BYLAWS OF
THE ALL PEOPLES UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
I. Name: All Peoples United Church of Christ
II. Purpose:
A. Out of respect for all people, we will strive to use inclusive language for God and humanity.
B. The basis of this worship and service is expressed in the Covenant,
adopted January 14, 2001:
We, the All Peoples United Church of Christ, in Covenant with God and with one another, strive to be a just peace inclusive congregation, welcoming diversity of age, race, gender, culture, sexual orientation, life circumstances, and religious background.
With God’s guidance we strive to be a nurturing and challenging community of Christian seekers.
We love, worship, and serve God, while loving and serving humanity and all God’s creation.
We seek to be involved in helpful ways in our community and to engage in mission and outreach in the larger world.
Jesus the Christ is our peace and our hope and we are empowered by his grace.
We search the Scripture with open mindedness, knowing that while we always take it seriously, we may not always take it literally.
We invite all people to join us in our spiritual journey.
God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
C. The Covenant is intended as an extension of the Statement of Faith of The United Church of Christ, adopted in 1959:
We believe in you, O God, the Eternal Spirit, God of our Savior Jesus Christ and our God, and to your deeds we testify:
You call the worlds into being, create persons in your own image, and set before each one the ways of life and death.
You seek in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.
You judge people and nations by your righteous will declared through prophets and apostles.
In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior, you have come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to yourself.
You bestow upon us your Holy Spirit,
creating and renewing the Church of Jesus Christ,
binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.
You call us into your church
to accept the cost and joy of discipleship,
to be your servants in the service of others,
to proclaim the gospel to all the world
and resist the powers of evil,
to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table,
to join him in his passion and victory.
You promise to all who trust you
forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace
courage in the struggle for justice and peace,
your presence in trial and rejoicing,
and eternal life in your realm which has no end.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto you. Amen.
D. The government of this church is vested in its members, who exercise the right of control in all its affairs. It accepts the obligations of mutual counsel, covenant and cooperation as part of the United Church of Christ.
E. This church shall be a member church within the United Church of Christ, maintaining the relationship of a member church as described in the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of Christ, and pledges itself to share common aims and work of that denomination.
F. This church shall also be a part of the Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ, and shall act in ways consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Conference.
III. Membership
A. Membership is open to all persons who would worship, learn and serve in and through this church and who seek to do all in their power to follow in the path of Godliness and the teachings of Jesus.
B. Members may be received by letter of transfer, reaffirmation of faith, or confession of faith. The pastor and the Mission and Outreach Committee shall prepare and receive them. New members will be presented to the congregation by the pastor. Letters of transfer will be issued by the church clerk to any communion of the Church Universal.
C. Non-participation in the life of the church for two years despite encouragement shall be cause for placing members in inactive status, under the direction of the Mission and Outreach Committee.
IV. Governing Body:
A. The governing body of the church is the assembly of its active members in an annual Congregational Meeting, which shall be announced in writing by mail and in the Church Bulletin and by word at Sunday Services not less than two weeks in advance. Twenty-five percent of the active members are required for a quorum and a majority vote of the quorum present is the action of the church. Final authority is vested in its members in accordance with these Bylaws, the controlling documents of the United Church of
Christ and the laws of the State of Oregon.
V. Organization
A. Officers:
1. Moderator:
The Moderator will be elected for a one year term by the congregation. The Moderator will preside at annual Congregational Meetings, and at all other meetings of the Executive Board. The moderator shall be the corporate president of the church, the chief lay officer, and shall attend to the affairs of the church in consultation with the Board.
2. Past-Moderator:
The Past-Moderator shall assist the Moderator in the exercise of assigned duties.
3. Church Clerk:
The Church Clerk shall keep the church rolls, the records of Church Meetings, the minutes of the Executive Board and shall make annual reports required by the United Church of Christ. Duties shall also include Letters of Transfer, preservation of Church Records, providing for required legal notice of Congregational Meetings and necessary correspondence.
4. Church Treasurer:
The Church Treasurer shall forward for payment all budgeted, approved expenditures, keep accurate accounts, and submit the records for an annual report at the Church Meeting.
6. Financial Secretary:
Duties shall include collecting pledged amounts and accurately crediting payment to church members and others.
B. Church Committees:
The Executive Board will appoint committees as the need arises and charge said committees with special tasks that include intended completion date for their work as seems appropriate. We will make an effort to make sure that all Executive Board meetings are announced and open to all interested people. Unannounced emergency or “executive session” Board meetings to address urgent problems would be allowed.
1. Executive Board:
The Executive Board shall be made up of the Moderator, the Past-Moderator, the Church Clerk, the Church Treasurer, and the Church Financial Secretary. This body shall make all decisions concerning the church between the times of the annual Congregational Meeting, subject to the advice and consent of the membership. This body shall meet twice annually or as needed.
• Action shall be by majority vote of those present.
• All members shall be informed of meeting time and place at least two weeks prior to said
meetings. Notice of meetings shall be made by notice in the newsletters and/or at Sunday Services, whenever possible, allowing for emergency situations.
• Any five members may call for a Congregational Meeting in the event of wishing to overturn decisions of the Board.
2. Delegates to the Central Pacific Assembly and other United Church of Christ Conferences: The duties and numbers of delegates shall be as outlined by the Pacific Conference Bylaws and the United Church of Christ Bylaws.
A. (From the Conference Bylaws)
1.) Function: The Assembly shall be the governing body of the Conferences.
2.) Annual Meeting: There shall be an Annual Meeting of the Assembly, which shall be
called by the Board of Directors. At the annual meeting, the Assembly shall receive the reports of the Conference Ministers and Board of Directors, elect officials, ratify appointments and transact such other business as it deems appropriate.
3.) Additional Meeting: There shall be one additional meeting of the Assembly each year
which shall be called by the Board of Directors for the transaction of business.
4. There shall be no limit to the number of members attending such functions.
VI. Other Concerns of the Church:
A. The annual Congregational Meeting shall be held in January of each year on a date set by the Executive Board. Election shall be held for officers and Delegates to Conferences.
B. Church Meetings:
Other than the annual Congregational Meeting in January, other Congregational Meetings may be called by The Executive Board, or by any five members in a written request to the Executive Board or one of its officers. Actions reserved for Congregational Meeting include any action essential to the basic purpose of the church in worship, education or mission, such as sale or purchase of church real property, call or dismissal of the pastor(s), and any other essential action. Notice of such meetings will be by mail to all members and by announcement at Sunday Services for two weeks prior to the meeting. Provision shall be made for the Executive Board to make any decision that cannot wait two weeks, and
may therefore be considered to be an emergency.
C. Amendments to these Bylaws:
Any amendments will be instituted by two thirds vote of the quorum present at any Congregational Meeting, providing the substance of the Amendment has been mailed to the membership with the notice of the meeting and noted at Sunday Services two weeks prior to the meeting.
D. Roberts’ Rules of Order govern the conduct of all church meetings However, attempt will be made to achieve consensus by thorough discussion whenever possible.
E. Nothing in these By Laws shall be construed as limiting the church in joining with other churches and religious bodies for any communion in worship, education and mission. Rather, the All Peoples United Church of Christ strives to be a uniting, inclusive church in all word, deed, and purpose.
