ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Deacons’ Conference of Richmond and Vicinity.
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
1. The purpose of this organization shall be to exalt spiritual interest.
2. To bring about a closer relationship between all deacons of the Baptist Churches.
3. To discuss the principle and duties applying to deacons of our churches.
4. To discuss in depth how we can better assist our pastors in advancing the general interest of our churches both temporal and spiritual.
5. To participate in home mission work.
6. To support the activities of the State and National Deacons Conventions.
7. To give aid to the sick and the distressed.
SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP
a. Membership shall consist of ordained Baptist Deacons who are actively participating in carrying out the role and function of a Deacon in their respective churches.
SECTION 2. DUES AND FINANCES
a. Joining fee of the Conference shall be 1.75
b. Annual dues for membership shall be $21.00 or $1.75
per month.
c. Dues shall be payable at the beginning of each year, or may be paid monthly.
d. The Financial Secretary shall notify members who are four months in arrears and those whose dues remain unpaid one month thereafter shall be delinquent.
e. Only Financial Members are eligible to receive Sick and Death Benefits.
f. Member’s dues unpaid for one year shall be dropped from the Membership of the Conference, but be reinstated by the payment of
$5.25 and the current month dues of $1.75
SECTION 3. CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES
a. Each church shall designate a Conference Member to serve as their representative.
b. Representatives shall collect and report dues to the Conference and shall serve as the messenger between their church and the Conference.
ARTICLE III OFFICERS
SECTION 1. ELECTED OFFICERS
The Elected Officers shall be:
a. President
b. First Vice President
c. Second Vice President
d. Recording Secretary
e. Assistant Recording Secretary
f. Corresponding Secretary
g. Assistant Corresponding Secretary
h. Financial Secretary
i. Assistant Financial Secretary No. 1
j. Assistant Financial Secretary No. 2
k. Treasurer
l. Assistant Treasurer No. 1
m. Assistant Treasurer No. 2
SECTION 2. APPOINTED OFFICERS
The Appointed Officers shall be:
a. Chaplin
b. Assistant Chaplain No. 1
c. Assistant Chaplain No. 2
d. Parliamentarian
e. Historian
f. Four (4) Marshals
SECTION 3. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
A. PRESIDENT – The President shall:
1. Preside at all meetings of the Conference and the Executive Board.
2. Appoint, with the approval of the Executive Board, a Chaplain, two (2) Assistant Chaplains, a Parliamentarian, Historian, and four (4) Marshals.
3. Appoint all committees, except the Nominating Committee.
4. Serve as Ex-Officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
5. Serve as the official representative of the Conference on the State and National level.
B. FIRST VICE PRESIDENT – The First Vice President shall:
1. Perform the duties of the President in the absence or the disability of the President.
2. Fill the unexpired term if a vacancy occurs in the office of the President.
3. Fulfill such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Board.
C. SECOND VICE PRESIDENT – The Second Vice President shall:
1. Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President and the First Vice President.
2. Fulfill such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Board.
3. Serve as Chairperson of the Banquet Committee.
D. RECORDING SECRETARY – The Recording Secretary shall:
1. Record and keep in custody, the minutes of all meetings of the Conference and the Executive Board.
2. Have available for reference at all meetings a copy of the Conference Bylaws, a list of its Officers, Committee Chairperson and the current Membership Roster.
3. Furnish the President with a copy of the minutes of the previous meeting one week prior to each Conference meeting and shall give a printed copy to each member at the beginning of all regular Conference meetings.
E. ASSISTANT RECORDING SECRETARY – The Assistant Recording Secretary shall:
1. Perform all the duties of the Secretary in his/her absence.
F. CORRESPONDENCE SECRETARY – The Corresponding Secretary shall:
1. Conduct the general correspondences of the Conference and the Executive Board.
G. ASSISTANT CORRESPONDING SECRETARY – The Assistant Corresponding Secretary shall:
1. Assist the Corresponding Secretary in the performance of his/her duties to conduct the general correspondence of the Conference and the Executive Board.
H. FINANCIAL SECRETARY – The Financial Secretary shall:
1. Receive all dues and monies of the Conference.
2. Turn all monies over to the Treasurer and receive a receipt thereof.
3. Issue vouchers only after receiving approval of the President.
4. Keep an accurate financial status of the members by church membership.
5. Submit a monthly financial report and an annual report to the membership in February.
6. Be authorized to sign checks when the President or Treasurer is not available.
7. Serve as a member of the Budget Committee.
8. Be bonded by the Organization.
9. Present the Financial Records for the annual audit in February.
I. ASSISTANT FINANCIAL SECRETARIES – The Assistant Financial Secretaries No. 1 and No. 2 shall:
1. Assist the Financial Secretary in the performance of his/her duties except only the First Assistant Financial Secretary shall be authorized to sign checks in the absence of the Financial Secretary.
2. Be bonded by the Organization.
J. TREASURER – The Treasurer shall:
1. Receive all monies from the Financial Secretary, and deposit thereto.
2. Disburse funds only upon receipt of a voucher, signed by the President, and co-signed by the Financial Secretary.
3. Submit a monthly financial report and an annual report to the membership in February.
4. Be bonded by the Organization.
5. Present the books for an annual audit.
6. Write all checks which are to be signed by the President and co-signed by the Treasurer or the Financial Secretary.
7. Serve as a member of the Budget Committee.
K. ASSISTANT TREASURERS – The Assistant Treasurers No. 1 and No. 2 shall:
1. Assist the Treasurer in performing his/her duties, except only the First Assistant Treasurer shall be authorized to sign checks.
2. Be bonded by the Organization.
L. CHAPLAIN AND ASSISTANTS – The Chaplain and the Assistants shall:
1. Conduct the opening and closing of each Conference meeting with a devotional period.
M. PARLIAMENTARIAN – The Parliamentarian shall:
1. Serve as an advisor to the presiding officer in the interpretation of the Bylaws of the Conference and the State Convention.
2. Give Parliamentary interpretation, upon the request at Conference and Executive Board meetings.
3. Serve as Chairperson of the Bylaws Committee.
N. HISTORIAN – The Historian shall:
1. Keep a written narrative account of the activities of the Conference.
2. Submit an annual report to the membership in January.
O. MARSHALS – The Marshals shall:
1. Assist the President in maintaining order.
2. Perform such other duties as directed by the President or the Executive Board.
SECTION 4. NOMINATION OF OFFICERS
a. A Nominating Committee of five (5) members shall be elected from the floor by the members at the regular meeting in September.
b. A plurality vote shall elect and the member receiving the largest number of votes shall serve as Chairperson.
c. It shall be the duty of his/her committee to nominate a candidate for each office to be filled and report its list of nominees to the Conference one month prior to the election. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, after obtaining the consent of the nominee prior to the election at the November meeting.
SECTION 5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
a. Election of officers shall be held at the November meeting and a majority vote shall elect.
b. Officers shall be elected by ballot vote, except the election may be by voice vote for each office of which there is only one candidate.
SECTION 6. ROTATION
a. The President, the Second Vice President, the Corresponding Secretary, the Assistant Recording Secretary, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer No. 2, and the Assistant Financial Secretary No. 1, shall be elected in the even numbered years.
b. The First Vice President, the Recording Secretary, the Assistant Corresponding Secretary, the Assistant Treasurer No. 1, the Financial Secretary and the Assistant Financial Secretary No. 2, shall be nominated in the odd numbered years.
SECTION 7. TERM OF OFFICE
a. Elected Officers shall serve a term of two (2) years or until their successors are elected and assume office. All officers shall take office as of January 1.
b. No officer shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office, except the Treasurer and the Financial Secretary.
c. No member shall hold more than one office at a time.
SECTION 8. VACANCIES
a. A vacancy in the office, except that of the President shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Executive Board or at a regular Conference meeting by nominations from the floor, after obtaining the consent of
the people to be nominated. Election shall be by voice vote and a majority vote shall elect.
b. A vacancy in the office of President, the First Vice President shall assume the presidency and the Second Vice President shall assume the office of the First Vice President.
ARTICLE IV MEETINGS
SECTION 1. MEETINGS
a. The regular meeting of the Conference shall be held on the Monday after the fourth Sunday of each month except the summer month agreed upon at the January Meeting
b. Special meetings may be called by the President or the Executive Board. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the meeting notice.
c. The December meeting shall be known as the “Annual Meeting” which shall include the annual reports of Officers and Committees and the installation of Officers.
SECTION 2. QUORUM
a. Thirty (30) members of the Conference shall constitute a quorum, including the President and one other elected officer.
ARTICLE V EXECUTIVE BOARD
SECTION 1. THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
1. The Executive Board shall consist of the elected and appointed Officers, the Chairperson of Standing Committees, the immediate Past President, and one
(1) member-at-large, who shall be elected biennially.
SECTION 2. QUORUM
1. Seven (7) members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum, including the President or Vice President and one (1) other elected officer.
SECTION 3. MEETINGS
1. The Executive Board shall meet quarterly or as often as the President deems necessary.
SECTION 4. DUTIES
1. The Executive Board shall:
a. Have general supervision of the business of the Conference between its meetings.
b. Have the power to act in urgent situations when the need arises and bring the decision or action taken by the Board to the next regular meeting for ratification.
c. Fill vacancies in office and perform such other duties as are specified in these Bylaws.
d. Refer all proposed action, with recommendations to the Conference for its decision.
ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES
SECTION 1. STANDING COMMITTEES
1. The Standing Committees of the Conference shall be:
a. Budget
b. Auditing
c. Scholarship
d. Recruiting
e. Annual Membership
f. Community Service
g. Sick Membership
h. Publicity
i. Program
j. Banquet
k. Memorial
l. Bylaws
m. Ways and Means
n. Statisticians
o. Conference Representatives
SECTION 2. SPECIAL COMMITTEES
1. Such other committees, Standing or Special, shall be appointed by the President, as the Conference or Executive Board shall from time-to-time deem necessary, to carry out the work of the Conference.
SECTION 3. DUTIES
A. Budget – The Budget Committee shall prepare a proposed budget and submit the same to the membership for adoption in November.
B. Auditing – The Auditing Committee shall audit the records of the Financial Secretary and the Treasurers after the end of each fiscal year, December 31, and shall give its report at the March meeting.
C. Scholarship – The Scholarship Committee shall:
1. Establish the criteria for the selection of Scholarship recipients.
2. Initiate fund raising activities.
3. Propose the yearly assessment of members for the Scholarship Fund.
4. Review all applications and submit recommendations to the Conference for action in May.
D. Recruiting – The Recruiting Committee shall be responsible for encouraging membership of non-member churches.
E. Annual Membership – The Annual Membership Committee shall:
1. Solicit annual memberships for the Virginia State Baptist Deacons Convention and the National Baptist Deacons Convention of America, Inc.
2. Distribute annual church membership statements of members.
F. Community Services – The Community Services Committee shall:
1. Serve as liaison between the Conference and the community, for information, participation and representation.
G. Sick Committee – The Sick Committee shall:
1. Visit the sick members with a special remembrance (see current year budget for dollar amount).
2. Submit a financial report to the Finance Committee monthly.
3. Present a report to the membership at monthly meetings.
H. Membership – The Membership Committee shall:
1. Receive new Deacons for membership into the Conference.
2. Report all delinquent members for reinstatement to the Conference.
I. Publicity – The Publicity Committee shall:
1. Give notice of Conference meetings to the news media.
2. Provide information concerning the Conference activities to participating churches and to the public.
J. Program – The Program Committee shall:
1. Plan and implement all annual Conference programs.
2. The Workshop shall be held in the odd years
K. Banquet – The Banquet Committee shall:
1. Coordinate with the Women’s Auxiliary and the Youth Department in planning the Biannual Banquet held on the even years.
L. Memorial – The Memorial Committee shall:
1. Give a donation (see current year budget for dollar amount) from the Conference to the estate of a deceased member in good standing.
2. Report its action to the Conference for ratification.