BYLAWS OF ADVENTURE LIFE CHURCH
Article I - Name
The name of the congregation and its corporation is Adventure Life Church.
Article II - Purpose
The purpose of the congregation is to worship God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ; to
promote Christian fellowship among its members; to nurture its members; to reach out through
specific acts of service in the community and in the world; and to bring people to an
understanding of the good news in Jesus Christ.
Article III – Membership
Section 1. The congregation is a body of baptized Christians meeting regularly in a particular
place of worship. Confessing members of Adventure Life Church are those members
who have been received by the board of elders through confession of faith in Jesus
Christ, reaffirmation of faith, or presentation of a satisfactory certificate of transfer
from another Christian church, and who make faithful use of the means of grace,
especially the hearing of the Word and the use of the Lord's Supper.
Section 2. Termination of Membership - Membership shall be terminated in the following
ways: (1) death, (2) transfer by letter to another Christian church, (3) request by the
member for termination of membership, or (4) termination by action of the board of
elders.
Article IV - Congregational Meetings
Section 1. The congregation shall have at least one meeting a year at which elders and
deacons shall be chosen or elected.
Section 2. Special meetings of the congregation may be called by a majority vote of
the Leadership Team.
Section 3. Notice of the annual congregational meeting shall be made on at least two
Sundays preceding the date of such meeting. Notice for Special meetings shall
be made on at least one Sunday preceding the date of such meeting.
Section 4. All confessing members of the congregation who have attained the age of eighteen
years shall be eligible to vote in all elections and issues at any meeting of the
congregation.
Section 5. A quorum for any meeting shall be the members present at a duly
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called congregational meeting.
Section 6. Unless otherwise required or agreed by the body, any action to be approved
at a congregational meeting shall be passed by a majority of members
present.
Section 7. Minutes shall be kept of all congregational meetings and shall be approved
by a majority vote of the members present at the next congregational
meeting.
Article V - The Leadership Team
Section 1. The Leadership Team shall consist of deacons, elders and all installed
ministers.
Section 2. Election of Elders and Deacons
1. Only confessing members who are active in the life of the church shall
be eligible to be elected.
2. Prior to the congregational meeting at which voting will take place, a list of
members who are eligible to be elected shall be distributed to the
congregation,who will then be given suitable opportunity to nominate
eligible members for the office of elder or deacon.
3. After giving any such nominations due consideration, the Leadership
Team shall present to the congregation a list of nominees who will be
submitted for approval at the congregational meeting.
4. Names of persons elected shall be published three Sundays prior to
installation of the Leadership Team.
5. Installation and/or ordination of newly elected Leadership Team members
shall occur within a reasonable time after election and publication.
Section 3. Terms of office
1. Deacons and elders shall serve three-year terms of office, unless a shorter
term is approved by the congregation upon election and is accepted by the
newly elected member of the Leadership Team. When the term of an elder
or deacon ends, he or she is ineligible for election to the Leadership Team
for one year.
2. Only one person per household may serve on the Leadership Team at the
same time.
Section 4. Meetings: The Leadership Team shall meet at least four times per year. A
quorum of the Leadership Team shall be half the body. Unless otherwise
required or agreed by the body, a majority in attendance shall decide any
action.
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Section 5. Special meetings: Special meetings may be called by the president or the
elder vice president, as defined below in Article VI, or by three of the
Leadership Team members. At least twenty-four hours’ notice shall be given
to each Leadership Team member. At any special meeting, only the
business for which the meeting was specially called may be acted upon,
unless two-thirds of the Leadership Team members in attendance approve
adding new business to the agenda.
Section 6. Duties of the Leadership Team:
1. Provide direction and organization for the church and oversee the
church's ministry. The Leadership Team may appoint standing or special
committees/teams, as needed, to assist with the fulfilling of this
responsibility. All standing or special committees/teams, or a
representative thereof, shall report to the Leadership Team and be
responsible thereto.
2. Prepare the budget or authorize an individual or a standing or special
committee/team to prepare the budget and present it to the
congregation for approval.
3. Minutes shall be kept of all Leadership Team meetings.
Section 7. Power to Borrow Money: The Leadership Team shall have the full power
and authority to borrow money in the name of the church whenever, in the
discretion of the Leadership Team, the exercise of such power is required in
the general interest of the church. In such case, the Leadership Team shall
authorize the proper officers to make, execute and deliver in the name of
the church and on behalf of the church such notes, bonds and other
evidence of indebtedness as the Leadership Team shall deem necessary and
proper. The Leadership Team shall have the power to mortgage the
property of the church as security for indebtedness upon congregational
approval. Any decision to mortgage the property shall require a two-thirds
vote of the Leadership Team.
Section 8. Board of Elders: The board of elders shall elect a lead elder who will be the
vice-president of the Leadership Team and preside at all meetings of the
elders. If the lead elder is unable to attend a meeting of the elders, the lead
elder shall designate another elder or the pastor to preside over the meeting.
The board of elders shall meet at least four times per year. Minutes shall be
kept of all meetings.
Section 9. Board of Deacons: The board of deacons shall elect a lead deacon who will
preside at all meetings of the deacons. If the lead deacon is unable to attend a
meeting of the deacons, the lead deacon shall designate another deacon or the
pastor to preside over the meeting. The board of deacons shall meet at least four
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times per year. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings.
Article VI- Officers of the Church
Section 1. President: The lead pastor shall serve as president of the Leadership
Team and shall preside at the annual meeting of the congregation.
Section 2. Vice-President: The vice-president shall be the lead elder who has been elected
by a majority vote of the board of elders for a one-year term and is eligible for
reelection. The vice-president shall assume the responsibilities and duties of the
president in his or her absence.
Section 3. Clerk: The clerk shall be a member of the Leadership Team and shall be
elected by majority vote of the Leadership Team for a one-year term and is
eligible for re-election.The clerk shall record the minutes of regular and
special Leadership Team meetings, and annual and special congregational
meetings.
Section 4. Treasurer: The treasurer shall be elected by majority vote of the Leadership
Team for a one-year term and is eligible for re-election. The treasurer shall
present the Leadership Team with an accurate report of the church's finances.
The treasurer shall be authorized to sign checks and may authorize others to sign
checks after receiving the approval of the Leadership Team.
Article VII - Employees of the Church
Section 1. All full and part-time employees shall be responsible to the Leadership Team
through the lead pastor for job responsibilities and employment.
Section 2. Compensation for employment shall be determined by the Leadership Team, or an
agent thereof, and approved by the Leadership Team (or by vote of the
congregation at a regularly scheduled congregational meeting called for the
purpose of approving the budget as presented by the Leadership Team).
Article VIII - Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of this church shall be the calendar year (or another twelve-month period as
agreed upon by the congregation or Leadership Team).
Article IX -Amendments to the Bylaws
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Leadership Team. Any
amendment shall be proposed in its entirety to the Leadership Team prior to the vote. The
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congregation shall be informed of any changes to these bylaws prior to the final approval of
the amendment.
Article X -Approval of the Bylaws
The undersigned, as the duly elected President and Vice President of the leadership team of
Adventure Life Church, hereby certifies that these bylaws were approved by a two-thirds vote
of the Leadership Team. After approval, proper notice of the proposed bylaws was given to
the congregation.
These bylaws were approved with the intent that they shall amend and replace in their
entirety any existing bylaws of Adventure Life Church.
Dated: September 4, 2022
Signed by the President: ____________________________
Darryl Pierce
Signed by the Vice President: ____________________________