PRINCE OF PEACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.)

Crofton, MD 21114

BY-LAWS OF THE CONGREGATION

(Ecclesiastical and Corporate)

Adopted: November 13, 2011

Article 1:  Authority of By-Laws

The Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church, being a particular congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), recognizes that the Constitution of said Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is, in all its provisions, obligatory upon it and its members.

Article 2:  Members of the Congregation

The members of the congregation shall be active communicant church members, inactive communicant members, and affiliate church members as defined by the usages and rules of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Article 3:  Eligible Voters

All active communicant church members are eligible to vote on matters coming before both the ecclesiastical and corporation meetings of the congregation, whether stated or special.  Voting by proxy and cumulative voting are not allowed.

Article 4:  Public Notice

Public notice of the time, place, and purpose of all meetings of the congregation shall be given from the pulpit on the two Sundays preceding the meeting providing the second notice is given not less than twenty-four hours before the meeting. Notice will also be published in the worship bulletin the two Sundays before the meeting.

Article 5:  Prayer

All meetings shall be opened and closed with prayer.

Article 6:  Meetings of the Congregation

Meetings of the congregation shall be construed to include the separate ecclesiastical meeting and the separate corporation meeting.  The meetings of the congregation shall be held in the church edifice or such other place as the Session shall designate.

There shall be an annual meeting of the congregation in the first quarter of the year for the transaction of any business properly coming before the meeting.  There shall be a meeting of the congregation in the last quarter of the year for the purpose of electing officers, voting on the terms of the call of the pastor, receiving the operating budget, and for the transaction of any other business properly coming before the meeting.

Article 7:  Special Meetings

Special meetings of the congregation may be called by the Session or the presbytery or in accordance with G-7.0303 of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part II Book of Order.  Such a call shall state clearly the purpose of and place for the special meeting, and no other matter save that specified in the call may be considered.

Article 8:  Quorum

A quorum shall consist of the moderator, secretary and one-tenth of active communicant members.

Article 9:  Presiding Officers

The pastor shall preside as moderator at all ecclesiastical meetings of the congregation and of the Session.  If the pulpit of the church is vacant, the moderator of the Session appointed by the presbytery shall preside at all congregational meetings.  If the pastor and the Session agree that the subjects to be discussed require it, or if the pastor is ill or is otherwise unable to be present, the minister shall invite, with the concurrence of the Session, another pastor of the presbytery to preside.  Session shall consult with the presbytery's Committee on Ministry before Session extends this invitation to another minister of presbytery.

Article 10:  Secretary

The clerk of the Session shall be secretary of the meetings of the congregation.  In his/her inability to attend, the Session shall designate a secretary in his/her stead.

Article 11:  Session

There shall be a Session consisting of the pastor and nine ruling elders divided into three equal classes.  One class of the Session shall be elected each year at the meeting of the congregation during the fourth quarter for a three-year term.  An additional “youth” elder, as prescribe by the Book of Order, may be added to the Session by a congregational vote.

No ruling elder shall be elected to the Session for a term of more than three years, nor shall a ruling elder serve on the Session for consecutive terms, either full or partial, aggregating more than six years.  A ruling elder having been elected to the Session for consecutive terms aggregating six years shall be ineligible to serve thereon for a further term until at least one year has elapsed from the expiration of the last term for which that person was elected.

The Session shall perform all the duties required by the Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 

The Session shall elect annually an ordained elder to be clerk of Session. The Session shall elect annually a church treasurer. The Session while acting as the trustees of the corporation will annually elect a president of the corporation. These persons do not have to have been elected to one of the three classes.

Article 12: Deacons

There shall be a Board of Deacons consisting of nine Deacons divided into three equal classes.  One class of 3 Deacons shall be elected each year at the meeting of the congregation, during the fourth quarter of the year, for a three-year term. 

No Deacon shall be elected to the Board of Deacons for a term of more than three years, nor shall a Deacon serve on the Board for consecutive terms, either full or partial, aggregating more than six years.  A Deacon having been elected to the Board for consecutive terms aggregating six years shall be ineligible to serve thereon for a further term until at least one year has elapsed from the expiration of the last term for which that person was elected.

The Deacons shall perform all the responsibilities outlined by the Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). They may be assigned additional duties by the Session as deemed appropriate.

Article 13:  Board of Trustees

Only members on the active roll of Prince of Peace Presbyterian church of Crofton Maryland shall be members of the corporation and eligible for election as trustees. The elders in active service in a church who are eligible under the civil law shall, by reason of their office, be the trustees of such corporation. The power and duties of such trustees shall not infringe upon the powers and duties of the session or of the board of deacons. (G-10.0102, G-6.0402)

The corporation so formed, or the individual trustees, shall have the following powers: to receive, hold, encumber, manage, and transfer property, real or personal, for the church; to accept and execute deeds of title to such property; to hold and defend title to such property; to manage any permanent special funds for the furtherance of the purposes of the church, all subject to the authority of the Session and under the provisions of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), provided further that in buying, selling, and mortgaging real property, the trustees shall act only after the approval of the congregation granted in a duly constituted meeting and upon written approval of the Presbytery of Baltimore. (G-8.0500)

Article 14:  Vacancies

Vacancies on the Session shall be filled at a special meeting of the congregation or at the next stated meeting of the congregation, as the Session may determine.

Article 15:  Nominating Committee

There shall be a representative nominating committee chosen annually in accordance with the Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Two members of this committee shall be designated by and from the Session, one of whom shall be named by the Session as chairman. One member shall be designated by and from the Board of Deacons.  Three members and one alternate member, none of whom may be in active service on the Session, shall be elected by the congregation at the January annual meeting. Their term of office shall be one year. In addition, the pastor shall be a member of this committee ex-officio but without vote.  Members shall be ineligible to be elected for a new term until one year has elapsed.

The committee shall announce the names of the nominees with the call of the congregational meeting, and shall bring to the stated meetings of the congregation or to any special meeting to fill vacancies, nominations of one eligible person only for each office to be filled.  Additional nominations of qualified persons may be made from the floor by any member of the congregation eligible to vote in the election to be held.  All nominees placed before the congregation must have expressed a willingness to serve if elected.

Article 16:  Auditing Committee

In accordance with the principles of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and in the interest of good order, there shall be an auditing committee appointed by Session to which all board, committee and organization treasurers shall submit their books for audit or financial review prior to the annual congregational meeting.

The auditing committee shall consist of five persons; not members of any church board, one of whom shall be appointed each year for a three year term.  If a vacancy shall occur, the Session at its next regular meeting shall appoint a person eligible to serve on the auditing committee for the unexpired term.

Article 17:  Organization Reports

All boards, committees and organizations of the church shall make an annual report to the Session, which shall consist of a president's or chairperson's report and a treasurer's report.  All reports shall be included in a printed report for presentation at the annual congregational meeting.

Article 18:  Rules of Order

Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.  The Session shall annually select the edition of the rules to be followed for the next year.

Article 19:  Amendments

These by-laws may be amended subject to the charter of the corporation, the laws of the State of Maryland, and the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), at any annual meeting or special meeting of the congregation by a two-thirds vote of the voters present provided that the amendment, in written form, is provided to the congregation at least two weeks prior to the congregational meeting.