
Clinton Baptist Association Constitution & By-Laws revised 2019
Clinton Baptist Association
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I – NAME
This body shall be called the "Clinton Baptist Association."
ARTICLE II – AUTHORITY
Section 1. This association shall never exercise any legislative or ecclesiastical authority over any church, nor shall it in any way interfere with her rights and her absolute independence. It shall be the duty of the association, however, to offer fraternal counsel to any church in need of such counsel; and it shall be the privilege of the association, two-thirds of the messengers present and voting, to refuse to recognize messengers from any church which persists in practices contrary to the purpose and beliefs of the association.
Section 2. In keeping with the spirit of our Southern Baptist Convention, and to respect the autonomy of the local Baptist church, Clinton Baptist Association recommends that each church of the association receive for study as its general guide for doctrine "The Baptist Faith and Message" as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000.
ARTICLE III - ANNUAL MEETINGS
This association shall meet on the Tuesday before the fourth Sunday in October. The Executive Board of the Association shall call extra meetings if necessary, or change the time and place of the meeting of the association when the board may deem it inexpedient to covenant the time and place appointed.
ARTICLE IV – AMENDMENT
This constitution may be altered at any meeting of the association by two-thirds vote of the messengers present, provided that the substance of Article II shall never be abrogated; and provided that notice of such change is made in writing one year in advance. All other decisions of the body (except herein before provided) shall be by majority of the messengers present.
ARTICLE V – PURPOSE
It shall be the purpose of the association to aid the churches of which it is composed in their divinely appointed work of spreading the Kingdom of God throughout the whole world by every scriptural means.
ARTICLE VI – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. This association shall consist of messengers from the Baptist Churches which are financially and otherwise cooperating with this association, the Tennessee Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention, and are in sympathy with the principles and purposes of this constitution, and who desire to cooperate with this body. These messengers shall be entitled to seats upon the presentation of letters from their churches or otherwise satisfactory evidence of their appointment.
Section 2. Each church shall be entitled to three messengers, with one additional messenger for every fifty members or the major fraction thereof above one hundred. No church shall be entitled to more than ten (10) duly elected messengers.
Section 3. Messengers from the churches desiring to affiliate with this association shall present to the church Advisory Committee petitionary letters, setting forth the articles of faith on which the churches were organized, including a statement of intent to support the mission endeavors of the SBC, TBC and CBA. The petition may be presented at the annual associational meeting. The church will be under the watch care of the association until their request is acted upon at the next regular associational meeting. They shall be received into the association by not less than a three-fourths majority vote.
Section 4. Any church may, at her discretion, withdraw from the association.
Section 5. Failure to participate: In the event a church fails for two consecutive years to file an annual church profile and cooperate with the association, it shall be the responsibility of the Executive Board to take such action as it deems necessary to encourage the church to share in the program of the association.
ARTICLE VII – OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of this association shall be a moderator, an assistant moderator, a clerk, and a treasurer, who shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast. Because of the technical nature of the responsibilities of the clerk and treasurer, the nominating committee shall prepare nominations of these officers. The election shall take place at the annual associational meeting, term of office to begin with the new Associational year.
Section 2. The moderator shall preside at all meetings of the association and the meetings of the Executive Board, or he shall call the assistant moderator or someone else to occupy the chair temporarily in his absence, and may exercise the same privilege of discussion as other members of the association. He shall appoint a Committee on Committees in the annual associational meeting, to which the appointment of standing and special committees shall be referred. He shall be ex-officio member of all committees of the association. He shall not hold office more than two consecutive years.
Section 3. The clerk shall keep a correct record of all the proceedings of the association and attend to such duties as may be assigned to the clerk in connection therewith. The clerk shall prepare and have printed sufficient copies of the minutes for the churches of the association, and shall distribute them to the churches as soon as possible after the annual associational meeting.
Section 4. The treasurer and/or office personnel shall handle all funds of the association, making regular reports to the association and to the Executive Board. The treasurer's books shall be audited by an accountant selected by the Finance Committee at the close of each fiscal year.
ARTICLE VIII - EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. In the period between its meetings, the business of the association shall be committed to the Executive Board composed of one lay member elected by each cooperating church together with the pastor of such church and the department heads of each of the Associational departments: The moderator, assistant moderator, clerk, and treasurer of the association shall also be the officers of the Executive Board.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of the moderator of the Board to preside over its meetings and of the clerk to keep written records of all proceedings.
Section 3. It shall meet at such time and place as the Board may determine. The moderator shall call the first meeting. Special meetings may be called by the moderator or by a majority of the Executive Committee of the Board.
Section 4. A report of its proceedings shall be made to the association at the annual associational meeting, along with any recommendations which the Board may desire to make concerning the work and the affairs of the association.
Section 5. The Board shall have the power to declare and fill vacancies that may occur in any of the Associational departments or committees between the meetings of the association.
Section 6. The Executive Board shall have an Executive Committee composed of the department heads of the association and the general officers of the association. The chairman of the Board shall be the Chairman of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall meet at such time and place as it may determine.
Section 7. The Executive Board shall be empowered to call a director of missions and such other staff as needed, who shall serve under policies and job descriptions previously approved by the Board.
Clinton Baptist Association
BY-LAWS
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Each session shall be opened and closed by prayer.
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Each speaker shall arise and address the moderator. In discussion, all personalities shall be avoided. No one shall speak more than twice on the same question without special permission from the Association.
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Offerings may be taken at the annual meeting as the moderator may direct.
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The minutes shall be presented by the associational clerk or, in the clerk’s absence, anyone the moderator appoints.
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Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the standard in deciding questions of parliamentary practice.
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The Constitution and the By-laws may be called for public readings by any messenger at any time of the session.
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These by-laws may be amended at the annual meeting by two-thirds vote of the messengers present. A notice of proposed change must be made in writing to all Association churches at least one month prior to the Associational meeting and the proposed amendment must be approved at two consecutive executive board meetings.
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All standing committees shall be composed of no more than six members and no fewer than three, with one-third of the members elected for a three-year term at the annual Associational meeting. Membership shall be on a rotating basis; responsibilities will begin with the new Associational year. The Committee on Committees will designate the length of service of the various members at the first appointment following the adoption of this item. The chairman of each standing committee shall be suggested by the Committee on Committees. Committees shall report directly to the Executive Board of the association through the chairman or someone appointed by him.
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The Nominating committee shall nominate the council directors of the Clinton Baptist Association which are Brotherhood/Men’s Ministry, WMU, Sunday School, Discipleship Training, Music, TACMO, Missions Development, Evangelism, Youth, Pastoral Ministries, Stewardship, Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Church and Community Ministries, VBS and Disaster Relief. They shall make recommendations at the annual Associational meeting with responsibilities beginning with the new Associational year.
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A policy manual shall be developed containing the responsibilities of all personnel, leaders, and committees as well as all adopted policies of the association.
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The Time, Place, and Preacher Committee is appointed by the Moderator for the purpose of suggesting the time, place, preacher and alternate preacher to deliver the sermon for next annual associational meeting. This committee shall be composed of three people, and shall report at that appointed meeting.
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The Committee on Committees, composed of six members, shall be appointed by the moderator at the annual Associational meeting. Responsibilities, beginning at the close of this meeting, are the maintaining of standing and special committees, bringing to the annual Associational meeting nominations for replacing people rotating off committees, and providing personnel for any new committees authorized by the Association or Executive Board.