Voices of the Tribe Ministry
CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE


WHEREAS, we, the members of Voices of the Tribe Ministry, Washington, DC, mindful of our sacred purpose in the Gospel, in order that this body may be governed in an orderly manner, consistent with the principles of a self-governing body, inherent rights of the individual and the articles of incorporation, do declare and establish this constitution.
WHEREAS, the large, established denominations, generally speaking, are now in the deadly grip of "modernism", with its blighting and paralyzing influences; and, since prevailing conditions have caused many to withdraw, and to seek elsewhere the faith and fellowship most satisfying to their spiritual needs; in consequence of which, many independent groups of earnest Christians have been formed; and
WHEREAS, it has always been both an encouragement, and a more effective means whereby to prosecute the work of the Lord, for such ministers and congregations to join in a common bond of fellowship, counsel and cooperation, so strengthening one another in the Lord's work; and
WHEREAS, in the providence of God, we believe the time has come for an advance movement among these independent churches and groups of Christians to thus unite in a closer fellowship and cooperation in the defense of the faith and in the proclamation of the gospel of God's grace:
WE DO THEREFORE, on this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord, 2006, form such a bond of fellowship and cooperation, as is set forth in the Constitution which follows, into which we heartily invite any and all churches and groups of believers, who share with us the same faith and doctrine.




BY-LAWS ARTICLE 1

SECTION 1/MEMBERSHIP

Except as hereafter provided, any person may enjoy the rights, privileges and obligations of membership in Voices of the Tribe Ministry, including the right to vote, as follows:

Profession of Faith and Baptism. Members may be received on profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and baptism by immersion in water according to the Holy Bible.

Letter. Members may be received on presentation of, or promise of, a letter of recommendation from another Baptist church of like faith and order.

Statement. Any person who for good reason cannot present or promise a letter, may, upon statement of previous profession of faith and baptism by immersion, be admitted after appropriate inquiry by an ordained minister of the Church. If the baptism was not by immersion, admission to membership will be upon baptism by immersion as a restatement of faith symbolizing a desire to unite with Voices of the Tribe Ministry and it heritage.

Watch Care. Any person who desires to enjoy the rights, privileges, and obligations of membership in Voices of the Tribe Ministry on a limited, temporal basis may ask for membership by watch Care. Because the member's affiliation with another church remains the same, this membership does not carry voting rights. The names of Watch Care members will be kept on a separate list and removed when they leave the local area.

Confirmation. All persons requesting membership in Voices of the Tribe Ministry by profession of faith and baptism, letter, statement, or watch care shall be presented to the Church by an ordained minister of the staff at a scheduled worship service and confirmed by a majority of members present at the time of presentation.

Other. All persons desiring to avail themselves of the rights, privileges, and obligations of membership in Voices of the Tribe Ministry on any basis not described herein, after consultation with an ordained member of the staff, may be presented to the congregation by that ordained member of the staff at a scheduled worship service for approval by a majority of the members present at the worship service.

SECTION 2/TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership in Voices of the Tribe Ministry may be terminated by a majority vote at a regular business session as follows:

Letter. Letters of recommendation for the purpose of uniting with another Baptist church shall be granted, when requested, to members of good standing by a majority vote of members present at a business meeting.

Erasures. Members uniting with churches of other denominations shall be dropped from the membership list of Voices of the Tribe Ministry. Courtesy letters of Christian commendation may be written by the Pastor where deemed appropriate.

Other. If circumstances indicate the necessity for disciplinary action, the matter shall be referred to the Pastor and Board of Deacons for investigation and possible recommendation for a vote of the members of the Church at a regular or properly called business meeting. The guidelines and principles for the procedure shall be consistent with the teachings in the New Testament in general and Matthew 18:15-17 in particular.

The members involved in the disciplinary process should remember that humans are imperfect and that discipline must be done in love with the hope that the circumstances creating the need for the discipline will be resolved. Any member who is the subject of a disciplinary proceeding shall be notified in writing at least thirty days in advance of the date the matter is to be presented to the Church and Board of Deacons. The notice shall contain the nature of the matter and advise of the member's right to appear and be heard in full before the Board of Deacons and the Church during the discussion of the matter.

ARTICLE II
GENERAL CHURCH OFFICERS

The general Church officers of Voices of the Tribe Ministry are the Pastor; the Moderator; the Treasurer; the Church Clerk; the Assistant Church Clerk; the members of the Board of Deacons, the Finance Committee, the Personnel Committee, the By-Laws Committee and the Board of Trustees. Service in these offices must be by members who shall be elected by a majority present at a business meeting for that purpose. Removal for good cause shall be by a majority present a business meeting for that purpose.

No member of the Church shall serve in the same general Church office for more than three consecutive years except the Pastor and those filling an unexpired term. All members shall be eligible for reelection to the same general Church office after not serving for one year. Spouses shall not be elected to serve on the Deacon Board, Finance Committee, By-Laws Committee or Personnel Committee when their spouse is an active member of that board or committee. Spousal service is permitted on separate elected or appointed boards or committees.

Pastor. The Pastor shall have the last word on suitable candidate or candidates to fill any vacancies in the Church staff and supervise the work, assignment of duties and annual evaluation of the Church staff.

The Pastor shall preach the Word of God, lead the Church in its various ministries, seek and win lost souls to Christ and perform such other ministerial duties consistent with New Testament Christianity. The Pastor and the Chair of the Board of Deacons shall appoint all members and their replacements to the standing committees. The Pastor and staff shall serve as resources and advisors to all boards, committees, and organizations of the Church and shall participate in deliberations as each board, committee and organization meets.

Board of Deacons. The Board of Deacons shall consist of forty-eight members, each elected by the Church to serve a three-year term. One-third of the board shall retire each year and sixteen new deacons elected. Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by a majority vote for the unexpired term.
The Deacons shall seek out the individuals in the Church who are in need and use the resources of the Church for their relief; visit the sick and homebound; distribute the elements of the Lord's Supper; and perform any other services consistent with the origin and duties of the office as described in the Holy Bible and particularly Acts 6 and I Timothy 3.

The Board of Deacons shall serve as a council to advice and conference with the Pastor inl matters pertaining to the welfare and work of the Church. It shall, in concert with the Pastor, consider and formulate plans for the constant effort and progress of the Church in all things pertaining to the saving of souls, the development of Christians and the extension and growth of the kingdom of God. The Board of Deacons shall consider the mission, policies and concerns of the Church; elect officers, including a Chair; and, organize itself into such committees as wisdom may direct for efficiency in service.

Finance Committee, Shall consist of eleven members, nine of whom shall hold office for three years, three to be elected each year. The Chair of the Board of Deacons and the Treasurer shall become members in full standing. The committee shall elect officers, including a Chair, and organize itself into such subcommittees, including the budget subcommittee, as wisdom may direct for efficiency in service.

This committee shall be responsible for the fiscal affairs of the Church; the preparation and submission of an annual budget for the Church's approval; the planning for the financing of all the programs of the Church; the giving of counsel, assistance and advice for any special or temporary financial programs of the Church; the provision of an annual audit of the finances of the Church; the overseeing of all expenditures authorized by the budget; the administration of the fiscal affairs of the Church within the budget; and where practicable and reasonable, the seeking of Church approval for expenditures not provided for in the budget.

The Chair or designee shall present to the Board of Deacons at its regular monthly meetings the minutes of the meetings of the Finance Committee to keep the Deacons informed of the fiscal affairs of the Church. The Chair or designee shall also give a financial report to the Deacons at their regular monthly meeting and to the Church at regular business meetings.

The Budget Subcommittee shall prepare the annual budget for submission to the Finance Committee. This subcommittee shall consist of the Chairs of the Finance and Stewardship Committees, two other members of the Finance Committee and three members of the congregation who are not Church officers, all to be elected by the Finance Committee.

Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall consist of four members who shall hold office for a term of three years, one member to be elected annually the pastor shall serve as a voting member of this committee.. The Board of Trustees shall act as legal representative of the Church and hold title to the property of the Church in trust for the benefit of the Church.

Church Clerk and Assistant Church Clerk. A Church Clerk and Assistant Church Clerk shall be elected annually. The Clerk shall be responsible for the keeping and signing of the records of Church action; the registration of applicants for Church membership; the maintenance of the names and addresses of its members with dates of admission, baptism and termination; the preparation of letters of recommendation when voted by the members of the Church; and the preservation of written official reports and all information of historical interest concerning the Church. The Assistant Church Clerk and members of the Church staff assist in the performance of these duties.

Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for assisting the Financial Secretary in supervision of administration in accounting procedures; aid in establishing, revising and updating financial reports; serve on the Finance Committee; and, be available to sign checks or other financial documents as necessary. The pastor will be the second signature on any checks.. The Treasurer's office shall be a three-year term.

Personnel Committee. The Personnel Committee shall consist of five members, three of whom shall serve for three years, one to be elected each year by the members of the Church. The Finance Committee and the Deacon Board Chairs shall be members in full standing. The Chair of the committee shall rotate annually and shall be the elected member with the longest tenure. This committee shall consult with the Pastor to provide an adequate staff; recommend to the members of the Church the hiring of ministers except the Pastor; if necessary, recommend to the members of the Church the dismissal of ministers; approve the hiring and dismissal of other staff members; recommend to the members of the Church appropriate action in matters of disabilities of members of the staff; be available to consult on all matters of staff relationships; establish all personnel policies; annually review the performance of the Pastor; and review with the Pastor and Minister of Administration the staff evaluations used in making recommendations concerning salary and benefits for inclusion in the budget.

By-Laws Committee. The By-Laws Committee shall meet at the call of the Chair to consider the recommendation of amendments to keep the By-Laws and practices of the Church in conformity and to accomplish any other need or desire of the Church that cannot be done without an amendment to the By-Laws. The committee shall consist of three members to be elected, each to serve three years, with one person to be elected each year. Initially, one member shall be elected for three years, one for two years and one for one year. The Chair shall be the person with the longest tenure on the committee. The Chair of the committee shall also serve as the Church Parliamentarian, shall attend all business meetings of the Church and shall monitor the proceedings to ensure that they conform to and are conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order and the

Constitution and By-Laws of the Church. A. member of the committee shall act as parliamentarian in the absence of the Chair.

Moderator. The Moderator shall be elected annually and shall conduct the business meetings of the Church. In the absence of the Moderator, the Chair of the Board of Deacons and in the absence of the Chair of the Board of Deacons, the Church Clerk shall conduct the business meetings.

ARTICLE III
LICENSE AND ORDINATION

SECTION 1/LICENSE TO THE MINISTRY

The tradition of Voices of the Tribe Ministry is to license Ministers of the Gospel who give satisfactory evidence of their Christian experience and purpose, who give testimony of their compelling sense of Divine Call to Christian service and whose views upon examination prove consistent with the Christian faith. Candidates for licensing shall be presented by the Pastor and confirmed by a majority vote at a business meeting.

SECTION 2/ORDINATION TO THE MINISTRY

The tradition of Voices of the Tribe Ministry is to ordain Ministers, after due examination by the members, those who give satisfactory evidence of the Christian experience and purpose, who give testimony of their compelling sense of Divine Call to Christian service and whose views upon examination prove consistent with the Christian faith. Candidates for licensing shall be presented by the Pastor and confirmed by a majority vote at a business meeting.

SECTION 3/ORDINATION OF DEACONS

The tradition of Voices of the Tribe Ministry is to ordain its members upon their election to serve in the Biblical office of Deacon.

ARTICLE IV MEETINGS

SECTION 1/SERVICES

The regularly scheduled worship, training and educational services of Voices of the Tribe Ministry are Sunday school and Worship on Sunday morning, Discipleship Training on Sunday evening, and Prayer Meeting and Bible Study on Wednesday evening.

SECTION 2/BUSINESS

Regular Business Meetings. The regular business meetings shall be held on the Wednesday following the second Sunday except in August and December.

Called Business Meetings. Special business meetings may be called by direction of the Pastor, the Chair of the Board of Deacons, or in the event of their unavailability or refusal, by written request of two percent (2%) of the resident Church membership as shown in the most recent annual Church letter to the Elkhorn Association. Notice of any special meeting and the purpose thereof shall be announced in the Church bulletin and from the pulpit at the preceding regular Morning Worship and as may be additionally required in these By-Laws.

Quorum and Parliamentary Rule. All business meetings shall be conducted by the Moderator and governed by Robert's Rules of Order insofar as they are applicable and are not inconsistent with the Constitution and By-Laws. A quorum shall consist of four percent (4%) of the resident Church membership as shown in the most recent annual Church letter to the Elkhorn Association. All matters of business shall be decided by a majority of those present and voting, except for adoption and amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws.

Elections. The Nominating Committee shall nominate members of the Church to serve as Moderator, Church Clerk, Assistant Church Clerk, Treasurer, and members of the Board of Deacons, the Finance Committee, the Personnel Committee, the By-Laws Committee, and the Board of Trustees. These nominations shall be published in a Church publication and mention thereof shall be made at the Morning Worship preceding the election. The election to fill these positions shall be at the business meeting in June at which time other nominations may be received. Those elected shall assume their duties July 1.

All other positions of the Church and its auxiliaries which require election by the membership of the Church shall be filled by election held at the business meeting in July and those elected shall assume their duties September 1. Vacancies in any elected positions shall be filled by election at the next regular business meeting. Notice of these elections and the names of those nominated shall be in a Church publication and mention made thereof at the Morning Worship preceding the election.

ARTICLE V
CHURCH COMMITTEES

In addition to the Finance, Personnel and By-Laws Committees, the members thereof being general Church officers, the Church shall have a Nominating Committee, a Pulpit Committee, various standing committees and a provision for ad hoc committees.


SECTION 1/NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The Nominating Committee shall consist of nine members. The Board of Deacons shall nominate individuals to serve a term of one year from February 1 through January 31. The Chair of the Board of Deacons shall appoint a committee of five deacons to present nominees, including Chair-elect, for the Nominating Committee to the Board of Deacons at which time other deacons may make nominations.

The Pastor or the Pastor's representative shall be a voting, member of this Deacon Nominating Committee. The Board of Deacons shall present its nominees to the Church. To the extent possible, all age groups and ministries of the Church shall be represented and the Deacon Committee may confer with the Church staff to ensure broad Church representation on the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall be elected by the Church in January, at which time additional nominations may be received from the floor. The Chair-elect shall serve two years and automatically become Chair for the second year. No other member shall serve consecutive terms. No member of the

Nominating Committee may be nominated or elected to a general Church office, as set out in Article II of these By-Laws, while serving on the Nominating Committee. This committee shall recommend to the Church at the June and July business meetings candidates for Church-elected positions.

By-Laws. This committee shall also recommend to the Church at any regular business meeting candidates to fill vacancies which have occurred in Church-elected positions. Prior to the elections nominees for positions shall be informed of the duties and obligations of those positions. Any nominees for Church-elected positions who are not members shall be noted as such.

SECTION 2/PULPIT COMMITTEE

A Pulpit Committee shall be elected by the Church whenever a vacancy occurs in the Pastorate to nominate a person to be elected to the Pastorate. This committee shall consist of nine members, two of whom shall be the Chairs of the Deacon Board and the Personnel Committee at the time the Pulpit Committee is elected. Nominations, including Chair, shall be made by the Nominating Committee for election at a regular or called business meeting. Nominations may be received from the floor. The deliberations of the Pulpit Committee shall be conducted in a confidential manner. The committee's nominee shall be proposed for election by the Church at a called business meeting follow a Morning Worship Service. This committee shall be dissolved upon the election of its nominee.

SECTION 3/STANDING COMMITTEES

Standing committees shall exist to support, direct, manage, and have responsibility for the ongoing programs and functions of the Church. The Chair and members of all standing committees shall be appointed by the Pastor and the Deacon Chair for service beginning July 1. The Pastor and Deacon Chair may utilize an ad hoc committee for assistance in selection of persons to be appointed for service on standing committees deemed necessary, and the deletion of current standing committees no longer deemed necessary.

Standing committees which have duties primarily concerned with addressing policy matters shall serve rotating three-year terms. These committees shall have a minimum of three members, and, if more, a multiple of three. Members of standing committees which have duties primarily of a service nature may serve unlimited terms. Members of policy standing committees shall not serve consecutive terms. All committees shall meet promptly after appointment for organization and consideration of responsibilities, and meet thereafter as may be required. The Pastor shall appoint a staff member to serve as liaison for each standing committee.

Policy standing committees and their functions are:

Business Person's Lunch. This committee serves in an advisory capacity for the structure and promotion of this ministry.

Childhood Education. This committee advises the Minister of Childhood Education about all areas of Christian education for preschoolers and children.

Facilities Use. This committee shall consult with and assist the staff of the Church in the use of Church facilities by all groups which are not part of the ministries of the Church.

Members in Ministry. This committee shall promote mission opportunities, assist in the involvement of members in mission activities and periodically recommend mission efforts.

Music. This committee shall give direction, support and advise to the Minister of Music for the Church's music ministry.

Parking. This committee shall assist the Minister of Education/Administration in all matters concerning the Church's parking facilities.

Property. This committee shall assist the Minister of Education/Administration in the care and maintenance of all Church buildings and ground.

Property Acquisition and Disposition. This committee shall advise the Church with respect to the acquisition and disposition of all real estate.
Recreation. This committee advises the Minister of Church Recreation in the planning and implementation of all Church recreation activities.

Scholarships. This committee shall select the recipients of all of the Church's designated scholarship funds.

Stewardship. This committee oversees the financial stewardship of the Church and consults with the staff to establish a consistent stewardship emphasis.

Student Activities. This committee assists the Minister to College Students in the planning and implementation of activities for college students.

Service standing committees and their functions are:

Baptism. This committee shall assist candidates for baptism at the time of baptism.

Counting. This committee serves on Sunday morning and counts, tabulates and prepares the offerings for deposit and makes the deposit in the bank.

Decorating. This committee is responsible for the floral decoration of the Church and for special seasonal decorations.

Food Service. This committee consults with the Food Service Director and assists in the preparation and serving of all Church meals.

History. This committee has the responsibility of maintaining al of the historical memorabilia of the Church.

Lord's Supper. This committee orders, prepares and arranges the elements for the serving the Lord's Supper and cleans and maintains the serving pieces.

Media Center. This committee oversees the organization and structure of the Church library and supervises the usage of library resources.

New Member Fellowship. This committee assists in the planning and implementation of of special events arranged for new Church members.

Parking Lot Greeters. This Committee provides parking help (especially for visitors) in the parking lot on Sundays.

Photography. This committee assists in the planning and implementation of special events arranged for new Church members

Sound and Lighting. This committee operates the Church sound and lighting systems at all Church functions and is responsible for the maintenance of sound and lighting equipment.

Television and Public Relations. This committee has the responsibility for all print and electronic media usage by the Church.

Ushers. This committee provides ushers for Morning Worship Services for all special services and events.

Welcome. This committee's members greet worshippers as they arrive for Morning Worship Service.

Wills and Estates. This committee keeps the Church informed of the opportunities available to provide financial support to the ministries of the Church through estate giving.

SECTION 4/AD HOC COMMITTEES

Ad Hoc Committees may be appointed by the Pastor and Deacon Chair for specific purposes, and shall be dissolved upon completion of the purpose for which they were created. All ad hoc committees shall report to the Church in business meeting within a year of the appointment.

ARTICLE VI
CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS AND MINISTRIES

Organized ministries of Voices of the Tribe Ministry shall include, Discipleship Training, World Missionary Union, Music, Children, Youth, College Students, Single Adults, Senior Adults, Recreation, and Homebound. All ministries shall be governed by the Church except the WORLD Missionary Union, which is auxiliary in relationship to the Church.

The Church shall, under the leadership of the Pastor, have a staff member with appropriate education and expertise to be responsible for each of the ministries listed above, except World Missionary Union, for which the Pastor shall designate a staff member to serve as liaison.

SECTION 1/WORLD MISSIONARY UNION

The World Missionary Union is an auxiliary organization of Voices of the Tribe Ministry whose purpose, is to lead the Church and its members to pray for and give to missions, do missions, learn about missions, develop spiritually toward a mission lifestyle.

The World Missionary Union elects a Director, Assistant Director, and other leadership for the mission groups listed above and presents the roster annually for the information of the Church at regular business meeting.

ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENTS

Any of these By-Laws may be amended, altered, or repealed by a vote of two-thirds of a quorum present at any regular business meeting of the Church, if a notice, a copy of the proposal, and the date of consideration have been published in a Church publication at least one week before the meeting.