Current Constitution and Bylaws

 

CONSTITUTION OF THE NEW ENGLAND

CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Last revised 05/05/2012

PREAMBLE

 

              In gratitude to Almighty God for the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ; and believing that the task of the church of Jesus Christ is three-fold, i.e., the worship of God, the evangelization of the world, and the edification of the saints; and believing further that there is a definite need among the Congregational Christian Churches in our area for fellowship of churches of unqualified loyalty to the entire Word of God written; we, therefore, as Conservative Congregational Christian Churches and ministers of the historic Biblical persuasion, as set forth in our statements of faith and polity, humbly invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, have covenanted together to form such a fellowship.

 

ARTICLE I     -     Name

 

              The name of this fellowship shall be “The New England Congregational Christian Fellowship”, hereafter referred to in this document as NECCF.

 

ARTICLE II    -    Purpose

 

              The purpose of the NECCF shall be:

              1.  To provide a means of fellowship among Conservative Congregational Christian Churches in New England and among congregational churches of similar persuasion;

              2.  To encourage a faithful, Biblical witness by our churches; and

              3.  To facilitate cooperation and counsel among our churches and preserve and promote the principles of the autonomy of the local church and the freedom to the believer in Christ.

 

ARTICLE III    -    Statement of Faith.

 

              1.  We believe the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testament, to be the only inspired, inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word of God written.

              2.  We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

              3.  We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

              4.  We believe that for salvation of lost and sinful man regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

              5.  We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by Whose indwelling power and fullness the Christian is enabled to lead a godly life in this present evil world.

              6.  We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

              7.  We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in Christ

 

The NECCF affirms the Statement of Faith presently in use by the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference as published in the CCCC Annual Yearbook and on their website.  At the 2012 Annual Meeting the voting delegates unanimously approved that any future revisions to the CCCC Statement of Faith will immediately be updated in this Article without the mandatory one year review.

 

ARTICLE IV    -    Statement of Polity

 

              1.  We believe that Jesus Christ is the head of His Body, the Church universal, and of each local church.

              2.  We believe that each local church is in itself a complete church, and therefore autonomous and possesses all rights and responsibilities of the Church by the Holy Spirit as set forth in the Holy Scriptures.

              3.  We believe that Jesus Christ exercises His authority in each local church by the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Scriptures.

              4.  We believe that each local church is ultimately answerable only to Jesus Christ and not to any association, conference, council, synod or any other ecclesiastical body.

              5.  We believe that it is proper and beneficial for each local church to seek the fellowship and council of other such local churches.

 

ARTICLE V    -    Membership

 

1.  NECCF Members are those churches and individuals who through the credentialing process of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference have achieved and retain formal standing.  Only members are permitted to call Special meetings.  Credentialed churches are allowed three delegates consisting of one Pastor and two laypeople.  Credentialed individuals are delegates by default.

 

2.  Congregationally governed churches, ministers or lay people who lack credentialing with the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference may be deemed NECCF Associate Members upon receipt of a letter of application stating full accord with Articles III and IV, the Statements of Faith and Polity.  Applications from churches must bear the signatures of the church entity (board, council, committee, etc.) responsible for affiliation.

 

3.  Delegates are granted full voting privileges.  Associate Members may participate in discussion yet waive the privilege of voting.

 

4.  Associate Members may withdraw from NECCF at any time on their own volition, provided written notice of such action is given to the NECCF Scribe.

 

ARTICLE VI    -    Officers

1.  The officers of the NECCF shall be a Moderator, a Vice-moderator, a Scribe, a Treasurer, Area Representatives and the Northeast Regional Minister.  These officers, with the exception of the Area Representatives and Northeast Regional Minister, shall be elected at the business segment of the annual NECCF meeting by a simple majority of the delegates present and voting.  Those elected shall hold their office for terms of two years.  The Vice-moderator and Treasurer is elected at the annual meeting on odd numbered calendar years and the Moderator and Scribe is elected at the annual meeting on even numbered calendar years.  Each elected officer shall serve until a successor is elected.

 

2.  The above officers shall be an Executive Committee

 

3.  The Moderator may seek such help and make appointments as are necessary to carry out the Purpose of NECCF as stated in Article II.

 

4.  All appointments (Missions Coordinator, Newsletter Editor, Web-master, etc) are to be ratified by the Executive Committee and shall be subject to review in the business segment of the next annual NECCF meeting.

 

ARTICLE VII    -    Meetings

 

1.  There shall be at least one NECCF meeting each year which shall include a segment for business.  This meeting is to be held any day within three months of the new fiscal year, at a date, time and place as determined by the Executive Committee.

 

2.  Special meetings of the NECCF may be called by the Executive Committee or upon written request of ten member churches and/or member individuals.

 

3.  Thirty day’s notice in writing, of all NECCF meetings, shall be given to Members and Associate Members via e-mail or USPS provided we have a valid address.  The specific purpose of any Special meeting shall be stated in the notice.  The Executive Committee is exempted from this requirement for their occasional meetings throughout the year.

 

4.  Each Member church shall be entitled to representation by one Pastor and two voting delegates.

 

5.  Each individual member not included under #4 of this Article shall be entitled to one vote at all meetings of the NECCF.

 

6.  The guide for parliamentary procedure in all meetings shall be Robert’s Rules of Order Revised.

 

ARTICLE VIII  -    Dissolution

 

The NECCF may be dissolved by a vote of more than three-fourths of the delegates present at any Special meeting called for that purpose.  Upon dissolution, all assets, bank records, documents, databases, mailing lists and computer files pertaining to the NECCF shall be gathered by the Moderator from members of the Executive Committee and forwarded to the national headquarters of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference for disposition.

 

 

ARTICLE IX   -    Bylaws

 

The NECCF shall adopt such Bylaws as it shall deem appropriate and necessary for its operation.  The Bylaws shall provide the procedure for amendment.

 

ARTICLE X   -    Amendments

 

1.  Amendments to this Constitution shall be proposed in writing by submitting the same to the Scribe at the annual NECCF meeting preceding their consideration for adoption at the following annual meeting.  The Executive Committee shall cause immediate notice of all proposed amendments to be distributed (either electronically or by hard copy) to all NECCF members and associate members.  A two-thirds favorable vote of all delegates present and voting shall be required for adoption of any amendments except as provided in Section 2 of this Article.

 

2.  The provisions for amendment contained in Section 1 of this Article shall apply to all Articles of this Constitution with the exception of Articles III and IV and Article X, Section 2, which shall require the unanimous vote of all delegates present and voting.

 

3.  The approved text shall be formatted and distributed to all NECCF members and associate members within sixty days of its adoption.  A copy of the approved Constitution shall be posted on the NECCF website.

 

BYLAWS

 

BYLAW I    -    Officers

1.  The Moderator shall preside at all business meetings of the NECCF and shall act as chairman of and be accountable to the Executive Committee in matters relating to the fellowship.

 

2.  The Vice-Moderator shall preside at all business meetings of the NECCF and act as chairman of the Executive Committee in the absence of the Moderator, and perform such duties as the Executive Committee shall direct.

 

3.  The Scribe shall keep a full and accurate record of the minutes of the proceedings of the NECCF and Executive Committee.  The Scribe shall keep a record of membership and attendance and shall receive official communications, send notices, and take care of all correspondence as directed by the Executive Committee.

 

4.  The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds belonging to the NECCF and shall cause to be kept full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements.  The Treasurer’s books shall be audited annually as directed by the Executive Committee.

 

5.  The Northeast Regional Minister along with each Area Representative from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island shall actively promote and represent the interests of the NECCF and the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference in their respective areas.  They shall regularly and faithfully participate in Executive Committee and annual NECCF meetings.

 

BYLAW II    -    The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall meet at least once per year or as often as it deems necessary to fulfill its purpose.  A call to meeting by the Moderator or a majority of the officers shall be filed by the Scribe.  The Scribe shall give notice of the meeting to each officer and member of the Executive Committee at least seven days before said meeting stating the time and place such meeting is to be held.  The minimum quorum for conducting business shall be five (5) officers with one vote accorded to each person regardless of the number of offices they may hold (i.e.  one person may act as an Area Representative and Moderator).

 

BYLAW III    -    Financial Policy

There is to be no per-capita assessment or apportionment levied by the NECCF upon members or associate members.  Instead, members and associate members are encouraged to assume voluntarily a share in the financial responsibility of the NECCF.  Funds received through registrations and special offerings shall be allocated by the Executive Committee to cover the NECCF’s financial commitments locally and to the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.

 

BYLAW IV   -    Fiscal Year

              The fiscal year of the NECCF shall be from April 1 to March 31.

 

BYLAW V   -    Quorum

The quorum for the business segment of the annual NECCF or any special meeting shall consist of a minimum of 30 delegates.

 

BYLAW VI    -    Amendments

 

These Bylaws may be altered or amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the delegates present at any regular meeting of the NECCF.  The various amendments, revisions and additions to the Bylaws presented at the meeting may be accepted or rejected, individually or in part, if so voted.  The approved text shall be formatted and distributed either by e-mail or USPS to all member churches and individuals within sixty days of its adoption provided we have a valid address.  A copy of the approved Bylaws shall be posted on the NECCF website