The Bylaws of DaySpring Presbyterian Church

Adopted:  September 16, 2003

 

Article 1 – Name

The name of the church is DaySpring Presbyterian Church and that of the corporation is DaySpring Presbyterian Church, Inc. 

 

Article 2 – Constitution

DaySpring Presbyterian Church is a mission church of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).  The constitution of DaySpring Presbyterian Church, Inc., which is subject to and subordinate to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the inerrant Word of God, consists of the doctrinal standards set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith, together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, the Book of Church Order of the Presbyterian Church in America, the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws as set forth herein.  If there is any conflict between these Bylaws and the Book of Church Order, as in force on April 19, 1984, or as the PCA General Assembly and the Presbyteries of the PCA may amend them, then the Book of Church Order shall govern.

 

Section 1. Voting Membership

Every active, communicant member of this church, in good standing, shall have the right to vote in all church matters, except such matters which solely relate to the corporation, when the minimum voting age shall be twenty-one (21) years.

Section 2.  Purpose

a.        Calling and removing Pastors and Associate Pastors.

b.       Electing ruling elders and deacons.

c.        Approving the purchase, sale, transfer, or mortgaging of the real property of the church and electing trustees to execute such decisions of the congregation.

d.       Approving any major alterations to the buildings or grounds.

e.        Approving and amending the Bylaws.

Section 3. Meetings.

a.        Stated Meetings.  The Annual Stated Congregational Meeting of the congregation shall be in January.  The business of this meeting shall be to review the previous year, elect officers for the current year, review and discuss the budget, and consider any other matters brought to the attention of the Congregation.

b.       Called Meetings. The Session shall call special meetings of the congregation when it shall deem them necessary or upon written petition of one fourth of the communicant membership. Public notice of the called meeting shall be given each of the two Sunday’s preceding the meeting, or mailed to each member no less than one week prior to the meeting. The notice shall state the purposes of the meeting. The business of all such meetings shall be confined to the purposes stated in the call for the meeting.

Section 4. Quorum.

If the church has more than 100 resident communicant members, one-sixth of such members shall constitute a quorum, but if the church has 100 or fewer resident communicant members, one fourth of such members shall constitute a quorum.

Section 5. Moderator.

The Senior Pastor shall normally serve as moderator of meetings of the congregation. In the absence of the Senior Pastor, the congregation shall elect an interim moderator who may be a teaching elder, a ruling elder, or any communicant member of the congregation. By a majority vote of communicant members present, the Pastor may be required to yield the chair, but actions of such a meeting shall not be binding until ratified by a subsequent meeting called in accordance with due process.

Section 6. Clerk.

A clerk shall be elected at each meeting of the congregation to keep correct minutes of the proceedings and to report them to the Session.

Section 7. Rules of Order.

In the conduct of meetings, any parliamentary questions not covered by these Bylaws, the Book of Church Order or the Articles of Incorporation, as amended, shall be governed by the latest edition of Roberts' Rules of Order.

Section 8.  Proxy Voting.

There shall be no absentee or proxy voting at meetings of the congregation.

 

Article 4 - Pastors and Staff

Section 1. Pastor.

a.        The responsibilities of the Pastor are those defined by the Book of Church Order.

b.       The Pastor shall serve as moderator of both Session meetings and congregational meetings.

c.        The Pastor shall be an ex-officio member of all boards, committees, and organizations connected with the church.

d.       The Pastor shall provide day-to-day leadership to the staff in accordance with applicable policies of the Session and the Deaconate.

Section 2. Associate Pastors.

a.        The Pastor in consultant with the Session shall assign each Associate Pastor specific ministry responsibilities.

b.       In the temporary absence of the Pastor, the senior Associate Pastor shall perform all of his ministerial duties.

c.        When the church is without a Pastor, the Session will normally request the Presbytery to appoint the senior Associate Pastor as moderator of the Session.

d.       The number of Associate Pastors shall be determined by the congregation.

Section 3. Calling of Pastors and Associate Pastors.

The calling of Pastors and Associate Pastors shall follow the process prescribed in the Book of Church Order.

Section 4. Assistant Pastors and Other Professional Staff.

a.        As the needs of the congregation require, professional staff in addition to a Pastor and Associate Pastors may be added. Determination of the need for a particular staff position shall be made by the Session.

b.       These additional professional staff may be teaching elders (in which case they shall be designated Assistant Pastors), ruling elders, interns, or lay people (members or non-members), consistent with the needs of the position.

c.        When a vacant position to be filled is that of Assistant Pastor or other professional staff, the Session shall use its discretion as to the proper way to conduct a search and to make a recommendation to the Session. The actual invitation to serve, including terms of employment, shall be the responsibility of the Session.

Section 5. Administrative Staff.

Administrative staff to perform clerical, custodial, and other support functions shall be hired in accordance with policies established by the Session. The actual hiring of such staff may be delegated by the Session to the deacons or to the professional staff.

 

Article 5 - The Session

Section 1. Membership.

The Session is composed of the Pastor, Associate Pastors, and the body of ruling elders elected by the congregation to serve for particular terms.

Section 2. Responsibilities.

a.        The responsibilities of the Session (and of individual elders) are those defined by the Book of Church Order.

b.       Names of speakers for the pulpit of the church must be approved beforehand by the Session, and all organizations of the church are subject to the authority of the Session in their choice of speakers at any event.

c.        The Session shall elect the Clerk of the Session, who shall serve until he is replaced.

Section 3. Meetings.

Meetings of the Session shall be governed by the Book of Church Order supplemented by the Session's own standing rules.

Section 4. Church Committees.

a.        Church committees shall be established by the Session (except for Pulpit Committees which are elected by the congregation).

b.       Committees shall have their members approved by the Session and shall be responsible to the Session.

c.        At least one Session member shall serve on each committee.

d.       Each committee shall elect its own chairman unless one is designated by the Session.

e.        Copies of the minutes of church committee meetings shall be provided to the Session for review.

 

Article 6 - The Board of Deacons

Section 1. Membership.

The Board of Deacons is composed of the body of deacons elected by the congregation to serve for particular terms. The Pastor and Associate Pastors shall be advisory members of the Board of Deacons. Assistant Pastors and other professional staff may be invited to attend meetings of the deacons, but without vote.

Section 2. Responsibilities.

The responsibilities of the Board of Deacons (and of individual deacons) are those defined in the Book of Church Order.

Section 3. Meetings.

Meetings of the Board of Deacons shall be governed by the Book of Church Order supplemented by the Board's own standing rules.

Section 4. Church Treasurer.

a.        The Church Treasurer, and any Assistant Treasurers deemed necessary, shall be appointed by and serve under the supervision of the Board of Deacons. The Church Treasurer need not be a deacon.

b.       The Church Treasurer shall ensure that all receipts are properly recorded and promptly deposited.

c.        The Treasurer shall ensure that all disbursements are in accordance with the approved budget and are accounted for accurately.

d.       The Treasurer shall ensure that monthly financial reports are prepared for review by the Board of Deacons (and for subsequent transmittal to the Session) and that an annual financial report is prepared for the congregation.

e.        All church financial records shall be subject to outside audit as directed by the deacons.

Section 5. Church Budget.

a.        The church budget shall be prepared by the deacons, and approved and adopted by the Session after presentation to and discussion by the congregation at a Congregational Meeting.

b.       Amendments to the budget during the year shall be prepared by the deacons and approved by the Session.

c.        The fiscal year of this church shall end on the thirty-first (31st) day of December.

 

Article 7 - Election of Ruling Elders and Deacons

Section 1. Rotation System.

a.        Ruling elders and deacons shall be elected to three-year terms of service.  

b.       A ruling elder or deacon having served two consecutive terms is ineligible for a new term until one year has elapsed.

c.        Election to fill one half or more of an unexpired term shall be counted as a full term; election to fill less than one half of an unexpired term shall not be counted as a term.

Section 2. Size of Session and Board of Deacons.

The number of ruling elders on the Session and the size of the Board of Deacons shall be established each year by the congregation at the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting after hearing the recommendation of the Session.

Section 3. Procedure for Nominations.

a.        Beginning one month prior to the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting, the Session will receive from communicant members of the church names of potential candidates for the offices of elder and deacon.

b.       All candidates must be men at least 21 years of age who are in good standing.

c.        The Session shall give general approval of the list of nominees within one month after the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting. 

Section 4. Preparation and Training of Officer Candidates.

a.        All nominees for ruling elder or deacon will be expected to complete an officer's training course, held before the election, in which the doctrines and distinctives of the church and the qualifications and duties of the church offices will be discussed.

b.       Each nominee (and his wife, in the case of candidates who are married) shall be interviewed by the Session regarding his readiness to service and his willingness to answer the subscription questions in the affirmative with understanding.

c.        The Session shall examine those nominated and then report to the congregation on election day those eligible for election.

d.       This section shall not apply to an officer who has completed the training class and has been ordained by this congregation but has been inactive. Inactive officers, however, shall be encouraged to participate in the training class.

Section 5. Timing of Elections.

a.        Election of ruling elders and deacons shall take place at the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting one year forward of their nomination.

b.       At the discretion of the Session, or if requested by one-fourth of the communicant members, special meetings of the congregation may be called to fill vacancies which arise during the year or to enlarge the Session and the Board of Deacons.

Section 6. Election Procedures.

a.        See Article 2 – Congregational Meetings, Section 1 – Voting Membership for eligibility requirements for voting at congregational meetings.

b.       All elections shall be by written secret ballot.

c.        There shall be no absentee or proxy voting for candidates.

d.       A candidate must receive an 80% affirmative vote of those voting in order to be elected.

e.        In no cases shall an officer be elected to a position without a quorum of communicant members present.

Section 7. Ordination and Installation.

Ruling elders and deacons shall be ordained and/or installed on the Sunday following their election. If a newly elected ruling elder or deacon is not able to attend the installation service, arrangements should be made to install him publicly as soon as practical thereafter; in the meantime, he may commence his term of service by affirming his installation vows in the presence of the Session.

 

Article 8 – Trustees

Section 1. Responsibilities.

The trustees of DaySpring Presbyterian Church shall have the power and authority to buy, sell, transfer, or mortgage the property of the church, to accept and execute deeds, to hold and defend titles, and to manage any permanent special funds entrusted to them. In the fulfillment of these duties, the trustees shall act solely under instructions given by the congregation at duly called meetings.

Section 2. Election.

a.        The number of trustees shall be at least three, and they shall serve for terms of one year with no limitation on the number of successive terms they may serve.

b.       The congregation at the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting shall elect the trustees after hearing the recommendation of the Session. 

c.        The term of the elected trustees begins immediately.

d.       Normally the trustees will be members of the Session, but the congregation shall have the option to elect any communicant member. Vacancies arising during the year shall be filled at duly called congregational meetings if deemed necessary by the Session.

Section 3. Number of Signatures.

The signatures of at least two of the trustees shall be required to transact any business on behalf of the congregation.

 

Article 9 – Membership

Section 1. Eligibility.

a.        Any person who has accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord; who gives assurance of a desire to live a consistent, separated Christian life; who is willing to wholeheartedly support the services and activities of this church; who has been baptized and who accepts the doctrinal statement of this church as being agreeable with the Word of God, is eligible for membership.

b.       Persons may be received as members upon confession of faith or by reaffirmation of faith. All applicants for membership shall appear before the Session, who shall examine and pass upon the applicants prior to their public reception into membership.

Section 2. Transfer of Membership

Letters transferring membership may be granted by the Session: but only to churches that are true to the Scriptures and the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

Section 3. Non-communicant Members

a.        Children of believing parents are included in the Covenant of God. Children of such parents who are members of this church are classified as “children of the covenant” or “non-communicant members.”

b.       Since children may be ready for communicant membership at various ages, it is therefore left to the discretion of the child’s parents, and of the Session when such time has arrived in each case.

c.        Children must give satisfactory evidence of having personally received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord before they are accepted into communicant membership.

Section 4. Requirements.

a.        Members in good standing shall consist of all members who regularly attend the worship services of DaySpring Presbyterian Church, contribute of their means, and who are in good repute. Those in the armed services, away at school, away for other valid reasons, or ill for a long time, shall be considered to be in good standing but on the inactive roll.

b.       If any member consistently absents himself from the worship services of the church for a period of three (3) months, except as described above, his name may be brought before the Session for prayerful consideration and then a personal contact. If, after a further period of three (3) months, the condition continues to exist, the Session shall begin disciplinary proceedings as directed by Matthew 18:15 – 18 and the PCA Book of Church Order

c.        It shall be within the province of the Session to review the membership of any church member, or members, whenever the Session deems it necessary.

d.       If at any time a member finds himself out of harmony with the doctrine or practices of this church, or if his conduct or doctrines are called into question and the matter is taken up by the Session, and he is unwilling to settle differences on Scriptural grounds, the Session shall proceed as directed by Matthew 18:15 – 18 and the PCA Book of Church Order.

 

Article 10 - Amendments to the Bylaws

Amendments to the Bylaws of DaySpring Presbyterian Church shall be made only by a two-thirds affirmative vote at either a stated congregational meeting or at a special called meeting.