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Calvary Church Constitution, September 2014
Section H. Termination of Membership.
1. Disciplinary.
See ARTICLE VII.
2. Voluntary. If a member desires to withdraw membership,
a letter should be written to the Church Clerk so that the
Elders can officially acknowledge the withdrawal. However, if the member is going through a disciplinary process
with the Elders, the Elders may choose to continue the
process to completion, even if the member requests to
withdraw his or her membership voluntarily.
3. Elder Action. The Elders may terminate the membership
of any member who has been absent from the services of
the Church for a period of one year or more without giving a satisfactory reason for such absence.
4. Sharing of Information. If a person's membership is terminated, due to a disciplinary action by the Elders, and/or
information comes to light regarding a former member after their membership has voluntarily been terminated, the
Elders may share any or all relevant facts with a pastor, or
the Elders of any other church(es) or leaders of a Christian
ministry(ies), where the former member may choose to
attend, join, or volunteer their services.
ARTICLE V
Government
INTRODUCTION
The Government of the Church is vested in the active membership and executed through duly selected officers, the Elders, the Deacons, committees, and employees in accordance
with all provisions of this Constitution.
Section A. Congregational Meetings.
The Church membership may be called together for the
transaction of any business by a two-thirds majority vote of
the Elders. Notice of said meeting will be given from the
pulpit, or published in the Church bulletin, or other written
Church publication, on each of the two Sundays immediately
preceding the date of said meeting. The annual congregational
meeting of the Church will be held not earlier than September 15 and not later than September 30 each year, at which
time the minutes of the previous congregational meeting(s)
will be read, Elders and Deacons will be selected, and other
necessary business will be conducted. Active Members will
have the right to express their opinions or ask questions from
the floor concerning the Church's activities. The meeting will
be governed by parliamentary rules which will be available for
inspection in the Church office.
One hundred active members present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business providing the membership is over five hundred; otherwise, one-fifth of the active
membership shall constitute a quorum.
It will be the right of any active member or number of active
members to petition the Elders and be granted a hearing at a
regular Elders meeting. If, following a hearing with the Elders,
a group of active members desires a special congregational
meeting, such meeting will be called by the Elders upon
written request of 10% of the active membership. Notice of
said meeting will be given from the pulpit, or published in
the Church bulletin, or other written Church publication, on
each of the two Sundays immediately preceding the date of
said meeting. No question may be voted on at this meeting
unless stated in the notice of said meeting.
Section B. Voting.
Voting at congregational meetings will be restricted to active
members sixteen years of age and older. All congregational
voting, where not otherwise specified, will require a twothirds majority vote in order to pass.
Active members who are unable because of sickness or other
acceptable reasons to be present at congregational meetings
may vote by absentee ballot by obtaining an official ballot from the Church office. The ballot should be mailed,
or brought to the church and must be enclosed in a sealed,
unmarked envelope, and that envelope will be enclosed in
another envelope bearing the signature of the voter and
presented at the meeting. The Clerk, or a duly designated
agent appointed by the Elders will verify the eligibility of the
absentee voter and present the inner envelope to the tellers.
Failure to indicate a choice of any item on a ballot will be
considered a blank ballot for that item only and will not be
counted when compiling the results on that item.
Section C. Selection of Elders and Deacons.
In advance of the annual congregational meeting, the Elders
or a nominating committee appointed by the Elders will
request from the congregation at large, the pastoral staff, and
the current Elders and Deacons, names of potential candidates for the office of Elder or Deacon.
At the annual congregational meeting the Elders will submit