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Appalachian
Christian Center |
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Constitution
and Bylaws Preamble For the purpose of establishing and maintaining a place to worship the Almighty God, our heavenly Father; to provide for Christian fellowship for those of like precious faith, where the Holy Ghost may be honored according to our distinctive testimony; to assume our share of responsibility and the privilege of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ by all available means, both at home and in foreign lands. We, the members of this local assembly, declare that we hereby adopt the following articles of church order and submit ourselves to be governed by them. Constitution Article I This body of Christian believers shall be known as the APPALACHIAN CHRISTIAN CENTER. Article II The purpose of the body shall be to maintain public services for the worship of God and for the teaching and preaching of the Gospel. In the preaching and teaching of the word of God, members will be encouraged to witness the Good News of Jesus Christ to others, to increase the Kingdom of God. We believe each Christian alive today has a two-fold purpose on earth. One is to praise and worship God, who is the creator of all life and the other is to win the lost to Christ. As a body of believers we encourage all members to fulfill these purposes. Article III This local assembly shall have the right to govern itself according to the standards of the New Testament Scriptures, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.... till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:3, 13). It is not affiliated with any denominational church. But because its mission is worldwide, it recognizes its obligation and privilege to co-operate with other Christian bodies having the same general objectives. Article IV 1. We believe the Holy Bible (the Old Testament and the New Testament) is the revealed word of God and is an all-sufficient rule of faith, doctrine and practice, for the purpose of maintaining general unity. (II Timothy 3:16-17 & II Peter 1:20-21) 2. We believe that the God of the Bible is creator of all life. We believe that the God of the Bible is self-existent, the great "I AM". We believe He always has been and always will be the Alpha and the Omega. (Genesis 1:1 and Colossians 1:16) 3. We believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, was born of a virgin, lived a perfectly obedient life, died making atonement for man's sin, raised from the dead bodily, ascended to the right hand of God, and will return to the earth. (I Corinthians 15:3-4, Hebrews 10:12, & Acts 1:11) 4. We believe in the spiritual new birth, salvation, for every person who repents of their sins toward God, accepts Christ as their savior, and commits their life to Jesus Christ by faith. (I John 1:9, John 3:3-7, & Ephesians 2:1-5) 5. We believe in water baptism for every person who becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-19 & Colossians 2:12) 6. We believe the baptism in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ is the key to power for authentic witnessing and victorious living. (Luke 24:49 & Acts 1:4-8) 7. We believe the gifts of the Spirit are in operation in the church today for the purpose of glorifying God and edifying the church. (Acts 2:38 & I Corinthians 12:14) 8. We believe in the Trinity-God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 28:19) Our Covenant Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our Faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ. We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations. We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drink as beverage, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior. We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure it without delay. We moreover engage that, when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of the covenant and the principles of God's word. Affirmation of Faith We affirm our faith in this historic confession of the Christian Faith. We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. AMEN (Note: "Catholic" ' The Latin word is catholicus, and in Greek it is katholikos, from the Greek phrase meaning "on the whole, according to the whole or in general." This term does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church but states our belief in the "Body of Christ", which is made up of all those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.) Article V Section 1. The members of this body shall be: Any person who affirms their faith in Christ as their personal Savior, and has been baptized in water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, (or seeks to be baptized) and is living a life that is consistent with a Christian life according to God's word. Any person who voluntarily subscribes to the tenets of faith and agrees to be governed by this constitution and the bylaws as herein set forth shall be welcomed by the body as a member. Also, all potential members are encourage to attend membership classes and are required first to go over the constitution with the church leadership. New members will not be accepted into the body once a vote as been announced to the congregation until after the vote as taken place.
A. By death. Article
VI The officers of this body shall be: Section 1. Pastor: The pastor shall be the chief executive officer.
Article
VII Section 1. The Pastor shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. The pastor shall be called for an indefinite period of time. The salary and benefits shall be fixed at the time of the call, and shall be reviewed at least yearly. The pastor and the elders shall mutually agree upon increases. B. Selection of pastor shall be by the elders and voted on by the membership. C. To whom responsible: The pastor is responsible to the Ruling Elders. D. Termination of Pastor. The term of office shall be ended immediately on the pastor's resignation and will be given two weeks salary. (1) If by church, it must be by a majority of qualified membership voters present at the business meeting. A qualified voting member is one who is a regular supporter physically, spiritually, and financially and present on the date set for voting. (2) If by church, the pastor shall receive one month's salary plus benefits or shall receive salary plus benefits until employed, whichever is shorter. E. The pastor shall live in a location suitable to the church. Section 2. Elders shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Elders shall be raised up from the ranks of the deacons. B. ELDERS shall be nominated by the ruling elders of the church. (As a need for new elders arises.) C. Final selection shall be made by mutual agreement of pastor and elders. D. The elders are to be elders for life.
Exception: Section 3. Deacons shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Deacons shall be raised up from the membership of the body. B. Selection of DEACON shall be by mutual agreement of the pastor and the elders. C. Nominee shall be voted on by the membership (those present on set date of voting). D. Term of office shall be two years. Year of service shall be from January 1 through December 31. If a deacon is elected in the middle of a year the first term may extend longer than two years by the amount of time remaining in that year. Consecutive terms may be served. Section 4. The church secretary shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Term of office shall be for two years and shall be selected in even number years. Year of service shall be from January 1 through December 31. Consecutive terms may be served. B. Selection of CHURCH SECRETARY shall be by mutual agreement of the pastor and the elders. C. Nominee shall be voted on by the membership (those present on set date of voting). Section 5. The church treasurer shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Term of office shall be for two years and shall be selected in odd number years. Year of service shall be from January 1 through December 31. Consecutive terms may be served. B. Selection of CHURCH TREASURER shall be by mutual agreement of the pastor and the elders. C. Nominee shall be voted on by the membership (those present on set date of voting). Section 6. Trustees shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Three trustees shall be selected for the holding of all church property. B. Term of office shall be for a term of three years. Each trustee should be selected in a different year, thus to eliminate receiving three new trustees in the same year. Trustees may serve consecutive terms. C. Selection of TRUSTEES shall be by mutual agreement of the pastor and the elders. D. Nominee shall be voted on by the membership (those present on set date of voting). E. Trustees may hold the office of an elder or a deacon, but cannot be the pastor. Section 7. Sunday School Superintendent shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Term of office shall be for one year. Year of service shall begin with the first Sunday in September and go through the last Sunday in August. Consecutive terms may be served. B. Selection shall be made prior to the first Sunday in September. C. Selection of SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT shall be by mutual agreement of the pastor and the elders. D. Nominee shall be voted on by the membership (those present on set date of voting). Section 8. Assistant Sunday School Superintendent shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Term of office shall be for one year. Year of service shall begin with the first Sunday in September and go through the last Sunday in August. Consecutive terms may be served. B. Selection shall be made prior to the first Sunday in September. C. Selection of ASSISTANT SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT shall be by mutual agreement of the pastor and the elders. D. Nominee shall be voted on by the membership (those present on set date of voting). Section 9. Sunday School Treasurer shall be selected as provided for in this article and section. A. Term of office shall be for one year. Year of service shall begin with the first Sunday in September and go through the last Sunday in August. Consecutive terms may be served. B. Selection shall be made prior to the first Sunday in September. C. Selection of SUNDAY SCHOOL TREASURER shall be by mutual agreement of the pastor and the elders. D. Nominee shall be voted on by the membership (those present on set date of voting). Section 10. All officers of the church and Sunday school must be members of the church, in good standing. All officers of the church and Sunday school, as leaders of the church, shall have a record of faithfully supporting the church with their tithes and offerings, and attending the regular services of the church. Section 11. Removal of an officer of the church or Sunday school shall be handled as described in this article and section. A. An officer of the church or Sunday school who fail to perform the duties of said office as describes in the constitution shall be removed from office. B. An officer of the church or Sunday school who fail to submit to the tenets of faith of this constitution shall be removed from office. C. An officer of the church or Sunday school in violation of the tenets of faith or who fails to perform the duties of the office in which they hold shall: (1) First be notified of the problem and given proper time to make corrections. (Suspension from the office may be necessary while problem is being corrected. If this is necessary, suspension will be lifted when deemed appropriate by Pastor and Elders.) (2) If problem is not corrected the officer will be brought before the church leadership to discuss the problem and reasons for not making the corrections as previously discussed in Section 10 (C) (1). (3) If no agreement can be made between the officer in question and the Pastor and Elders, the said officer will be removed from office. Section 12. Removal of an Officer as described in Section 10 also applied to all individuals who serve in any ministry of this church, which includes Sunday school teachers, youth leaders and ministers, singers, choir members, choir leaders, worship leaders, and musicians. Article
VIII Section 1. The Pastor. The Pastor shall be considered as the spiritual overseer of the church and shall direct all of its activities. He shall provide for all the services of the church and shall arrange for all special meetings and revivals. No person shall be invited to speak, teach, preach or sing in the church without his approval. Section 2. The Elders. Elders are chosen to serve the church and therefore shall act in an advisory capacity with the pastor in all matters pertaining to the church in its spiritual life and in the ministry of its ordinances. They shall act in the examination of applicants for membership, and also in the administration of discipline. In the event the church is temporarily without a pastor the Elders shall be empowered to provide for its own Chairman from its membership in order to conduct business for the church. The elders are to supervise, lead, guide, care and pray for the spiritual needs and well-being of all souls entrusted to their care. (This is also the duty of the pastor.) Section 3. The Deacons. Deacons are chosen to serve the physical needs of the church. They shall oversee, supervise, lead, guide, care, and pray for the physical needs and well being of all properties entrusted to their care. Section 4. Secretary. The secretary shall keep minutes of the official meeting of the Elders, and of any business meeting of the church, special or regular. The secretary shall keep a record of the membership of the church and perform any other clerical work necessary for the operation of the church. The secretary shall also be the custodian of all legal documents of the church. Section 5. Treasurer. The treasurer shall be entrusted with all the finances of the assembly, which may be committed to this office. The treasurer shall make regular deposits of all funds in a responsible bank in the name of the church and shall disburse the same by check, as authorized by the Pastor and Elders. The treasures shall keep an itemized account of the receipts and disbursements. The treasurer shall make an itemized report at the meetings of the Elders and a summarized report at regular business meetings. A monthly financial report shall be made available to the church at all times. Section 6. Trustee. The trustees shall be selected for the holding of all church property. They trustees shall be the custodians of all real property of the church. They shall meet with the Elders on all the matters of maintenance and new construction of all the church buildings and properties, with the privilege of discussion of the aforesaid. Section 7. Sunday School Superintendent. The Sunday school superintendent shall oversee the Sunday school. The superintendent, along with the pastor and elders, shall make decisions on Sunday school classes, Sunday school teachers, and Sunday school literature. The superintendent shall conduct opening exercises prior to the being of Sunday school. Section 8. Sunday School Assistant Superintendent. The Sunday school assistant superintendent shall fulfill all duties of the Sunday school superintendent, in the absence of the Sunday school superintendent. The assistant superintendent shall also be present in all meetings related to Sunday school business.
Article IX Section 1. Sunday School. The Sunday school shall be for the teaching of God's word. The Holy Bible shall be used for doctrine and teaching. The Pastor, Elders, and Sunday school Superintendent shall select an appropriate Sunday school literature. The literature shall be deemed suitable by the previously mentioned. Classes will be provided for different age groups are deemed necessary. The Superintendent, along with the pastor, shall meet regularly with the officers and teachers to discuss issues and policies pertaining to Sunday school. Section 2. Youth Ministry. A youth ministry shall be to provide Christian fellowship, recreation, and other activities for the youth. The youth ministry should also provide Christian education through the study of God's word, filmstrips, videos, and by other means. Section 3. Women's Fellowship. A women's fellowship shall be to provide Christian fellowship, recreation and other activities for the ladies of the church and their guests. This shall be a fellowship additional to the regular church services and meetings. Section 4. Men's Fellowship. A men's fellowship shall be to provide Christian fellowship, recreation, and other activities for the men of the church and their guests. This shall be a fellowship additional to the regular church services and meetings. Section 5. Other Ministries. The church shall provide other ministries and services to the community in which it exists. The ministries shall be considered and outreach of the church. Some ministries may require members of the church to actively participate, while others may be supported only by financial means from the church. Section 6. All ministries of the church shall be under direct supervisor of the pastor. While each ministry may have the right to select its own officers, the pastor shall make final approval. Also each ministry may wish to invite a guest speaker or lecturer for their meeting. The pastor must approve the name of the individual or group. Any ministry, which fails to submit to these rules, will be dissolved. Article
X 1. The elders shall meet quarterly to discuss church business and other matters relating to the church. The meeting shall be held at a location and time suitable to the elders. A special meeting of the elders may be held at any time deemed necessary by an elder or by the pastor. 2. There shall be an annual business of the church held the third Tuesday of January. The meeting will be to discuss church business, evaluate church progress and growth, to inform congregation of upcoming plans for church or changes in schedules, and to seek input concerning the church from the congregation. A special business meeting of the church may be held when deemed necessary by the elders or by the pastor. Article XI The pastor and elders at any meeting of the elders, regular or special, when deemed necessary, may amend this constitution.
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Service Times ... Sunday School 10:00 AM - Morning Worship 11:00 AM - Sunday Evening Worship 6:30 PM - Wednesday Bible Study 6:30 PM (Sunday Evening Service Only May through November) |
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Modified
04/06/2020
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Michael &
Cathi Biggs, Pastor 2812 Seneca Trail South, Peterstown, West Virginia 24963
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