Other Details

United Church of Sumner,  Sumner, Nebraska

Executive Summary of Pastoral Opening

Pastor’s Job Description

The pastor’s job is to Feed, Lead, and Care for United Church so that the Body can fulfill its mission to make disciples and glorify God.

United Church Mission:

Our Mission is to turn lost people into devoted disciples of Jesus Christ, for the praise of His glory, who exalt God, edify one another, evangelize, starting in our own locale, and extend disciple making to all the world.

Compensation and Benefits

• $70,000 – 80,000 to be broken down into salary, housing, auto expense, health insurance and retirement.

History: United Church of Sumner (UCS) is the fruit of a merger of two Sumner evangelical churches in 2001 (First Baptist Church and Sumner Evangelical Free Church).

Presently: UCS is not affiliated with any denomination.  We are committed to co-operating with churches of like evangelical faith in our local area.

Our priorities include: 1.) making Christ the center of everything we are and do, 2.) raising up disciples who make disciples, reproducing reproducers, 3.) being faithful to the Word and applying it to our lives and ministries.

The pastor we are searching for will have similar commitments and the skills necessary to lead UCS to the fulfillment of its goals.

June 2024

Dear Friends:

United Church of Sumner is seeking a pastor. A Pastoral Search Team has been selected to actively seek and recommend a successor for consideration.

We are submitting the following documents to you:

1. Pastoral Profile……………….pages 2-4
2. Church Profile………………..pages 5-8
3. Community Profile………….pages 9
4. Church Constitution………..pages 10-19

Sincerely,

Bryce Williams

Pastor Search Team Chairman

United Church of Sumner

Pastoral Profile

United Church of Sumner

Biblical Qualifications (I Peter 5:1-4; Titus 1:5-9; I Timothy 3:1-10)

1 Peter 5:1–4 (NASB)

Serve God Willingly

5:1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Titus 1:5–9 (NASB)

Qualifications of Elders

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

1 Timothy 3:1–10 (NASB)

Overseers and Deacons

3:1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money. 4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, 9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.

Summary: Paul and Peter give a description of what church leaders’ attributes should be.  They write that men must willingly choose to become leaders if God so directs them.  They must eagerly want to profit the church and not themselves.  They must be above reproach in all relationships and have an established reputation for good within and outside the church.  They must know God’s Word and faithfully apply it in all circumstances.

Doctrines and Beliefs.  Our Pastor must be in wholehearted agreement with the confession of faith of United Church of Sumner (see attached Constitution) and its mission.

Our Mission is to turn lost people into devoted disciples of Jesus Christ, for the praise of His glory, who exalt God, edify one another, evangelize, starting in our own locale, and extend disciple making to all the world.

Pastor’s Job Description

The pastor’s job is to Feed, Lead, and Care for United Church so that the Body can fulfill its mission to make disciples and glorify God.

Feed

• Like Ezra, he should set his heart to study the Word of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach it. (Ezra 10:7)
• Like Timothy, he should preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction. (2 Tim. 4:2)
• He must instruct against teaching strange doctrines and realize that some will not endure sound doctrine but want to have their ears tickled as they accumulate teachers that give them what they want. (2 Tim. 4:3)

Lead

• Pursue the Church’s mission.
• Develop and implement a strategy for (1) Evangelism (2) Growth/Discipleship.
• Develop and implement the church’s strategy both the short term (1 year) and the long term (5 years or more).
• Identify and train emerging leaders and workers.
• Mentor Deacons, Trustees and Teachers.

Care

• Provide pastoral care for the congregation.
• Bereavement, Funerals, Weddings, Baptisms, Dedications, etc.

What Competencies must our next Pastor possess?

• Be able to work in the original languages of God’s Word because of having studied them and/or by being able to use language tools available today in a competent manner.
• Have a good understanding of orthodox, evangelical hermeneutics to know how to interpret and apply God’s Word.
• Understand and practice sound exegesis of the Word.
• Be able to prepare and preach expository and topical sermons that inspire, inform, build up, protect, and prepare believers to be effective in their Christian walk.
• Focus on Jesus Christ and God’s revealed will for the Church found in the faith once for all delivered to the Saints as revealed in God’s Word.
• Able to form relationships with others one on one and in small groups to lead them in growing as disciples in Christ who can also make disciples.
• Able to counsel those with various needs using God’s Word and have the ability refer them to other competent counselors.
• Be able to participate and lead in groups that are responsible for the life and the work of the church.
• Be mature enough to balance church ministry with family ministry and responsibilities.
• Be self-motivated, able to take initiative and able and willing to delegate responsibility when profitable to the church and to other believers.
• Be able to recognize needs in the church and prioritize how to meet them.
• Practice hospitality with the church.
• Form friendships and contacts outside the Church that enable personal evangelism.
• Teach UCS how to proclaim the Gospel through testimonies, friendly conversations, and using God’s Word.

Personal Attributes

• Devoted to intimacy with God through study of the Word, prayer and active participation in the Body of Christ.
• Able to go beyond mere word and speech to deed and truth in his love for God and the Church.
• Lives with a sense of urgency considering the imminent coming of Jesus Christ to gather His Church.
• Has compassion for those who are like lost sheep in need of a shepherd.
• Shows love by comforting those who need comfort and confronting those who need confrontation.
• Consistently seeking to grow in his knowledge of and skill in handling the Word of God.
• Willingly seeks and expects accountability from those who share the leadership of the church.
• Loves his wife and family in a way that is like Christ’s love for the Church.
• Organized personally and professionally. He should be able to set shared goals for the church and help plan the objectives and strategies to reach those goals.

Formal Education

• Preferred: a Masters’ Degree from an accredited seminary. Required: a BS or BA from an accredited college, university or Bible school.

Compensation and Benefits

• $70,000 – 80,000 to be broken down into salary, housing, auto expense, health insurance and retirement.

Vacation and Continuing Education.  2 weeks of paid vacation will be allotted for the first year and time for continuing education.

Days off: In addition to holidays and Saturdays the pastor will designate one day of the week that will be his day off.

United Church of Sumner Profile

Mission Statement

Our mission is to turn lost people into devoted disciples of Jesus Christ, for the praise of His glory, who exalt God, edify one another, evangelize, starting in our own locale, and extend disciple-making to all the world.

What we are doing now:

Disciple making: Our efforts at disciple making are mostly tied with the various Christian Education functions of the Church: worship times, Sunday School, various men and women Bible Studies.  Our desire is to implement a more intentional dsicipleship process that uses small groups to encourage the development of committed followers of Christ.  In addition to this we are joining a “Leadership Co-op: that has be founded by another evangelical church in our area to make available a way to sharpen our skills in leadership and discipleship.

Outreach: Our primary outreach is in the area of youth activities.  We have an active youth group consisting of junior and senior high students.  Young people from within and outside the church meet and are challenged and equipped to know what and why they believe.  There is also a younger group of kides that we call G3 (God’s Greatest Gift) that meets for learning Scripture, memorization and fund activities to strengthen their faith.  We also have Vacation Bible School that reaches familites in the community.  We will be making plans for a more systematic outeach to the community.

East Campus

History: United Church of Sumner (UCS) is the fruit of a merger of two Sumner evangelical churches in 2001 (First Baptist Church and Sumner Evangelical Free Church).

Both merging churches had long histories in the community with the First Baptist Church being founded in 1893 and the then Swedish Evangelical Mission Church (later the Sumner Evangelical Free Church) being established also in 1893.  These two aspects of our common heritage are materially reflected in the two “campuses” (East Campus and West Campus) of UCS.

West Campus

The need for the merger was a result of the changing demographics of Sumner and the surrounding community.  The two largest communities in the area are Kearney (pop. 33,000) 35 miles away and Lexington (pop. 10,000) 25 miles away. Sumner is in a vast, mostly agricultural area that over the last 100 years has seen a consolidation of farming units and a decrease in population.  The median age of the population has been rising.  This trend is reflected in the demographics of UCS.  UCS has about 55 people who attend and the average age is 50+.

The Rev. Kenneth Hutson was called to be the pastor of the newly formed church and served for twenty-one years until 2023.  He was considered the “community pastor” for many years and many people who don’t attend the church called him for help and assistance. He was well-loved, respected, and highly relational.  During his ministry UCS came to be regarded as a community church because of its ministries to help those with various needs.

Presently: UCS is not affiliated with any denomination.  We are committed to co-operating with churches of like evangelical faith in our local area.

UCS called David Allen with Interim Pastor Ministries (IPM)  (interimpastors.com) to be their Intentional Interim Pastor in July 2023.

UCS had already selected a Pastoral Search Team which would also serve as the Transition Team to accomplish the five phases of the IPM Intentional Transition Plan.

The first step Pastor David initiated was to interview as many as possible of those who attend UCS on a regular basis.  This interview period took about a month and over half of all those attending UCS were interviewed.  The interviews gave good insights into how people see where UCS has been, where it is and where they would like to see it go.  Many insights were gained in understanding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges facing UCS.

The second, major step was using the Ministry Insight Tool developed by IPM to assess the church in a systematic way.  It helped the congregation discover the present reality of their ministry and have fresh eyes to review key biblical issues vital to the strength and fruitfulness of the church. Over 50% of the congregation participated in the survey.

Some conclusions from these assessments show the deep commitment of UCS to the Lord, to one another, and to the community along with a trust of intent and skill of leadership that will help it overcome established ways of doing ministry that are not healthy or helpful.  We need to intentionally reach out to people with an invitation to the Gospel trying innovative approaches to outreach.

Our priorities include: 1.) making Christ the center of everything we are and do, 2.) raising up disciples who make disciples, reproducing reproducers, 3.) being faithful to the Word and applying it to our lives and ministries.

The pastor we are searching for will have similar commitments and the skills necessary to lead UCS to the fulfillment of its goals.

Church Staff

At present, we have an interim pastor, a volunteer church secretary, and a part time custodian.

Church Facilities/Property

Worship Center (East Campus)

This is the former Baptist Church which was built in 1969.  The worship center holds 160 occupants.  It is well maintained with padded pews and carpet.  We have modern sound and visual equipment.

Fellowship Hall (West Campus)

Our Fellowship Hall is the former Evangelical Free Church and is used for church offices, meetings, dinner, social occasions.  We have a very nice, modern kitchen that was finished in 2023.

Parsonage

UCS owns a nice parsonage in a residential neighborhood.  It has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a good size deck, a nice size yard and abundant room.  In addition, it has a 2-car garage.  The parsonage was built in 1977.

Sumner, Nebraska

Community Profile

Sumner is a village in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lexington, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 314 at the 2020 census.  More 2020 census date is found at

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/sumner-ne/

Dawson County, Nebraska

Sumner is considered a Small Town. The economy of Sumner employs 156 people and has an unemployment rate of 0%. Some of the largest industries in Sumner are Professional Services, Food Crops Grown Under Cover, and Banks.

Sumner is home to a consolidated School consisting of students from Sumner, Eddyville and Miller (SEM).  This year SEM had excellent showings by the girls’ volleyball team which won the state championship for its division.  The boys’ football team also won the state championship for their division.

History

Sumner was established in 1890 when the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway was extended to that point. It was named for Charles Sumner, a senator from Massachusetts known for his abolitionist views.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.30 square miles (0.78 km2), all land.

Sumner has an annual 4^th of July Festival and Rodeo that takes place on the 3^rd and 4^th of July.  It is by far the largest event every year drawing thousands of people from the surrounding area

Constitution Of The United Church of Sumner

Sumner, Nebraska

Article I

Name

The name of this church shall be The United Church of Sumner, located in Sumner, Nebraska.

Article II

Confession of Faith

This church believes:

• The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.
• In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• That Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate.
• That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an initial Christian experience simultaneous with conversion. As the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, his ministry needs to be continuously and increasingly appropriated. The primary evidences of the resulting fullness of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
• That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual live be obtained.
• That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.
• That water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation.
• That the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the head.
• That only those who are thus members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local church.
• That Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and that every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.
• In the personal and premillennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this “Blessed Hope” has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer.
• In the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.

Article III

Purpose

The purpose of this church shall be to seek the salvation of sinners by spreading the gospel at home and abroad; and to edify the Saints through Biblical teaching, worship, stewardship, opportunities for development, experience, service and fellowship.

Article IV

Membership

This church receives as members those who by faith have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and who in their conduct manifest the fruits of a Christian life, and who are willing to support by prayers and contributions, this church, and accept and abide by its constitution and by-laws.

Article V

Officers

The officers of this church shall be: Pastor, Clerk, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, four Trustees, four Deacons, four Deaconesses and Sunday School Superintendent. These officers shall constitute the Church Board. It is recommended that no person shall serve in more than one position on the Church Board. These officers shall be elected for a term of one year, except for the Trustees, Deacons and Deaconesses as provided in the By-Laws.

Article VI

Meetings

• Public worship shall be on Sunday at such hours as the church shall decide. The Lord’s Supper shall be observed on the first Sunday of each month.
• The Annual Business meeting shall be held by January 15.
• Special business meetings may be called by the Pastor, the Moderator or the Church Board.
• Twenty percent of the active church members on the roll must be present at a business meeting of the church to constitute quorum.  The church board shall not be considered a quorum.
• Notice of all business meetings must be made public one week in advance of the meeting.

Article VII

Government

• The church shall be an independent body and shall be self-governing under the articles herein adopted.
• The government of this church and the management of its affairs and property shall be voted on by the members of the church and exercised by them at regular or special meetings as provided herein and as further provided in the By-Laws of this church.

Article VIII

Church Property

• No property of this church shall be encumbered without a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at an announced called meeting, to which at least two weeks’ notice shall be given. Such encumbrance shall be made in the corporate name of the church, by the Trustees.
• The purchase or sale of any of the real property of this church shall only be done by a two-thirds majority vote of the church members present at an announced called meeting to which at least two weeks’ notice shall be given. Property shall be purchased in the corporate name of the church and real property shall be conveyed in the corporate name of the church by the Trustees of the church when authorized as herein provided.
• In case of a division of the church, from which may God in his mercy preserve us, property shall belong to the members abiding by this constitution.

Article IX

Length of Existence

The commencement of this church as a corporation shall begin when the Articles thereof are filed with the Secretary of State of Nebraska and the County Clerk’s office of Dawson County, Nebraska, and the corporation shall continue until the corporation is terminated by law provided.

Article X

Amendments

• Amendments to this constitution may be made at a church business meeting by a two-thirds majority of votes cast by members present, provided said proposed amendments have been presented and discussed at a church business meeting at least one month prior to the time of taking action on the amendment.
• Articles II, III, IV, and VIII shall not be repealed or amended in any way that would change the spirit and purpose thereof.

Article XI

Provision for By-Laws

A supplement to this constitution known as By-Laws shall embody the stated qualifications for Pastor and Officers and their duties, conditions for membership, method by which members are received, parliamentary rules and regulations for the activities of the church.

BY-LAWS

Article I

Membership

• New members may be received at any business meeting of the church in the following manner:
• Application shall be made to the Pastor or to a Deacon.
• A committee of the Pastor, 2 deacons and 2 deaconess shall interview applicant. If the applicant is found eligible for membership according to Article IV, they shall be recommended to the church membership.  The church shall then vote upon the recommendation for membership by verbal majority vote.
• The applicant shall then, at the time of baptism or at the public service of the church, give profession of his/her faith in Christ through a testimony or by answering simple questions by the pastor.
• If any member is found to live or teach contrary to the Word of God and the statement of belief of this church, he shall be admonished by the Pastor and the Deacons in a charitable and Christian spirit. If no repentance occurs, said members shall by action of the Church Board, be excluded from the church membership. In case such action is not satisfactory to the member in question or to any other member of the church, request may be made to have the matter brought before the church at a business meeting for further deliberation and for final decision. Matthew 18:15-18.
• If any member should desire to withdraw from the church, said member shall advise the Pastor or the Deacons to that effect. A member in good standing desiring to affiliate with another church may receive a letter of recommendation.
• Any member who does not attend or communicate with this church for one year and gives no response to a letter of inquiry, shall automatically be placed on an inactive church membership list.
• The Pastor and spouse shall be members of this church during their term of service.
• Voting rights shall be granted to members at the age of thirteen.

Article II

Qualifications and Duties of Officers

Pastor

• The Pastor shall be a person of established and true Christian character, sound in faith and doctrine and qualified to preach and teach the Word of God.
• It shall be the duty of the Pastor to devote his time to the work of the church, to preach the Word, to lead devotional services and to do visitation. He shall also give close attention to the young people and children and see that they are properly instructed in the Word of God. He shall present a report of the spiritual activities of the church at the Annual Business Meeting. Matthew 28:19,20; I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9
• Accusations against the Pastor shall not be considered unless supported by two witnesses. I Timothy 5:19,20. Should it be proved that he has erred in doctrine or conduct, he shall be charitably admonished by the Church Board. If the problem is not resolved, the matter shall be laid before the church and should he be found unworthy of his calling, a three-fourths majority of votes cast by members present will be required for his dismissal.

Church Officers

• All officers shall be members in good standing, of good reputation and established Christian character, qualified for their respective duties. Before accepting a nomination for a church office, one should give careful consideration to his life in accordance with I Timothy 3:1-13.
• Church Board
  • Moderator . . . The Moderator shall preside at all business meetings of the church and the Church Board. He has authority to call meetings of the board and business meetings of the church. He shall have such meetings properly announced. In presiding, he shall see that each of these meetings be accompanied with Scripture reading and prayer. The Moderator together with the other Deacons shall be responsible for the pulpit ministry in the absence of the Pastor. The Auditors, who are to be appointed by the Moderator, shall examine the books of the Financial Secretary and Treasurer of the church. The Auditors shall give a report at the Annual Business Meeting. In the absence of the Moderator, another Deacon shall preside.
  • Clerk . . . The Clerk shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings and decisions of all business meetings and board meetings and attend to the correspondence of the church when required. An accurate membership record shall be kept by the Clerk and a report of this shall be presented to the Annual Business Meeting. In the absence of the Clerk, the Moderator shall appoint a substitute.
  • Financial Secretary . . . The Financial Secretary shall receive for deposit all funds of the church and keep an accurate record of the same. He shall give a report at the Annual Business Meeting and furnish a receipt to all donors annually. The fiscal year shall end the last day of December. An assistant financial secretary shall be elected to assist in counting funds.
  • Treasurer . . . The Treasurer shall disburse all funds of the church in accordance with the decisions of the church or Church Board. He shall keep an accurate record of all disbursements and give an itemized report at the Annual Business Meeting. The fiscal year shall end the last day of December.
  • Trustees . . . The Trustees shall look after the maintenance of the church property and be authorized to make any necessary repairs to the extent of $500. They shall give a report of repairs and improvements at the Annual Business Meeting. They have no right to mortgage or sell any property belonging to the church except upon the order of the church. They may select, employ and determine the salary, duties and time of employment of the custodian and groundskeeper. One Trustee shall be appointed by the Church board to issue checks in the absence of the Treasurer. The Trustees shall serve for a term of two years, two being elected each year.
  • Deacons . . . The Deacons shall watch over the spiritual life of the members of the church with special interest for the discouraged, the poor and the sick. Furthermore, they shall be ever alert to render spiritual assistance to such as are seeking salvation. The Deacons shall assist the Pastor at the Communion Services. The Deacons and Deaconesses shall elect from their members a person to act as Moderator for business meetings for the year. In the absence of a Deacon, the Deacons present may appoint a substitute. The Deacons shall be responsible for the pulpit ministry in the absence of the Pastor. The Deacons shall serve for a term of two years, with two being elected each year.
  • Deaconesses . . . The Deaconesses shall watch over the spiritual life of the members of the church with special interest for the discouraged, the poor and the sick. They shall be ever alert to render spiritual assistance to such as are seeking salvation. The Deacons and Deaconesses shall elect from their members a person to act as Moderator for the business meetings for the year. The Deaconesses shall prepare the elements for the Communion services and assist in caring for candidates for baptism. The Deaconesses shall serve for a term of two years, with two being elected each year.
  • The Sunday School Superintendent, together with the Christian Education Board, shall coordinate the Christian Education program of the church. This program shall be carried on in harmony with the principles and teachings of the church. He shall preside at the Christian Education Board and Sunday School staff meetings. He shall give a report at the Annual Business Meeting.
• Other Elective Positions
• Sunday School Vice Superintendent . . . The Sunday School Vice Superintendent shall perform the duties of the Sunday School Superintendent in his absence.
• Assistant Financial Secretary . . . The Assistant Financial Secretary shall assist the Financial Secretary in counting the funds received.
• Christian Education Board Members . . . Each member of the Christian Education Board must be willing to support the various ministries of the church by prayer, service, contributions and be a member of the church. This board shall consist of five members to work with the Pastor, Sunday School Superintendent and Sunday School Vice Superintendent to coordinate the Christian Education program of the church. This Board would appoint Sunday School teachers and assistants, sponsors for youth groups and a cradle roll superintendent. They would elect their own secretary from among their members to record minutes and keep the attendance records of the Sunday School. Daily Vacation Bible School and an after school Christian fellowship shall be planned by this Board each year.
• The Music Committee . . . The Music Committee shall consist of the Organist, the Vice Organist, the Pianist, the Vice Pianist and two other members. Their duties shall be to plan the special music for the worship services.
• Ushers . . . Two head ushers will be elected. They shall be responsible to appoint others to assist them.
• Nominating Committee . . . The Nominating Committee, consisting of three members and the Pastor shall present a slate of candidates for the Annual elections. This committee shall also serve for special elections at the request of the Church Board and shall serve for one year.

Article III

Elections

• Pastor
  • The Pastor shall be elected and called for an indefinite period of time by a three-fourths Majority of votes cast. The three-fourths majority vote may be amended to a greater majority vote. Two or three months notice shall be given by the Pastor in the event of resignation. In the event of the dismissal of the Pastor according to the By-Laws (Article II, Section A3) his services may be terminated immediately in which case he will be furnished parsonage and salary for one month.
• Officers
  • The election of officers shall be by closed ballot. A slate of nominees shall be presented by the Nominating committee with additional nominations permitted from the floor with the candidate’s prior consent. The majority of all votes cast is necessary for an election. If no candidate receives a majority on the first ballot, a second ballot is taken between the two having the highest number of votes. An exception to the majority rule applies when voting for two or more candidates for an office, in which case the ones receiving the highest number of votes will be declared elected.
• Vacancies . . . The Church Board may fill vacancies by appointment or by calling a special election.

Article IV

Order of Business

• The Order of Business for the Annual and Special Meetings
  • Devotions
  • Reading of the Minutes
  • Reports
  • Old Business
  • New Business
  • Adjournment and Closing Prayer
• All financial matters shall be determined by at least a two-thirds majority vote.
• All other matters of business shall be determined by simple majority vote, except when otherwise specified in the By-Laws. The simple majority vote may be amended to a greater majority vote by the voting body.
• Roberts Rules of Order shall be the accepted method of procedure.

Article V

The Church Board

The Church Board shall execute matters referred to it by the church. It shall also have the authority to act upon matters not requiring a decision of the church. It may make recommendations to the church. Meetings of the Church Board may be called by the Moderator or the Pastor. More than one-half of the board members must be present to constitute a quorum.

Article VI

Use of Property

The church facilities shall be used only to carry out the purpose of the church as defined in Article III of the Constitution or at the discretion of the Church Board.

Article VII

Covenant of Conduct

• The fundamental principles of this church are based upon the Word of God. Therefore, every member of this church should strive to live in accordance with the revealed teachings as well as in the right spirit of the Bible.
• Each member is earnestly encouraged to:

1. • Be controlled by the Holy Spirit and to manifest the fruit of the Spirit in daily living. Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22,23.
   • Life a Holy and Godly life. Philippians 2:14-16; Titus 2:12-14; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3; I Timothy 6:11; II Peter 1:4-9
   • Exercise a genuine concern for souls that are lost, seeking to help them experience confidence in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. II Corinthians 5:14-21; Matthew 28:19,20.
   • Pray faithfully for the church, its members and its ministry and to seek to fulfill personal responsibility for the edifying the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:1-3,11-16, 6:18; Galatians 6:10; I Timothy 4:12.
   • Have daily reading of the Bible and private and family devotion. Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Colossians 3:16.
   • Regularly attend all services and materially support the church according to ability and necessity. Hebrews 10:24,25; I Corinthians 16:1,2; II Corinthians 9:6-13; Romans 12:8,13.

• Each member is earnestly admonished to abstain from:

1. • Anything that dishonors God, is ungodly, sinful or worldly. Romans 12:1-2; 13:12-14; I John 2:15,16; I Corinthians 3:3; James 4:4.
   • Anything that injures the Body of Christ. I Corinthians 12:25-27; Galatians 5:24-26; Ephesians 4:29-5:2; Philippians 2:3-5; James 4:10,11; I Peter 2:1,3:8-12.
   • Anything that injures his own body, mind or soul. I Corinthians 6:19,20; II Corinthians 6:14-17.
   • Anything that will be a stumbling block to someone else.  Romans 14:13-21; I Corinthians 8:9-13, 10:23-33; Galatians 5:13,14.

Article VIII

Amendments

Amendments to these By-Laws may be made at a Church Business Meeting by a two-thirds majority of votes cast, provided said proposed amendments have been presented and discussed at a business meeting at least one month prior to the business meeting.