8. Church Council

(8.1) The local church administrative body shall be the church council, which is authorised to provide administrative leadership for Good Hope MCC. All powers not delegated by this constitution is reserved to the Church Council subject to veto by a congregational meeting.

(8.2) The Church Council shall be responsible for providing the church with a set of Bylaws, which are subject to approval by a Congregational Meeting.

(8.3) The Church Council shall also have charge of all matters pertaining to the documents of legal organisation and incorporation or registration, church property, risk management, and physical and financial affairs of the church. The church council shall be responsible for collecting and disbursing funds, keeping adequate church records, and making timely reports to the congregation and UFMCC.

(8.4) Members of the church council must be members in good standing of Good Hope MCC. More than one person from a household, family, or committed relationship; someone who is a church employee; or someone who is a Clergy Candidate shall not be eligible to serve on the church council.

(8.5) Composition

(8.5.1) There shall be seven members, including the pastor, serving as the Church Council:

a) The Chairperson
The pastor of the church shall be the chairperson of the church council.
b) The Vice Chairperson
To provide spiritual and administrative support to the chairperson, to assume appropriately defined role in absence of the chairperson of the church council, to ensure that the policies and the vision of the church through the church council is maintained.
c) The Secretary
The secretary is the administrative officer of the church.
d) The Treasurer
The treasurer is the custodian of the finances of the church/
e) Three members without pre-defined portfolio

(8.5.2) Should the church not have a pastor, the council shall consist of six members with a member of the laity assuming the role of chairperson. The secretary and the treasurer assume responsibility for the position of the Vice Chairperson.

(8.6) The term of office for members of the church council, except the pastor, shall be

a) two years for the vice chairperson, the secretary and the treasurer
b) one year for the council members without pre-defined portfolio

(8.7) Council Meetings

(8.7.1) The church council shall meet at least once a month no fewer than ten (10) times a year. Except for executive sessions, meetings shall be open to the congregation and to the public to attend as observers without voice and vote.

(8.7.2) The church council shall meet at least once a month no fewer than ten (10) times a year. Except for executive sessions, meetings shall be open to the congregation and to the public to attend as observers without voice and vote.

(8.7.3) The chairperson, or two members of the church council, can call for a special meeting. The agenda of the special meeting together with the meeting date has to be presented to the rest of the council with a minimum of 8 days prior to the meeting.

(8.7.4) The chairperson shall act as the chairperson of the church council meetings. Should the chairperson not being able to attend the meetings, the members of the church council will choose a chairperson for the council meeting out of their midst at the beginning of the council meeting.

(8.8) The church council may appoint for specific tasks additional members with voice, but without vote.

(8.9) The official officers of the church are chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary and treasurer.

(8.10) In order to transact business, no less than a majority of the members of the church council must be present.

(8.11) All meetings of the church council are minuted. A copy of the minutes shall become part of the permanent church records, which must be kept safely and always be on hand for members to consult.

(8.12) The members of the church council shall be elected at a congregational meeting.

(8.13) In the event of a vacancy on the church council, the church council may appoint a qualified member to fill the vacancy until the next congregational meeting, where an election shall be held to fill the unexpired term.

(8.14.1) The church cannot condone disloyalty, unbecoming conduct, or dereliction of duty on the part of any members of the church council. Therefore, the church council may remove by a majority vote of the full church council any of its members guilty of the above, with the exception of the pastor, who must be disciplined in accordance with the UFMCC Bylaws. A petition submitted to the Secretary and signed by twenty-five percent (25 %) of the members in good standing may also initiate such a procedure.

(8.14.2) A disciplined member of the church council may appeal the action to the congregation at its next regular congregational meeting or at a special congregational meeting which may be called for this purpose. The decision of the congregational meeting is final. Until the congregational meeting to consider the appeal, the position held by the disciplined member of the church council shall be considered vacant.

(8.15) No director or officer of the church shall be liable for any act or failure to act by any other director or officer of the church or by any employee of the church. No director or officer of the church shall be liable for any loss arising from any fault in the title to any property acquired by the church. No director or officer of the church shall be liable for any loss arising from any fault in any security in which the church might invest, or from bankruptcy, insolvency, or wrongful act by any person to whom the Church might entrust any of its property. No director or officer of the church shall be liable for any loss due to error of judgment or oversight on his/her part, or for any other loss whatsoever occurring in the carrying out of the duties of his/her office, unless this loss arises from the director’s or officer’s own wilful neglect or fraudulent or criminal actions.

(8.16) The church shall protect every director and officer of the church against all costs arising in relation to his/her relations with the church, unless they are occasioned by his/her own wilful neglect or fraudulent or criminal actions.