THE SHENANDOAH ASSOCIATION

OF THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC CONFERENCE

OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

CONSTITUTION

 

 

PREAMBLE

 

WHEREAS, the Virginia Valley Central Conference of Congregational Christian Churches (Acting Association of the United Church of Christ) voted on October 27, 1964, to change its name to the Shenandoah Valley Association of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ, and

 

WHEREAS, the Shenandoah Valley Association reorganized on December 6, 1964, and

 

WHEREAS, the Shenandoah Valley Association voted on May 2, 1965, to receive into its membership the local churches and ordained ministers of the former Potomac Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, located in the Shenandoah Valley area, and

 

WHEREAS, the Shenandoah Valley Association voted on May 2, 1965, to change its name to the Shenandoah Association of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ,

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Shenandoah Association hereby adopts this Constitution, in order to express more fully the oneness in Christ of the churches composing it, to make effective their common witness in Him, and to serve His kingdom.

 

 

ARTICLE I.  NAME AND AFFILIATION

 

Section 1:  Name

 

The name of this Association shall be the Shenandoah Association of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ.

 

Section 2:  Area

 

The geographical area of this Association shall be as defined in the By-Laws.

 

 

ARTICLE II.  FAITH

 

This Association claims as its own the faith of the historic Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the Protestant Reformers, particularly as that faith is expressed in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United Church of Christ and in the doxological Statement of Faith authorized by the Executive Council in l981.

 

                                                      

ARTICLE III.  PURPOSE

 

Section 1:  Purpose

 

The purpose of this Association shall be to unite the local churches of the United Church of Christ within its boundaries in Christian fellowship, to admit local churches and ministers to standing in the United Church of Christ, to assist the local churches and ministers in consonance with Article II, the section on Associations, of the By-Laws of the United Church of Christ, and otherwise to further the work of the kingdom of God.

 

Section 2:  Autonomy

 

Nothing in the Constitution or By-Laws of this Association shall destroy or limit the right of each local church to continue to operate in the way customary to it, nor shall be construed as giving to the Association now, or at any future time, the power to abridge or impair the autonomy of any local church in the management of its own affairs.

 

 

                                                  

ARTICLE IV.  MEMBERSHIP

 

The membership of this Association shall consist of all local churches of the United Church of Christ (as defined in the Constitution of the United Church of Christ, Article V) within the bounds of the Association, and all authorized ministers who have standing in the Association.

 

 

ARTICLE V.  STANDING OF CHURCHES AND MINISTERS

 

This Association shall determine, confer, and certify local church and ministerial standing in consultation with the Central Atlantic Conference, and in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the United Church of Christ.

 

 

                                                

ARTICLE VI.  ORGANIZATION

 

Section 1:  Officers

 

The Officers of this Association shall be:  President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers as the Association shall from time to time provide.

 

Section 2:  Association Council

 

The Association Council of this Association shall consist of the officers of the Association and such other persons as are specified in the By-Laws.

 

                                                    

ARTICLE VII.  MEETINGS

 

The Association shall meet annually, and at such other times as may be necessary for the discharge of its responsibilities as provided in the By-Laws.

 

 

                                             

   ARTICLE VIII.  AMENDMENTS

 

This Constitution may be amended at a duly called meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided that such amendment has been:

 

                                                a.         Submitted to the last regularly called meeting of the Association by no fewer than five of the local member churches, or

 

b.         Recommended to the Association by the Association Council, and a copy thereof mailed or distributed by electronic means to each local church and authorized minister of the Association, no fewer than sixty days prior to the meeting at which action on the proposed amendment is to be taken.