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The By Law of Grace Gospel Christian Church

 

Article 1    Name
The name of this church is “Grace Gospel Christ Church” (hereafter  “GGCC”). GGCC is a member church of Classis of Central California, Reformed Church in America (hereafter “RCA”), is and at all times shall be subject to and governed in accordance with the Book of Church Order, under the Constitution of the Reformed Church in America.

Article 2     Purpose
GGCC is a religious, non-profit and non-political organization incorporated under the laws of the
State of California, and organized under the Constitution of the RCA.  GGCC’s mission is to:

•  Glorify God through Worship and Service
•  Equip the members with the Bible’s truth
•  Bond the fellowship with love and care
•  Expand God’s kingdom through evangelism

Article 3    Pastor
The Pastor is the spiritual leader of the Church, and leads the Consistory in planning and guiding the growth of the Church and in implementing the Church’s operations and plans. The Pastor’s qualifications, appointment and dismissal will all follow RCA’s regulations.

Article 4    Membership
In compliance with the Book of Church Order of RCA, GGCC’s members include “Confessing Members”, “Baptized Members” and “Inactive Members”, and also include “Adherents”. Only “Confessing Members” have the voting right at the Congregational Meeting.
“Confessing members” are members who have received Christian baptism and have been received by the board of elders.

Article 5   Consistory
1) Organization:

  1. The Consistory is the governing body and the trustee of GGCC. Its members include the Pastor, one (1) up to three (3) Elders and two (2) up to five (5) Deacons. (If possible, the number of deacons should be no greater than double the number of elders.)
  2. A Consistory member must be a Confessing Member over six months, and must be above reproach as stated in Bible.

2) Officers:

  1. The Officers of the Consistory consist of the Pastor as the President, one of the elder as the Clerk (also as Vice-President), the Treasurer and the General Service.
  2. GGCC  may form functional working groups as  needed, and a Non-Officer Confessing Member may be appointed as the head of a working group.

3) Election & Term:

  1. The candidates for Elders and Deacons who are elected at the Congregational Meeting with a  “Simple Majority” are appointed as members of the Consistory of the coming term.
  2. The Nomination Committee is comprised of two current Consistory Members, and two Confessing Members representing the Congregation.
  3. The two members who get the most and second most votes in a Meeting held by the Consistory (after Sunday Worship service, before the end of October of each year) will be the Nominating Members representing the Congregation.
  4. The Committee’s nominating results must be completed/submitted to the Consistory five weeks before the Congregational Meeting. The Consistory is to review and finalize the Nominees which will be posted together with the Congregational Meeting Notice three weeks before the Meeting.
  5. The Elders and Deacons are elected for two (2)-year terms. Confessing Members who abide Biblical living and spiritual principles are qualified as Elder and Deacon Nominees.
  6. All Elders and Deacons can be re-elected for only one additional succeeding Term.
  7. If there is Elder or Deacon leaves the Consistory for any reason, the Consistory can call an Emergency Congregational Meeting to elect a substitute Elder or Deacon for the original and remainder of the term.
  8. No two immediate family members (e.g., spouse, parent or child) may serve in Consistory during any concurrent or overlapping term.
  9. Elders and Deacons’ positions shall be at different terms in order to not have all of Elders’ and Deacons’ terms fulfilled and completed at the same year.

4) The Consistory shall meet as it needs, and no less than 6 times per year. Emergency Consistory Meetings can be called by the Pastor, or upon request of a majority of the Elders and Deacons.

Article 6   Congregational Meeting
1)   The purpose of the Congregational Meeting is to review the operations report and financial report of the current year, to approve the proposed budget for the next year, to approve the new Elders and Deacons for the next term, and to discuss the extempore issues or motions.
2)   Annual Congregational Meetings must be called by the Consistory before mid-December, and Notice of the Meetings must be posted in the weekly bulletin and announced in a weekly worship service three consecutive weeks preceding the annual meeting on a Sunday.
3)   The quorum for Congregation Meeting is more than half of the Confessing Members attending the Meeting.

 Article 7   Amendment
These By-Laws are effective immediately upon the approval at GGCC’s Congregational Meeting on December 28, 2014.
Any Amendment of the Constitution or By-Laws requires each of the following:
1.   by a proposal submitted to the Consistory
2.   by approval of over 2/3 members’ vote of the Consistory Members
3.   by motion at the Congregational Meeting
4.   by approval of over 2/3 Confessing Members’ vote at the Congregational Meetin

 Article 8   Special Rules
1)   If there is any conflict in the interpretation of the above Articles between the Chinese and English versions, the English version will be considered original and official version.
2)   If there is any issue or procedure not found in this By Law, reference is to be made to The Book of Church Order, Reformed Church in America.