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Constitution and By-Laws of the
Purchase Area Baptist Association
Approved: April 19, 2012
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of the body is the Purchase Area Baptist Association.
ARTICLE II Articles of Faith
The Articles of Faith for the Purchase Area Baptist Association are set forth in “The Baptist Faith and Message” of the Southern Baptist Convention. The References are What Baptists Believe by Herschel H. Hobbs and These Things We Believe by Clyde Turner. ARTICLE III
Mission Statement
It is the mission of the association to glorify God in a fellowship of churches which is obedient to the commission of our Lord, both individually and collectively; to minister as a servant team empowered by Jesus Christ among the churches of this association to help them fulfill their God given mission. The following mission goals are emphasized: 1. Strengthen existing churches within the Association. 2. Establish new churches.
3. Be an agent of cooperation for churches in missionary activity. 4. Promote Christian fellowship among the churches. 5. Gather reports and statistics.
6. Promote Christian education and activity in missions, evangelism, and stewardship. 7. Provide a medium for promoting the Cooperative Program of the Kentucky 8. Encourage cooperation with, and participation in, the general ministry of ARTICLE IV
Membership
A member church shall be a Baptist church, cooperating with the Purchase Area Baptist Association, the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Member churches agreewith the general intent of The Baptist Faith and Message. Section 1. Recognition of Churches: Churches desiring affiliation with the Purchase Area Baptist Association shall make written application to the association at least ninety (90) days in advance of the annual meeting. The letter should include a copy of the official action of the church in business session approving the application to affiliate with the Purchase Area Baptist Association. Upon favorable recommendation from the Credentials committee, having inquired into their Articles of Faith, which shall be in harmony with the Baptist Faith and Message of the Southern Baptist Convention, and manner and nature of organization, the association shall vote upon their reception and if a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast are in favor of receiving such church, their messengers shall be seated. The ninety (90) day notification does not apply to a mission of a member church making application. Churches making application during the year may be received under the watch care of the association by the executive board until the following annual meeting. Section 2. Admission of members to the Annual Meeting: Every Church in the Association shall be entitled to three (3) messengers for the first one hundred (100) members or less. A church is entitled to an additional messenger for every one hundred (100) members. No church shall have more than ten (10) messengers. Section 3. Recognition of Membership: All senior pastors of churches in the Association, the chairpersons of standing committees, officers of the Association, Executive Board members, and duly elected Messengers from the churches, as stated in Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution are entitled to membership in the Association. Section 4. Reports and Records of Churches: It is the duty of churches sending Messengers to the Association to correspond with the Associational body by letter each year, using the form furnished by the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Section 5. Failure to Participate: Any church failing for two (2) consecutive years to make reports and cooperate with the Association will be investigated and, if possible, be reclaimed by the Executive Board. In the event that restoration on the part of the Executive Board fails, the church will be sent a written notice by the Clerk of the Association stating that its name is dropped from the list of churches. ARTICLE V
Officers and Duties
Section 1. The officers of the Association are Director of Missions, Assistant Director of Missions, Clerk, and Treasurer. Section 2. It is the duty of the Director of Missions to preside at all meetings. Section 3. The Assistant Director of Missions presides at all meetings in the absence of the Director of Missions or when designated by the Director of missions. Section 4. The Clerk is responsible for all necessary correspondence and keeping accurate minutes of the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board Meetings. Section 5. The Treasurer is responsible for receiving, dispersing, and recording all monies and will report to the Executive Board and at the Annual Meeting. Section 6. The Director of Missions, Assistant Director of Missions, Treasurer, and Clerk are installed at the last session of the Annual Meeting. Section 7. The Director of Missions is an ex-officio member of all committees (ex-officio means a voting member by virtue of office). Section 8. In case of a vacancy in the office of Director of Missions, the Assistant Director of Missions becomes the Director of Missions. ARTICLE VI
Meetings
Section 1. Annual Meetings: The time and place of Annual Meetings of the Association are proposed at the Annual Meeting and approved by the Association. Section 2. Special Meetings: The Executive Board of the Association may call the Association into special session at the time and place set by the Executive Board. All affiliated churches must be notified of the special meeting at least ten (10) days before the meeting. Notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting will be given. Section 3. Quorum: The churches present constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Association. ARTICLE VII
Executive Board
The Executive Board of the Association is composed of the officers of the Association, senior pastors, interim pastors, and one (1) additional member or duly elected alternate from each cooperating church.
The Director of Missions of the Association serves as the Moderator of the Executive Board. The Clerk of the Association serves as the Clerk of the Executive Board. The Treasurer of the Association serves as the Treasurer of the Executive Board. It is the duty of the Executive Board to transact the business of the Association during the interim between Annual Meetings of the Association. The Board has the power to make its own internal regulations and to transact its business through subcommittees, which are elected as necessary. The Executive Board will act in strict accord with the Constitution of the Association and fully respect the independence and equal rights of the churches. Section 3. Meetings: The date and place of the meetings of the Executive Board are directed by the Board in regular session. Should there be a need to change a meeting the Director of Missions will notify the churches in advance of the change. Section 4. Reports: The Executive Board will submit an annual report at the annual session of the Association. This report includes any recommendations from the Board to the Association. The Executive Board will present its minutes to the Association, orally or in writing, during the Annual Meeting. ARTICLE VIII
Organization
The associational organization is composed of committees and ministries the Association deems necessary to carry out its mission as stated in Article III. The details of the organization are given in the By-Laws. ARTICLE IX
Authority
This Association does not claim, and will never seek jurisdiction over local churches, and exercises no authority over them. However, in cases of disputes or conflicts in a local church, the church and/or the pastor should request a council from the Association to mediate, advice, and counsel toward reconciliation. ARTICLE X The Association is governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised. ARTICLE XI
Method of Amendment
This constitution may be amended at the annual meeting of the association by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those present, the amendment having been proposed in writing at a previous annual meeting or at an executive board meeting at least sixty (60) days before the annual meeting. ARTICLE XII
Rules of Decorum
1. Only one (1) member shall be allowed to speak at a time, who shall rise from their seat and address the Moderator and while speaking shall confine themselves to the subject in question, and shall not be interrupted unless he digresses from the subject and shall in no wise reflect on any speaker as to make remarks on his failing or imperfection but shall faithfully give his own views of the case without sophistry or criticism. 2. No person shall speak more than twice on one subject without leave of the Association. 3. The moderator shall not interrupt a member in or prohibit them from speaking unless they violate the Rules of Decorum. 4. The names of all members of this Association shall be enrolled by the Clerk and called as often as the Association may require. BY-LAWS
In order to carry out the provisions of the Constitution, the following By-Laws are adopted for the government of the Purchase Area Baptist Association. ARTICLE I
AMENDMENTS
By-Laws of the Association may be changed at any meeting of the association by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting. ARTICLE II
ASSOCIATIONAL YEAR
The associational year shall begin on October 1 and end on September 30. ARTICLE III
MEETINGS
Section 1. Enrollment: Messengers must enroll with the Clerk of the Association before they are officially recognized. Section 2. Order of Service: Each meeting of the Association opens with a hymn, a prayer, and a brief devotion. Section 3. Time: The Executive Board shall meet on the third (3rd) Thursday night of each month. The Annual Meeting shall be the third (3rd) Thursday night of October. Section 4. Annual Meal: Due to the large attendance during the Annual Meeting, Messengers are requested to contribute to the meal, which will be spread together by the host church. The host church is responsible for bread, drinks, and seating of visitors from outside the Association. ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
Section 1. Finance: This committee is composed of seven (7) members. The Associational Treasurer is a permanent member. Of the other six (6) members, each person serves three (3) years; two (2) persons will be elected each year. Section 2. Nominating: This committee is composed of six (6) members. Each person serves two (2) years. Three (3) persons will be elected each year. This committee brings all nominations to the Association. Section 3. Trustees: The Association has three (3) trustees who are charged with the responsibility of signing all legal documents. Trustees have no power without specific authorization of the Association or the Mission Board, as it acts on behalf of the Association. The term of office is three (3) years. One trustee is elected each year. Section 4. Leadership: This committee is composed of the Director of Missions, Assistant Direct of Missions, Clerk, Treasurer, Chair of the Finance Committee, Chair of the Nominating Committee, and Chair of the Trustees. This committee will act for the Association between meetings when the need arises. They will be contacted by phone or by email. Section 5. Ad Hoc: An ad hoc committee is established only when a study need arises which is foreign to the duties of any existing church committee responsibility. The ad hoc committee will consist of at least three (3) and no more than seven (7) members. When its work is finished, the ad hoc committee is dissolved. ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 1. Director of Missions: The Director of Missions shall be nominated by the nominating committee in the August Executive Board meeting and voted upon at that time. They will not take office until October at the Annual meeting. They will serve a two (2) year term and will set out for one (1) year if there is someone that will serve. If not, they may be elected for another two (2) year term. Section 2. Assistant Director of Missions: The Assistant Director of Missions shall be nominated by the nominating committee in the August Executive Board meeting and voted upon at that time. If willing to serve, they will be nominated by the nominating committee for the Director of Missions position after the Director of Missions has served their term. They will take office at the Annual Meeting in October. Section 3. Other Officers: The Treasurer and Clerk shall be nominated by the nominating committee and can serve as many terms as they are willing to serve. They will be nominated at the August Executive Board meeting and voted upon at that time. They will take office at the Annual Meeting in October. ARTICLE VI
MINISTRIES
Section 1. Men on Mission (Brotherhood) Section 2. Women’s Missionary Union Section 3. Family Section 4. Pastoral Section 5. Sunday School Section 6. Discipleship Training Section 7. Youth Ministry Section 8. Missions Section 9. Evangelism Section 10. Prayer Section 11. Counseling ARTICLE VII
BOARDS
Section 1. State Executive Board: Two (2) nominees for each vacancy are submitted to the State Nominating Committee for their selection process. The one (1) selected serves for three (3) years. Section 2. Mid-Continent University Trustees: The University requests two (2) trustees from this Association to serve on their board of trustees.
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