Rev 5.1, Oct 9, 2017

Shiloh Baptist Association, Inc.

Bylaws

ARTICLE I - MISSION STATEMENT

Shiloh Baptist Association, Inc. (the “Association”) is a body of Southern Baptist churches cooperating toserve the Lord Jesus Christ in our place and time. This shall include but is not limited to:

  • spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ
  • promote Baptist distinctives
  • provide Christian fellowship
  • assist member churches to discover and to fulfill their distinct mission
  • provide opportunities for member churches to be on mission together
  • support and encourage pastors of member churches
  • provide a channel for member churches to share information with each other

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

Section A–The members of the Association shall be those cooperating Baptist churcheswhich have made the appropriate application to andhave been accepted into the Association.

Section B – Churches may become members of the Association by making appropriate application. The process for the admission of a church into the Association as a member shall be as follows:

The letter of application, including the following supporting documentsshall be made to the Association Church Support Team:

  1. Constitution and Bylaws,
  2. Church Covenant,
  3. Baptist Faith and Message 1963 or 2000,
  4. A statement that “Marriage is that of a man and a woman,”
  5. Church Budget,
  6. Directory of Church Officers,
  7. Committees and Organizations,

The Association Church Support Team shall review the church application and supporting documentation, and make a recommendation to theAssociation at its annual Fall meeting. Admission of a church to the Association requires a two-thirds majority vote of the messengers present and voting.

Section C - Each church holding membership in the Association shall report annually on its work as requested by the AssociationClerk.

Section D - Each church holding membership in the Association is encouraged to contribute to the Association’s welfare.

Section E – A church may resign from the Association by sending the Association Clerk a signed and dated letter of resignation.

Section F - The Association shall not abridge the autonomy or independence of any of its member churches.

ARTICLE III – VOTING

The voting body of the Association shall be the Messengers. Each member church shall be limited to no more than three messengers.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

Section A – The officers of the Association shall be Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Clerk, and Treasurer. Officerelections shall be at the applicable Association Fall Meeting,and the Officers shalltake office upon election.

Section B –Elected To Terms Of:

  1. The Moderator shall be elected at the applicable Fall Business Meetingand shall serve atwo-year term. The Moderator shall not serve consecutive terms.
  1. The Vice Moderator shall be elected at the applicable Fall Business Meetingand shall servea two-year term. The Vice Moderator shall not serve consecutive terms.
  1. The Association Clerk shall be elected at the applicable Fall Business Meeting and shall serve a three-year term. There are no limits to the number of terms the Clerk may serve.
  1. The Association Treasurer shall be elected at the applicable Fall Business Meeting and shall serve a three-year term. There are no limits to the number of terms the Treasurer may serve.

ARTICLE V - DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section A - Moderator - It shall be the duty of the Moderator to preside over the Association meetings and the Association Council. The Moderator shall serve as an ex officio member of all the groups, committees and teams of the Association.

Section B - Vice-Moderator - It shall be the duty of the Vice-Moderator to preside over the Association meetings and the Association Council in the absence of the Moderator. Should the office of the Moderator be vacated, the Vice-Moderator shall automatically become the Moderator for the unexpired term of the Moderator and assume all the responsibilities of the office.

Section C - Clerk - It shall be the duty of the Clerk to record and keep a record of all the proceedings of the Association Council, maintain a file and control all Association legal documents and required reports, as well as all official documentation generated by the Association Moderator, Vice Moderator, Treasurer and the Association Teams.

Section D - Treasurer - It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and disburse all funds of the Association at the direction of and in the manner prescribed by the Association Council. The Treasurer shall make reports to the Association Council and at the Association Fall Business Meetings. The Treasurer shall make the Association’s financial records available for auditupon request.

The Moderator and the Clerk shall have signatory authority on all of the Association financial accounts, and have the necessary access to the financial information and records.

Section E – Officer Resignation:

Any officer of the Association may resign from their elected office by submitting a signed and dated letter of resignation to the Association Clerk.

Where not otherwise directed in these bylaws, the Association Council is empowered to temporarily fill any vacant officer position with a candidate who will serve until the next scheduled Fall Business Meeting.

ARTICLEVI - ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

Section A - Composition - The Association Council shall be composed of the AssociationOfficers,the chairs and co-chairs of the Association Pastoral Support, Churches Support, and Mission Support Teams.

  1. Meetings - The Association Council shall meet as needed.Meetings may be called byany member of the Association Council.
  2. Duties – The Association Council is responsible for the following within the Association and shall offer these services to the Association to include, but not limited to:
  3. Provide budget and financial oversight
  4. Organize the fall and spring meetings
  5. Provide routine reports and records
  6. Facilitate effective communication methods within the Association

ARTICLE VII – ASSOCIATION TEAMS

Section A – Terms of Team Chair and Co-Chairs: The Team Chair and Co-Chairsshall be elected at the applicable fall business meeting and shall serve for two years. There are no limits to the number of terms to which the Team Chair and Co-Chairs may be elected.

  1. Other team members are selected and or appointed by the team chairs.
  2. The Team Chair and Co-Chair members are responsible for their budgets, allocation and use of the funds provided by the Association and dispersed by the Treasurer.

Section B – Teams’ Specific Duties

  1. Pastoral Support Team shall offer service to pastors of the Association to include but not limited to the following:
  2. Confer with pastors regarding moves
  3. Orient new pastors
  4. Maintain a list of potential interim pastors and supply preachers
  5. Crises counseling
  6. Confer regarding career issues
  7. Set up ordination boards and guidelines
  8. Provide regular times for Association pastors to fellowship
  9. Arrange for appropriate recognition of visiting and new pastors.
  1. Churches Support Teamshall offer services to Churches of the Association to include but not limited to the following:
  2. Confer with search committees
  3. Visit churches
  4. Small church advocacy
  5. Resource churches as needed
  6. Provide a point of contact for and foster a sense of “connectivity” among the churches for crucial issues (prayer, service, etc.)
  7. Networking
  8. Assist with resolving church conflicts
  9. Review Church Applications for membership to the Association, and prepare recommendation to the Association Council.
  1. Mission Support Teamshall offer service to Churches of the Association in the area of missions including but not limited to the following:
  2. Encourage participation in missions.
  3. Mission perspective
  4. New initiatives or programs
  5. Enlisting, training, supporting, and supervising on-site mission volunteers
  6. Coordinate and attend mission trips and projects (e.g. Impact Virginia)

Section C – Resignation of Team Chair or Co-Chair member: Any Team Chair or Co-Chair of the Association Council may resign from their elected office by submitting a letter of resignation to the Association Clerk.

The Association Council is empowered to appoint a Team Chair or Co-Chair to fill the vacancyuntil the next scheduled Association Fall Business Meeting.

ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS

  1. The Association shall hold at least two meetings annually. A fall meeting shall be held on the last Saturday of October. A spring meeting shall be held on a date determined at the previous fall meeting.
  2. Should an additional meeting be necessary, the Association Council shall arrange for the meeting. The pastor and clerk of the churches shall be notified of the time, place, and business to be presented at least 21 days prior to the meeting.
  3. The messengers present at a meeting shall constitute the required quorum.
  4. In questions of procedures not provided for by the Bylaws, the meetings of the Association and the Association Council shall be conducted in accordance with the parliamentary procedure of Robert’s Rules of Order (current edition).

ARTICLE IX- FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the Association shall be the calendar year of January 1 through December 31.

ARTICLE X– AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be amended by the concurrence of two-thirds of the messengers of the Association present and voting at any regular meeting. Provided that a written notice containing the proposed amendment shall have been sent to the pastor and clerk of each church in the Association at least thirty days prior to the meeting of the Association at which the proposed amendment is to be presented for adoption.

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