xclose menu

Bylaws for November 23rd Congregational Meeting

On Sunday, November 23rd at 10am in the Sanctuary is a Congregational Meeting to affirm God's call of Elders and Deacons to serve Good Shepherd, as well as approve updates to our congregational bylaws in accordance with our membership in ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.

In preparation for this meeting, please review our bylaws (click here to download). Below is the congregational action and major changes we will be voting on.

Congregational Action: Accept changes to GSPC bylaws to 1) bring them in to alignment with ECO polity and terminology, 2) add language about owning our property and the stringent requirements to prevent ever adding a trust clause, and 3) add headings for ease in reading.

Items in the proposed bylaws which are in bold are additions to the current bylaws and items with strikeouts are proposed deletions from current bylaws.

Major changes:

  1. Addition of a Preamble to come into compliance with ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians
  2. Addition of Article and Section Headings for improved reading
  3. Change of language from “Members” to “Covenant Partners”, from “Ruling Elder” to “Elder,” from “Teaching Elder” to “Associate Pastor,” and from “Executive Teaching Elder” to “Pastor/Head of Staff” to align with language of ECO
  4. Change of annual congregation meeting date from January to a time during the first quarter of year to allow some flexibility for processing end of year financial data
  5. Change of notice of congregational meetings to require two Sundays notice at all services prior to meeting being held
  6. Change permitting the church to sell, mortgage or otherwise encumber any of its real property, and to permit acquisition of real property subject to any encumbrance or condition
  7. Addition of language regarding the church holding the deed to the property and the conditions required to ever change the ownership. To change the specific section of the bylaws requires approval by 75% of all Covenant Partners (members) in good standing at a congregational meeting. No proxy voting is permitted, and quorum is 75% of members.
  8. Addition of 3 fiduciary items: indemnification of Session members, officers, employees and volunteers; prohibition of granting loans to Session members or officers; and prohibition of compensation of elders
  9. Addition of language describing the authority and duties of Corporate Officers

Leave a Comment

Comments for this post have been disabled.