CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I
Name, Affiliation and Common Beliefs
Section 1

NAME
The name of the congregation is St. John's United Church of Christ
(hereafter referred to as St. John's), located at 503 Stuart Circle in
Richmond, Virginia.

Section 2

AFFILIATION AND COVENANT

St. John's is a constitutional member of the Potomac Association of
the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ, the
recommendations of which in all matters not otherwise required
herein shall be considered advisory.
As a member of the United Church of Christ, St. John's will relate to
the various expressions of the church in a covenantal manner. St.
John's will seek God's will and be faithful to God's mission, attending
to its responsibilities in relation to all expressions of the church. Its
decisions are made in consultation and collaboration among the
other parts of the structure, including its Association, Conference,
and the General Synod. As a member of the body of Christ, St. John's
listens, hears, and carefully considers the advice, counsel, and
requests of others. In this covenant, St. John's joins the various
expressions of the United Church of Christ to seek to walk together in
all God's ways.

Section 3

COMMON BELIEFS
St. John's acknowledges as its sole head, Jesus Christ, Son of God and
Savior. We acknowledge as kindred in Christ all who share in this
confession. We look to the Word of God in the scriptures and to the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to prosper its creative and
redemptive work in the world. We claim as our own the faith of the
historic church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the
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basic insights of the Protestant Reformers. We affirm the

responsibility of the church in each generation to make this faith our
own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and
in purity of heart before God. In accordance with the teaching of our
Lord and the practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, we
recognize two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Holy
Communion). (Adapted from the Constitution of the United Church of
Christ, 2013)
As a community of faith led by God's love, Christ's example and the
Holy Spirit's presence, St. John's declares ourselves to be Open and
Affirming. Recognizing that people desire to bring their whole selves
to the church, this congregation offers extravagant welcome and
hospitality to everyone, as we strive to embrace, without limits,
differences in age; education; faith journey; family structure; gender;
marital status; mental and physical health and ability; racial and
cultural identity and background; sexual orientation, gender identity,
gender expression; and socioeconomic circumstance. With God's
grace, we invite all into the full life and ministry of the church
including worship, sacraments, rites, responsibilities and leadership,
as we celebrate the blessings, joys and challenges of life in Christ. (St.
John's Open and Affirming Statement, approved June 2010)
St. Johns values the practices of worship, fellowship, faith formation,
and mission and outreach.
ARTICLE II
Membership
Section 1

INCLUSIVE WELCOME
No matter who a person is or where a person is on life's journey, he
or she is welcome at St. John's to explore their faith, to meet new
people and to strengthen their personal relationship with God.

Section 2

QUALIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP
The only qualification for membership in St. John's is that one be a
follower of Jesus Christ sincerely desiring to be a part of the
congregation. Persons may be recognized as members through

baptism,
confirmation,
letter of transfer from a Christian church, or
public affirmation of faith.

A person need not relinquish membership in another congregation to

become a member of St. John's.
The Church Council shall take action on all requests for membership.
Following acceptance, new members shall be welcomed publicly into
membership.
Section 3

CHARACTERISTICS OF MEMBERSHIP
The action of becoming a member is one of covenanting with others
to strive to live a Christian life and grow in Christian discipleship. We
will encourage one another to:
attend communal worship and participate in the celebration of
Holy Communion;
share in the fellowship and participate in the work and
ministries of St. John's;
seek deliberately to grow and mature in the understanding and
practice of Christian faith through individual and communal
education, bible study, prayer, stewardship, and other spiritual
disciplines;
support St. John's financially;
share our Christian faith with others by word and deed;
encourage and care for our brothers and sisters;
support the wider mission endeavors of St. John's;
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 seek to learn about the history, traditions and organization of

St. John's;
attend as able and knowledgeably participate in
congregational meetings; and
uphold the Constitution and By-Laws of St. John's.
Any active member shall
a) be eligible to vote at congregational meetings,
b) be eligible for any elective or appointive office within the
Church, and
c) be able to participate in the calling and dismissal of a minister.
Section 4

TRANSFER/WITHDRAWAL
Any member may, upon request, be granted a letter of transfer to
another congregation or released from membership.

Section 5

INACTIVE STATUS
Church Council shall review the list of members annually. Any
member whose whereabouts cannot be ascertained or who has not
participated in the life of St. John's for more than a year may be
transferred to the inactive list by action of the Church Council.
ARTICLE III
The Church Council

Section 1

PURPOSE
The Church Council shall be responsible for the governance of the
congregation except as required by law or within this Constitution or
By-Laws to be otherwise exercised. The Council is responsible for
fostering the overall spiritual life, organization, and ministries of St.
John's in accordance with its core values.

The Council shall welcome expressions of affirmation and concern

from any member of the congregation regarding any activity
associated with St. John's and will respond promptly and
appropriately to all such comments. The Council shall make full and
prompt disclosures of its activities to the congregation regularly.
Section 2

MEMBERSHIP
The Church Council shall consist of six to nine (6-9) members and
three (3) Church officers who are 18 years of age or older elected
from the membership at an annual meeting. Pastoral staff are ex
officio members with voice but not vote. Any member of the
congregation is welcome to attend meetings with voice but not vote
except when the Council is engaged in an executive session.

Section 3

TERM OF OFFICE
Two (2) or three (3) members shall be elected each year for a term of
three (3) years. A member shall be eligible for re-election for one
additional three-year term, after which such member shall not again
be eligible for election until one year has elapsed.

Section 4

POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In service of the mission and purposes of St. John's, the Council shall:
encourage the spiritual life and welfare of the congregation
and its participants;
ensure that the word of God is preached and the sacraments
administered in accordance with the common beliefs of the
United Church of Christ;
assist and support the pastoral staff in their ministries;
strive to embody the characteristics of membership as defined
in Article II, Section 3 of this constitution;
foster principles and practices of stewardship and manage the
financial affairs of the congregation, including the annual
appointment of an internal audit task force;
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 grant final approval to all contracts and agreements made on

behalf of St. John's;
accept, acknowledge and administer special gifts,
contributions or grants;
oversee and approve all fund-raising efforts;
approve and oversee the buying, selling, leasing as lessor or
lessee, mortgaging, encumbering, exchanging, or otherwise
selling or dealing in or with real or personal property, or any
interest therein, of St. John's held by the congregation;
provided that the action is also approved by an affirmative
vote of two-thirds of the congregation's membership in
attendance at an officially called meeting. A certificate
executed by the Secretary stating that the sale, purchase or
encumbrance of the real or personal property is consistent
with the purposes of the congregation and authorized under
the Constitution and By-Laws of St. John's shall be conclusive
with respect to any third parties dealing with the congregation.
[Reference Board of Trustees, Article V.5.]
ensure the maintenance of all church property;
ensure the preservation of congregational records;
oversee the work of the Treasurer and monitor budget
expenditures;
employ, dismiss, determine duties, set compensation, and
establish personnel policies for all paid staff, as well as ensure
that annual evaluations are conducted;
monitor the health and well-being of St. John's and evaluate
the effectiveness of its structure and ministries annually in
conjunction with the pastoral staff;
arrange for an independent external audit of any financial
records as the Council deems necessary;
review and update regularly the congregation's Policies and
Procedures Manual;
Promote and coordinate the activities of committees and
organized groups of the congregation;
encourage communication among committees and organized
groups and oversee the development of the congregation's
calendar of events;
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 engage in both short and long range planning;

identify and seek to resolve congregational conflicts; and
act as sponsoring body on behalf of the congregation when
individuals indicate a desire to enter full-time Christian service.
Section 5

VACANCIES
In the event of a vacancy on Church Council, the Council shall solicit
nominees for the open position and a special meeting of the
membership shall be called within two months to elect a successor to
serve the unexpired term.
ARTICLE IV
Church Officers

Section 1

OFFICERS
The officers of St. John's shall be the President, Vice President,
Secretary, and Treasurer. They must be active members of the
congregation and are elected annually by the congregation.

Section 2

ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Officers will be elected during a congregational meeting and serve a
twelve (12) month term. The Council will submit a slate of nominees
to the membership at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.
Additional nominations may be accepted from the floor.

Section 3

TERM LIMITS
The President may serve no more than two consecutive one-year
terms and then must be out of office for at least two years before
being eligible to hold any office again.

The Vice President and Secretary may serve no more than two
consecutive one-year terms and then must be out of that office for at
least two years before being eligible to hold that office again.
The office of the Treasurer has no term limit.
Section 4

RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS
a. The President shall:
convene and preside over meetings of the Church Council;
convene and preside over congregational meetings;
in cooperation with the Council, assemble agendas for Council
and congregational meetings;
represent St. John's as its lay leader to other congregations,
organizations and the community;
work closely with the pastoral staff to further the mission and
vision of St. John's; and
encourage collaboration among all committees and groups.
b. The Vice-President shall:
fulfill the duties of the President when that person is absent or
unable to act;
work closely with the President and the pastoral staff to
further the mission and vision of St. John's; and
oversee the maintenance of an up-to-date membership list
and assist the pastoral staff in preparing the annual
Association and Conference reports.
c. The Secretary shall:
communicate written notice of congregational and Council
meetings to the membership;
ensure that meeting agendas, attendant documents, and
minutes are sent to members of the Council at least ten (10)
days prior to regularly scheduled meetings;
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 keep records and minutes of all congregational and Council

meetings and provide a copy of such to the church office;
determine if and record that a quorum is present for
congregational and Council meetings;
register Trustees with the Commonwealth of Virginia; and
see that the Church Office maintains an up-to-date version of
the Constitutions and By-Laws.
d. The Treasurer shall:
receive reports of all deposits and reconcile bank
statements;
make disbursements by check in payment of all properly
authorized expenditures;
keep accurate records of all receipts and disbursements;
and
report monthly to the Council on the financial condition of
St. John's.
ARTICLE V
Board of Trustees
Section 1

PURPOSE
The Board of Trustees shall hold in the name of the congregation, in
conformity with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, all such
real property as is owned by St. John's.

Section 2

MEMBERSHIP
Four (4) Trustees elected by the membership shall legally represent
the congregation. The Trustees shall annually elect a chairperson.

Section 3

TERM OF OFFICE
Each Trustee shall be elected for a term of four (4) years and
elections shall be held on a two-year cycle, with two (2) Trustees
elected each time.

Section 4

VACANCY
In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Trustees, the Council shall
solicit nominees for the open position and a special meeting of the
membership shall be called within two months to elect a successor to
serve the unexpired term.

Section 5

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Trustees shall:
at the direction of the Church Council and membership,
execute all legal documents in the name of the congregation;
purchase all insurance authorized by the Council;
review annually the insurance policies carried on church
properties to determine that they are issued properly and
afford the insurance protection intended, and recommend any
changes to the Council; and
submit and monitor all insurance claims.
ARTICLE VI
Pastoral Leadership

Section 1

QUALIFICATION
The Pastor shall be ordained to the Christian ministry with standing
in the Potomac Association of the United Church of Christ and shall
be a member of St. John's.

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Section 2

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Pastor shall:
preach, teach, and model the Word of God;
administer the sacraments;
coordinate services of worship, including weddings and
funerals;
provide pastoral care;
work closely with Church Officers, the Church Council, other
staff, and the congregation to further the mission and vision of
St. John's;
represent St. John's as its pastoral leader to other
congregations, organizations and the community;
have voice but not vote on the Council and all committees;
provide effective administration and operations management
of St. John's, including monitoring the accuracy and
appropriateness of all communications; and
monitor the health and well-being of St. John's and evaluate
the effectiveness of its structure and ministries annually in
conjunction with the Council.

Section 3

ENDING OF CALL
Should the Pastor desire to resign the call, preferably three (3)
months notice shall be given to the Church Council.
St. John's can release the Pastor upon the recommendation of the
Church Council and by a majority vote of the members of the Church
present at a congregational meeting called for such purpose.
In cases of clergy misconduct, the Pastor can be released from duties
immediately, in accordance with the guidelines of the United Church
of Christ Manual on Ministry.

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ARTICLE VII
Congregational Meetings
Section 1

CONVENING MEETINGS
There shall be at least one (1) congregational meeting annually.
Written notice stating the agenda of a meeting shall be given to the
membership at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting. Twenty
percent (20%) of the membership shall constitute a quorum at all
congregational meetings.
Special meetings of the membership may be called at any time by the
Church Council. The Council shall be required to call a meeting when
petitioned in writing by at least twenty (20) members of the
congregation. Notice shall be given in accordance with the above
procedure.

Section 2

ELECTIONS
The active membership shall elect at a congregational meeting the
members of the Church Council, Church Officers, the Pastor, and the
Trustees.

Section 3

BUDGET APPROVAL
The budget for the ensuing year as recommended by the Church
Council shall be acted upon by the membership annually at a
congregational meeting.

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ARTICLE VIII
Finances of the Congregation
Section 1

BUDGET
The budget shall include, but need not be limited to, appropriations
for Our Church's Wider Mission, current expenses and projected
income.

Section 2

ACCOUNTING
The finances of the church shall use standard accrual accounting
principles and an audit shall be conducted annually.

Section 3

BORROWING
Money in an amount less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) may be
borrowed in the name of the congregation with the prior approval of
the Church Council.
Money in an amount exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) may
be borrowed in the name of the congregation with the prior approval
of the congregation.
ARTICLE IX
Effective Date

This Constitution shall be in force effective (month), (day), 2015. Anything

contained or embodied in any of the By-Laws, resolutions or enactments of this
congregation that is in conflict with this Constitution is hereby superseded and
repealed.

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ARTICLE X
Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the active
members present at a congregational meeting. Written notice of the meeting
stating the exact wording of the amendment(s) shall be given to the membership
at least two (2) weeks prior to said meeting. Upon adoption of an amendment to
this Constitution, the Secretary shall provide a copy of the amendment to the
Church Office to be placed in a file accessible to all members.

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