Constitution
Town of Morris, Shawano County, Wisconsin
PREAMBLE
In Jesus’ Name
In as much as the word of
God, Cor. 14:40, Col. 2:5 teaches that in every congregation all things shall be
done decently and in order, we, Lutherans in this community, have adopted the
following constitution in accordance with which the internal and external
affairs of the congregation shall be administered and decided.
Article I
Name of Congregation
The name of this congregation
shall be Immanuel Lutheran Church, Town of Morris, Shawano County, Wisconsin.
Article II
Confession
Sec. I. This congregation believes and confesses that
the Holy Scripture, of the old and new Testament, are the word of God, revealed
for the salvation of man, and therefore the only source and rule of faith,
doctrine and life.
Sec. 2, This congregation receives and holds the
Apostles, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creed, and also the unaltered Augsburg
Confession and Luther’s small catechism; and nothing contrary to these
confessions shall be taught in the congregation.
Article III
Church Rites
The public worship of the
congregation shall be conducted in conformity with the ritual contained in the
Lutheran Hymnal as the congregation may deem advisable.
Article IV
Membership
Sec. 1. Members of this congregation shall be those
who have been received as members by the congregation.
Sec. 2. Children of parents who are members of this
congregation become members through baptism.
Article V
Congregational Meetings
The congregation has the
supreme power and authority in its own affairs.
Such power and authority shall be exercised at the congregational
meetings, which shall consist of the voting members, and whose resolutions shall
be valid when adopted at a meeting which has been legally called. (Ref. To
Article II Sec. 3 of the By Laws.)
Article VI
The Pastor
The congregation may call as
Pastor anyone who is duly examined, rightly called, and ordained. Interim situations may be handled by a Lay
Minister with the approval of the congregation. (Ref:
Article III of the By-Laws Sec: 2)
Article VII
Officers
Sec: 1. The officers of the
Church shall consist of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Financial
Secretary, Deacon, and Property and Grounds.
Sec. 2. To hold office or any other position of trust
in this congregation the person elected must be at least 18 years of age, and
an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Article VIII
Property
The property of the
congregation shall not be encumbered or disposed of except by resolution
adopted at a legal meeting of the congregation.
In case of a division in the congregation all of its property shall
belong to and remain in the possession of that part of the members of the congregation
which remains faithful to this constitution.
Article IX
Denominational Membership
This congregation shall
belong to and be a member of the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ
(LCMC).
Article X
Amendments
All proposed amendments to this
constitution must be presented at a Congregational meeting. If the amendment is accepted at that meeting
by a majority vote, it shall be referred to a subsequent legal meeting, held at
least six months later, when a two-thirds majority shall be required for its
final adoption.
This constitution was adopted
and corrected by the Immanuel Lutheran Church of the Town of Morris, Shawano
County, Wisconsin, at a legally called Congregational meeting.
Date adopted: September 27, 2009
Date amended: January 23,
2011
By-Laws
Article I
Qualification for Membership
Any person may become a
member of this congregation by admission.
When a person desires to be admitted to membership, they shall apply to
the Pastor or to any one of the other members of the Church Council.
Article II
Congregational Meetings
Sec. 1. The congregation shall hold an annual meeting
to review the status of the affairs of the church and also a congregation
meeting for budget approval to be scheduled in January.
Sec. 2. Special meetings of the congregation may be
held whenever it appears necessary. Such
special meetings may be called for by the Pastor, the Church Council, or by
written request of five voting members.
From whichever of these sources the call for the special meeting
emanates, it shall be directed to the Church Council who shall then cause the
meeting to be announced at a public church service, as herein prescribed.
Sec. 3. All congregational meetings shall be
announced at each of the two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting; by both
verbal announcements in the church service and written in the bulletin.
Sec. 4. Any general business concerning the affairs
of the congregation may be transacted at any congregational meeting, but the
main subject to be acted upon at special meetings shall be briefly stated at
the time the call for the meeting is announced.
Sec. 5. Any member eligible to vote at a
congregational meeting may be elected to preside at the meeting; such presiding
office shall be addressed as Chairperson.
Sec. 6. 10% of the membership who are eligible to
vote and legally assembled for a congregational meeting shall constitute a
quorum.
Sec. 7. Simple majority vote shall govern on all
questions, except where it is specifically stated that a larger majority is
required.
Sec. 8. Unless the meeting decides to vote on a
question by answering to a roll call, or to vote by ballot, all voting shall be
by acclamation.
Sec. 9. Nominating committee shall be elected at the annual
meeting. Nominating committee shall
select a minimum of one candidate for each position. (ref: Article 7 of the constitution)
Sec. 10. The following order of procedure shall govern
at all congregational meetings:
1.
Prayer
2.
Election of
Chairman
3.
Roll Call
4.
Reading and
adoption of minutes of previous meeting
5.
Reports of
officers
6.
Reports of
committees
7.
Elections
8.
Unfinished
business
9.
New Business
10.
Recognition of
volunteers
11.
Adjournment
12.
Closing prayer
ARTICLE III
Pastor
Sec. 1. To select a Pastor a
call committee of 3 persons shall be appointed by the church counsel.
Sec. 2. The call committee
will select a chairperson.
Sec. 3. The call committee
will look for available Pastors through whatever means are available and duly
examine candidates through interviews to select a Pastor to be the best fit for
our congregation.
Sec. 4. The call committee
shall present to the congregation at a congregational meeting their
recommendation for Pastor for a vote. There must be a two-thirds majority vote
of members present to be approved.
Sec. 5. A written call is
then issued to the Pastor with specific considerations.
Sec. 6. The Pastor shall be a
non-voting member of the church council.
.
ARTICLE IV
Church Secretary
Sec. 1. It shall be the responsibility of the Church
Secretary to prepare bulletins, preserve the archives of the church, and assist
the Pastor and other secretarial duties as required.
Article V
Church Council
Sec.1. the Church Council
shall consist of six members plus the Pastor and the Church Secretary who are
non-voting members.
Sec. 2. The officers of the
Church are made up of Council members elected by said Council to fill the
positions of: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Financial Secretary,
Deacon, and Property and Grounds.
(Ref. Article’s V, VII- X), and VI of the By Laws)
Sec. 3. Two members of the
council shall be elected each year for a three year term by the Congregation at
the annual meeting.
Sec. 4. Council members must
be at least 18 years of age and an active member of the Congregation.
Sec. 5. The church Council
shall watch over the spiritual condition of the congregation as well as the
physical condition of the property and grounds.
Sec. 6. The Church council
has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the Congregation.
Sec.7. The Church Council may
hold meetings whenever they deem it necessary to do so, but are required to
meet at least once per quarter.
ARTICLE VI
Property and Grounds
Sec. 1. The Property and Grounds shall consist of one
member, elected by the council for a three year
term. This person is the lead person who may call upon congregation members for
assistance, for a building and grounds committee.
Sec. 2. The Property and Grounds person shall have
charge of Property and Grounds of the congregation, and have general
supervision of all its property, and shall take precautionary measures to
conserve that property.
Sec. 3. Except in emergencies, the Property and
Grounds person shall have no authority to undertake anything that will involve
the congregation in obligations, unless such undertaking has been authorized by
act of the congregation, its Constitution or By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII
President
Sec. 1. The President of the Congregation shall be
elected by the council for a one year term and
is eligible to serve a second consecutive term after which one year must
separate another term.
Sec. 2. The duties of the president shall be to
schedule, coordinate, and conduct council meetings, and have the ultimate
responsibility that someone has followed thru with the actions decided by the
council and or the congregation.
ARTICLE VIII
Vice President
Sec. 1. The Vice President of the Congregation shall
be elected by the council for a one year term
and is eligible to serve a second consecutive term after which one year must
separate another term.
Sec. 2. The duties of the vice president shall be to
assist the president and fill in for the president as needed. The vice president shall be responsible for
coordinating the ushers.
ARTICLE IX
Church Council
Deacon
Sec. 1. A Deacon is a council
person who will assist the pastor and congregational president when called
upon, in the coordination and execution of general and miscellaneous
administrative tasks, which the Pastor or congregational president may require
assistance.
Article X
Treasurer
Sec. 1. The treasure shall be
elected by the church council. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep a
complete record of the financial status of the congregation; to receive all
money and other valuables paid into the congregation treasury and disburse in
accordance with the Resolutions and By- Laws of the church.
Sec. 2. The Treasurer shall submit a printed report
at the annual meeting of the congregation of receipts and disbursements during
the last fiscal year.
Sec. 3. The Treasurer shall abstain from voting on
all financial matters.
Sec. 4 An audit shall be
conducted annually by the two designated members of the congregation.
ARTICLE XI
Financial Secretary
Sec. 1. One financial Secretary shall be elected by the church council.
Sec. 2. Financial Secretary shall keep record of
contributions of individual members.
Sec. 3. An audit shall be conducted annually by the
two designated members of the congregation.
Sec. 4. All receipts shall be
counted each week by one member of the church council and the financial
secretary or the president of the congregation if the financial secretary is
unable to be present.
ARTICLE XII
Board of Education
Sec. 1. Board of Education shall consist of two
members elected by the congregation at the annual meeting. One to be elected each year for a period of
two years
Sec. 2. The Board of
Education shall over see the teachings of the Church Sunday School, Vacation
Bible School, and all other teachings.
Sec. 3. The Board of
Education shall give a report at the annual meeting explaining the teachings
and finances.
ARTICLE XIII
Other Church Organizations
Sec. 1. Any church
organization within Immanuel Lutheran Church shall give an annual report at the
annual meeting summarizing their activities of the past year and provide for
the congregation a financial report as to their financial status.
ARTICLE XIV
Representative
Two people shall be elected
by the congregation to attend the annual meeting
of the Lutheran Congregation for Mission in Christ (LCMC).
ARTICLE XV
Discharge or Removal of Officers
Sec. 1. Any officer whose official conduct and acts
are unsatisfactory to the congregation may be asked to resign, and if he or she
refuses to comply with the request they may be
dismissed by a simple majority vote of the members present at a congregational
meeting.
Sec. 2. If for any reason the work of the Pastor is
unsatisfactory and that for obvious reasons it cannot be expected that he or
she can continue to perform the ministerial duties in the congregation he or
she may be asked to resign. If the
Pastor fails to tender his or her resignation he or she may be deposed or removed
from the pastorate of the congregation.
To remove the Pastor from office a two-thirds vote of the members
present at the congregational meeting is required. Resignation of the Pastor will not take
practical effect until 30 days after the resignation is tendered. The removal from office of the Pastor by the
congregation becomes effective after 30 days.
ARTICLE XVI
Cemetery/Maintenance
Sec. 1. A committee of two (a
sexton and an assistant) shall be appointed by the Council for an indefinite
period of time, who shall keep the records of cemetery lots and assign lots and
assist families of the deceased to establish grave boundaries.
Sec. 2. The cemetery shall be
well kept. The maintenance of the cemetery shall be paid for out of the
cemetery fund.
Sec. 3. The Sexton shall be
responsible for the management of the cemetery fund and shall submit a
financial report at the annual meeting.
Sec. 4. An audit shall be
conducted annually by two members designated at the annual meeting.
Sec. 5. A janitor and/or
Caretaker may be hired by the Church Council and the wages and the duties shall
be determined by the Council.
ARTICLE XVII
Amendments
All proposed amendment to
these By-Laws must be presented at a Congregational meeting. If the amendment
is accepted at that meeting by a majority vote, it shall be referred to a
subsequent legally called meeting, held at least six months later, when a
two-thirds majority shall be required for its final adoption.
Date adopted: September 27, 2009
Date amended: January 23,
2011