Constitution and Rules
While the church believes there should be elders none have ever been recognised or appointed.
The constitution is likely to be reviewed in the near future as changes required by The Charity Commissioners become known.
(As issued 1 February 1986 and amended 1 April 1988 with further suggested amendments in italics. This second revised draft printed 29 Jan 1998.)
1. NAME
a. The name of the church shall be Bethel Evangelical Free Church (BEFC), although for brevity the name Bethel Evangelical Church may be used.
b. The BEFC shall be affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).
2. MEMBERSHIP
a. Church membership shall be open to all who profess repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who assent to the statement of doctrine of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches, and whose lives bear evidence of their Christian profession.
b. They shall be elected by the admitted members of the BEFC at a church meeting and their names shall be entered on a Roll of Members for that purpose under the control of the Pastor and Church officers. In this constitution the Admitted Members shall mean all persons who have been elected in accordance with this clause and whose names are entered on the Roll of Members.
c. In addition to Church Members (as defined above) the BEFC may also confer upon certain people Associate Membership. Associate Members would normally be friends of the BEFC who are members of other churches or are missionaries. They should fulfill the conditions as in clause 2a above. Associate Members shall be entitled to attend church business meetings, but not to vote at them. Associate Members shall not be counted as members for the purpose of membership returns etc. They shall be appointed in accordance with clause 2b above, and their names shall be entered on a separate Roll of Associate Members, under the control of the Pastor and Church Officers.
d. Any member who, without good cause, absents himself from regular fellowship or the Lord’s Table for a period of six months, shall be deemed to have resigned his membership. It shall be the duty of the Church Officers to notify him accordingly.
e. If a member is thought to be guilty of willful or persistent conduct which is contrary to the plain teaching of scripture the Elders, or in the absence of a body of Elders, the Church Officers, must investigate the alleged or suspected misconduct. They should discuss the matter with the member concerned, if necessary showing him or her how their conduct departs from the standards laid down by scripture.
f. If the member is guilty of conduct or behaviour which is contrary to the plain teaching of scripture their church membership may be suspended by the Elders, or in the absence of a body of Elders the Church Officers. The church member is also to be denied the privilege of attendance at the Lord’s table. The period of suspension shall be until the member is repentant and ceases the misconduct.
g. Any member who is suspended may appeal to a meeting of the Admitted Church Members, which is to be held within seven days of his request to make such an appeal, unless the member agrees to a longer delay.
h. If the member remains unrepentant the Elders, or in the absence of a body of Elders the Church Officers, shall report the situation to a meeting of Church Members with a recommendation that the member’s name should be removed from the Roll of Members.
3. CHURCH OFFICERS
a. The Officers of the church shall be Elders and Deacons. The Elders may include a Pastor or Pastor’s who will be responsible for the oversight, teaching and leadership of the church. It will be the duty of elders to share with the Pastor in the spiritual oversight of the church. It will be the duty of the deacons to relieve the Pastor and Elders by exercising a ministry of compassion to those in need, and administering the business and practical affairs of the church.
b. The Pastor or Pastors shall be elected by the admitted members of the BEFC by a special resolution passed at a church meeting. They shall hold and teach the doctrines contained in the Statement of Doctrine of the F.I.E.C.
c. The Deacons and Elders (but excluding the Pastor) shall be elected by secret ballot from amongst the admitted members of the BEFC of not less than six months standing, by a special Resolution of the church at a church meeting and shall hold office until the next Annual Church Meeting. Elders (including the Pastor) shall be male.
d. If an elected officer of BEFC shall during his term of office, substantially cease to hold any of the doctrines contained in the statement of doctrine, or be charged with or suspected of dishonesty or immoral conduct, or otherwise be deemed unsuitable to officiate, the remaining church officers shall investigate such matters. If they are of the opinion that further investigation is necessary, they shall submit such matters to the Admitted Members. If the Admitted Members are of the opinion that the charges have been established the officer in question shall be called upon to resign forthwith (subject to a right of appeal to the trustees), and in default of his doing so within seven days of the said meeting, his appointment shall be deemed at the end of this period to have been lawfully terminated. Any decision to terminate an officers appointment shall be communicated to him in writing with the reasons for the action being given. Any officer whose appointment is terminated shall have the right to present an appeal in writing, or orally if the Trustees agree, to the Trustees.
e. The leadership of BEFC shall normally rest with the Elders. In the absence of Elders, the leadership shall rest with the deacons. If the leadership rests with the deacons, a moderator shall, if possible, be appointed, on the recommendation of the Deacons. He shall be appointed by a special resolution of the church at a church meeting. The duties of the Moderator will be at the request of the Deacons to advise them on any pastoral matters that may arise and at the specific request of the Deacons, actually to deal with any specific pastoral problems with which they are unable to cope. The Moderator may also be called upon to take the chair at certain church meetings, in accordance with Paragraph 4g.
f. Elders and Deacons shall convene formal meetings to conduct their respective business from time to time as necessary.
g. If there are Elders or a Moderator they shall be entitled but not obliged to attend Deacons meetings.
h. Substantial business may only be conducted at formal meetings and decisions made at such meetings shall be properly recorded.
i. All reasonable efforts shall be made to arrange formal meetings such that all those entitled to attend can be present.
j. The quorum shall be not less than two thirds of those entitled and wanting to attend.
k. If it is necessary to hold a meeting when an entitled officer is genuinely unable to attend, that officer shall be informed of the matters to be discussed and may stipulate that particular items be deferred until a leter meeting.
l. Where one or more officers need to make an urgent decision in an emergency that item shall be submitted to the next formal meeting for record and ratification.
m. Occasional preachers may from time to time be allowed to officiate, as the church officers may appoint.
4. CHURCH MEETINGS
a. All meetings of the BEFC shall be considered as properly convened if called by the Pastor and Church Officers (or a majority of them), and announced in each public service held in the church premises on the Lord’s Day immediately preceding the date of the intended meeting. If a special resolution is to be proposed, notice shall be given at each public service on each of the two Lord’s days preceding the date of the intended meeting, and the general subject of the special resolution(s) shall be stated.
b. All resolutions (other than special resolutions) shall be considered as carried and binding on the Admitted Members of the BEFC if passed by a majority of the admitted members entitled to vote and voting. In the event of there being an equality of votes, the chairman shall have a casting vote.
c. A special resolution shall be considered as carried and binding if passed by not less than two thirds of the Admitted Members of the BEFC entitled to vote and voting.
d. Votes shall be taken by secret ballot if demanded either before or immediately after a show of hands) by any of the Admitted Members of the BEFC present and entitled to vote. No resolution passed at a meeting, whether general or special shall be rescinded unless notice of the resolution for such rescission has been given at the preceding general meeting of Admitted Members.
e. There is no lower age limit for church membership, but no person may vote at any church meeting unless he or she shall have attained the age of eighteen years and shall have communed with BEFC at the Lord’s Table at least once in the preceding six months.
f. A church meeting to be known as the Annual Church Meeting shall be held once in every calendar year for the election of Church Officers and the approval of the church’s accounts for the previous financial year. It shall be the duty of the Church Officers to ensure that not more than fifteen months elapse between each Annual Church Meeting.
g. At any church meeting, or any meeting of the Church Officers, except meetings referred to in clause 3d above the Pastor (if any) if present and willing to act as chairman shall be entitled to take the chair. If a majority of the Church Officers (including for this purpose the Pastor) shall have previously agreed that there shall be an independent chairman for the meeting, or if there shall be no Pastor, or if he shall be absent or unwilling to act as chairman, the Church Officers shall elect a chairman from among the Elders. If there are no Elders, the Moderator (if any) shall take the chair. If there is no moderator, or he shall be absent or unwilling to act as chairman, the Deacons shall elect a chairman from amongst their own number. If none of the Church Officers is willing to act as chairman, the members present and entitled to vote shall elect a chairman from amongst their own number. If there is no moderator, and a church member can not be found to officiate, the Deacons shall appoint an external chairman, who shall be an officer of an FIEC affiliated church.
h. A Secretary shall be appointed to take minutes of all church meetings. When signed by the Chairman, the minutes shall be sufficient evidence that any resolution was properly carried.
5. ORDINANCES
a. Believers Baptism by immersion shall be administered on request to all who profess repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
b. The Lord’s Supper shall normally be observed at least once a month at such times as the Pastor (if any), or in the absence of a Pastor, the Church Officers, may determine. The Lord’s Table shall be open to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, and who are not willfully continuing in conduct contrary to the plain teaching of scripture (see 2e above).
6. DISPUTES
If a dispute arises between any of the Admitted Members of the BEFC, including the Pastor and the Church Officers, in any matter relating to the interpretation of any clause in this constitution, or any other matter relating to the doctrine and practice of the BEFC, which cannot be resolved within the BEFC by the application of scriptural procedures, it shall be submitted to the Council of the FIEC whose decision upon the matter referred to it shall be final and conclusive between the parties.
7. CONSTITUTION
g. Responsibility for the church buildings and its use is vested in a Board of Trustees. Nothing in this Constitution is intended to contravene any clause in the Trust Deed of the BEFC, and if any difference of interpretation arises between the two, the Trust deed shall take precedence over this Constitution.
h. Amendments to this Constitution shall be made only by a Special Resolution of the Admitted Members of the BEFC at a church meeting, and then only if such amendment does not run counter to the Trust Deed of the BEFC.
g Rules of practice may be agreed to supplement the constitution, and to be guides for the smooth conduct of church business. They may be made or changed by a simple resolution
passed at any church meeting, subject to due consideration under any rules for decisions at Church Members’ business meetings.
Notes
There should surely be something about Financial arrangements covering e.g. appointment of a treasurer, signatories to Bank Account, audit, and disposition of funds on winding up. (might be something in Trust Deed)
RULES OF PRACTICE
1. DECISIONS AT CHURCH MEMBERS’ BUSINESS MEETINGS
(Adopted at Church Meeting 17 July 1997)
Decisions will not be made at church business meetings on any item which has not been either raised at a previous meeting or otherwise been announced in such a way that members have had adequate time for prayer, consultation and to consider all aspects of the matter.
This provision is designed to avoid the church making over hasty or ill judged decision on a novel or contentious matter, but it will not prevent decisions being made on matters which are clearly urgent.
2. MINUTES OF CHURCH MEMBERS MEETINGS
(Adopted at Church meeting 22 January 1998)
Minutes of business meetings of the church should not normally be disclosed to non-members, but the Church Officers may disclose them if they consider it necessary to do so in the interest of the church. If there is any disagreement about this they should consult a church meeting, and in any case they should ensure that minutes that are disclosed do not contain any personal information that could embarrass anyone associated with the church.
3. RESPONSIBILITIES
The following responsibilities have been agreed at the Church Business Meetings indicated.
The Responsibilities of the Deacons.
(Adopted at Church meeting 1st November 1990)
1. The deacons shall be responsible for the day-to-day business of the church, namely:
a) Finance
b) Correspondence
c) The Premises
d) Sunday Worship and Communion
e) Mid-week meetings for prayer and Bible study
f) Booking of preachers
g) Interviews and instruction for baptism; arranging baptisms
h) Interviews for membership and receiving
new members
i) Programmes of preaching and Bible study series
j) Co-ordination of children's, young people's and evangelistic
activities
k) Initial consideration of matters of discipline
1) Co-ordinating pastoral care of congregation
and enquirers
2. The deacons shall have discretionary authority to make immediate decisions in abnormal circumstances, where the convening of a church meeting is impracticable, subject to the situation returning to normal or a church meeting being called as soon as possible.
3. The deacons shall make recommendations to the church on the following
a) Candidates for membership
b) Preaching series
c) Large expenditures
d) Constitutional matters
e) Matters of discipline, if necessary
f) Starting, stopping or changing of outreach activities.
4. Additional Responsibilities:
Making arrangements for weddings, dedications and funerals as may be requested or as necessity may dictate.
Responsibilities of Duty-Holders
(Adopted at Church Meeting 24th October 1991)
Stewards
Open-up about 25 minutes before service;
Put on heaters if required (inc creche room);
Get hymn-books ready:
Welcome people in, distribute books:
Put up hymn-numbers (if required);
Shut outside door at starting time.
Coffee
Fill urn with sutable amount of fresh water;
Switch on before service to between "ON" and "1" position:
Put out cups;
Make tea, coffee and squash as required:
Wash up and put away.
Leading
Find out who the preacher is and their text/subject;
Arrange children's talk if required:
Prepare order of service:
Give suitable notice to anyone else involved;
Pray with preacher:
Lead the service.
If a person finds themselves unable to fulfil their duties,
it is their responsibility to arrange for a substitute.