CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I Name, Affiliation and Common Beliefs

Section 1 NAME

The name of the congregation is St. John's United Church of Christ (hereafter referred to as “St. John's”), located at 503 Stuart Circle in Richmond, Virginia.

Section 2 AFFILIATION AND COVENANT

St. John's is a constitutional member of the Potomac Association of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ, the recommendations of which in all matters not otherwise required herein shall be considered advisory. As a member of the United Church of Christ, St. John's will relate to the various expressions of the church in a covenantal manner. St. John's will seek God's will and be faithful to God's mission, attending to its responsibilities in relation to all expressions of the church. Its decisions are made in consultation and collaboration among the other parts of the structure, including its Association, Conference, and the General Synod. As a member of the body of Christ, St. John's listens, hears, and carefully considers the advice, counsel, and requests of others. In this covenant, St. John's joins the various expressions of the United Church of Christ to seek to walk together in all God's ways.

Section 3 COMMON BELIEFS

St. John's acknowledges as its sole head, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. We acknowledge as kindred in Christ all who share in this confession. We look to the Word of God in the scriptures and to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to prosper its creative and redemptive work in the world. We claim as our own the faith of the historic church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the

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basic insights of the Protestant Reformers. We affirm the responsibility of the church in each generation to make this faith our own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and in purity of heart before God. In accordance with the teaching of our Lord and the practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, we recognize two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion). (Adapted from the Constitution of the United Church of Christ, 2013) As a community of faith led by God's love, Christ's example and the Holy Spirit's presence, St. John's declares ourselves to be Open and Affirming. Recognizing that people desire to bring their whole selves to the church, this congregation offers extravagant welcome and hospitality to everyone, as we strive to embrace, without limits, differences in age; education; faith journey; family structure; gender; marital status; mental and physical health and ability; racial and cultural identity and background; sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression; and socioeconomic circumstance. With God's grace, we invite all into the full life and ministry of the church including worship, sacraments, rites, responsibilities and leadership, as we celebrate the blessings, joys and challenges of life in Christ. (St. John's Open and Affirming Statement, approved June 2010) St. John’s values the practices of worship, fellowship, faith formation, and mission and outreach.

ARTICLE II Membership

Section 1 INCLUSIVE WELCOME

No matter who a person is or where a person is on life's journey, he or she is welcome at St. John's to explore their faith, to meet new people and to strengthen their personal relationship with God.

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Section 2 QUALIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP

The only qualification for membership in St. John's is that one be a follower of Jesus Christ sincerely desiring to be a part of the congregation. Persons may be recognized as members through

• baptism, • confirmation, • letter of transfer from a Christian church, or • public affirmation of faith.

A person need not relinquish membership in another congregation to become a member of St. John's. The Church Council shall take action on all requests for membership. Following acceptance, new members shall be welcomed publicly into membership.

Section 3 CHARACTERISTICS OF MEMBERSHIP

The action of becoming a member is one of covenanting with others to strive to live a Christian life and grow in Christian discipleship. We will encourage one another to:

• attend communal worship and participate in the celebration of Holy Communion;

• share in the fellowship and participate in the work and ministries of St. John's;

• seek deliberately to grow and mature in the understanding and practice of Christian faith through individual and communal education, bible study, prayer, stewardship, and other spiritual disciplines;

• support St. John's financially; • share our Christian faith with others by word and deed; • encourage and care for our brothers and sisters; • support the wider mission endeavors of St. John's;

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• seek to learn about the history, traditions and organization of St. John's;

• attend as able and knowledgeably participate in congregational meetings; and

• uphold the Constitution and By-Laws of St. John's. Any active member shall

a) be eligible to vote at congregational meetings, b) be eligible for any elective or appointive office within the

Church, and c) be able to participate in the calling and dismissal of a minister.

Section 4 TRANSFER/WITHDRAWAL

Any member may, upon request, be granted a letter of transfer to another congregation or released from membership.

Section 5 INACTIVE STATUS

Church Council shall review the list of members annually. Any member whose whereabouts cannot be ascertained or who has not participated in the life of St. John's for more than a year may be transferred to the inactive list by action of the Church Council.

ARTICLE III The Church Council

Section 1 PURPOSE

The Church Council shall be responsible for the governance of the congregation except as required by law or within this Constitution or By-Laws to be otherwise exercised. The Council is responsible for fostering the overall spiritual life, organization, and ministries of St. John's in accordance with its core values.

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The Council shall welcome expressions of affirmation and concern from any member of the congregation regarding any activity associated with St. John's and will respond promptly and appropriately to all such comments. The Council shall make full and prompt disclosures of its activities to the congregation regularly.

Section 2 MEMBERSHIP

The Church Council shall consist of six to nine (6-9) members and three (3) Church officers who are 18 years of age or older elected from the membership at an annual meeting. Pastoral staff are ex officio members with voice but not vote. Any member of the congregation is welcome to attend meetings with voice but not vote except when the Council is engaged in an executive session.

Section 3 TERM OF OFFICE

Two (2) or three (3) members shall be elected each year for a term of three (3) years. A member shall be eligible for re-election for one additional three-year term, after which such member shall not again be eligible for election until one year has elapsed.

Section 4 POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In service of the mission and purposes of St. John's, the Council shall:

• encourage the spiritual life and welfare of the congregation and its participants;

• ensure that the word of God is preached and the sacraments administered in accordance with the common beliefs of the United Church of Christ;

• assist and support the pastoral staff in their ministries; • strive to embody the characteristics of membership as defined

in Article II, Section 3 of this constitution; • foster principles and practices of stewardship and manage the

financial affairs of the congregation, including the annual appointment of an internal audit task force;

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• grant final approval to all contracts and agreements made on behalf of St. John's;

• accept, acknowledge and administer special gifts, contributions or grants;

• oversee and approve all fund-raising efforts; • approve and oversee the buying, selling, leasing as lessor or

lessee, mortgaging, encumbering, exchanging, or otherwise selling or dealing in or with real or personal property, or any interest therein, of St. John's held by the congregation; provided that the action is also approved by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the congregation's membership in attendance at an officially called meeting. A certificate executed by the Secretary stating that the sale, purchase or encumbrance of the real or personal property is consistent with the purposes of the congregation and authorized under the Constitution and By-Laws of St. John's shall be conclusive with respect to any third parties dealing with the congregation. [Reference Board of Trustees, Article V.5.]

• ensure the maintenance of all church property; • ensure the preservation of congregational records; • oversee the work of the Treasurer and monitor budget

expenditures; • employ, dismiss, determine duties, set compensation, and

establish personnel policies for all paid staff, as well as ensure that annual evaluations are conducted;

• monitor the health and well-being of St. John's and evaluate the effectiveness of its structure and ministries annually in conjunction with the pastoral staff;

• arrange for an independent external audit of any financial records as the Council deems necessary;

• review and update regularly the congregation's Policies and Procedures Manual;

• Promote and coordinate the activities of committees and organized groups of the congregation;

• encourage communication among committees and organized groups and oversee the development of the congregation's calendar of events;

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• engage in both short and long range planning; • identify and seek to resolve congregational conflicts; and • act as sponsoring body on behalf of the congregation when

individuals indicate a desire to enter full-time Christian service.

Section 5 VACANCIES

In the event of a vacancy on Church Council, the Council shall solicit nominees for the open position and a special meeting of the membership shall be called within two months to elect a successor to serve the unexpired term.

ARTICLE IV Church Officers

Section 1 OFFICERS

The officers of St. John's shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. They must be active members of the congregation and are elected annually by the congregation.

Section 2 ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Officers will be elected during a congregational meeting and serve a twelve (12) month term. The Council will submit a slate of nominees to the membership at least two weeks in advance of the meeting. Additional nominations may be accepted from the floor.

Section 3 TERM LIMITS

The President may serve no more than two consecutive one-year terms and then must be out of office for at least two years before being eligible to hold any office again.

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The Vice President and Secretary may serve no more than two consecutive one-year terms and then must be out of that office for at least two years before being eligible to hold that office again. The office of the Treasurer has no term limit.

Section 4 RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS a. The President shall:

• convene and preside over meetings of the Church Council; • convene and preside over congregational meetings; • in cooperation with the Council, assemble agendas for Council

and congregational meetings; • represent St. John's as its lay leader to other congregations,

organizations and the community; • work closely with the pastoral staff to further the mission and

vision of St. John's; and • encourage collaboration among all committees and groups.

b. The Vice-President shall:

• fulfill the duties of the President when that person is absent or

unable to act; • work closely with the President and the pastoral staff to

further the mission and vision of St. John's; and • oversee the maintenance of an up-to-date membership list

and assist the pastoral staff in preparing the annual Association and Conference reports.

c. The Secretary shall:

• communicate written notice of congregational and Council meetings to the membership;

• ensure that meeting agendas, attendant documents, and minutes are sent to members of the Council at least ten (10) days prior to regularly scheduled meetings;

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• keep records and minutes of all congregational and Council meetings and provide a copy of such to the church office;

• determine if and record that a quorum is present for congregational and Council meetings;

• register Trustees with the Commonwealth of Virginia; and • see that the Church Office maintains an up-to-date version of

the Constitutions and By-Laws.

d. The Treasurer shall:

• receive reports of all deposits and reconcile bank statements;

• make disbursements by check in payment of all properly authorized expenditures;

• keep accurate records of all receipts and disbursements; and

• report monthly to the Council on the financial condition of St. John's.

ARTICLE V Board of Trustees

Section 1 PURPOSE

The Board of Trustees shall hold in the name of the congregation, in conformity with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, all such real property as is owned by St. John's.

Section 2 MEMBERSHIP

Four (4) Trustees elected by the membership shall legally represent the congregation. The Trustees shall annually elect a chairperson.

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Section 3 TERM OF OFFICE Each Trustee shall be elected for a term of four (4) years and elections shall be held on a two-year cycle, with two (2) Trustees elected each time.

Section 4 VACANCY

In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Trustees, the Council shall solicit nominees for the open position and a special meeting of the membership shall be called within two months to elect a successor to serve the unexpired term.

Section 5 RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees shall:

• at the direction of the Church Council and membership, execute all legal documents in the name of the congregation;

• purchase all insurance authorized by the Council; • review annually the insurance policies carried on church

properties to determine that they are issued properly and afford the insurance protection intended, and recommend any changes to the Council; and

• submit and monitor all insurance claims.

ARTICLE VI Pastoral Leadership

Section 1 QUALIFICATION

The Pastor shall be ordained to the Christian ministry with standing in the Potomac Association of the United Church of Christ and shall be a member of St. John's.

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Section 2 RESPONSIBILITIES

The Pastor shall:

• preach, teach, and model the Word of God; • administer the sacraments; • coordinate services of worship, including weddings and

funerals; • provide pastoral care; • work closely with Church Officers, the Church Council, other

staff, and the congregation to further the mission and vision of St. John's;

• represent St. John's as its pastoral leader to other congregations, organizations and the community;

• have voice but not vote on the Council and all committees; • provide effective administration and operations management

of St. John's, including monitoring the accuracy and appropriateness of all communications; and

• monitor the health and well-being of St. John's and evaluate the effectiveness of its structure and ministries annually in conjunction with the Council.

Section 3 ENDING OF CALL

Should the Pastor desire to resign the call, preferably three (3) months’ notice shall be given to the Church Council. St. John's can release the Pastor upon the recommendation of the Church Council and by a majority vote of the members of the Church present at a congregational meeting called for such purpose. In cases of clergy misconduct, the Pastor can be released from duties immediately, in accordance with the guidelines of the United Church of Christ Manual on Ministry.

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ARTICLE VII Congregational Meetings

Section 1 CONVENING MEETINGS

There shall be at least one (1) congregational meeting annually. Written notice stating the agenda of a meeting shall be given to the membership at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting. Twenty percent (20%) of the membership shall constitute a quorum at all congregational meetings. Special meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the Church Council. The Council shall be required to call a meeting when petitioned in writing by at least twenty (20) members of the congregation. Notice shall be given in accordance with the above procedure.

Section 2 ELECTIONS

The active membership shall elect at a congregational meeting the members of the Church Council, Church Officers, the Pastor, and the Trustees.

Section 3 BUDGET APPROVAL

The budget for the ensuing year as recommended by the Church Council shall be acted upon by the membership annually at a congregational meeting.

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ARTICLE VIII Finances of the Congregation

Section 1 BUDGET

The budget shall include, but need not be limited to, appropriations for Our Church's Wider Mission, current expenses and projected income.

Section 2 ACCOUNTING

The finances of the church shall use standard accrual accounting principles and an audit shall be conducted annually.

Section 3 BORROWING

Money in an amount less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) may be borrowed in the name of the congregation with the prior approval of the Church Council. Money in an amount exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) may be borrowed in the name of the congregation with the prior approval of the congregation.

ARTICLE IX Effective Date

This Constitution shall be in force effective (month), (day), 2015. Anything contained or embodied in any of the By-Laws, resolutions or enactments of this congregation that is in conflict with this Constitution is hereby superseded and repealed.

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ARTICLE X Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the active members present at a congregational meeting. Written notice of the meeting stating the exact wording of the amendment(s) shall be given to the membership at least two (2) weeks prior to said meeting. Upon adoption of an amendment to this Constitution, the Secretary shall provide a copy of the amendment to the Church Office to be placed in a file accessible to all members.

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