in our labor, and in our leisure we shall strive for attitudes and actions which will reflect God's Spirit working through us. Acknowledging our human frailties and ever seeking forgiveness, we confess our need of the Holy Spirit. We shall regard our bodies as the residence of the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, we shall seek to refrain from any practices detrimental to our health and influence, and strive to live a transformed life consistent with Biblical principles in the midst of this world.

When we find it no longer possible to participate in the fellowship of this church, we will unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.

Article III. General Church Officers

Section 1. Pastor

The pastor is responsible for leading the Church in functioning as a New Testament church. The pastor will lead the congregation, the organizations, and the Church staff in performing their tasks. A major concern of the pastor is to perform pastoral responsibilities. The pastor is the leader of worship, proclamation, education, and pastoral ministries. He is an ex officio member of all committees.

A pastor shall be chosen and called by the Church whenever a vacancy occurs. A representative Pulpit Committee shall be nominated by the deacons and elected by the Church to seek out a suitable pastor. Their recommendation will constitute a nomination though any member has the privilege of making other nominations according to the policy established by the Church. The committee shall bring to the consideration of the Church only one person at a time. The selection shall proceed in the following order:

1st Sunday - Public notice given and notice mailed to all church families.
2nd Sunday - Public notice given.
3rd Sunday - Coming in view of a call.
4th Sunday - Voting after morning services.

Election shall be by secret ballot, an affirmative vote of three-fourths of those present and voting being necessary for a choice. The pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his or the Church's request.

The pastor may be requested to resign at a special business meeting called by the personnel committee and approved by the deacons and written notice thereof given two weeks previous to the meeting. A majority vote of those present and voting shall be required for the pastor's dismissal. The vote will be taken by secret ballot. Prior to the calling of this business meeting, the personnel committee and the deacons shall give the pastor the opportunity to resign voluntarily. The pastor shall give or be given at least one month's notice at the time of terminating his responsibilities as pastor.

Section 2. Church Staff

This church shall call or employ such paid staff members as the Church shall need. A job description shall be written when the need for staff members is determined. Vocational and bivocational staff members other than the pastor shall be recommended to the Church by the personnel committee and employed by church action. The personnel committee shall have the ability of dismissal of any non-professional person with two weeks' notice given or two weeks pay in lieu of notice. Any action concerning a professional staff member either vocational or bivocational would be brought before the Church with prior notice.

Any workers paid by the Church shall likewise be recommended to the Church by a personnel committee and employed by church action.

Section 3. Deacons

1) Purpose

In accordance with the meaning of the work and the practice of the New Testament, deacons are to be servants of the Church. The task of the deacon is to serve with the pastor and staff in performing pastoral ministries tasks; proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers; care for church members and other persons in the community; lead the church to engage in a fellowship of worship, witness, education, ministry, and application; and lead the Church in performing its tasks.

2) Qualifications

Deacons shall meet the Scriptural requirements as found in Acts 6:1-8 and I Timothy 3:8-13.
Deacons are to be faithful to their church responsibilities, regular in attendance at the services of the church and support and participate in the adopted program of the Church.
Deacons are expected to recognize the scriptural plan of stewardship and practice tithing.

3) Term of Service

Upon election, (and if necessary, ordination) a deacon shall be added to the active Deacon body and will serve on a continuous basis until such time that moving from the membership of the church, or inability to function as a deacon, would require the cessation of that relationship. Members of the congregation who have been ordained a deacon, but have not been elected by the church as an active deacon, will be carried on the "inactive" deacon list. There is no obligation on the part of the church to recognize as an active deacon a person who has served in the capacity in some other congregation.

4) Election

As the need for additional Deacons occurs, the church will consider the number of Deacons needed and open nominations for that (those) position.
From those nominated, the pastor and at least one active deacon will visit each nominee to determine eligibility and willingness to serve. Those who are willing and are found eligible will then meet with a Deacon screening committee to further examine each nominee. This process will begin with the person receiving the highest number of nominations and continue until the number of nominees to fill the positions are found.
The qualified candidates discovered through this process will be presented to the church to be considered for election. Each candidate will receive a "yes" or "no" vote. It will require a majority of those voting to elect a deacon.
Those individuals who require ordination will be ordained by the church as soon as possible following their election.

5) Method of Procedure

The body of deacons shall be organized as unit for the consideration of all larger problems and general policies and shall regularly meet to deal with the needs of the Church. They may organize themselves into such committees as their wisdom may direct for efficiency in service.
They shall maintain relationship to the membership to insure that spiritual, crisis, and benevolent needs of the membership are met.
Each deacon shall confer with the pastor about all matters and/or cases of discipline which in the deacon's judgment would be most wisely and spiritually handled in private.

6) Pulpit Supply

In case of absence or inability of the pastor, subject to advice from and conference with him, the deacons will provide for pulpit supplies. In any period when the church is without a pastor, the deacons will recommend a Pulpit Supply Committee.

Section 4. Moderator

The moderator shall be the pastor. In the absence of the pastor, the chairman of the deacons shall preside; or in the absence of both, the clerk shall call the Church to order and a moderator pro tem shall be elected.

Section 5. Clerk

The Church shall elect annually a clerk who shall keep in a suitable book a record of all the actions of the Church, except as other wise herein provided. The clerk is responsible for keeping a register of the name of the members with dates of admission, dismission, or death, together with a record of baptisms. Upon application for membership by letter, the clerk shall request the letter from the designated church. The clerk shall issue letters of dismission voted by the Church and also shall keep on file written official reports and give legal notice of all meetings where such notice is necessary, as indicated by these Bylaws. All church records are church property and should be filed in the church office. The clerk shall fill out the annual church letter to the association.

Section 6. Treasurer

The Church shall elect annually a church treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to keep at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements. All funds received for denominational or other causes shall be remitted at least monthly by check. Payment of bills for local work and expenses shall be made promptly by check upon receipt of bills approved by the treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to render to the Church at each regular business meeting an itemized report of the receipts and disbursements for the preceding month. The treasurer's report shall be audited annually by an Auditing Committee or public accountant. The treasurer will be bonded for an amount commensurate with church finances. All books, records, and accounts kept by the treasurer shall be considered the property of the Church. The books shall be open to inspection for any member of the Church at any time. Upon rendering the annual account at the end of the each fiscal year, and its acceptance and approval by the Church, the records shall be delivered by the treasurer to the church clerk, who shall see that the account is kept and preserved as a part of the permanent records of the Church.

Section 7. Assistant Treasurer

The assistant treasurer shall be elected by the Church annually. The assistant treasurer shall receive the empty collection envelopes after the money has been removed and counted and shall give donors individual credit. The assistant treasurer shall be responsible for preparing, making and mailing of quarterly or semiannual records of contributions to all contributing members.

Section 8. Trustees

Three trustees elected by the Church will hold in trust the church property. They shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease or transfer any property without a specific vote of the Church authorizing each action. It shall be the function of the trustees to affix their signatures to legal documents involving the sale, mortgaging, insuring, or purchase or rental of property or other legal documents where the signatures of trustees are required. Trustees shall serve on a rotating basis, with one new trustee being elected each year. In case of death, resignation, removal, or incapacity to serve, the Church shall elect a member to fill the unexpired term.

Section 9. Church Council

1) Purpose

The Church Council leads the Church in planning, coordinating, and evaluating the total church program.

2) Membership

Members of the Church Council are the Pastor, Music Director, Sunday School Director, Church Training Director, Deacon Chairman, Woman's Missionary Union Director, a youth representative (elected by the youth), and chairpersons of the standing committees. The pastor will serve as chairman.

3) Responsibilities

Formulate and recommend to the Church suggested church objectives and goals.
Develop and recommend to the Church strategies for reaching church goals.
Review and coordinate suggested program plans and actions by church officers, organizations and committees and provide for adequate communication among them.
Review and report to the Church the use of resources in terms of the needs of church programs as they work toward the achievement of the objectives and goals of the Church.
Evaluate program achievements in terms of church objectives and goals, and report evaluations to the Church.

4) Relationships

The work of the Church Council is advisory and correlative rather than administrative or legislative. The church does not relinquish its responsibility for final approval of church council recommendations.
The Church Council assists all church organizations in the coordination of activities. The Church Council may make recommendations to them but they are individually responsible to the Church rather than to the Church Council.

Section 10. Historian

The historian is to preserve and use the historical records of the Church. The historian is especially concerned with gathering and preserving available church records, recording full and accurate records, and using the records to help members understand and appreciate their heritage and mission. The historian is recommended by the Nominating Committee and serves for an indefinite term.

Article IV. Committees and Coordinating Groups

Section 1. General Guidelines for Church Committees

Church adopted committee job descriptions serve as the primary guide for each committee's work; the Church reserves the right, however, to assign other responsibilities to any committee as deemed appropriate.
All members of permanent church committees will be elected by the Church.
Selection of committee chairpersons will be by recommendation of the Nominating Committee and election by the Church. As much as possible, chairpersons will be determined prior to the enlistment of other members of the committee, consulted about potential members, and allowed to personally enlist those the Nominating Committee selects for recommendation.
All committees will keep adequate records of meetings and activities; a monthly written report will be submitted to the Church.
Annually, before the October business meeting, each committee will review its job description and recommend any improvements to the Church for adoption; such recommendations may also be made at any regular business meeting when a need arises during the year.
All committees should work closely with the Church Council, especially in reference to calendar coordination with other church activities, to assure a united and balanced church program. However, all committees are individually responsible to the Church for their work.
All committees preparing budget recommendations will submit them to the Stewardship Committee for consideration, but since committees are responsible to the Church individually, they are not restricted from requesting changes in the budget when it is presented to the Church for adoption.

Section 2. Special Committees

Special committees may be elected by the Church as deemed necessary to carry on the activities of the Church. They shall serve as long as its necessary to carry out their particular function.

Article V. Program Organizations

Section 1. Sunday School

The Sunday School shall be divided into departments and classes as needed for all ages and conducted under the direction of the Sunday School Director for the study of God's Word and for outreach toward new members. All teachers and officers shall be members of this church.

Three months before the close of the educational year, the Sunday School Director shall be elected upon nomination by the Nominating Committee. The teachers shall be elected by the Church upon recommendation of the director through the Nominating Committee.

Section 2. Church Training

There shall be Church Training for all ages and conducted under the direction of a general director. The Church Training shall serve as the training organization of the Church.

Three months before the close of the educational year, the Church Training Director shall be elected upon nomination by the Nominating Committee. The other leaders and workers shall be elected by the Church upon recommendation of the director through the Nominating Committee.

Section 3. Women's Missionary Union

There shall be a Women's Missionary Union with such officers and organization as needed. The tasks of the Woman's Missionary Union shall be to teach missions; engage in mission action; support world missions through praying and giving; provide and interpret information regarding the work of the Church and the denomination.

The Women's Missionary Union shall select all WMU officers and leaders for the approval of the Church.

Article VI. Ordinances

Section 1. Baptism

A person who has received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord by personal faith, who professes Him publicly at any worship service, and who indicates a commitment to follow Christ as Lord, shall be received for baptism.

Baptism shall be by immersion in water.
Baptism shall be administered by the pastor or whomever the Church shall authorize.
Baptism shall be administered as an act of worship during any worship service.

Section 2. The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby baptized believers, through partaking of the bread and fruit of the vine, commemorate the death of Jesus Christ and anticipate His second coming.

The Lord's Supper shall be observed on the first Sunday of each quarter or at such other time as the pastor and/or the Church may determine.
The pastor and deacons shall be responsible for the administration of the Lord's Supper.
The deacons shall be responsible for the preparation of the Lord's Supper.

Article VII. Church Meetings

Section 1. Worship Services

The Church shall meet regularly each Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening for preaching, instruction, evangelism, and for the worship of Almighty God. These meetings will be open for the entire membership of the Church and for all people and shall be conducted under the direction of the pastor.

Section 2. Special Services

Revival services and/or any other church meetings which will be considered essential in the promotion of the objectives of the Church shall be placed on the church calendar.

Occasional religious meetings may be scheduled by the pastor at his discretion or by vote of the Church.

Section 3. Regular Business Meeting

Regular business meetings shall be held quarterly on the second Sunday of the first month of each quarter (January, April, July, October). Financial statements will be prepared for disbursement to the congregation every month. It is to be understood that any church members may make a motion from the floor on any issue.

Section 4. Special Business Meetings

A special meeting of the Church shall be called by the pastor when requested by the deacons, trustees, or a standing committee, the object of the meeting being stated in a notice which shall be read at both public services on the Sunday preceding such meeting.
A special meeting of the Church shall be called by the clerk upon the written application of any five members, the object of the meeting being stated in a notice which shall be read at both public services on the Sunday preceding such meeting.

Section 5. Quorum

Ten percent of active roll of the membership shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 6. Parliamentary Rules

Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, is the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all business meeting of the Church.

Article VIII. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall run January 1 through December 31.

Article IX. Amendments

Changes in these Bylaws may be made at any regular business meeting of the Church, provided such amendments shall have been presented publicly one week previous. Amendments to the Bylaws shall have a concurrence of a simple majority of the members present and voting.

Revision History

2005/05/07	Jim Benson	Converted to HTML for distribution on the ebcrochester.org web site.
2005/08/01	Jim Benson	Fixed broken Table of Contents link.

Table of Contents