Constitution & Bylaws Revisions 2020
Summary of Constitution and Bylaws Revisions
Constitution Revision Summary
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Area of Revision
Preamble Mission Statement Church Covenant Membership |
Purpose of Revision
Modernized language. Updated to reflect current Vision, Mission and Values. Recommendation is to review VMV on the same schedule as the Constitution and Bylaws to keep them in sync. Modernized language and consolidated similar items. Removed references to "watch care" distinction from full membership. |
Bylaws Revision Summary
BYLAWS OF SPRING HILL BAPTIST CHURCH (2020)
ARTICLE I. GOVERNANCE
The governance of Spring Hill Baptist Church, as defined in the Constitution, is based on the basic Baptist principle that the membership governs itself. This shall be accomplished through teams, officers, and meetings of the membership-as-a-whole (“town halls” and business meetings). See Appendix A for an illustration of the church structure, composition and governance process.
ARTICLE II. PERSONNEL
Section 1: Church Staff
A. Senior Pastor
The Senior Pastor will commit to the ministry of God’s Word and to the performance of pastoral duties. The Senior Pastor shall be an ex-officio member of all Teams and the Deacons; however, the Senior Pastor may not serve as the Leader of any Team or participate in voting on the Personnel and Finance teams. The Senior Pastor shall render a report to the church at its annual business meeting.
The Senior Pastor will serve and guide the church to engage in a fellowship of worship, witness, education, ministry, and application; to proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers; and to care for the church's members and other persons in the community.
Calling: A Senior Pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs. An election shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, within one week after public notice has been given. Election shall be by secret ballot and may be in conjunction with worship services, and an affirmative vote of 85% of members present and voting shall be necessary.
The tenure of the Senior Pastor and other duties are documented in the Spring Hill Baptist Church Personnel Policies Manual.
B. Other Staff
Additional staff may be called by the church to serve in specific capacities. The roles, duties and tenure of all staff are determined by the Personnel Team and outlined in the Spring Hill Baptist Church Personnel Policies Manual.
Calling: The Personnel Team, acting on behalf of the church, shall call staff other than the Senior Pastor in accordance with the Personnel Policies Manual.
Section 2: Church Officers
Church officers are defined as the Moderator, Vice Moderator, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Trustees. All church officers must be members of the church and standard terms of service begin in January. Should it become necessary to fill an existing officer role during the year, a special election may be called by the Moderator. The officers of this church and their roles shall be as presented below:
A. Moderator
It is the practice of this church to elect a Moderator and a Vice Moderator, by nominations from the Leadership Team, to serve from January for one (1) year and may serve up to two (2) consecutive terms. The purpose of the Moderator is to conduct the business meetings in an unbiased manner in accordance with parliamentary procedures in accordance with the latest revision of Robert’s Rules of Orders. The Moderator will also facilitate Leadership Team meetings and congregational “Town Halls”. The Moderator shall not be the chairperson of the Deacons, Personnel, Finance, or a staff member of the church. The Vice Moderator will act as the Moderator if the Moderator is unable to perform his or her duties for a meeting.
B. Vice Moderator
The purpose of the Vice Moderator is to support the Moderator and serve as the clerk for official recordkeeping. The Vice Moderator will serve from January for one (1) year and may serve up to two (2) consecutive terms. The Vice Moderator will maintain a record of all church members, issue letters of termination upon request by a member or sister church and keep a record of all business meeting minutes and transactions of the church. All records kept are and will remain the exclusive property of Spring Hill Baptist Church. The Vice Moderator shall not be the chairperson of the Deacons, Personnel, Finance or a staff member of the church.
C. Treasurer
The purpose of Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer is to receive, deposit and transfer funds in the name of the church. These transactions will be made through a local bank that has been designated by the Treasurers or the chairperson of the Finance Team. Funds include all money received through all channels. The Treasurer will ensure that all accounts are promptly paid, consistent with the budget of the church, or as advised by the Finance Team.
The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall each be elected for a three (3) year term and may be elected for successive terms. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall follow all policies and procedures related to their duties as defined in the Spring Hill Baptist Church Administrative Policy and Procedures Manual for the Finance Team.
All records kept are and will remain the exclusive property of Spring Hill Baptist Church.
D. Trustees
There shall be three (3) Trustees and they shall serve five (5) year staggered terms without succession. A shorter term of three (3) years may be granted in order to meet staggering requirements. Trustees shall be nominated by the Deacons and recommended to the church for election. The sole duty of the Trustees shall be to hold title to all church properties. They shall have power to assign and encumber any or all of such properties upon official recorded instructions of the church in business session. All duties of trustees must conform to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
ARTICLE III. DEACONS
The Deacons are servants unto the Lord, the members of this body, and the community. A Deacon's life should exemplify the Christian ideal, proclaiming the Gospel to believers and non-believers, and be consistent with the qualities set forth in the New Testament and in the church covenant. Deacons are to serve with the ministerial staff in performing the ministries of:
Deacon election and duties are found in the SHBC Deacon Procedural Manual.
ARTICLE IV. TEAMS
Section 1: Team Definitions
A. Ministry Teams
A ministry team is a group who have joined together to meet an ongoing church ministry need. This team and its tasking have been voted on and approved by the church and have the authority to make decisions related to their respective ministry and budget. All ministry teams report to the Leadership team, which, in turn, reports to the church body.
B. Administrative Teams
Administrative teams consist of the Finance, Personnel, Building and Grounds, Constitution and Bylaws and Senior Pastor Search Team. These teams are defined separately in the bylaws and have specific charters separate from other teams in the church.
C. Project Teams
Project Teams deal with temporary needs and they can be created by any team(s) within the church. Such teams will have a clearly defined endpoint, based on time and/or task. All Project Teams will report to a designated Ministry or Administrative team.
Section 2 Leadership Team
A. The Leadership Team shall consist of church Officers, Leaders/Co-Leaders of all Ministry Teams, Administrative Teams and Church Staff. The list of Leadership Team members will be updated and documented each year to reflect the current teams and leaders.
B. The Leadership Team will meet quarterly at a minimum and will be chaired by the Church Moderator. The Vice Moderator will act as the Moderator if the Moderator is unable to perform his or her duties for a meeting.
C. The Leadership Team will coordinate the Ministry Teams in carrying out the ministries of the church as directed by the Church Body.
D. The responsibilities of the Leadership Team include:
Section 3 Finance Team
The Finance Team shall be made up of at least five (5) members-at-large, a representative of the trustees and the treasurers. Neither of the treasurers shall be chairperson of the Finance Team. At-large members shall serve a three-year staggered term.
The purpose of the Finance Team is to practice and encourage financial stewardship from the congregation. In addition, the Finance Team will:
Section 4 Personnel Team
The Personnel Team shall consist of at least five (5) members, each serving three year staggered terms. The purpose of the Personnel team to guide the staff/employees of SHBC in their relationship to the Personnel committee, to the congregation and to their supervisors. Additionally, their responsibilities include:
Section 5 Building and Grounds
The Building & Grounds Team oversees all activities associated with the operation, maintenance, safety and security of all buildings, grounds, furnishings and equipment owned by the church. Their responsibilities include:
Section 6 Constitution and By-Laws Team
A Constitution and Bylaws Team consisting of at least five (5) members shall be nominated by the Leadership Team and approved by the congregation every five (5) years to serve for one (1) year in order to review the Constitution and Bylaws and to recommend any necessary changes.
Section 7 Senior Pastor Search Team
A Senior Pastor Search Team shall be formed to seek a suitable pastor candidate. The Chairpersons of the Deacons, Personnel and Finance Teams along with the Church Moderator will recommend persons to serve on the Senior Pastor Search Team. Members of the Senior Pastor Search Team must have a minimum of two years church membership at Spring Hill Baptist Church. Nominations from the floor will be considered in addition to the recommended slate of names. The team shall consist of a minimum of seven (7) members, for a term to be determined by the church. The team shall bring to the consideration of the church only one pastor candidate at a time. The recommendations of the team will constitute a nomination.
ARTICLE V. CHURCH SERVICES
Section 1 Worship Services
The church shall meet regularly each Sunday and at such other times as is deemed necessary for preaching, instruction, evangelism, and for the worship of Almighty God. These meetings shall be open for the entire membership and for all other interested persons, and shall be conducted under the direction of the pastor.
ARTICLE VI. CHURCH MEETINGS
Section 1 Town Hall Meetings
Congregational town hall meetings shall be held quarterly and will be led by the Moderator/Vice-Moderator and Leadership Team.
Section 2 Business Meeting
A called business meeting may be held to consider matters that require a church vote, which consists of Church Governance, Pastoral Staff, Annual Ministry/Financial Plan and Real Estate. A one-week notice of the subject, date, time and location shall be given for the called business meeting unless extreme urgency renders such notice impracticable. The Moderator or Senior Pastor shall have the authority to call all business meetings.
There must be a quorum of 10% of the resident members (as of January 1st each year) present in order to conduct a business meeting.
Only members of Spring Hill Baptist church can make decisions for the Church. The methods of making decisions on a recommended action by any entity are ballot, voice, or show-of-hands by the membership attending a business meeting. The number of affirmative votes required for accepting the recommended action and the number of members voting are defined elsewhere in the Bylaws. When the decision is to be made by ballot, provisions for absentee balloting and, when appropriate, balloting at each worship venue shall be provided.
Those decisions that only can be made by the membership-as-a-whole include:
Section 3 Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order is the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all business meetings of the church. Simplified versions may be used subject to the Moderator’s discretion and communication to congregation.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTSChanges in the Bylaws may be made at any business meeting of the church. Each amendment shall have been presented in writing and copies furnished to each member present. A two thirds (2/3) majority vote is necessary of those present and voting to enact the proposed amendment. The proposed amendment shall be considered at the next business meeting.
Appendix A:
Spring Hill Baptist Church Structure, Composition, and Governance Process
Structure: The structure of Spring Hill Baptist Church is depicted below. This structure illustrates how the composition entities relate to one another.
The governance of Spring Hill Baptist Church, as defined in the Constitution, is based on the basic Baptist principle that the membership governs itself. This shall be accomplished through teams, officers, and meetings of the membership-as-a-whole (“town halls” and business meetings). See Appendix A for an illustration of the church structure, composition and governance process.
ARTICLE II. PERSONNEL
Section 1: Church Staff
A. Senior Pastor
The Senior Pastor will commit to the ministry of God’s Word and to the performance of pastoral duties. The Senior Pastor shall be an ex-officio member of all Teams and the Deacons; however, the Senior Pastor may not serve as the Leader of any Team or participate in voting on the Personnel and Finance teams. The Senior Pastor shall render a report to the church at its annual business meeting.
The Senior Pastor will serve and guide the church to engage in a fellowship of worship, witness, education, ministry, and application; to proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers; and to care for the church's members and other persons in the community.
Calling: A Senior Pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs. An election shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, within one week after public notice has been given. Election shall be by secret ballot and may be in conjunction with worship services, and an affirmative vote of 85% of members present and voting shall be necessary.
The tenure of the Senior Pastor and other duties are documented in the Spring Hill Baptist Church Personnel Policies Manual.
B. Other Staff
Additional staff may be called by the church to serve in specific capacities. The roles, duties and tenure of all staff are determined by the Personnel Team and outlined in the Spring Hill Baptist Church Personnel Policies Manual.
Calling: The Personnel Team, acting on behalf of the church, shall call staff other than the Senior Pastor in accordance with the Personnel Policies Manual.
Section 2: Church Officers
Church officers are defined as the Moderator, Vice Moderator, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Trustees. All church officers must be members of the church and standard terms of service begin in January. Should it become necessary to fill an existing officer role during the year, a special election may be called by the Moderator. The officers of this church and their roles shall be as presented below:
A. Moderator
It is the practice of this church to elect a Moderator and a Vice Moderator, by nominations from the Leadership Team, to serve from January for one (1) year and may serve up to two (2) consecutive terms. The purpose of the Moderator is to conduct the business meetings in an unbiased manner in accordance with parliamentary procedures in accordance with the latest revision of Robert’s Rules of Orders. The Moderator will also facilitate Leadership Team meetings and congregational “Town Halls”. The Moderator shall not be the chairperson of the Deacons, Personnel, Finance, or a staff member of the church. The Vice Moderator will act as the Moderator if the Moderator is unable to perform his or her duties for a meeting.
B. Vice Moderator
The purpose of the Vice Moderator is to support the Moderator and serve as the clerk for official recordkeeping. The Vice Moderator will serve from January for one (1) year and may serve up to two (2) consecutive terms. The Vice Moderator will maintain a record of all church members, issue letters of termination upon request by a member or sister church and keep a record of all business meeting minutes and transactions of the church. All records kept are and will remain the exclusive property of Spring Hill Baptist Church. The Vice Moderator shall not be the chairperson of the Deacons, Personnel, Finance or a staff member of the church.
C. Treasurer
The purpose of Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer is to receive, deposit and transfer funds in the name of the church. These transactions will be made through a local bank that has been designated by the Treasurers or the chairperson of the Finance Team. Funds include all money received through all channels. The Treasurer will ensure that all accounts are promptly paid, consistent with the budget of the church, or as advised by the Finance Team.
The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall each be elected for a three (3) year term and may be elected for successive terms. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall follow all policies and procedures related to their duties as defined in the Spring Hill Baptist Church Administrative Policy and Procedures Manual for the Finance Team.
All records kept are and will remain the exclusive property of Spring Hill Baptist Church.
D. Trustees
There shall be three (3) Trustees and they shall serve five (5) year staggered terms without succession. A shorter term of three (3) years may be granted in order to meet staggering requirements. Trustees shall be nominated by the Deacons and recommended to the church for election. The sole duty of the Trustees shall be to hold title to all church properties. They shall have power to assign and encumber any or all of such properties upon official recorded instructions of the church in business session. All duties of trustees must conform to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
ARTICLE III. DEACONS
The Deacons are servants unto the Lord, the members of this body, and the community. A Deacon's life should exemplify the Christian ideal, proclaiming the Gospel to believers and non-believers, and be consistent with the qualities set forth in the New Testament and in the church covenant. Deacons are to serve with the ministerial staff in performing the ministries of:
- Assisting the church in the achievement of its mission
- Proclaiming the Gospel to believers and nonbelievers
- Serving of the Lord's Supper
- Assisting with worship as needed
- Obtaining pulpit supply when the Senior Pastor’s position is vacated
- Leading the spiritual caring for church members and others in the congregation
Deacon election and duties are found in the SHBC Deacon Procedural Manual.
ARTICLE IV. TEAMS
Section 1: Team Definitions
A. Ministry Teams
A ministry team is a group who have joined together to meet an ongoing church ministry need. This team and its tasking have been voted on and approved by the church and have the authority to make decisions related to their respective ministry and budget. All ministry teams report to the Leadership team, which, in turn, reports to the church body.
B. Administrative Teams
Administrative teams consist of the Finance, Personnel, Building and Grounds, Constitution and Bylaws and Senior Pastor Search Team. These teams are defined separately in the bylaws and have specific charters separate from other teams in the church.
C. Project Teams
Project Teams deal with temporary needs and they can be created by any team(s) within the church. Such teams will have a clearly defined endpoint, based on time and/or task. All Project Teams will report to a designated Ministry or Administrative team.
Section 2 Leadership Team
A. The Leadership Team shall consist of church Officers, Leaders/Co-Leaders of all Ministry Teams, Administrative Teams and Church Staff. The list of Leadership Team members will be updated and documented each year to reflect the current teams and leaders.
B. The Leadership Team will meet quarterly at a minimum and will be chaired by the Church Moderator. The Vice Moderator will act as the Moderator if the Moderator is unable to perform his or her duties for a meeting.
C. The Leadership Team will coordinate the Ministry Teams in carrying out the ministries of the church as directed by the Church Body.
D. The responsibilities of the Leadership Team include:
- Nominate a Planning Project Team responsible for developing a ministry plan for the church during the fourth quarter of a calendar year, for the following calendar year. The Planning Project Team will actively seek Ministry Team, Administrative Team, Deacons, church membership, and community comment and input. At a minimum, the ministry plan will include the proposed member rosters for the Ministry Teams, Administrative Teams, Officers and Deacons.
- Encourage opportunities for church members to join teams.
- Receive regular updates from Teams.
- Provide a forum for Teams to bring questions, issues or concerns to be reviewed and decided upon by the broader Leadership Team.
- Update teams, members, and tasks throughout the year and provide updates to the church membership for approval at regular business meetings.
- Evaluate efficacy of teams and determine areas of strength and weakness in the church’s ministry efforts. All Leadership Team members (as are all church members) are responsible to be fervent in prayer and seeking God’s direction for the ministry of the church.
- Nominate members for the Constitution Bylaws Team to be elected by the church body.
- Maintain a record of the current procedures/policies for applicable teams.
- All Leadership Team meetings are open to the congregation. Meetings will include updates from Ministry Teams and Administrative Teams in addition to other business that requires church wide input. All members of the congregation are encouraged to attend and provide input, however any decisions required will be voted on by the Leadership Team members only. Matters requiring approval by the church membership will be addressed during a called business meeting.
Section 3 Finance Team
The Finance Team shall be made up of at least five (5) members-at-large, a representative of the trustees and the treasurers. Neither of the treasurers shall be chairperson of the Finance Team. At-large members shall serve a three-year staggered term.
The purpose of the Finance Team is to practice and encourage financial stewardship from the congregation. In addition, the Finance Team will:
- Monitor the financial status of the church and make recommendations to the Leadership Team regarding any necessary adjustments to the budget during the year
- Provide ongoing communication to the church of the financial status
- Oversee the compilation of the annual budget in conjunction with all applicable teams.
- Present the proposed budget to the church for approval.
- Administer all policy and procedures as defined in the Finance Team Policy Manual that is approved by the church.
Section 4 Personnel Team
The Personnel Team shall consist of at least five (5) members, each serving three year staggered terms. The purpose of the Personnel team to guide the staff/employees of SHBC in their relationship to the Personnel committee, to the congregation and to their supervisors. Additionally, their responsibilities include:
- Prepare and maintain the Spring Hill Baptist Church Personnel Policies Manual.
- Prepare and recommend an annual budget for the church staff.
- Study and recommend the need for church staff positions to be approved in the annual budget.
- Recruit and interview new church employees as approved in the budget.
- Prepare and maintain church staff job descriptions.
- Define reporting relationships among the church staff and prepare an organizational chart.
- Conduct/Review performance appraisals of church employees.
- Dismiss church employees as necessary.
Section 5 Building and Grounds
The Building & Grounds Team oversees all activities associated with the operation, maintenance, safety and security of all buildings, grounds, furnishings and equipment owned by the church. Their responsibilities include:
- Make sure that all furnishings and equipment are properly working
- Oversee replacement of worn items or equipment, landscaping, and care of grounds and parking facilities
- Make recommendations to the Finance Team as to necessary funds to provide for the annual maintenance of all facilities, furnishings and grounds.
- Abide by Buildings & Grounds defined procurement policy when entering into contracts for purchasing equipment or professional services
- Ensure all church HVAC, Plumbing, Sewage, Drainage & electrical systems are functioning properly.
- Oversee all capital improvement projects which make permanent, physical alterations to building and grounds.
- Take actions in emergency situations regarding church facilities, furnishings and grounds.
- Serve as a resource team when the church considers securing additional or selling property and furnishings.
- Primary contacts for Fire & safety inspections and serve as a resource team regarding other various safety, security and crime prevention issues.
- Conduct a regular inventory, inspection and evaluation of all church property and equipment and report this to the church office so annual verification can be done to make sure adequate insurance exists for the building & contents.
- Make recommendations concerning maintenance related to usage of church property.
- Assist and support the church custodial personnel in matters related to the building and grounds.
- Coordinate with church office staff to maintain a Building and Grounds Policies and Procedures Manual to include relevant documentation concerning the physical properties owned by the church, including maintenance records and service contracts.
Section 6 Constitution and By-Laws Team
A Constitution and Bylaws Team consisting of at least five (5) members shall be nominated by the Leadership Team and approved by the congregation every five (5) years to serve for one (1) year in order to review the Constitution and Bylaws and to recommend any necessary changes.
Section 7 Senior Pastor Search Team
A Senior Pastor Search Team shall be formed to seek a suitable pastor candidate. The Chairpersons of the Deacons, Personnel and Finance Teams along with the Church Moderator will recommend persons to serve on the Senior Pastor Search Team. Members of the Senior Pastor Search Team must have a minimum of two years church membership at Spring Hill Baptist Church. Nominations from the floor will be considered in addition to the recommended slate of names. The team shall consist of a minimum of seven (7) members, for a term to be determined by the church. The team shall bring to the consideration of the church only one pastor candidate at a time. The recommendations of the team will constitute a nomination.
ARTICLE V. CHURCH SERVICES
Section 1 Worship Services
The church shall meet regularly each Sunday and at such other times as is deemed necessary for preaching, instruction, evangelism, and for the worship of Almighty God. These meetings shall be open for the entire membership and for all other interested persons, and shall be conducted under the direction of the pastor.
ARTICLE VI. CHURCH MEETINGS
Section 1 Town Hall Meetings
Congregational town hall meetings shall be held quarterly and will be led by the Moderator/Vice-Moderator and Leadership Team.
Section 2 Business Meeting
A called business meeting may be held to consider matters that require a church vote, which consists of Church Governance, Pastoral Staff, Annual Ministry/Financial Plan and Real Estate. A one-week notice of the subject, date, time and location shall be given for the called business meeting unless extreme urgency renders such notice impracticable. The Moderator or Senior Pastor shall have the authority to call all business meetings.
There must be a quorum of 10% of the resident members (as of January 1st each year) present in order to conduct a business meeting.
Only members of Spring Hill Baptist church can make decisions for the Church. The methods of making decisions on a recommended action by any entity are ballot, voice, or show-of-hands by the membership attending a business meeting. The number of affirmative votes required for accepting the recommended action and the number of members voting are defined elsewhere in the Bylaws. When the decision is to be made by ballot, provisions for absentee balloting and, when appropriate, balloting at each worship venue shall be provided.
Those decisions that only can be made by the membership-as-a-whole include:
- Calling or dismissing of the Senior Pastor based on recommendations from the Personnel Team and/or Senior Pastor Search Team.
- Material changes to job descriptions of pastoral staff that result in new titles, roles, or elimination of duties
- Changing the mission of the church
- Obligating the membership including buying, selling property or encumbering a debt on such property
- Affiliating or disaffiliating with an external Baptist organization (association, convention)
- Adopting or amending the Constitution, By-laws, or Charter
- Adopting or modifying an annual budget
- Electing officers and administrative team members
Section 3 Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order is the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all business meetings of the church. Simplified versions may be used subject to the Moderator’s discretion and communication to congregation.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTSChanges in the Bylaws may be made at any business meeting of the church. Each amendment shall have been presented in writing and copies furnished to each member present. A two thirds (2/3) majority vote is necessary of those present and voting to enact the proposed amendment. The proposed amendment shall be considered at the next business meeting.
Appendix A:
Spring Hill Baptist Church Structure, Composition, and Governance Process
Structure: The structure of Spring Hill Baptist Church is depicted below. This structure illustrates how the composition entities relate to one another.
For downloadable files of the Proposed Changes and the 2009 versions of the Constitution and Bylaws, please click the links below.
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