(as passed by the Congregation on January 13, 1989, and January 19, 1990)
The name of this church is the McLean Presbyterian Church.
The McLean Presbyterian Church is a particular church of the Presbyterian Church in America.
The doctrinal standards of McLean Presbyterian Church are the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism, as adopted by the Presbyterian Church in America. In ecclesiastical matters, McLean Presbyterian Church shall adhere to the Book of Church Order, consisting of the Form of Government, the Rules of Discipline, and the Directory of Worship, as adopted by the Presbyterian Church in America.
Located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, McLean Presbyterian Church is unincorporated.
Upon the dissolution of the church or the winding up of its affairs, the assets of the church shall be distributed exclusively for religious, charitable or educational purposes.
Amendments to the Constitution of McLean Presbyterian Church shall be made only by two-thirds majority vote at each of two consecutive congregational meetings, with an interval of at least three weeks, but not more than five weeks, between the two meetings. Public notice of each meeting shall be given during the Sunday morning worship service the week before the meeting and the week of the meeting. Copies of the proposed amendments shall be mailed to each member not more than two weeks nor less than one week prior to each meeting.
(as adopted by the Congregation on January 13, 1989; corrected April 22, 1998; amended February 23, 2003)
So long as McLean Presbyterian Church shall be a particular church of the Presbyterian Church in America or its successor, the Book of Church Order shall be used as the general directive by which it shall be governed. The Bylaws, as set forth herein, and as may be duly amended from time to time, are intended only as a supplement to the Book of Church Order, and if there is any conflict between these Bylaws and the Book of Church Order, then the Book of Church Order shall govern. (Parenthetical references to the Book of Church Order are provided throughout the Bylaws for assistance but are not themselves part of the Bylaws.)
Section 1. Voting Membership.
Only communicant members shall be entitled to vote in meetings of the congregation. (BCO 25-1)
Section 2. Responsibilities.
a. Calling and removing Pastors and Associate Pastors. (BCO 20-2 through 20-8 and 23-1)
b. Electing Ruling Elders and Deacons. (BCO 24-1 through 24-9)
c. Approving the purchase, sale, transfer, or mortgaging of the real property of the church and electing trustees to execute such decisions of the congregation. (BCO 25-6)
d. Approving any major alterations to the buildings or grounds.
e. Approving and amending the Constitution and Bylaws. (BCO 25-7)
Section 3. Meetings.
a. Stated Meetings. The date of the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting shall be determined by the Session. The business of this meeting shall be to review the previous year, elect officers for the current year, review and discuss the budget, and consider any other matters brought to the attention of the Congregation.
b. Called Meetings. The Session shall call special meetings of the congregation when it shall deem them necessary or upon written petition of one fourth of the communicant membership. Public notice of the called meeting shall be given during the Sunday morning worship service the week before the meeting and the week of the meeting, or mailed to each member not more than two weeks nor less than one week prior to the meeting. The notice shall state the purposes of the meeting. The business of all such meetings shall be confined to the purposes stated in the call for the meeting. (BCO 25-2)
Section 4. Quorum.
If the church has more than 100 resident communicant members, one-sixth of such members shall constitute a quorum, but if the church has 100 or fewer resident communicant members, one fourth of such members shall constitute a quorum. (BCO 25-3)
Section 5. Moderator.
The Pastor shall normally serve as moderator of meetings of the congregation. In the absence of the Pastor, the congregation shall elect an interim moderator who may be a teaching elder, a ruling elder, or any male member of the congregation. By a majority vote of communicant members present, the Pastor may be required to yield the chair, but actions of such a meeting shall not be binding until ratified by a subsequent meeting called in accordance with due process. (BCO 25-4)
Section 6. Clerk.
A clerk shall be elected at each meeting of the congregation to keep correct minutes of the proceedings and to report them to the Session. (BCO 25-5)
Section 7. Rules of Order.
Meetings of the congregation shall be conducted according to Roberts’ Rules of Order.
Section 8. Proxy Voting.
There shall be no absentee or proxy voting at meetings of the congregation.
Section 1. Pastor.
The responsibilities of the Pastor are those defined by the Book of Church Order. The Pastor shall serve as moderator of both Session meetings and congregational meetings. He shall be an ex-officio member of all boards, committees, and organizations connected with the church. The Pastor shall provide day to day leadership to the staff in accordance with applicable policies of the Session and the Diaconate. (BCO 8-1 through 8-5, 10-3, and 25-4)
Section 2. Associate Pastors.
Each Associate Pastor shall be assigned specific ministry responsibilities by the Pastor in consultant with the Session. In the temporary absence of the Pastor, the senior Associate Pastor shall perform all of his ministerial duties. When the church is without a Pastor, the Session will normally request the Presbytery to appoint the senior Associate Pastor as moderator of the Session. The number of Associate Pastors shall be determined by the congregation.
Section 3. Calling of Pastors and Associate Pastors.
The calling of Pastors and Associate Pastors shall follow the process prescribed in the Book of Church Order. (BCO 20-2 through 20-8)
Section 4. Assistant Pastors and Other Professional Staff.
a. As the needs of the congregation require, professional staff in addition to a Pastor and Associate Pastors may be added. Determination of the need for a particular staff position shall be made by the Session.
b. These additional professional staff may be teaching elders (in which case they shall be designated Assistant Pastors), ruling elders, interns, or lay people (members or non-members), consistent with the needs of the position.
c. When a vacant position to be filled is that of Assistant Pastor or other professional staff, the Session shall use its discretion as to the proper way to conduct a search and to make a recommendation to the Session. The actual invitation to serve, including terms of employment, shall be the responsibility of the Session.
Section 5. Administrative Staff.
Administrative staff to perform clerical, custodial, and other support functions shall be hired in accordance with policies established by the Session. The actual hiring of such staff may be delegated by the Session to the Deacons or to the professional staff.
Section 1. Membership.
The Session is composed of the Pastor, Associate Pastors, and the body of ruling elders elected by the congregation to serve for particular terms. (BCO 12-1)
Section 2. Responsibilities.
The responsibilities of the Session (and of individual elders) are those defined by the Book of Church Order. (BCO 8-1 through 8-5, 8-8, 8-9, 9-2, 9-7, 12-5, and 12-8)
Section 3. Meetings.
Meetings of the Session shall be governed by the Book of Church Order supplemented by the Session’s own standing rules. (BCO 9-4, 10-1 through 12-9)
Section 4. Church Committees.
Church committees shall be established by the Session (except for Pulpit Committees which are elected by the congregation), shall have their members approved by the Session, and shall be responsible to the Session. At least one Session member shall serve on each committee. Each committee shall elect its own chairman unless one is designated by the Session. Copies of the minutes of church committee meetings shall be provided to the Session for review.
Section 1. Membership.
The Board of Deacons is composed of the body of deacons elected by the congregation to serve for particular terms. The Pastor and Associate Pastors shall be advisory members of the Board of Deacons. Assistant Pastors and other professional staff may be invited to attend meetings of the Deacons, but without vote. (BCO 9-4)
Section 2. Responsibilities.
The responsibilities of the Board of Deacons (and of individual Deacons) are those defined in the Book of Church Order. (BCO 9-1 through 9-7)
Section 3. Meetings.
Meetings of the Board of Deacons shall be governed by the Book of Church Order supplemented by the Board’s own standing rules. (BCO 9-1 through 9-7)
Section 4. Church Treasurer.
a. Appointment. The Church Treasurer, and any Assistant Treasurers deemed necessary, shall be appointed by and serve under the supervision of the Board of Deacons. The Church Treasurer need not be a deacon. (BCO 9-4)
b. Duties. The Church Treasurer shall ensure that all receipts are properly recorded and promptly deposited. The Treasurer shall ensure that all disbursements are in accordance with the approved budget and are accounted for accurately. The Treasurer shall ensure that monthly financial reports are prepared for review by the Board of Deacons (and for subsequent transmittal to the Session) and that and annual financial report is prepared for the congregation. All church financial records shall be subject to outside audit as directed by the Deacons.
Section 5. Church Budget.
a. Preparation and Approval. The church budget shall be prepared by the Deacons, and approved and adopted by the Session after presentation to and discussion by the Congregation at a Congregational Meeting. Amendments to the budget during the year shall be prepared by the Deacons and approved by the Session. (BCO 12-5)
b. Fiscal Year. The church’s fiscal year shall be determined by the Board of Deacons with the advice and consent of the Session.
Section 1. Rotation System.
Ruling elders and deacons shall be elected to three year terms of service under a rotary system of three classes. A ruling elder or deacon having served two consecutive terms is ineligible for a new term until one year has elapsed. Election to fill one half or more of an unexpired term shall be counted as a full term; election to fill less than half of an unexpired term shall not be counted as a term.
Section 2. Size of Session and Board of Deacons.
The number of ruling elders on the Session and the size of the Board of Deacons shall be established each year by the congregation at the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting after hearing the recommendation of the Session. (BCO 24-1)
Section 3. Procedure for Nominations.
a. A committee of Session shall be formed no later than the end of March for the purpose of submitting nominations to the Session.
b. The congregation shall be provided an opportunity to submit names for consideration as nominees no later than the end of April. The committee shall carefully consider nominations from the congregation.
c. The committee shall report to the Session before the end of May concerning names that the committee recommends for nomination.
d. The Session shall give general approval of the list of nominees prior to the end of May. It shall ask the committee to determine the willingness of the nominees to run for office.
Section 4. Preparation and Training of Officer Candidates.
a. All nominees for ruling elder or deacon will be expected to complete an officer’s training course, held before the election, in which the doctrines and distinctives of the church and the qualifications and duties of the church offices will be discussed.
b. Following the course and before the election, each nominee shall submit to the Session a completed questionnaire regarding matters discussed in the course and the candidate’s sense of his particular calling to the church office.
c. Each nominee (and his wife, in the case of candidates who are married) shall be interviewed by the Session regarding his readiness to service and his willingness to answer the subscription questions in the affirmative with understanding.
d. The Session shall examine those nominated and then report to the congregation on election day those eligible for election.
e. This section shall not apply to an officer who has completed the training class and has been ordained by this congregation but has been inactive. Inactive officers, however, shall be encouraged to participate in the training class.
Section 5. Timing of Elections.
Election of ruling elders and deacons shall take place each January at the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting. At the discretion of the Session, or if requested by one-fourth of the communicant members, special meetings of the congregation may be called to fill vacancies which arise during the year or to enlarge the Session and the Board of Deacons. (BCO 24-1)
Section 6. Election Procedures.
All elections shall be by written secret ballot. There shall be no “white ballots” cast for elective offices. A candidate must receive a majority vote of those voting in order to be elected. (BCO 24-2 through 24-4)
Section 7. Ordination and Installation.
Ruling elders and deacons shall be ordained and/or installed on the Sunday following their election. If a newly elected ruling elder or deacon is not able to attend the installation service, arrangements should be made to install him publicly as soon as practical thereafter; in the meantime, he may commence his term of service by affirming his installation vows in the presence of the Session.
Section 1. Responsibilities.
The trustees of McLean Presbyterian Church shall have the power and authority to buy, sell, transfer, or mortgage the property of the church, to accept and execute deeds, to hold and defend titles, and to manage any permanent special funds entrusted to them. In the fulfillment of these duties, the trustees shall act solely under instructions given by the congregation at duly called meetings.
Section 2. Election.
The number of trustees shall be four, and they shall serve for terms of one year with no limitation on the number of successive terms they may serve. The trustees shall be elected by the congregation at the Annual Stated Congregational Meeting after hearing the recommendation of the Session. Normally the trustees will be members of the Session, but the congregation shall have the option to elect any communicant member. Vacancies arising during the year shall be filled at duly called congregational meetings if deemed necessary by the Session.
Section 3. Number of Signatures.
The signatures of two of the four trustees shall be required to transact any business on behalf of the congregation.
Amendments to the Bylaws of the McLean Presbyterian Church shall be made only by a two-thirds vote at either a stated congregational meeting or at a special called meeting. Copies of proposed amendments shall be circulated to the membership in accordance with the notification procedures outlined in Article 1., Section 3., a. Stated Meetings or b. Called Meetings.