By-Laws
ARTICLE I - NAME, BOUNDS
AND OFFICE
Section
1. Name
The name of the Corporation
is the METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION OF THE NEW YORK CONFERENCE
OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, INC.
Section
2. Bounds
The bounds of this Association
shall be the territory included in the City of New York
and the counties of Nassau, Westchester, and Rockland
in the State of New York and shall include such other
areas in which Congregational-Christian Churches or Churches
of the United Church of Christ may be located, which
Churches therein located the ASSOCIATION may in its discretion
receive into fellowship.
Section
3. Office
The office shall be located
in the City of New York.
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ARTICLE II - PURPOSES
AND OBJECTS
The purposes and objects
of such corporation shall be:
A. To continue without
break the ecclesiastical and legal identity of the New
York City Congregational Church Association, Inc., and
its Churches, and the Churches of the New York Synod
of the Evangelical and Reformed Church of the metropolitan
area, and to conduct their work and to have all of their
powers, duties, and obligations.
B. To be an Association
of the New York Conference of the United Church of Christ
composed of local Churches and ministers who are now
members of the Association and of all local Churches
and ministers that are hereinafter received into and
granted standing by this Association. It is recognized
that for the administrative purposes and efficiency of
the Conference the Association shall be a part of the
Metropolitan/Suffolk Area of the Conference without any
jeopardy to its independence as an Association of the
Conference.
C. To promote the life
and strength of the Churches within its boundaries and
to relate the Churches to the life and work of the United
Church of Christ, its instrumentalities and agencies.
D. To do each and every
thing which an Association of the United Church of Christ
may do pursuant to the Constitution and By-Laws of the
United Church of Christ, to promote Christian education
and to encourage Christian action.
E. To acquire by purchase,
gift, devise, bequest or otherwise, and to own, hold,
invest, reinvest, or dispose of property both real and
personal, for such religious, educational, philanthropic
and other related work as the Association may undertake,
and to purchase, own, receive, hold, manage, care for,
and transfer, rent, lease, mortgage or otherwise encumber,
sell, exchange, assign, and convey such property for
the general purposes of the Association; to receive and
hold both real and personal property for and/or at the
request of Churches, and to invest or reinvest the same
for the purposes for which the same are received and/or
held as endowments or otherwise; to make any contracts
for promoting the objects of the Association and to do
each and everything necessary or consistent with any
or all of the foregoing objectives which are not inconsistent
with the laws of the State of New York.
F. To maintain relations
with other Christian and interfaith groups within its
boundaries to the end that mutual understanding and cooperation
may be advanced.
G. In general, to exercise
any, all and every power for which a corporation, organized
under the not-for-profit Corporation Laws of the State
of New York, relating to religious and charitable associations,
can be authorized to exercise, but no other power. No
part of the earnings or assets of this corporation shall
inure to the benefit of any individual, member thereof,
contributor thereto, or for any private, personal, or
selfish purposes. No part of the assets of this corporation
or income derived therefrom shall be given to or inure
to the benefit of any person, corporation or organization
not tax exempt under Sub-Title A or Sub-Title B of the
Internal Revenue Code of the United States of America.
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ARTICLE III -MEMBERSHIP
Section
1. Regular
Membership
The following shall be
deemed to be members in good standing in the Association.
a. All Churches and ministers
which are members of the United Church of Christ and
of the Association, either by vote of the Association
or by voluntary affiliation with the United Church of
Christ at its founding in 1957, and which are within
the geographical limits of the Association. All churches
and ministers who are members of the Association are
also members of the New York Conference of the United
Church of Christ.
b. All Churches and ministers
within the geographical limits of the Association who
were, previously, members of the New York City Congregational
Church Association and/or of the New York Congregational-Christian
Conference, Inc., that have not signified their intention
to become a part of the United Church of Christ.
c. Such other Churches
and ministers within the geographical limits of the Association
as may be received into and granted standing by the Association.
d. All Officers and members
of the Board of Directors of the Association.
Section
2. Voting
Membership
The voting membership
of the Association is all ordained ministers, with standing
in the Association, lay delegates selected by and representing
the member Churches of the Association, and all Officers and members of
the Board of Directors of the Association. The control
of the Association shall reside in its voting membership.
Such control may be exercised directly at any annual
meeting of the Association, or by the Board of Directors,
acting as the Association ad interim.
Section
3. Enlargement
of Membership
a. A Church from another
communion within the Association boundaries may be admitted
into membership in the Association upon the vote of such
Church to join the United Church of Christ and to accept
the Constitution of that body and the Constitution and
By-Laws of the Association and the New York Conference
of the United Church of Christ; and, when the petition
of such Church for membership and its By-Laws have been
accepted by the Association.
b. A Church established
by the Association or by the Conference and the Board
for Homeland Ministries, shall become a member of the
Association when it has incorporated; voted to join the
United Church of Christ; voted to accept the Constitution
and By-Laws of the Association and the New York Conference;
and has had its petition for membership and its By-Laws
accepted by the Association.
c. At the discretion of
the Board of Directors, the Association may maintain
a list of Corresponding Churches which desire to relate
to or be informed of the life of the Association. Unless
a church so listed acts to become a member of the Association
as herein prescribed, such a Corresponding Church shall not be numbered as a member of the Association
or of the United Church of Christ, and shall not be entitled
to the legal privileges of such membership.
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Section
4. Membership
Definition
a. All members of this
Association are entitled to participate fully in all
of the privileges and responsibilities of the Association,
provided, however, that those Churches of the Association
which have not voted to become part of the United Church
of Christ shall be subject to the limitations contained
in Article IV - Item 19 of the Constitution of the United
Church of Christ and Article I - Item 134 of the By-Laws
of the United Church of Christ as adopted on July 4,
1961, and as most recently amended.
b. No direct or indirect
participation by any such Church or its delegates in
or support of work of the United Church of Christ shall
be construed as making it a Church of the United Church
of Christ.
Section
5. Delegate
Basis.
Each Church may be represented
at all meetings of the Association by its Pastor or acting
Pastor and two lay delegates. Churches of more than 200
members may be represented by an additional lay delegate
for each 200 members or major fraction thereof. The delegates
of each Church shall be selected in such manner as it
may deem proper. Ministers without charge shall have
the same standing as ministers with charge. Ministers
of other denominations serving a congregation of the
United Church of Christ shall have such standing as defined
in the United Church of Christ Constitution and By-Laws
(Article I - Item 134 of the By-Laws). Delegates (acting
on behalf of their respective Churches), all ministerial
members, the Officers of the Association and members
of its Board and Committees shall have the right to vote.
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Section
6. Discipline
and Revision of Roll
This Association shall
insure the integrity of its membership in the following
manner:
a. In the case of any
Church not represented at four consecutive regular meetings
of the Association, the Registrar shall make inquiry
as to the Church's intentions and interests as regards
the Association. If, after one additional year there
has been no response, the Church may, by vote of the
Association, cease to be entitled to representation until
reinstatement by similar vote. The membership of any
ministerial member, who fails for two years to report
to the Association or to respond to its communications,
may be forfeited by vote of the Association under similar
conditions as apply to the Churches with regard to inquiry
by the Registrar. Such membership may be restored upon
proper application to the Association.
b. Should any Church or
minister by action or teaching jeopardize the integrity
of the Association, the Association Executive shall investigate
the situation and may consult with the Committee on Congregational
Development and Standing and/or the Committee on Ordination
and Ministerial Standing as to further action.
c. The Association Executive,
the Committees on Congregational Development and Standing
and Ordination and Ministerial Standing shall each year
review the lists of the Association membership. They
shall make a report at the Fall Meeting and shall furnish
a certified copy of the list to the Secretary of the
New York Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Section
7. Ministerial
and Lay Responsibility
Ministers and lay persons,
both men and women, shall be equitably represented on
boards and committees of the Association.
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ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section
1. Annual
Meeting
The Association shall
hold an Annual Meeting and such other meetings as may
be necessary. The regular meetings of the Association
shall ordinarily be held in, April and in November. The
April meeting shall be the Annual Meeting. The times
and places of meetings shall be fixed by the Board of
Directors. Notice of each regular and special meeting
of the Association shall be sent from the Association
Office to each Church entitled to representation and
every ministerial member at least two weeks prior to
its occurrence. The business transacted at a special
meeting shall be limited to that which is stated in the
call to the meeting (except that additional items of
business introduced by two or more Officers may be considered
by unanimous vote of the body).
Section
2. Special
Meeting
Special meetings may be
called by the Board of Directors or by petition of ten
or more Churches.
Section
3. Quorum
A quorum for transaction
of business at any regular or special meeting of the
Association shall consist of representatives of twenty
Churches, each of whom is entitled to vote. Recessed meetings may be
reconvened with the voting members present comprising
a quorum.
Section
4. Roll
The names of the voting
members present at each meeting of the Association shall
be recorded and shall constitute the roll of the Association
for such meeting.
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ARTICLE V - THE MINISTRY
In order to insure the
high quality of the ministry in this Association, the
Association adopts as its guide the descriptions of the
ministry contained in paragraphs 101-142 of the By-Laws
of the United Church of Christ, or as they may be amended.
This Association further recognizes those suggestions
set forth in the MANUAL ON MINISTRY (most recent revision)
prepared by the Office for Church Life and Leadership
of the United Church of Christ as helpful descriptions
of the several aspects of the ministry.
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ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS
Section
1. Officers
of the Association
The Officers of the Association
shall be a President, Secretary, Treasurer and Registrar
who shall also be the Officers of the Board of Directors,
and a Moderator and Vice Moderator. Each Officer shall
be a member in good standing of a Church in the Association.
All Officers shall be members of the Board of Directors
during their terms of office.
Section
2. Election
and Terms
The Officers shall be
elected at the Annual Meeting for terms of three years,
except for the Moderator, Vice Moderator and Registrar
who shall serve one-year terms. Terms shall begin at
the close of the Annual Meeting at which election takes
place and shall continue until successors are elected
and installed.
Candidates for Officer positions shall
be nominated by the Nominating Committee, except for
the Treasurer, who shall be nominated by the Board of
Directors. Additional nominations may be made from the
floor. The Moderator and Vice Moderator shall alternately
be a lay person and a minister.
The President, Secretary,
and Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election for a
second three-year term, but may not again be re-elected
to that office until the elapse of one year after the
end of the second term. The Registrar may be re-elected
for as many terms as may please the Association; the
Moderator and Vice Moderator may not serve more than
a one-year term in each office.
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Section
3. Duties
of the Officers of the Association
a. PRESIDENT: The President shall preside at all meetings
of the Board of Directors and at business sessions of
Association meetings, and shall chair the Board's Executive
Committee. The President shall present a written report
of the actions of the Board at each Annual Meeting of
the Association. The President shall execute all deeds,
contracts, and other documents that require the official
signature of the Association, and shall perform such
other duties as are appropriate to the Office.
b. MODERATOR: The Moderator shall preside at meetings
of the Association, except during business sessions,
and, when invited to do so, shall represent the Association
in United Church of Christ and ecumenical meetings and
affairs.
c. VICE MODERATOR: The Vice Moderator shall perform the
duties of Moderator in the absence or incapacity of the
Moderator.
d. SECRETARY: The Secretary shall be the custodian of
the records of the Association and shall keep and circulate
minutes of Association and Board of Directors meetings.
e. TREASURER: The Treasurer shall receive and be the custodian
of all the funds, securities, and personal property belonging
to, entrusted to, or in any way commit teed to the care
or custody of the Association. The Treasurer shall disburse,
pay over, and deliver same as ordered by the Association
or the Board of Directors and shall exercise any and
all other duties incident to such office. The Treasurer
shall have power to execute legal papers in behalf of
the Association when so ordered and directed and shall
give bond for the faithful discharge of these duties
as the Board of Directors may require. The Treasurer
shall make an annual report to the Association, which
report shall be subject to audit.
f. REGISTRAR: The Registrar shall
maintain the membership rolls of both the Churches and
ministers of the Association and shall, with the Association
Executive and the Committees on Congregational Development
and Standing, Ordination and Ministerial Standing, and
Spiritual Life and Professional Development, strive to
insure that they are accurate and complete. The Registrar
shall make diligent inquiry of delinquent Churches and
ministers as to their intentions concerning the continuation
of their membership in the Association. The Registrar
shall issue calls to the regular and special meetings
of the Association and such Letters Missive for Ecclesiastical
Councils as occasion shall require, and shall provide
the proper officers of the New York Conference and the
United Church of Christ with records concerning additions
to and deletions from the roll. The Registrar shall be
a member of the Committee on Ordination and Ministerial
Standing with voice.
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ARTICLE VII - THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Section
1. Membership,
Duties and Powers
a. The Board of Directors
which, with the Association Executive, is the administrative
arm of the Association, shall
have such powers and duties as are customary to a Board
of Directors under the laws of the State of New York, and as provided in these By-Laws, and shall consist
of:
i.
Eighteen (18) elected members, at least one-ha1f of whom
shall be lay persons. At the Annual Meeting the Association
will elect six directors for terms of three (3) years
to replace the directors whose terms have expired plus
the number of additional directors required to fill any
unexpired terms of directors who have resigned. In making
nominations for members of the Board of Directors, the
Nominating Committee shall give due consideration to
the provision, insofar as possible, of equitable representation
by geographic area, age, sex, and race. New York State law provides that members of boards of directors must
be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
The Board shall have the
power to fill vacancies in the Offices and in its own
membership between Annual Meetings of the Association,
subject to the approval of the Association at the next
Annual Meeting. A special meeting of the Association
must be called by the Board to fill a vacancy in the
Office of President.
ii. The Association Executive
and the Conference Executive of the New York Conference
of the United Church of Christ shall be members of the
Board ex officio without vote.
b.
The Board of Directors shall meet at least four times
each year, with no more than six months intervening between
the meetings. The meeting for organization shall occur
as soon as practicable after the Annual Meeting. Other
meetings may be called by the President, or by a majority
of the Board of Directors in writing. The Board of Directors
shall act for the Association when the Association is
not in session; but it is at all times answerable to
the Association and shall render a complete report of
its activities at the Annual Meeting of the Association.
c. Nine members of the
Board shall constitute a quorum
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Section
2. Duties
of the Board of Directors
The Board shall be vested
with the corporate powers of this Association, and shall
have and exercise the general control and management
of the funds and affairs of the Association, and shall
perform all acts necessary to promote the interests and
enhance the welfare of the Association, not inconsistent
with special instructions of the Association, these By-Laws
and the laws of the State of New York. In particular
the Board of Directors shall keep informed of the work
of the committees and other groups of the Association.
a. The Board shall annually
elect from its membership a Vice President who shall
preside at Board meetings in the absence of the President.
b. The Board shall appoint
the chairs of Standing Committees of the Association,
except the Nominating Committee, from its own membership.
Section
3. Committees
of the Board
The Committees of the
Board of Directors shall include an Executive Committee,
a Finance Committee, a Personnel Committee, an Association
Meetings Planning Committee, and such other committees
as the Board may deem necessary. The Board shall elect
from among its members the Chair and membership of each
Committee. At the request of the Chair and with the approval
of the Board, the size of any of these Committees, other
than the Executive Committee, may be increased from time
to time to include persons who are not Board members.
a. Executive Committee:
The Executive Committee shall consist of seven (7) members,
including the President. The Association Minister shall
be a member ex officio without vote. The Executive Committee
shall exercise such powers as the Board may delegate
to it. A record of all actions shall be reported at the
next subsequent meeting of the Board of Directors.
b. Finance Committee:
The Finance Committee shall consist of five (5) members.
The Committee shall serve as Finance Committee of the
Association. It shall be responsible to the Board for
the financial affairs of the Association. It shall engage
in budget planning and oversight for the Association.
The Committee shall, at the Fall Meeting of the Association,
present a budget for the program and administration of
the Association, and this budget
shall become effective on January 1 of the following
year. The Association Executive shall be a member of
the Committee with voice.
c. Personnel Committee:
The Personnel Committee shall consist of three (3) members.
It shall regularly consult with both elected and non-elected
staff members about their duties and performance. It
shall annually assess the performance of the Association
Executive and other elected staff members and report
its findings to the Board of Directors. It shall recommend
personnel policies and practices to the Board for adoption.
d. Association Meetings
Planning Committee: There shall be an Association Meetings
Planning Committee of four Board members, chaired by
the Vice Moderator. The Committee shall schedule and
plan the Fall and Spring Meetings
of the Association and such special meetings as the Board
may approve. Should a meeting be called by a petition
of churches as provided in Article IV, Section 2, the
Committee will consult with the petitioning churches
to facilitate the meeting. In scheduling meetings, the
Committee will give care to rotate the place of meeting
to reflect the geographic distribution of the churches
and access to transportation.
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ARTICLE VIII - THE ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE
a. The Association Executive
is an Area Minister, a member of the staff of the New
York Conference of the United Church of Christ. The Association
Executive may be any qualified person, lay or clergy,
who is a member of the United Church of Christ. The Association
Executive is called to the position by the Conference
Executive after recommendation by a Search Committee
composed as described in the By-Laws of the New York
Conference of the United Church of Christ (paragraph
122, edition of 1971). The Association shall be asked
to affirm the call issued to the person selected. The
Association Executive is accountable to the Conference
Executive as a member of the Conference Staff.
b.
The Association Executive shall serve as the Executive
and ecumenical officer for the Association and shall
exercise the usual powers of a chief executive. The services
of the Executive may be extended to neighboring Associations,
when requested.
c.
The Association Executive shall provide primary staff
support for the Association Board of Directors and its
Committees, and directly or through other staff members
to the Association Committees and Task Forces.
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ARTICLE IX - ASSOCIATION
STAFF
a. The Association shall
employ professional staff members from time to time upon
recommendation of the Association Executive and approval
by the Board of Directors.
b. Non-professional staff
shall be employed by the Association Executive, within
budget, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive.
c. The Association is
an equal opportunity employer.
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ARTICLE X - STANDING COMMITTEES
OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section
1. Membership
and Election
The work of the Association
shall be done through such Committees and Task Forces
as are needed to plan for and administer the concerns
of the Churches. Any ministerial member or any member
in good standing of a Church of this Association, and
who is at least sixteen (16) years of age, is eligible
for election to any committee of the Association. Members
of these bodies shall take office at the close of the
meeting at which they are elected (or in the case of
Task Forces, appointed).
The "Church and Ministry
Committee" function of the Metropolitan Association
of Churches is delegated to three Standing Committees:
Ordination and Ministerial Standing, Spiritual Life and
Professional Development, and Congregational Development
and Standing.
a. All Committees shall
consist of nine (9) members unless otherwise specified,
one-third of whom shall be elected
each year at the Annual Meeting. So far as possible,
the several geographical areas of the Association shall
be represented on all standing committees. Care shall
be taken that, as far as practicable, membership shall
consist of laywomen, laymen, and ministers, but competence
and ability in any field shall also be of primary concern.
Vacancies on standing committees shall be filled by the
Board of Directors.
b. The Standing Committees
shall be:
i. Nominating (six [6]
members),
ii.
Christian Education,
iii. Ordination and Ministerial
Standing (twelve [12] members),
iv. Spiritual Life and
Professional Development,
v. Congregational Development
and Standing,
vi.
Metropolitan Mission Priorities and Stewardship,
vii. The Church and the
Metropolitan Community.
c. Members of Standing
Committees shall serve for three years. No member of
a Standing Committee shall be eligible for re-election
after having served two full consecutive terms. Members
may be elected again after having been out of office
for one year.
d. Standing Committees
have the privilege of co-opting advisory members by recorded
action of the committee. Advisory members shall be without
vote.
e. Officers of Standing
Committees shall be appointed by the Board of Directors
from among the Board membership. The Board shall fill
vacancies in all Standing Committees, except the Nominating
Committee.
f. The Standing Committees
shall meet as often as necessary, but at least once a
year, shall submit an annual report to the Association,
and shall report regularly to the Board of Directors.
In accordance with Article VII, Section 1 a., the Board
of Directors is responsible for review and approval of
the work of the Association as performed by and through
the Standing Committees.
Section
2. Duties
of the Standing Committees.
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a. NOMINATING COMMITI'EE:
The members of the Nominating Committee shall be elected
at the Annual Meeting of the Association. The Nominating
Committee shall present to the Annual Meeting of the
Association the nominations for President, Moderator,
Vice Moderator, Secretary, Registrar, the Directors,
and all Standing Committees, except the members of the
Nominating Committee.
b. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION:
The Committee on Christian Education shall maintain close
relationship with the Conference Commission on Church
Life and Leadership. It shall seek to serve and support
the Christian education ministries of local churches
by providing materials and information, conducting workshops
and retreats, and by organizing conferences and camps.
c. ORDINATION AND MINISTERIAL
STANDING: The Committee on Ordination and Ministerial
Standing shall be responsible for the ministerial standing
of persons in this Association. It shall give guidance
and counsel to candidates preparing for the ordained
ministry and, when it is appropriate, shall recommend
persons to a meeting of the Association for the granting
of the status of In Care of the Association or the license
to preach. The Committee shall examine candidates for
ordination on the basis of their academic and ecclesiastical
credentials and their Christian experience, call to the
ordained ministry, and understanding and commitment to
the Christian faith. When it is appropriate, it shall
petition the Registrar of the Association to call the
Churches and ministerial members of the Association to
meet in Ecclesiastical Council to examine, and, if the
Council sees fit, to ordain such a candidate.
The Committee shall also
examine pastors who, with the Church or Churches to which
they have been called, apply for installation. If the
application is approved, it shall recommend action similar
to that described in regard to ordination. It shall also
examine clergy from other Associations of the United
Church of Christ, and from other denominations who apply
for ministerial standing in this Association and who
have not been fully and formally called by a local Church
of the Association. If the Committee shall approve the
application for ministerial standing, it shall recommend
to the Association that such standing be granted. It
shall also examine clergy of other denominations applying
for Privilege of Call in the United Church of Christ
and, when it is appropriate, shall recommend to the Association
that Privilege of Call be granted.
In all its considerations,
the Committee shall use criteria consistent with the
Constitution and By-Laws of the United Church of Christ.
It shall consider standards for candidate care, ordination,
installation, and ministerial standing, using materials
made available by the Office for Church Life and Leadership,
and shall, when appropriate, propose adoption by the
Association of specific standards and policies in these
matters. The Committee shall recommend to the Board of
Directors or the Association appropriate response to
any breach of standards of ordination or ministerial
standing, using criteria consistent with the Constitution
and By-Laws of the United Church of Christ.
In the case of an alleged
breach of standards of ordination or ministerial standing,
the Committee shall choose a sub-committee from within
its own membership to examine such charges. The Association
Executive shall be an ex officio member of this sub-committee
with vote. This sub-committee shall retain legal counsel
with the approval of the Executive and the Board of Directors.
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d. SPIRTUAL LIFE AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT: The Committee on Spiritual Life and Professional
Development shall provide opportunities for spiritual
and professional development by the ordained, commissioned,
and other persons authorized to conduct ministry, and
shall encourage networks of support for persons in ministry.
The Committee shall plan, publicize and conduct two major
programs per year, one in the spring and one in the fall,
which programs shall address issues of spirituality and/or
professional development. The Committee shall identify,
monitor, and/or initiate networks of support and collegiality
among Association persons in ministry. The percentage
of clergy membership of this Committee shall not be limited.
e. CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AND STANDING: The Committee on Congregational Development
and Standing shall seek to develop new churches, strengthen
existing churches and their ministries, and discover
other churches who are looking for a spiritual and a larger church connection.
It shall counsel with any church which makes application
for membership in the Association and standing as a congregation
in the United Church of Christ and, when appropriate,
shall present such a church to the Board of Directors
for action on its application for membership. The Committee
shall annually review the attendance and involvement
of member churches in the life of the Association, and
seek to counsel with churches which have fallen from
active fellowship or which are becoming separated from
the fellowship of the Association. At the request of
the Board of Directors, the Committee may maintain a
list of Corresponding Churches, not members of the Association,
but wishing to relate to or be informed of the work of
the Association. The Committee shall recommend to the
Board of Directors or the Association appropriate response
to any breach of the standards of affiliation, using
criteria consistent with the Constitution and By-Laws
of the United Church of Christ.
f. METROPOLITAN MISSION PRIORITIES
AND STEWARDSHIP: The Committee on Metropolitan Mission
Priorities and Stewardship shall have responsibility
for defining the mission priorities of the Association.
It shall interpret to member Churches their mission stewardship responsibilities and opportunities
with respect to the Association, the New York Conference,
and the United Church of Christ. The Committee shall
review the statement of mission priorities annually and
develop a mission design for the Association and shall
submit both to the Board of Directors and/or the Association
for review and approval. The Committee shall allocate
available mission funds in accordance with the approved
mission design and priorities, and it shall report such
allocations to the Board of Directors at the Board's
regular meetings. In addition, the Committee shall develop,
maintain and carry out a regular program of stewardship
education and mission interpretation for the member Churches,
and seek from these
Churches general financial support for the Association, the New York Conference
and the United Church of Christ and specific support
of mission projects sponsored and/or supported by the
Association. As necessary and appropriate, the Committee
shall work with organizations of the New York Conference
and instrumentalities of the United Church of Christ
which can assist it in defining or achieving its goals.
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g. THE CHURCH AND THE
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY: There shall be a Committee on
the Church and the Metropolitan Community. The Committee
shall be responsible for identifying social and community
issues for consideration by the Association, providing
educational opportunities for clergy and laity on those
issues, making the Association membership aware of opportunities
for involvement with them, and presenting visible witness
to them. It shall also review resolutions brought to
the Association meetings, provide supplemental materials
to those which Churches are already receiving on social
issues, and help interpret the activities and priorities
of the United Church of Christ in the areas of social
concerns.
Section
3. Task
Forces
The Association, the Board
of Directors, and the President may establish Task Forces
from time to time to deal with specific issues and activities.
These Task Forces may co-opt specialists to advise them.
Task Forces shall report,
as directed, to the Association or the Board of Directors.
They shall dissolve when their tasks are completed. If
the activity continues more than one year, they must
be re-authorized by the authority that created them.
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ARTICLE XI - DURATION
The duration of the life
of the Association shall be endless.
ARTICLE XII - CORPORATE
SEAL
The Corporate Seal of
the Association shall be kept in the Association's principal
office in the custody of the Secretary.
ARTICLE XIII - ORDER OF
BUSINESS
Robert's Rules of Order
(most recent revision) shall be followed in the conduct
of official business.
ARTICLE XIV - AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be amended
at any Annual or Special Meeting by
a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present
and voting. All proposed amendments must have been mailed
to the members at least thirty (30) days prior to the
meeting at which the vote is to be taken.
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