Mon, 23 Oct 2023 08:51:14 -0400WeeblyMon, 01 Jun 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://bloominggrovebaptistchurch.com/vision-mission-bylaws/calling-you-backVision:

We desire to testify that God is real, His Word is alive and He is still in the business of changing lives.  We desire to be a community of people who stand firm in the truth and who present living proof of a loving God to a watching world.
]]>Mon, 01 Jun 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://bloominggrovebaptistchurch.com/vision-mission-bylaws/faith-through-lifes-fiery-trialsMission Statement:

Blooming Grove Baptist Church exists for the glory of God and the benefit of people. The purpose of this church shall be the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the administration of the ordinances of the New Testament, the spiritual growth of its members, and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
]]>Mon, 01 Jun 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://bloominggrovebaptistchurch.com/vision-mission-bylaws/gods-eternal-springARTICLE 1 - INCORPORATION

This church is duly incorporated under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania under the corporate name of the First Baptist Church of Blooming Grove.  It is known and commonly referred to as Blooming Grove Baptist Church.  It is intended that the ecclesiastical and temporal power of the church and corporation be positively integrated into one unit, to wit, a religious corporation having a single membership and governed by a single Board of Directors known as the Trustees, and that this Article shall be controlling, and that all other provisions of these Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws be construed and interpreted in accordance with the intention herein expressed; and to that end, whenever used herein, the term “church” shall include the corporate as well as the ecclesiastical body, the  term “corporation” shall include the term “church”.  

ARTICLE 2 - PURPOSE

Section 1 - Purpose:
The purpose of this church is to be a “pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15).  In fulfilling this purpose, the local Body of believers shall proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, participate in the celebration of the Lord’s supper (1 Cor 11:23-33), study, teach and preach God’s Holy Word, the Bible, for the spiritual growth of its members, and seek the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world through the support of faithful, born-again missionaries and scripturally led ministries.  

Section 2 - Basis of Faith:
This church accepts the Scriptures as its authority in matters of faith and practice.  Its understanding of Christian truth, as contained therein, is in essential accord with dispensational adherence to Scriptural truth.  

ARTICLE 3 - ORGANIZATION

Section 1 – Governing Body: 
This church is vested in the body of believers who compose it.  The congregation controls the admission, disciplining, and removal of its members according to its own understanding of the Word of God.  

ARTICLE 4 - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 - Qualification:
Any person professing faith in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, who is in accord with our Statement of Faith (see Article 11), may be admitted to membership.  

Section 2 - Reception of Members:
Persons may be received into membership by the following method upon recommendation of the Board of Elders, and the confirming vote of the church.  

How received: 
A person may be received into this church as a member upon his, or her professing faith in Jesus Christ, and giving evidence of a sincere desire to follow Jesus, and being baptized by immersion as a public testimony and holding to the spiritual benefits of the New Covenant we have in Christ.  (Namely the forgiveness of sins and the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit which became available because of Christ’s work, i.e., His death, burial and resurrection).

Privileges:  Members shall have full privileges according to our by-laws, except, as provided by the State law. Minor members (under 18 years of age) may not vote in the election of trustees or hold that office.  

Section 3 - Duties of Members:
Members are expected to be faithful in all spiritual duties essential to the Christian life, to regularly attend the services of this church, to give regularly for its support and benevolence, and to share in its organized work, as stated in the Statement of Faith.  

Based on the traditions of the Bereans (Acts 17:10-11), members are responsible to study and verify Scripture.

Section 4 - Dismissal of Members:
Membership in this church may be terminated upon recommendation of the Board of Elders, and by vote of the church in any of the following ways:  

By letter: Members in good standing may, upon application, be dismissed to unite with some other church designated in the application.  All church letters shall be sent by the Clerk of this church, to the Pastor or Clerk of the church designated.

By removal: Upon recommendation of the Board of Elders, a member may be dismissed for gross misconduct or nonperformance of the public obligation of the Statement of Faith (see Article 12), and shall be dismissed if such conduct be persisted in.

By Remedial Action: When a member has been inactive for a period of six months, without manifesting any interest therein by attending services, communicating with the church, or contributing to its support, the church may remove that person’s name from the membership list.  This procedure shall have no application if the absence, delinquency, or arrearage is excused by the Board of Elders on account of sickness, lack of income, or other reasonable cause.

Restoration: Any person whose name has been removed, who renews the relationship with the church and the fulfillment of covenant obligations, may be restored to membership by recommendation of the Board of Elders and vote of the church. Any person who has been removed from membership in this church may, upon evidence of repentance and reconciliation, and on recommendation of the Board of Elders, be restored to membership by vote of the church.  

ARTICLE 5 - OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH

Section 1 - Officers: The officers of the church shall be:  

Board of Elders (including the Pastor)
Board of Deacons  
Church Clerk  
Treasurer  
Assistant Treasurer  
Church School Superintendent  
Five (5) Trustees  

all of whom must be members in good standing of the church.  

Section 2 - Election:
The Church Clerk, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Church School Superintendent, and Trustees shall be elected for a period of one year and shall be eligible for reelection unless it is noted otherwise in another section of the By-Laws. Election of the Board of Elders and the Board of Deacons shall be by the church membership for terms of three years each, one-third of each Board being elected each year.  

Section 3 - Term of Service and Classification:
All officers, except for the Pastor, shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the church, and will take office immediately after their election. Vacancies in office may be filled at any regular or special meetings of the church, notice having been given of such intention at the previous Sunday service.  

Section 4 - Duties of the Officers: 

Elders:  
The BGBC shall have a Board of Elders which shall include the pastor. The pastor will serve as the primary teaching Elder.  The Elders must meet qualifications set forth in 1 Tim 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 5-9.  Elders, after being reviewed for satisfaction of biblical qualifications, shall be vetted by the Board of Elders and, upon approval, voted on by the congregation.  The primary responsibilities of the Elders will be to shepherd; to give spiritual oversight and to lead the church by example.  They shall examine all candidates for church membership previous to their election by the church, and appoint committees, as necessary.  The Elders shall appoint a Moderator as needed.  The number of Elders will be a minimum of three which includes the Pastor.  According to 1 Tim 2: 12-13 and 3: 2, women shall not serve as Elders. All Elders, other than the pastor, shall serve a three-year rotational term. See article 7 for pastoral duties.

Deacons:
The Board of Deacons shall be responsible for the physical needs of the members and management of the church, but subject to the authority of the membership of the church as expressed, generally, in Article 3. The Deacons must meet qualifications set forth in 1 Tim 3: 8-12.  The Deacons shall work with the Trustees in the general supervision of the affairs of the church.

Church Clerk:
The Church Clerk, who may also be known as Church Secretary or Corporation Secretary, shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of all meetings of the membership and shall maintain accurate membership rolls and a complete listing of all church letters of dismissal; and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Elders or the Board of Deacons may direct.

Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall record all moneys from all sources for church purposes; deposit receipts to the credit of the church each week; and calculate and offer annual statements of account to each contributor.  Additionally, the Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all receipts and disbursements; have custody of all general fund moneys of the church, disburse same; keep an account of all receipts, expenditures; and all transactions as Treasurer are to be handled in conformity with accepted bookkeeping practices.

Assistant Treasurer:
The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer in the performance of their duties.

Church School Superintendent:
The Church School Superintendent shall be responsible for the direction of the church school, including the selection and appointment of the church school departmental superintendents and teachers.

Trustees:
In accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, the Trustees shall be and act, in all respects, as the Board of Directors of this corporation. Whenever, in these By-Laws or elsewhere, the term “trustee” appears, it shall be deemed to mean “director”, and whenever the term “director” appears, it shall be deemed to mean “trustees”. The Trustees shall receive and hold for the use of the church all estate, real and personal,  which at any time becomes the property of the church; shall keep the properties in repair, and shall exercise  supervision over all matters relating to the operation and maintenance of the church property, including the  placing of adequate insurance coverage against fire, casualty, liability, etc.; and any expenditures in excess of  $500.00, and items not already authorized by the budget, the church shall be informed and action taken to  protect the property.

No mortgage may be placed upon the property by the Trustees, nor shall any portion of it be sold, without 75% approval of the current church members.  

Section 4 - Vacancies in Offices:
Should any officer fail to perform the duties pertaining to the office for a period of three consecutive months, the board of Deacons is empowered to recommend to the church that the office be declared vacant.  

ARTICLE 6 - COMMITTEES

Section 1 - Responsibilities: 

Nominating Committee:
Shall consist of three (3) members and an Elder.  It shall be their responsibility to prepare and present to the Annual Meeting of the membership a slate of candidates for the offices to be filled at such meeting. The names of the above-mentioned candidates shall be published approximately thirty (30) days prior to the date of such meeting.  

Auditing Committee:
Shall consist of three (3) members. They shall arrange an annual audit of the records of the Treasurer, and any other special funds, prior to the annual meeting of the membership.  

Section 2 - Executive Session:
The Board of Elders may be called into Executive Session (closed session) at the call of any member of the Board of Elders. Executive Session shall include the Board of Elders, the Board of Deacons and others who may attend by invitation of the Board of Elders.  

Section 3 - Appeals to the Board of Elders:
Any member of the church may appeal, in person or in writing, from the action or decision of any officer or committee to the Board of Elders.  

Section 4 - Appeals to the Membership from Decisions of the Board:
Any member, aggrieved by any decision of the Board of Elders, shall first bring their appeal to the Board and then, if necessary, to the membership at a special meeting of the membership, providing notice is given as required in Article 8, Section 2 and 3. The decision of the membership shall be final.  

ARTICLE 7 - PASTOR AND PASTORAL RELATIONS

Section 1 - Qualifications:
The pastor shall be an ordained, dispensational minister.  

Section 2 - Duties:
The pastor shall carefully watch over and guide the spiritual interests of the church and perform all of the duties inherent in the office of the pastor. The pastor position is that of an Elder (see Article 5, section 4 (a)).

Section 3 - Establishment of Relationship:
In the event of a vacancy in the pastorate, a Pulpit Committee shall be formed with the expressed purpose of recommending a prospective pastor to the church.  

The Pulpit Committee shall be composed of all members of the Board of Elders and Board of Deacons, a member of the staff of the Sunday Church School and a Trustee. In addition, two members at large shall be appointed by the Elders/Deacons.  All the above appointments shall be approved by the church.  

When the Committee is ready to propose a prospective pastor, it shall e-mail and announce to each member of the church the following information:  

The name & qualifications of the prospective pastor. 
The date of the visit. 
The date and time of the meeting of the church at which the proposal of the Pulpit Committee will be acted upon. 

This information shall be sent at least one week before the Committee formally presents the prospective pastor to the church for its consideration and action.  

(d)  The Committee, in cooperation with the Board of Elders, shall make arrangements for interim pastoral services

(e)  The calling of a pastor shall be by secret ballot and shall require a three-fourths (3/4) favorable vote of those present and voting.  For the purpose of calling a pastor, a quorum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership will be required.  

Section 4 - Continuance of Relationship:
The pastoral relationship shall continue, so long as such relationship is satisfactory to the church leadership (Board of Elders, Board of Deacons and Trustees) and the congregation. Salary shall be paid at least monthly, and there shall be an annual vacation negotiated with the pastor’s contract.

Section 5 - Dissolution of Relationship: 
The pastoral relationship may be closed by the pastor upon two week’s advance notice. It shall be considered at any business meeting of the church, and upon the recommendation of the Board of Elders.
 
The church, at a duly called meeting and upon recommendation of the Board of Elders, may dissolve the pastoral relationship provided that a notice of such intended action shall be openly communicated to the membership (based on the members information on file). Said notice shall be given at least one week prior to the date of the meeting. When such action has been taken by the church, and written notice has been given to the pastor, there shall be a 14-day termination period.  

The termination of the pastoral relationship shall be validated by a majority vote of those present and voting, and a quorum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the active resident membership will be required.  

In the event of a gross misconduct or nonperformance of the public obligation of the Statement of Faith (see Article 11), the pastor will be immediately relieved of all responsibility and authority for the remaining 14 days of his employment. All services shall be suspended at the discretion of the Board of Elders until the congregation has had the opportunity to vote on dissolving the pastoral relationship. In addition, if charged with a felony the membership may vote to suspend the pastor’s pay until a plea or verdict, and if found guilty, vote to forgo any pay from the time of the charge.  

ARTICLE 8 - MEETINGS OF THE CHURCH  

Section 1 - Worship Services:
Worship services shall be held each Sunday and at such other times as the Board of Elders may direct. A meeting of the church school shall be held each Sunday for the study and teaching of the Bible. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper shall be observed on the first Sunday of each month unless otherwise arranged by the Board of Elders. In addition to the above, the church may have a midweek service for prayer and Bible study.  

Section 2 - Business Meetings: 
A business meeting may be held immediately before, or following, any regular worship service.  Such a business meeting shall be deemed a regular meeting of the membership, and any business may be transacted at that time, provided only that the transaction of such business is not in conflict with any other provision of these By-Laws.

The Annual Meeting of the church shall be held on the 4th Sunday of October for the purpose of reading annual reports, electing the officers of the church, and transacting any other business that may properly come before this meeting.  All boards and committees shall give written reports at the Annual Meeting concerning their activities unless such a requirement of writing or of a report from a particular office is waived by those assembled.  

A special meeting of the membership may be called at any time by the Board of Elders or the Board of Deacons upon the written request of seven members.  Notice of special meetings, unless otherwise required by law or by any other provision of these By-Laws, may be given by public announcement from the pulpit at any regular worship service on the Sunday preceding such meeting; or by any other reasonable adapted means to notify the membership of the time, place, and purpose of such meeting.  

Section 3 - Quorum:
A quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special business meeting shall consist of twenty-five (25%) of the church’s membership. This rule shall prevail except in those instances which are covered by another article of the By-Laws.  When not suspended, Roberts Rules of Order shall govern when not in conflict with these By-Laws.  

Section 4 - Eligible Voters: 
Only members of the church, age 18 and over, shall be eligible to vote on any question presented at a business meeting.

Section 5 - Voting:  
All voting of the membership shall be by hand ballot, unless a secret ballot is requested.
The affirmative vote of a majority of eligible voters casting votes at any stated meeting shall be required to constitute the favorable action of the church at any election, or on any matter of business other than (1) the questions affecting pastoral relations, which shall be governed by the provisions of Article 7, Sections 3 (3/4 majority) and 5 (simple majority); (2) the amendment of the By-laws, which shall be governed by the provisions of Article 11 (2/3 majority affirmative vote to change).  
Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.  

ARTICLE 9 - FINANCES

Section 1 - Policy: The financial policy of this church is predicated upon personal, voluntary giving as an act of worship. However, additional freewill offerings may be taken by permission of the Board of Elders.  

Section 2 - Budget: At the annual meeting, the church shall adopt a unified budget for the ensuing fiscal year.  
The budget shall include all expenditures of the church, and the sum of all appropriations shall not exceed the income which is to be reasonably expected.
The budget shall be prepared in two general classifications: Current Expense Fund and other church funds.  Each general classification shall be subdivided into items sufficient to show the various purposes for which appropriations are made, and the Board, committee, or officer authorized to incur liabilities against each appropriation.  

Section 3 - Expenditures: Other than utilities and unforeseen maintenance, money shall not be expended, nor liability incurred, beyond the amount appropriated in the budget without specific authorization by the church.  

Section 4 - Deacons Fund (Welfare Fund): There shall be a Deacons fund to be administered by the Board of Deacons, and to be used for the purpose of giving emergency relief or aid to members and friends of the church, or other worthy benevolent objectives.  Moneys for this Fund shall come from contributions made at the communion services, and/or from any other moneys which the church may designate for the Fund. The Board of Deacons shall not be required to account for disbursements from this Fund, except in total.  

Section 5 - Dissolution of Assets: The property and funds of the Blooming Grove Baptist Church cannot in any manner be divided among the members individually but shall remain the property of the church for its legitimate use as long as the church exists. After that point, property and funds will be relinquished to any or all Missions supported by the Blooming Grove Baptist Church.  

ARTICLE 10 - AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be amended, modified, or rescinded, or new By-Laws may be adopted at any regular or special meetings of the membership, provided that due notice is given that such action is to be introduced at such meeting.  For the purpose of this Article, due notice may consist either of an e-mailed notice sent to the membership approximately twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of such a meeting, or of public announcement from the pulpit at each regular worship service on not less than three successive Sundays immediately prior to the date of said meeting. On matters pertaining to the amendment, modification, rescinding, or adoption of new By-Laws, such action shall require the approval of a two thirds (2/3) majority of those present and voting.  

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