ARTICLE III. Church Officers
Officers of the Church shall be the following: Pastor, moderator and vice-moderator, clerk, treasurer, financial secretary, and historian/librarian.
Section 1. Election of Officers. All officers of the Church, except the pastor, shall be elected at the annual meeting; their terms shall commence upon election. Vacancies due to officers’ resignation or death shall be filled by Council on recommendations of the Nominating Committee.
Section 2. The Pastor is the Spiritual leader of the Church.
A. Terms of Office. The Church pastor shall receive a call to the Church at a special meeting called for that purpose, affirmed by two-thirds majority vote of those present and voting, and shall hold office without limitation of term. As soon as practicable after accepting the call, the pastor shall become a member of the Church, and establish standing in the Merrimack Association, United Church of Christ. After completion of the recommended procedure set forth by the Association’s Committee on Church and Ministry, the Church shall hold a service for installation of the pastor.
B. Responsibilities. The Church pastor shall promote the spiritual welfare of the Church and those whom it serves; shall preach and teach the Gospel; shall administer the sacraments and services of public worship; shall administer activities of the Church with policy guidelines from the Council, in cooperation with all boards and committees; shall be a voting member of the Council and the Diaconate, and an ex-officio member without vote on all boards and committees, except the Pastoral Relations and Search Committees; shall submit an annual report to the Church clerk at least two weeks prior to the annual meeting.
C. Termination of Service. The pastor’s term of service may be ended on the initiative of the pastor or the Church, affirmed by two-thirds majority vote of those present and voting at a special meeting called for that purpose. A 60-day notice of termination shall be provided by either the pastor or the Church, or such notice as the two parties shall determine.
D. Interim Pastor. An interim pastor shall receive a call to the Church at a special meeting called for that purpose, affirmed by two-thirds majority of those present and voting, and shall hold office until a permanent pastor is called; shall not be required to become a member of the Church; shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of Council and of the Diaconate.
Section 3. The Moderator and Vice-Moderator are the presiding officers of the Church.
A. Terms of Office. The Church Moderator shall serve as president of Council, shall preside at all meetings of the Church, and shall develop the agenda for those meetings; shall exercise leadership in ensuring that the Church bylaws, the United Church of Christ Manual on Ministry, and Roberts’ Rules of Order are diligently followed in the conducting of all Church business; shall maintain close contact with chairpersons of all Church boards and committees, and shall facilitate communication and coordination among them; shall announce in the Church newsletter resignations from elected positions and successors those positions when appointed by Council; shall sign the annual contract with the pastor. The vice-moderator shall attend meetings of Council, and annual and special meetings of the Church; shall, in the absence of the moderator, perform the duties assigned to the moderator; shall be eligible to vote in the Council only when acting as the moderator.
B. Responsibilities. The church moderator and vice-moderator shall be elected for a term of one year at annual meeting; may serve for three consecutive terms; shall be eligible for re-election after a one-year interval. The moderator shall have no other elected position in the Church. A retiring vice-moderator shall be eligible for election to the office of moderator.
Section 4. The Clerk is the secretary of the church.
A. Terms of Office. The Church clerk shall be elected for a term of three years at annual meeting; shall be eligible for re-election; shall be a voting member of the Council.
B. Responsibilities. The Church clerk shall keep a complete record of all meetings of Council, and of annual and special meetings of the Church; shall serve as corresponding secretary of the Church; shall keep on file all official documents and reports, including a current list of officers, trustees, deacons, delegates, chairpersons and members of committees; shall collect annual reports from the pastor, officers, and chairperson of boards and committees at least two weeks prior to the annual meeting and prepare a full Church report for presentation at annual meeting; shall post the notice of annual meeting and special meetings at the Church two weeks prior to the meeting, which notice shall include the agenda and purpose for which the meeting is called; shall keep an accurate record of members of the Church with dates and modes of their reception and removal; shall record baptisms, marriages and deaths; shall sign Church legal documents, with the moderator or the treasurer, as authorized by the Council or the Board of Trustees
Section 5. The Treasurer is the financial officer of the Church
A. Terms of Office. The Church treasurer shall be elected for a term of three years at annual meeting; shall be eligible for re-election to a second three-year term and shall be eligible for a third three-year term after a one-year interval; shall be a member of the Council and the Finance Committee, and an ex-officio member without vote of the Board of Trustees. Appropriate bonding of the treasurer should be considered by the Church.
B. Responsibilities. The Church treasurer shall be registered with a specified bank as official signatory for signing of checks; shall be named on all Church accounts; shall deposit in the specified bank all funds and monies collected; shall receive and disburse all current monies of the Church and pay all bills under the direction of the Board of Trustees; shall use all special gifts for the purposes intended; shall have custody of all church funds, and make disbursements of these on direction of the trustees; shall present in writing a statement of current Church accounts at monthly meetings of the Board of Trustees and the Council; shall present analysis of the current budget as assistance in creating the next year’s budget; shall submit a fully audited financial report to the Church clerk at least two weeks prior to the annual meeting.
Section 6. The Financial Secretary is the assistant treasurer and the record-keeper of all contributions to the Church.
A. Terms of Office. The Church financial secretary shall be elected for a term of one year at annual meeting; shall be eligible for re-election.
B. Responsibilities. The Church financial secretary shall be registered with the specified bank as official signatory for signing of checks; shall be named on all Church accounts; shall have authority to act for the treasurer in his/her absence; shall observe confidentiality in all matters relating to the office; shall keep complete records of all contributions to the Church including memorial funds and special gifts; shall announce in the Church newsletter monetary gifts when appropriate and send acknowledgments to the donors; shall make reports to the Stewardship Committee, upon request, as needed for fund-raising activities; shall submit an annual report to the Church clerk at least two weeks prior to the annual meeting.
Section 7. The Historian/Librarian is the curator of historical records of the Church, and of the Church library.
A. Terms. The church historian/librarian shall be elected for one year at annual meeting, shall be eligible for re-election; may request volunteer help.
B. Responsibilities. The Church historian/librarian, in cooperation with the clerk, shall supervise the collection, preservation, and occasional display of historical memorabilia of the Church; shall encourage the purchase and reading of books recommended by the boards, committees, and groups of the Church by announcement in the Church newsletter, by displays and other methods of publicity.
