CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Green River Baptist Association, Inc.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization shall be to further the cause of Christ among the cooperating churches by planning and doing together the Lord's work by promoting fellowship, unity and growth in the churches, and by cooperating with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, the Southern Baptist Convention and others in Christian ministry and world missions.
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ARTICLE III - OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this association shall be:
1. To provide for the spiritual welfare and fellowship of all the cooperating churches and their members.
2. To provide a forum for the discussion of issues and doctrines of the Christian faith.
3. To serve as a two-way channel of information between the churches and the conventions (NCBSC and SBC) and their agencies.
4. To assist the churches in reaching their objectives in worship, education, proclamation, ministry, and application of the Christian faith.
5. To inform the churches of worldwide missions needs and concerns.
6. To study church, association and community needs.
7. To plan mission strategy.
8. To lead in the establishing of ministries to meet human need in the name of our Lord.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. This association shall be an autonomous body of churches composed of the pastors, duly elected messengers from cooperating autonomous Baptist churches (as listed in the current issue of the association annual), the duly elected General Officers and the duly elected Leadership Team of the Association.
Section 2. Each cooperating church shall be entitled to three elected messengers for the first 100 resident members or fraction thereof, and one messenger for each additional 50 resident members or fractions thereof, provided that no church has more than 10 elected messengers, including pastor, association elected officers and Leadership Team.
Section 3. Churches desiring affiliation with this Association must make written application to the Advisory Committee. Upon recommendation of the Advisory Committee, the church may come under the watchcare of the Association by a majority vote of the Association. Upon satisfactory evidence of its adherence to the faith and practices of Southern Baptists, it may become an affiliated church after one year upon the majority vote of the Association.
Section 4. Any church may withdraw from this Association at its pleasure upon written notice to the Advisory Committee.
Section 5. While recognizing the autonomy of the local church, this Association asserts its privilege of using discretion in receiving churches into its fellowship and in withdrawing fellowship from any church found upon careful investigation to be walking in disorder or failing in practice to endorse and support missionary and/or benevolent work of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. In the event that a church fails or refuses to support financially and to make an annual report to the Association for two consecutive years, it shall be removed from the list of affiliated churches upon the investigation and recommendation of the Advisory Committee to the Association at a Quarterly Association Meeting.
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ARTICLE V - MEETINGS
The October Quarterly Meeting of the Association shall be the annual meeting of Green River Baptist Association, Inc.
ARTICLE VI - ELECTED OFFICERS
Section 1. The General Officers of the Association shall be: Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Clerk, Associate Clerk, Treasurer, Associate Treasurer, Historian, Music Director, Pianist and Woman’s Missionary Union Director.
Section 2. The Association resource team leaders shall be the Leadership Team.
Section 3. The following General Officers: Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer and the Director of Missions shall serve as directors of Green River Baptist Association, Inc. No members of this corporation, nor any officer or director shall, merely by virtue of such membership, office or position, incur or be subject to personal liability to any extent for any indebtedness or obligations from acts or omissions of this corporation.
Section 4. The Director of Missions shall be the executive officer of the Association. In the event there is a vacancy in the Director of Association Missions position or other circumstances that would prohibit the Director of Missions from fulfilling the responsibilities as executive officer, the moderator shall be the executive officer of the Association.
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ARTICLE VII - THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL
Section 1. The ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL shall consist of nine members composed of the moderator, vice-moderator, treasurer and six messengers from the slate of messengers elected by the churches to attend the Quarterly Association Meetings.
Section 2. The ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL members shall be nominated by the moderator and vice-moderator and presented for election at the October Quarterly Meeting. No more than one person from a church shall serve on the council. Terms of service are renewed annually.
Section 3. The ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL shall assist the Director of Missions in planning, advising and carrying out the work of the Association.
Section 4. The ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL will be chaired by the Vice-Moderator.
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ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be revised or amended at any Quarterly Association Meeting of the Association by a two-thirds majority of the members present, provided that said change(s) shall have been distributed in writing to each messenger one month prior to a Quarterly Association Meeting.
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BYLAWS
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ARTICLE I - MEETINGS
The Association shall meet Quarterly on the last Monday of October, January, April and July with the time of day to be determined by Director of Missions.
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ARTICLE II - THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL
Section 1. The Administrative Council shall meet when called by the Moderator or Director of Missions.
Section 2. When deemed advisable, the Administrative Council may call a meeting of the Association, provided that at least a two week notice be given.
ARTICLE III - ELECTION OF OFFICERS
LEADERSHIP TEAM
AND DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS
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Section 1. All General Officers and the Leadership Team of the Association shall be elected annually at the April Quarterly Association Meeting.
Section 2. The Director of Missions shall be elected indefinitely.
ARTICLE IV - DUTIES OF ELECTED OFFICERS
Section 1. General Officers
1. The Moderator shall preside over the meetings of the Association and give general supervision and support to all association activities. The moderator shall appoint the Committee on Committees at the January Quarterly Association Meeting. The moderator shall appoint all special committees as needed and appoint the parliamentarian in consultation with the Vice-Moderator and Director of Missions. The Parliamentarian shall advise the Moderator and messengers with respect to proper parliamentary procedures in the business meetings. The moderator shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees. The moderator may call a special meeting of the Administrative Council when this is deemed advisable, provided that members be notified at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. The moderator shall serve as chairman of the Board of Directors. The Moderator may not serve more than two consecutive years.
2. The Vice-Moderator shall preside in the absence of the Moderator and render assistance when called upon. The Vice-Moderator shall serve as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and as chairman of the Administrative Council.
3. The Treasurer shall receive all funds contributed to the Association, disburse all funds as directed by the Association and keep accurate records of all transactions. The treasurer shall serve as an ex- officio member of the Budget and Accounting Committees. The treasurer shall report at all Quarterly Association Meetings. The Treasurer shall make all records available to the Accounting Committee annually. The treasurer shall serve as the treasurer of the Board of Directors.
4. The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer as called upon by the Treasurer or Moderator.
5. The Clerk shall record the proceedings of the Quarterly Association Meetings, publish and distribute an association annual, and preserve all association records. The Clerk shall see that copies of the association minutes are bound in permanent volumes, leaving the number of year's minutes per volume to the discretion of the clerk. The clerk shall serve as the secretary of the Board of Directors.
6. The Assistant Clerk shall assist the Clerk as called upon by the Clerk or Moderator.
7. The Historian shall provide a report of significant events and accomplishments of the churches during the Association year for publication in the association annual.
8. The Music Director shall be responsible for the planning and leading of music in the Quarterly Association Meetings.
9. The Association Organist and/or Pianist shall be present at all Quarterly Association Meetings to accompany the Music Director in leading congregational hymns.
10. The Director of W.M.U. shall promote mission study, support, and involvement among women and girls and generally supervise all association W.M.U. work.
ARTICLE V – LEADERSHIP TEAM
The Leadership Team, with nine members serving annually, shall have the responsibility of working, in conjunction with the Director of Missions, in planning and coordinating the events of the Association (i.e.: activities, missions, trainings, promotions, etc.) to encourage growth and development of our churches. Each member will have specific areas of focus (i.e.: WMU, Prayer, Baptist Men, Disaster Relief, Discipleship, Worship, Mountain State Fair Ministry, Soup Kitchen & Chapel Ministry, Evangelism, Bible Study, Church Growth, Youth and Children’s Ministry, etc.)
ARTICLE VI - STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. The COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES shall consist of five members, plus the moderator. This committee shall be appointed by the Moderator at the January Quarterly Association Meeting. This committee shall nominate all other standing committees. This committee’s report will be presented at the April Quarterly Association Meeting.
Section 2. The PERSONNEL COMMITTEE shall be composed of the Moderator, Vice-Moderator and three members at large, these to be named by the Committee on Committees. The three members-at-large shall serve on a rotating basis. The Moderator shall serve as chairman. The Personnel Committee shall have the following duties:
1. Serve as the selection committee for the Director of Association Missions and any other ministry position and present its nomination to the Association for election.
2. Serve as liaison between the Director of Association Missions and the Association in all questions of relationship.
3. In consultation with the Director of Association Missions, employ an office secretary and any other non-ministerial staff as the Association may authorize.
4. Review and update the Personnel Policy statements for all Association staff as needed.
Section 3. Election of other Standing Committees:
1. All other standing committees will be nominated by the Committee on Committees and elected by the Association in the April Quarterly Association Meeting.
2. These committees will rotate on a three-year rotation, with one-third of the members rotating off each year.
3. The chairman will be selected at the first committee meeting by the committee.
Section 4. Other Standing Committees and their Duties:
1. The ACCOUNTING COMMITTEE shall be composed of three members and shall be responsible for seeing that a good system of bookkeeping is adopted and used by the Treasurer of the Association and shall audit the books and make a written report to the Association at the January Quarterly Association Meeting.
2. The ADVISORY COMMITTEE shall be composed of six members and have the following duties:
a. This committee shall counsel with churches seeking fellowship in this Association in accordance with the constitution (Article IV-Membership, Section 3). They shall request from these churches a report on the standard association letter form, and such other information as deemed advisable.
b. This committee shall encourage new churches to adopt a constitution and by-laws.
c. As called upon, it will counsel with groups concerned with problems of doctrine, fellowship, or conduct.
d. It will counsel with groups concerned with organizing a new church or with consolidation of two or more existing churches.
e. It will counsel with churches found failing to comply with Article IV-Membership, Section 5 of the constitution.
3. The APPRECIATION COMMITTEE shall be composed of three members. This committee shall express appropriate commendations, recommend dedication of the annual minutes and appreciation in matters related to the Association at the October Quarterly Association Meeting.
4. The BUDGET COMMITTEE shall be composed of six members and will prepare and present a realistic but challenging association budget based on felt needs and program activities. This new budget will be presented to the October Quarterly Association Meeting for approval. The new budget will become effective January 1. The committee will review quarterly, or as frequently as necessary, the status of budget items and take action as necessary to maintain sound financial management.
5. The BUILDING AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE, composed of three members, shall have the following duties:
a. Have overall responsibility for maintenance and care of all Association properties.
b. Have authority to spend up to the budgeted amount approved in the yearly budget for building maintenance without approval of the Administrative Council.
c. Shall report to the Quarterly Association Meetings of its work.
d. Shall consult with the Director of Missions pertaining to maintenance needs.
6. The CHRISTIAN CHARACTER SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE, composed of three members serving on a rotating basis shall bring appropriate recommendation (s) to the Association in awarding scholarships. See Guidelines.
7. The CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE, composed of three members, shall annually review the constitution and by-laws and recommend needed revisions or amendments.
8. The MEMORIAL COMMITTEE, consisting of three members, shall compile a list of members of affiliated churches who have died during the association year for publication in the Book of Reports and in the annual. They shall plan and conduct a brief memorial service at the October Quarterly Meeting.
9. The NOMINATING COMMITTEE, composed of three members, shall present nominations for General Officers and the Leadership Team to the April Quarterly Association Meeting. This committee shall bring nominations to the Quarterly Association Meetings to fill vacancies that occur during the year.
10. The ORDINATION COMMITTEE, consisting of six members, shall counsel with and assist any church upon its request concerning the ordination of ministers.
11. The PLACE AND PREACHER COMMITTEE shall be composed of three members and shall have the following duties:
a. Recommend the place for the Quarterly Association Meetings two years in advance.
b. Recommend the preacher and alternate for the October annual sermon at the April Quarterly Association Meeting.
c. This committee report will be presented at the April Quarterly Association Meeting.
12. The REGISTRATION COMMITTEE, composed of six members, one from each church that will be hosting the Quarterly Association Meetings for the next three years, shall be responsible for registering messengers to the Quarterly Meetings; giving a report of number present at beginning of each session and determining the validity of seating a messenger.
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ARTICLE VII - REPORTS TO THE ASSOCIATION
All Association committee chairpersons and the Leadership Team shall file reports with the Association office by September 15 to be included in the Annual Minutes.
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ARTICLE VIII - QUORUM
In the Quarterly Association Meetings those members present shall constitute a quorum. In a called meeting of the Association, messengers from one-half of the churches shall constitute a quorum.
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ARTICLE IX - PARLIAMENTARIAN PROCEDURE
Order of business shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order as revised.
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ARTICLE X - POLICY
The Association or the Administrative Council shall establish policy for all matters not herein stated.
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ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS
These by-laws may be amended at any Quarterly Association Meeting provided that the proposed amendment be presented in writing by mail to the messengers two weeks prior to a Quarterly Association Meeting and that the amendment be passed by a two-thirds majority.
(Last revision: July 27, 2020)