Preamble

"The Constitution and By-Laws are hereby established: to secure and preserve the principles of our faith; to maintain the autonomy of this body of believers; to provide for the governance of itself in accordance with the Word of God; to be independent from any other religious body or organization, in order to provide Christian conduct in its affairs."

Name

Vine Street Baptist Church, a 501(c)3 non-profit religious organization with members, maintains its principle office at 2152 NE Vine Street, Roseburg, Oregon 97470.

Article 1: Purpose

1. To worship and serve God in fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus Christ as set forth in Matthew 28:19-20.

2. To exemplify the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:37-39.

3. To minister to the needs of members and others as God and Providence provides as set forth in Philippians 2:4 and Galatians 6:2.

Article 2: Articles of Faith

1. We believe the Holy Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, without error, all sufficient authority in matters of faith, doctrine, and Christian living.

2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Spirit.

3. We believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ who is fully God and fully man. He died on the cross for our sins. He rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father and is now our High Priest, Mediator and Advocate.

4. We believe man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost. Only through regeneration by the work of the Holy Spirit can man's salvation and spiritual life be obtained.

5. We believe salvation involves the redemption of the whole person and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

6. We believe a New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers.

7. We believe baptism is by immersion and the Lord's Supper is a memorial to His suffering and death on the cross. These are ordinances to be observed by the church in this present age.

They are, however, not to be regarded as a means for a person's salvation.

8. We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ and that His Second Coming inspires believers to live a dynamic and zealous life in service to Him while awaiting His return.

9. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, the everlasting blessedness of the saved in heaven, and the everlasting punishment and separation from God of the unsaved in hell.

10. We believe in the autonomy of the local church. The church shall manage its own affairs and shall not be subject to any other religious body or organization.

11. We subscribe to the "Baptist Faith and Message" adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000 as our larger statement of faith with scriptural references.

Article 3: Governance

The government of Vine Street Baptist Church is vested in its members. The membership retains unto itself the right of exclusive self-government in all phases of its life and organization. It recognizes the need for mutual counsel and cooperation, which is common among Baptist churches.

Article 4: Amendment

This Constitution may be revised or amended at any business meeting of the church, provided the proposed revision or amendment has been presented and made available to the church in writing at least two weeks prior to said meeting. Amendments or revision to this Constitution shall be approved by two-thirds eligible voting members present and voting.

Article 1: Membership

Section 1: Qualifications

1. Membership in this body is granted to persons voluntarily requesting membership and who qualify in one of the three following ways:

A. By public profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and being baptized by immersion on the authority of this church, and completion of a new member's orientation class that affirms the core doctrine of Vine Street Baptist Church, its Constitution and By-Laws. Approval requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of eligible voting members present at any meeting of the church.

B. By transfer of letter having been received from another church of like faith and order, review of letter by Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff, completion of a new member's orientation class that affirms the core doctrine of Vine Street Baptist Church, its Constitution and By-Laws before membership is granted. Approval requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of eligible voting members present at any meeting of the church.

C. By statement of faith, when a letter is unobtainable, approval by Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff, and completion of a new member's orientation class that affirms the core doctrine of Vine Street Baptist Church, its Constitution and By-Laws before membership is granted. Approval requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of eligible voting members present at any meeting of the church.

2. The church recognizes three categories of membership - regular members, non-resident members and inactive members.

A. Regular Member - fulfills the duties of their membership as stated in Section 2.

B. Non-Resident - a member who is absent due to military, education, employment or ministry service.

C. Inactive Member - a member who has been absent for six months and is no longer fulfilling the duties of membership as stated in Section 2.

Section 2: Duties

Members are expected to be faithful in all the duties essential to the Christian life, engage in regular attendance at this church, give regularly for its financial support and share in its organized work. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Section 3: Voting Rights

1. Members who are classified as Regular or Non-Resident, and are at least 15 years of age, may participate and vote in church business meetings.

2. Members classified as Inactive are not allowed to vote.

3. No absentee ballots will be permitted. Members must be present to vote on any church matter.

Section 4: Removal from Membership

Membership at Vine Street Baptist Church is a solemn responsibility. The continuance of membership shall be subject to the principles and usages of Baptist Churches and specifically as follows:

1. Vine Street Baptist Church will grant a transfer of membership letter on request to churches of like faith and order with congregational approval at any regular worship service or business meeting.

2. A member may request removal from membership by conversation with the Senior Pastor or by written/electronic communication to the church. All requests shall be reviewed by the Senior Pastor and ordained leadership. Requests will be resolved in the spirit of Matthew 18:15-20.

3. A member who demonstrates and habitually practices immoral, unchristian behavior and resists efforts by the church for corrected behavior may be subject to membership removal. All situations for consideration of member removal shall first be considered by the Senior Pastor and ordained leadership with kind, patient and faithful efforts to bring such member to repentance or reconciliation. The Senior Pastor and ordained leadership will utilize discernment and wisdom as to removing the member by referring the matter to the church body utilizing the spirit of Matthew 18:15-20.

Section 5: Restoration

Any person whose membership has been revoked for any Biblical offense may be restored by vote of the church, upon evidence of said person's repentance and reformation. (Galatians 6:1)

Article 2: Meetings

Section 1: Worship

1. Worship services shall be held regularly on the Lord's Day and some regular evenings of each week.

2. The Lord's Supper shall be celebrated at least quarterly.

3. Special services may be called at any time by the Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff.

Section 2: Business

1. An annual business meeting will be held in the first quarter of the year to receive annual financial and activities reports and act upon any other business contained in the meeting notice.

2. A regular business meeting will be held at least quarterly.

3. At any of the regular meetings for worship, the church may, without special notice, act upon the reception of new members or upon the transfer of members to other churches, and upon the appointment of messengers to associational, state or national meetings.

Section 3: Special Business Meetings

1. The Senior Pastor may call from the pulpit special business meetings, the particular object of the meeting being clearly stated with two weeks prior notice.

2. The Senior Pastor shall call for a special business meeting when requested by the Deacons or chair of a standing committee.

Section 4: Emergency Business Meetings

1. Emergency business meetings may be called by the Senior Pastor or by the chairman of the Deacons.

2. Notice of emergency meeting shall be such notice as appropriate to the circumstances, but the minutes for such a meeting shall describe the emergency justifying less than two weeks notice for the meeting.

Section 5: Quorums

1. A quorum for conducting church business shall consist of those eligible voting members present at any scheduled or noticed business meeting.

2. For the call or dismissal of the Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff, a quorum shall consist of 25% of eligible voting members. An affirmative vote of 75% of the eligible voting members present is required to call or dismiss the Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff.

3. A quorum for church committee transactions shall be two-thirds of the committee membership.

Article 3: Parliamentary Authority

Parliamentary authority of Vine Street Baptist Church shall be Robert's Rules of Order (latest revised edition).

Article 4: Officers

The officers of this church must be members in good standing of Vine Street Baptist Church. All officers called to serve in this church shall have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, meet New Testament standards and ethics, and support the doctrines of faith as stated in The Baptist Faith and Message.

Senior Pastor/President

1. Principle function: the Senior Pastor is responsible to the church to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to teach the biblical revelation, to engage in Pastoral care ministries, to provide administrative leadership in all areas of church life and to act as the supervisor of paid staff and volunteers, unless otherwise delegated. He shall:

A. Plan and conduct the worship services, prepare, and deliver sermons, lead in the observances of the ordinances.

B. Lead the church in an effective program of witness and caring ministry for persons in the church and community.

C. Visit members and prospects.

D. Conduct counseling sessions, perform wedding ceremonies, and conduct funerals.

E. Serve as chairman of the Church Council to lead in planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and evaluating church ministries.

F. Work with Deacons, church officers and committees/teams as they perform their assigned responsibilities; train and lead the Deacons in their ministry. G. Act as moderator of church business meetings.

H. Cooperate with association, regional, state and denominational leaders in matters of mutual interest and concern; keep the church informed of denominational developments; represent the church in civic matters.

I. The Senior Pastor shall serve as ex officio member of all committees of the church. He may delegate this responsibility to another staff member at his discretion.

2. The Senior Pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs. His election shall take place at a business meeting called for that purpose.

A. A Pastoral Search Committee shall be appointed by the church to seek out a suitable Senior Pastor, and their recommendation will constitute a nomination.

B. The Pastoral Search Committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one man at a time. Any member has the privilege of submitting a nomination to the Pastoral Search Committee which must be accompanied by a resume.

C. For the call or dismissal of the Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff, a quorum shall consist of 25% of eligible voting members. An affirmative vote of 75% of the eligible voting members present is required to call or dismiss the Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff.

D. Election shall be by secret ballot, a minimum affirmative vote of 75% of those present being necessary for the election to stand. Refer to By-Laws Article 1 Section 3.

3. The Senior Pastor is charged with the welfare and oversight of the church.

A. The Senior Pastor shall be a duly licensed or ordained Baptist minister of the gospel, who is fully supportive of all denominational entities with which the church is cooperating.

B. The Senior Pastor will meet with the church council at least once every quarter to evaluate progress on the vision and mission goals for the church.

C. The Senior Pastor will meet with the deacon body at least quarterly to encourage ministry and service to members and prospects.

4. The Senior Pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by one of the following reasons:

A. His calling to another church or ministry.

B. Resignation or retirement with at least two weeks' notice.

C. Any action to ask the Senior Pastor to resign, or to seek his termination, by an individual or group of individuals, must first be referred in writing to the body of Deacons or Personnel Committee who will then judge the scriptural validity of the complaint and whether or not preliminary biblical steps have been taken.

D. Termination by majority recommendation of the body of Deacons or Personnel

Committee and with a 75% vote of the congregation present at a special called business meeting with two weeks' notice. Refer to By-Laws Article 1 Section 3.

Ministerial Staff

The church may deem it necessary to call additional Ministerial Staff for the work of the church. The Ministerial Staff may serve in capacities as determined by the church.

1. Principle functions: Each Ministerial Staff will have a job description of responsibilities and will refer to the Personnel Policy Manual and Personnel Committee for direction in personnel issues. Ministerial Staff is under the direction of the Senior Pastor.

2. Ministerial Staff shall be called by the church at the recommendation of the Senior Pastor and Personnel Committee.

A. A Ministerial Staff Search Committee may be appointed by the church if deemed appropriate to seek out a suitable Ministerial Staff. Their recommendation will constitute a nomination.

B. Only one person at a time will be considered by the church body.

C. Any church member may submit a nomination for consideration. All nominations must be accompanied by a resume.

D. For the call or dismissal of the Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff, a quorum shall consist of 25% of eligible voting members. An affirmative vote of 75% of the eligible voting members present is required to call or dismiss the Senior Pastor or Ministerial Staff.

E. Election shall be by secret ballot, a minimum affirmative vote of 75% of those present being necessary for the election to stand. Refer to By-Laws Article 1 Section 3.

3. Ministerial Staff, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by one of the following reasons:

A. Their calling to another church or ministry.

B. Resignation or retirement with at least two weeks' notice.

C. Any action to ask a Ministerial Staff to resign, or to seek his termination, by an individual or group of individuals, must first be referred in writing to the body of Deacons or Personnel Committee who will then judge the scriptural validity of the complaint and whether or not preliminary biblical steps have been taken.

D. Termination by majority recommendation of the body of Deacons or Personnel

Committee and with a 75% vote of the congregation present at a special called business meeting with two weeks' notice. Refer to By-Laws Article 1 Section 3.

Deacons

Vine Street Baptist Church recognizes Deacons as a biblical office as referenced in 1 Timothy 3:813 and Acts 6:1-6.

1. Principle function: The Deacons are to seek to know the physical, moral and spiritual needs of the members and be guided always by the principles set forth in Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14.

2. The body of Deacons shall consist of ordained men chosen by the church. New deacons may be selected and ordained annually by the church at the recommendation of the Deacon body. There shall be a six-month trial period after election and before ordination.

3. The Deacons must be faithful in their efforts to maintain the fellowship and unity of the spirit within the congregation.

4. The Deacons shall serve as an instrument of encouragement and assistance to the church body in physical, moral and spiritual struggles thereby ministering to all who are in need.

5. The Deacons shall assist and pray with the Senior Pastor in matters pertaining to the spiritual welfare and work of the church.

6. The Deacons shall administer the benevolence funds of the church according to the policies of Vine Street Baptist Church.

7. The Deacons may submit to the Church Council such recommendations as seem pertinent to them.

8. The Deacons are to exercise spiritual oversight with discretion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in regard to spiritual correction. The Deacons shall be free to call upon any member of the church to aid in disciplinary action.

9. The Deacons shall be recommended by the Deacon body and approved by the church.

A. They must have been a church member for a minimum of one year.

B. They will be regular in church attendance, giving and ministry as an example to those they serve.

C. The number of Deacons actively serving will be as deemed necessary by the church.

D. The Deacons shall choose their own chairman and prescribe rules for the conduct of their meetings.

Trustees

1. Principle function: Trustees shall hold in trust the property of the church, but shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease or otherwise transfer or encumber any assets of the church without specific vote of the Church authorizing such action.

2. The Trustees shall perform an annual evaluation of the insurance policy and church's liability exposure. The Chairman of the Trustees will report the evaluation and assessment of certain exposures of liability to the Church Council.

3. The Trustees shall sign on behalf of the church, legal documents whereon such signatures are required by law and authorized by specific vote of the Church.

4. Trustees shall be recommended by the Nominating Committee and approved by the church.

A. There shall be at least three Trustees, each member elected to serve three years with at least one new member elected each year.

B. They will be church members in good standing.

C. The Treasurer of the church shall be an ex officio member of the Trustees.

Moderator

The Moderator shall be the Senior Pastor. In the absence of the Senior Pastor the Chairman of the Deacons shall preside; or in absence of both, the clerk shall call the church to order, and a moderator pro tem shall be elected.

Clerk/Secretary

1. Principle function: The Clerk shall attend all regular and special business meetings of the church and will be elected through the nominating committee annually. The Clerk shall prepare and maintain suitable minutes of the proceedings to be retained by the church.

2. The Clerk shall keep the membership rolls as required by the church.

3. The Clerk will issue and request church letters as authorized by the church.

4. The Clerk will be a church member in good standing.

5. The Moderator shall appoint a pro tem Clerk in the absence of the Clerk at any business meeting.

Treasurer

1. Principle function: The Treasurer shall disburse funds as authorized by the church and in accordance with approved budget and policy and will be elected through the Nominating Committee annually.

2. The Treasurer shall make financial reports to the church at least quarterly.

3. All financial records and accounts maintained by the Treasurer shall be considered the property of the church.

4. The financial records, excluding individual contribution records, shall be open to inspection during normal business hours by any contributing member of the church.

5. The Treasurer will be a church member in good standing.

Contribution Stewards

1. Principle function: The Contribution Stewards shall be the money counters of the church and will be elected through the nominating committee annually. They will be a church member in good standing.

A. They shall duly count, record and deposit to the church depository bank all monies received by the church.

B. They shall duly record weekly individual contributions for the purpose of compiling annual individual reports for each contributor.

2. There shall be at least three Contribution Stewards, with a minimum of two present at each counting.

3. Contribution Stewards will be responsible for printing annual individual reports.

4. Individual contributors' personal giving records shall remain confidential.

5. The giving envelopes and reports will be retained by the church for a minimum of seven years.

Article 5: Church Committees Nominating Committee

1. Principle function: This committee will present a slate of officers, teachers and standing committee members no later than August 15 for the following church year.

A. Vacancies that occur during the church year are to be filled by recommendation of the Nominating Committee and approval of the church.

2. Members of this committee will be nominated by the Church Council and approved by the church.

A. This committee shall consist of at least three members, each member elected to serve three years with at least one new member elected each year. B. They will be church members in good standing.

C. A third year member shall serve as chairman.