Constitution and Bylaws
Suffolk Association
New York Conference – United Church of Christ
With Amendments as of May 2005
I. NAME
The name of this Association is the Suffolk Association of the
New York Conference of the United Church of Christ.
II. PURPOSES AND POWERS
The purposes of this Association are:
1. To express the oneness in Christ of the churches
composing it and to make
more effective their Christian witness and service.
2. To continue without break the ecclesiastical and legal identify
of the Suffolk Association of Congregational Christian Churches
and ministers and to continue in fellowship with any Congregational
Christian local church within its boundaries which is not part
of the United Church of Christ.
(The name and statistics of Congregational Christian churches
which are members of this Association but which are not a part
of the United Church of Christ shall be kept separately: their
members shall not be counted in determining the number of delegates
which the New York conference is entitled to send to the General
Synod, nor shall any member of such a church be a delegate to
the General Synod or hold elective office in that body. No other
limitation shall be imposed or exist upon the full participation
and rights of such churches or members in this Association.)
3. To determine, confer and certify to the standing of local
churches of the United Church of Christ within its boundaries.
4. To determine, confer and certify to the standing of ministers
of the United Church of Christ.
5. To continue to hold and to certify to the standing of all
Congregational Christian churches and ministers who are members
of the Association but who have not become parts of, or ministers
of, the United Church of Christ.
6. To exercise the powers and perform the functions of an Ecclesiastical
Council as described in the Manual on the Ministry in the United
Church of Christ on request of a church or other parties concerned.
7. To cooperate with the New York Conference of the United Church
of Christ and with the United Church of Christ and its boards,
agencies and instrumentalities.
8. Any adjustment of Association boundaries or transfer of
membership of churches between Associations shall be done in
consultation with the New New York Conference.
9. As the clergy, lay leaders and churches of this Association,
we seek to NURTURE, MAINTAIN AND ENCOURAGE member churches and
each other. Likewise, we work with other constituent bodies to
INFLUENCE AND EDUCATE as an advocate for the values of our Christian
faith. This we do to the end that the world will be transformed
as Jesus envisioned.
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III. FAITH
This Association claims as its own faith of the historic Church
expressed in the ancient creeds reclaimed in the basic insights
of the Protestant Reformers particularly as that faith is expressed
in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United Church of Christ
and in the Statement of Faith as expressed in its doxological form.
IV. MEMBERSHIP AND COMPOSITION
The membership of this Association shall include the following:
1. Churches
a. any local church whose articles or statement of faith
are in essential agreement with that of this Association, and
which, having covenanted with the Association to assume and
fulfill faithfully the obligations of a member church as hereinafter
set forth and has been recommended by the Committee of Church
and Ministry of the Association, is received into membership
by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at a duly
called meeting of the Association.
b. each member church is entitled to be represented at meetings
of the Association by four delegates, at least one of whom
shall be a youth delegate, and by its minister(s). Churches
with membership of 400 or over shall be entitled to one additional
delegate for every 100 members or fraction thereof over 400.
2. Ministers
a. any person upon whom full ministerial standing is conferred
through ordination by this Association in cooperation with
a local church.
b. any ordained minister who, having been examined by the
Committee on Church and Ministry and found to be qualified
by virtue of educational and theological attainments, knowledge
of the history, polity and practices of the United Church of
Christ and their Christian faith and experience and having
been recommended by the Committee, is received into the Association
by a two-thirds vote of the Association.
e. any ordained minister who presents a letter of transfer
from an Association of the United Church of Christ or a Conference
of that church exercising the function of an Association.
3. Lay officers of the Association who are not delegates are
members in
good standing. Commissioned workers, licentiates and lay preachers
with standing in the Association who are not delegates are members
in
good standing.
4. Honorary and Affiliated Members
a. the Conference Minister, other members of the Conference
staff, official representatives of the General Synod and of national
boards, agencies and instrumentalities of the United Church
of Christ in attendance are Associate Delegates with voice
but without vote.
b. ministers of other denominations who wish to retain their
present denominational standing and who have become pastors
of a local church of the United Church of Christ, or of yoked
charges or federated churches affiliated with the United Church
of Christ shall be enrolled as affiliate ministerial members
of the Association for the duration of these pastorates and
during that period may have the rights and privileges of such
membership except that they shall have no vote on matters affecting
the standing of ministers or local churches. They shall not
be elected as officer
of the Association or Conference or General Synod, nor be a delegate
to General Synod.
c. Interim ministers, if not having standing with the Association,
shall be considered Affiliate Members of the Association for
the duration of their interim pastorate upon vote of the Church
and Ministry Committee.
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V: PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBER CHURCHES
The autonomy of the local church is inherent and modified only
by its own action. Nothing in the By Laws of this Association shall
destroy or limit the right of each local church to continue to
operate in the way customary to it; nor shall be construed as giving
to the Association now, or at any future time, the power to abridge
or impair the autonomy of any local church in the management of
its own affairs or to withdraw from this Association at any time
without forfeiture of ownership or control of real or personal
property or any rights therein belonging to the church.
Actions by, or decisions or advice emanating from the General Synod
and the New York Conference of the United Church of Christ and
this Association should be held in the highest regard by every
member church of the Association.
No church may be removed from the roll of members except upon recommendation
of the Committee on Church and Ministry and by two-thirds of the
Association, due notice of the proposed action having been given
to the parties concerned.
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VI. PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBER MINISTERS
Just as member churches and the Association have, in fellowship,
mutual responsibility laid upon them by God for each other’s
well-being and aspirations, so have member ministers and the Association.
Member ministers agree to be faithful in attendance at meetings
of the Association and in participation in its work.
The privilege and responsibility of living out our covenant belongs
to every member of each local church. The Association diligently
seeks, therefore, in concert with the New York Conference and the
United Church of Christ, to provide opportunities for the members
of its churches to exercise such gifts of teaching, evangelizing,
healing, preaching, and administration as God has bestowed upon
them
The Association recognizes that God calls certain persons to full
time service for various forms of ministry in the Church. This
calling is recognized by ordination, commissioning or other appropriate
services of dedication.
A minister under sixty-five years of age who withdraws from active
full time service in the ministry applies to the Association through
the Committee on Church and Ministry for leave of absence. The
Association may grant said minister a leave of absence for one
year at a time. Except in special cases, such leave is not granted
for more than five successive years. On recommendation of the Committee
on Church and Ministry, a minister on leave of absence more than
five years may be restored to membership and ministerial standing
by a two-thirds vote of the Association.
A minister retiring from active ministry by reason of age or sickness
shall not forfeit ministerial standing in this Association.
Any ordained minister who is in good and regular standing in this
Association may receive a transfer to another ecclesiastical body
upon written request to the Registrar.
No minister can be removed from the Roll of Members except upon
recommendation of the Committee on Church and Ministry and by two-thirds
vote of the Association, due notice of the proposed action having
been given to the parties concerned.
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VII. MEETINGS
1, Regular meetings of the Association shall be held in the
spring and fall
at such times and place as the Association may designate or,
lacking
such designation, as may be determined by Association Council.
Notice
of any meeting shall be given to each church and each ministerial
member
prior to the second Sunday preceding the date of the meeting.
2, Special meetings may be called by the Registrar upon request
of the
Association Council or upon the written request of three churches.
3. Delegates from not less than three of the member churches
together
with not less than three of the ministers of the Association
shall
constitute a quorum.
VIII. OFFICERS
The officers of this Association elected annually shall be a Moderator,
Vice-Moderator, a Registrar, a Treasurer, and such other officers
as the Association may deem advisable. The Moderator and Vice Moderator
shall serve for a period not to exceed two terms. The Moderator
and Vice-Moderator shall be alternately a lay person and a minister.
1. The Moderator shall preside at all meetings of the Association
and
at Association Council. The Moderator shall serve ex-officio
on all
committees.
2. The Vice Moderator shall serve as Moderator in the absence
of the
Moderator.
3. The Registrar shall keep the roll of the churches and ministers
of the
Association and record Minutes of meetings and call meetings
as provided
in this Constitution and By Laws. The Registrar shall issue letters
transferring the standing of ministers, report annually to the
Association and
the New York Conference the list of churches and ministers and
suggest such
revisions as deemed appropriate for action by the Association.
The Registrar shall be an EX OFFICIO member of the Church and
Ministry
Committee with vote.
4. The Treasurer will administer the budget at the direction
of the Association
Council, receiving and distributing all funds.
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B Y LA W S
I. ASSOCIATION MISSION - MAINTENANCE AND NURTURANCE
There shall be an Association Council consisting of the of the
officers of the Association, the Chair of each standing committee,
an appointed delegate from the Woman's Fellowship, one appointed
youth delegate and one delegate from each member church. Persons
with in the bounds of the Association who are mean appointed delegate
from the Woman's Fellowship, one appointed youth delegate and one
delegate from each member church. Persons with in the bounds of
the Association who are members of the Conference Committees or
the Executive Council are members EX_OFFICIO, without vote.
a) Each church will be responsible for advising the chair of
the Nominating
Committee of the names of their delegate and one alternate delegate.
b) The church’s minister may serve as the delegate of a
church. Likewise, a
member of the church who is also the chair or a member of an
Association
Committee may serve as the delegate of a church. However, one
vote per
person is permitted.
c) Public Relations Liaison will attend Association Council meetings
with vote.
This Council shall be the coordinating body of the Association.
It shall insure that
the programs established by the Association are implemented by
the committees. It shall compile the annual budget for presentation
to the Association Annual Meeting in the Spring. It shall direct
the Registrar to prepare an annual report for presentation to the
Association Annual Spring Meeting. It shall act for the Association
on minor matters when the Association cannot meet.
The Council shall have the power to appoint such commissions or
task forces and their chairpersons as it deems necessary to carry
out said mission and program. Commissions or task forces so constituted
shall be of limited duration, not to exceed three years, unless
so voted by the Council.
The Council shall have regular meetings at least four times per
year including the Spring and Fall meetings. Special meetings of
the Council may be called by the Moderator. A quorum shall be ten.
(Amendment 3-22-93) The moderator shall preside at all meetings
and the Registrar shall serve as scribe.
The Association Council shall act for the Suffolk Association (including
elections to fill vacancies) between meetings thereof, always assuming
that unless such action is taken with unanimity, it must have the
confirmation of the Suffolk Association. Such actions shall be
reported to the Suffolk Association.
There shall be an Executive Committee of the Association Council
consisting of the Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Registrar, Treasurer,
and Chairperson of the Church & Ministry Committee, and staffed
by the Metro Suffolk Association Conference Minister of the NY
Conference, UCC. This Executive Committee shall act for the Association
Council between meeting thereof, always assuming that unless such
action is taken with unanimity, it must have the confirmation of
the Suffolk Association. Such actions shall be reported to the
Suffolk Association.
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II. COMMITTEE ON CHURCH AND MINISTRY
1. There shall be a Committee on Church and Ministry consisting
of six
persons, at least two of who shall be lay persons and at
least two of
Who shall be ministers, for a term of three years? No member
shall serve
More than two consecutive terms. No member shall serve more than
two
consecutive terms.
2. The Registrar shall be an EX OFFICIO member of this committee
with vote.
3. The Committee on Church and Ministry shall pass upon the credentials
of local churches applying for membership in the Association,
using criteria
consistent with the descriptions set forth in Article IV of the
Constitution
of the United Church of Christ and shall recommend to the Association
those
which it deems to be qualified.
4.
a) It shall pass upon the credentials of ministers applying
for membership in
in the Association, using criteria consistent with the appropriate
description, set forth in Article V of the Constitution, Article
I of the By Laws of the United Church of Christ adopted by
the General Synod of the United Church of Christ on July 4,
1961, and shall recommend to the Association those whom it
deems to be qualified.
b) It shall receive requests from churches on behalf of persons
who desire
status as “student ‘in care’ of the Association”, “licentiate”, “commissioned
worker” or “lay minister” and present the
same to the Association with
recommendations.
c) The Committee shall consider the application of a local
church for the
ordination of a member to the ministry. It shall examine the
fitness of the
candidate and, if found qualified, certify the candidate to
the Association
for ordination.
d) When requested, the Committee shall provide for the installation
of a duly
minister as pastor and teacher of a church or parish, the relationship
continuing until mutually terminated.
e) Matters involving the need for counseling churches or
ministers, including
questions of discipline or withdrawal of fellowship, shall
be referred to the
chairpersons of the Association’s Committee on Church
and Ministry or a
member of the Association whom they designate. If deemed advisable
after consultation, the Committee may recommend appropriate
action to
the Association.
f) The Committee shall be responsible for implementing and
interpreting the
By Laws of the United Church of Christ as adopted on July 4,
1961
relating to the Ministry. (Article I, 101 through 143 inclusive.)
III. NOMINATING COMMITTEE
There shall be a Nominating Committee Consisting of five persons
elected for a term of one year. Members shall serve from the
conclusion of the meeting at which they were elected. No member
shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
This Committee shall present to the Annual Meeting nominations
for all offices in the Association, committee chairpersons or
convenors, members and for all officers in the Conference for
which the Association has responsibility and persons to fill
any other office as the Association may direct. The terms of
all officers to begin at the close of the meeting at which
they are elected.
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IV. THE COMMITTEE FOR PROGRAM AND MISSION
This Committee will plan programs for the Fall and Spring Meetings
of the Suffolk
Association, plus any other programs or activities as requested
by the Association
Council.
The Committee will also be responsible for recommending mission
and stewardship
priorities, and will recommend funding to be voted on at the Spring
Meeting of the
Association.
The Committee will have responsibility for publishing the Association
Directory and the
Association Pulpit Supply List.
Persons who have unexpired terms on the Stewardship and Spiritual
Life Committees
will be given the option of finishing out their terms on the Committee
for Program and
Mission. As a result, this Committee may have more than six members
for its first two
years of existence. After that, this Committee will consist of
six persons expected for a
term of two years on a staggered basis. No Member shall serve more
than two
consecutive terms.
V. PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
There shall be a Personnel Committee consisting of three people,
each with a term of office of three years in such manner that one
term shall expire annually. Members are not to serve more than
two (2) consecutive terms. They shall be responsible for evaluating
the
work of area staff. A member of this Committee shall represent
the Association on the State Personnel Committee.
VI. PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR
One individual shall be elected annually to edit Suffolk Association
publications, to foster inter-church communication within the Association
and to publicize events of common interest such as Association
events and local church activities.
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VII. BUDGET
The Association Council shall annually compile the budget for the
Association which shall be voted on at the Fall meeting. The fiscal
year of the Association shall run from January to December.
The Association Council shall assess per capita dues annually to
be voted on at the Fall meeting.
The Treasurer and Registrar shall receive an annual stipend to
be determined by the Association.
The Stewardship and Mission Committee shall be responsible for
recommending the benevolence of the Association.
Scholarship funds and continuing education funds shall be recommended
to the Association by the Church and Ministry Committee.
VIII. AMENDMENTS
The Constitution and By Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote
at any regular meeting of the Association, or at a special meeting
called for that purpose, provided that an announcement of the proposed
Amends(s) is made in writing to the current delegates of member
churches and ministers at least thirty days before the proposed
Amendment(s) is acted upon.
IX. RULES OF ORDER
Business shall be transacted by a majority of those present and
voting at any duly called meeting, a quorum being present, except
as otherwise provided in the By Laws. The order of business shall
be in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order unless otherwise
provided in the By Laws.
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