Bylaws of The Church on the Hill - Reformed

ARTICLE I — CONSISTORY

§1. The governing body of the Church on the Hill (hereafter referred to as the Church) shall be known as The Consistory and shall be composed of installed minister/s of the church and a minimum of five elders and five deacons. It is a permanent body which functions between stated sessions through committees. Elders and deacons will serve terms of two years each, and may be elected to a second two-year term. After serving two-two year terms, the elder or deacon may not be re-elected to either office for a period of two years. They may be re-elected, but they shall not be re-ordained to the same office. They need be re-installed only when the terms of service are not consecutive. Elders and Deacons should be ordained and installed on a Sunday no less than 3 weeks following Annual Meeting.

§2. Members of the Consistory shall be chosen in the following manner: A nominating committee shall seek non-anonymous nominations in the form of signed, written, nomination ballots, three months prior to the Congregational Meeting. The Nominating committee shall present a slate to the Consistory, for approval. A Consistory approved slate, comprised of “confessing church members”, shall be presented to the congregation as part of the official notice of the Annual Meeting. If the Slate is not approved, then there shall be another congregational meeting the following month where the Consistory, will present a revised slate to the congregation for approval. If the Slate is not approved then the sitting Consistory will remain in office until a slate is approved. Following the election, announcement of those elected shall be made in the usual place of worship on three successive Sundays preceding their installation.

§3. A vacancy within the Consistory shall be filled:

  • by the Consistory which may appoint and install a member of the great consistory to the same office of his or her previous service (elder or deacon) until the next congregational meeting for the election of elders and deacons.

OR

  • a person may be elected and installed to serve the remainder of the unexpired term in usual manner as in above §2.

§4. The elders and deacons have an equal voice in Consistory in whatever relates to the temporalities of the Church including the calling of a Minister, or dissolving of pastoral relations. They are the general and joint representatives of the congregation in these matters, and unless otherwise provided by the act of incorporation of the Church, are the trustees of the Church properties. A majority of the Consistory regularly convened, including one elder and one deacon, shall constitute a quorum.

§5. The Consistory, unless specially convened, shall meet on the second Wednesday of each month except July and August.

§6. At meetings of the Consistory, the Minister of the Church shall act as President. The Consistory shall elect one of the sitting elders to the office of Vice President who may be its President pro-tem in the absence of the Minister. Special meetings of the Consistory may be convened by the President when deemed necessary, and must also be convened by him or her upon request of three members of the Consistory.

§7. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the members of the Consistory, or of any committee of the Consistory, may be taken without a meeting if all such members consent in writing or by electronic transmission (including e-mail and electronic transmission) to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The resolution and the written or electronically transmitted contents thereto by such members shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Consistory or such committee.

§8. The Consistory shall form the Nominating Committee. The members of the committee shall be: the Vice President of Consistory, one outgoing elder, one outgoing deacon, and three members of the congregation at-large. The Minister serves on the committee ex officio. The members of the committee are not eligible for nomination to Consistory.

ARTICLE II — OTHER ELECTED OFFICERS

§1. Other elected officers shall be: one Financial Secretary, one Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer if needed, and a Clerk. These offices will have no vote, unless they are current sitting elders or deacons.

§2. The elected officers of the Church shall be nominated by the Consistory and elected at the Annual Congregational Meeting. They shall hold office for one year, and may be re-elected.

§3. Other officers may be appointed with the approval of majority of the Consistory as needs and demands shall deem necessary, but these offices will have no vote, unless being held by sitting elder/deacon of Consistory.

§4. The duties of the Financial Secretary shall be to:

  1. Maintain an appropriate set of financial records, including escrow accounts, which should be audited or financially reviewed periodically after the close of the fiscal year and upon a change in financial officers.

  2. Render a monthly written report of receipts and disbursements at each Consistory meeting.

  3. Prepare and render an annual financial statement (with the Treasurer(s)) at the Congregational Meeting, of all receipts, disbursements and all funds.

  4. Keep an accurate record of Church insurance coverage.

  5. Attend Finance Committee and Consistory meetings.

  6. Maintain close liaison with Treasurer to assure smooth functioning of interrelated duties and be prepared to assume their responsibilities when they are unable to do so.

  7. Maintain appropriate financial records, including escrow accounts for Community Nursery School.

§5. The duties of the Treasurer(s) shall be to:

  1. Receive from the Finance Committee a record of all monies contributed for the support and work of the Church (excluding Community Nursery School) as well as a record of escrow money received.

  2. Pay bills in a timely manner after ascertaining appropriateness of disbursement in consultation with the minister and/or appropriate committee.

  3. Provide a record of all receipts and disbursements to the Financial Secretary for posting.

  4. Maintain checkbook and arrange for appropriate deposits, withdrawals and interest postings.

  5. File paid bills.

  6. Attend Finance and Consistory Meetings

  7. Maintain close liaison with financial secretary to assure smooth functioning of interrelated duties and be prepared to assume their responsibilities when they are unable to do so.

  8. Shall oversee the accurate accounting of all estimates of giving by the Church secretary Office Administrator.

§6. The duties of the Clerk shall be to:

  1. Keep a complete and accurate set of minutes of all meetings of the Consistory.

  2. Carry on such correspondence as may be necessary or directed.

  3. Maintain church registry, in conjunction with Minister and Office Administrator.

§7.

  1. Any other elected officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of a duly constituted Consistory for dereliction of their responsibilities.

  2. The Consistory has the power to fill an officer vacancy.

ARTICLE III — CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

§1. The annual meeting of the Congregation shall be held on one of the Sundays in May.

§2. The Minister of the Church on the Hill shall preside at all Congregational meetings, or shall appoint a member of the Consistory to preside.

§3. At the annual meeting of the Congregation, the following business shall be transacted:

  1. Report of the Treasurer and Financial Secretary

  2. Election of Elders, Deacons and other officers

  3. Reports of Organizations Ministries

  4. Report of the Minister

  5. Miscellaneous business

§4. A special Congregational Meeting may be called by a vote of the Consistory. At least ten days notice of this date selected must be given the members of the Church. The purpose of the meeting must be stated in such notice.

ARTICLE IV — COMMITTEES

§1. At the first regular meeting of the Consistory after installation, the President shall appoint consistory members to the following standing committees/boards:

  1. Worship and Music

  2. Christian Education and Youth

  3. Community, Mission and Outreach

  4. Congregational Care

  5. Finance and Stewardship

  6. Buildings and Grounds

  7. Personnel

  8. Nomination

  9. And such other committees as may be deemed necessary by members of the Consistory.

§2. The duties of each Committee shall be as follows:

  1. The Worship and Music Committee shall:

    1. Plan worship services in conjunction with the Minister and Music Director.

    2. Coordinate fellowship hour following worship

  2. The Christian Education and Youth Committee shall:

    1. Oversee the Sunday School operation.

    2. Oversee Adult Education

    3. Oversee Youth Group[s]

    4. Plan programs for Christian growth

  3. The Community, Mission and Outreach Committee shall:

    1. Coordinate the Church’s efforts in Mission and Service to those outside the church.

    2. Recommend benevolent giving to the Consistory

    3. Coordinate White Christmas and Lenten Mission.

  4. The Congregational Care Committee shall:

    1. Coordinate the care of members and adherents of The Church on the Hill

  5. The Finance and Stewardship Committee shall:

    1. Devise ways and means whereby the financial support of the Church may be developed.

    2. Prepare and submit to Consistory the annual budget of the Church.

    3. Supervise the working of the budget throughout the year.

    4. Audit and monitor all bills against budget.

    5. Arrange for the annual audit of the Treasurer’s books.

    6. Supervise the counting of church offerings.

    7. Plan stewardship campaign and arrange for distribution of estimate of giving cards.

    8. Supervise finances entrusted to the church.

  6. The Buildings and Grounds Committee shall:

    1. Arrange for the maintenance and improvement of all properties: Church; Educational Building; and Parsonage and 169th Street house.

    2. Arrange for the maintenance of all grounds, including lawns, shrubs, trees, walks, sidewalks.

    3. Report monthly to Consistory all expenditures expended or contracted for.

    4. Provide three bids for expenditures exceeding $2,500.00. This figure may be updated at a future time by simple majority of Consistory. For highly specialized projects, Consistory, by 2/3 vote , may forgo seeking more than one bid.

    5. Expenditures of less than $2500 must be approved by the Minister.

    6. Oversee work of sexton.

  7. The Personnel Committee

    1. Shall be comprised of each committee chair, the V.P. of Consistory, and the

      senior Minister, and two other members of consistory.

    2. Shall oversee all of the Church staff.

  8. The Nomination Committee shall:

    1. Receive the signed written nomination forms from the congregation for consideration to be nominated to Consistory.

    2. If consent to present their names is secured, the Committee shall submit the slate to Consistory for their consideration and approval.

ARTICLE V

§1.

  1. The use of all Church properties, (Church, Educational Building, Parsonage, 169th Street House and Sexton’s apartment) shall be under the jurisdiction of the Consistory.

  2. No games of chance or alcoholic beverages shall be permitted in either the Church or Educational Buildings.

  3. The Church and Educational Buildings are designated as smoke-free.

§2.

These by-laws can be amended at a regular meeting of the Consistory by an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of a duly constituted Consistory. Written notice including the proposed by-laws changes shall be provided no less than one week prior to the Consistory meeting.

§3.

Nothing herein contained shall be construed to supersede or take the place of the Constitution of the Reformed Church in America.