3.1.3 The Mode of Baptism
Immersion in water is the mode which best expresses both the meaning of the term and the symbolism of death, burial and resurrection. Immersion will therefore be the only mode the
Church will use except in cases of infirmity or medical necessity, where effusion will be permitted.
3.1.4 Application for Baptism A person wishing to be baptised shall apply to the elders who will arrange for the candidate to be interviewed by two spiritually mature church members who must assess whether the applicant meets the church’s criteria for baptism. Those members should then submit a report to the Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting at which the application is being considered. Applicants will normally be required to give testimony at the meeting.
3.2 The Lord’s Supper The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, the principles of which are that:
• a particular local church (1 Corinthians 1:2),
• on the Lord’s Day (1 Corinthians 11:25-26, Acts 20:7),
• together eats a ceremonial meal (1 Corinthians 11:20-22, 33-34),
• consisting of bread and wine (1 Corinthians 11:23-26),
• distributed to all by Christ’s servants (1 Corinthians 11:24),
• in which that gathered church symbolises its spiritual nourishment by Christ’s body and blood (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:24-25), and
• proclaims the death of Christ and his atonement for sin (1 Corinthians 11:26). 3.2.1 This ordinance is to continue until the return of Christ. The bread and wine are, and remain, only symbols of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ but those who partake feed by faith upon the living Christ who is present with, but not in, the elements.
3.2.2 In order to maintain the purity of this ordinance, the elders will seek to ensure that only members of this Church, or believers who have been baptised by immersion and who are members in good standing of other churches, are admitted to the ordinance. Believers who are visiting the Church on a temporary basis and whose convictions mean that they cannot conscientiously become members of a Baptist Church may be admitted to the Lord’s Supper at the discretion of the elders.
4. Church Members’ Meetings
4.1 The Purpose of Church Members’ Meetings Church members meet together in a church members’ meeting under the Lordship of Christ, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in subjection to the Scriptures, to discern the mind of God in the affairs of the Church. 4.2 Ordinary and Special Church Members’ Meetings 4.2.1 There are two types of formal church members’ meetings: Ordinary Church Members’ Meetings and Special Church Members’ Meetings.
4.2.2 Ordinary Church Members’ Meetings shall be held as and when necessary but on not less than three occasions in any calendar year.
4.2.3 One Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting each year shall be constituted as the Annual General Meeting for members to receive annual accounts and reports, to appoint auditors or independent examiners, and to consider proposals for the strategy and vision of the Church in the coming year, with other appropriate matters.
4.2.4 A Special Church Members’ Meeting shall be convened when necessary to consider the appointment or dismissal of elders and pastors, matters relating to the acquisition or disposal of or major alterations to church property, the closure of the Church, or matters considered by the elders to be of sufficient importance to require the calling of a Special Church Members’ Meeting.
4.2.5 If the business for a meeting cannot reasonably be concluded in one session, the meeting may be adjourned to another convenient date.
4.3 Convening Church Members’ Meetings
4.3.1 Church members’ meetings shall be convened by the elders so as to be as convenient for as many church members as is reasonable.
4.3.2 An Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting shall be properly convened if the date, time and place for the meeting are publicised at the worship service or services on the previous two Sundays.
4.3.3 A Special Church Members’ Meeting shall be properly convened if the date, time and place for the meeting are publicised at the public worship service or services on the two previous Sundays. In addition, members shall be given written notice containing as full an indication of the matters to be considered as possible. 4.3.4 Additional church members’ meetings, whether special or ordinary, shall be convened by the elders as necessary, and they shall convene a Special Church Members’ Meeting as soon as possible in the event of an application as provided by these Rules and Regulations or upon the receipt of a written request signed by at least one fifth of the church membership.
4.3.5 Apart from guests invited by the elders, only members of the Church shall attend a church members’ meeting.
4.4 The Conduct of Church Members’ Meetings
4.4.1 Worship, including prayer and the reading of Scripture, shall be a key feature of the church members’ meeting. The discussion of any matters affecting the life and activities of the Church shall be set in this context with the intention that, so far as possible, practical issues are not perceived as being separate from the spiritual aspects of the Church.
4.4.2 A quorum of one third of the membership shall apply to church members’ meetings.
4.4.3 The pastor is entitled to chair the church members’ meeting. If he prefers not to do so, has a conflict of interest, or if there is no pastor, the meeting shall elect a Chairman by a simple majority before proceeding with the business of the meeting. 4.4.4 Proceedings at church members’ meetings must be kept confidential unless their disclosure is authorised by the elders.
4.5 Voting
4.5.1 Members shall, so far as possible, seek consensus on all matters considered at a church members’ meeting.
4.5.2 For matters requiring a formal decision, a vote shall be taken and the outcome of the vote recorded as the resolution of the members.
4.5.3 Each member shall have one vote which they may use at the church members’ meeting after hearing about the issues and any comments or questions raised by other members.
4.5.4 No proxy votes shall be allowed and no postal votes shall be valid.
4.5.5 If any matter requires a decision affecting or involving individuals, or if any embarrassment might arise by a public vote, a secret ballot shall be held if agreed by the church members’ meeting.
4.5.6 If a secret ballot is to be held two members will be appointed as scrutineers to the ballot to count the votes. The Chairman shall announce the outcome without necessarily revealing the numbers of votes.
4.5.7 Except as provided in clause
2.2.5 and 2.2.6.1, a resolution at an Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting shall be carried if supported by a majority of the members present and entitled to vote. 4.5.8 If there is an equality of votes on any matter at an Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting the Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his vote as a member. This shall be cast at his discretion but would normally be cast against the motion.
4.5.9 A resolution at a Special Church Members’ Meeting shall be carried if supported by at least three quarters of the members present and entitled to vote. Only those persons who have been members of the Church for a minimum of six months and have attended at least one service of communion at the Lord’s Table in the last six months may vote at a Special Church Meeting.
4.5.10 Although members of any age may attend and participate in a church members’ meeting, the minimum age for voting shall be
18. 4.6 Minutes
4.6.1 The business conducted at church members’ meetings and, in particular, any decisions of the members shall be recorded in the minutes for future reference. 4.6.2 The minutes shall be written or printed and filed in a book or binder set aside for this purpose using materials of sufficient quality to ensure that they survive for many years and shall be kept in a safe place.
4.6.3 Each set of minutes shall be approved by the church members at a church members’meeting. They shall have the opportunity to review the minutes and to correct any errors of fact before a formal vote on the approval of the minutes is taken. If the minutes are approved, the Chairman shall confirm the members’ acceptance of the minutes by signing and dating them as a correct record of the preceding meeting.
4.6.4 The signed minutes shall be conclusive evidence of the decisions taken at the church members’ meeting to which they relate.
5. Power of Amendment
5.1 Amendment Clause These Rules and Regulations may be amended by a resolution passed at a Special Church Members’ Meeting.
3.1.4 Application for Baptism A person wishing to be baptised shall apply to the elders who will arrange for the candidate to be interviewed by two spiritually mature church members who must assess whether the applicant meets the church’s criteria for baptism. Those members should then submit a report to the Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting at which the application is being considered. Applicants will normally be required to give testimony at the meeting.
3.2 The Lord’s Supper The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, the principles of which are that:
• a particular local church (1 Corinthians 1:2),
• on the Lord’s Day (1 Corinthians 11:25-26, Acts 20:7),
• together eats a ceremonial meal (1 Corinthians 11:20-22, 33-34),
• consisting of bread and wine (1 Corinthians 11:23-26),
• distributed to all by Christ’s servants (1 Corinthians 11:24),
• in which that gathered church symbolises its spiritual nourishment by Christ’s body and blood (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:24-25), and
• proclaims the death of Christ and his atonement for sin (1 Corinthians 11:26). 3.2.1 This ordinance is to continue until the return of Christ. The bread and wine are, and remain, only symbols of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ but those who partake feed by faith upon the living Christ who is present with, but not in, the elements.
3.2.2 In order to maintain the purity of this ordinance, the elders will seek to ensure that only members of this Church, or believers who have been baptised by immersion and who are members in good standing of other churches, are admitted to the ordinance. Believers who are visiting the Church on a temporary basis and whose convictions mean that they cannot conscientiously become members of a Baptist Church may be admitted to the Lord’s Supper at the discretion of the elders.
4. Church Members’ Meetings
4.1 The Purpose of Church Members’ Meetings Church members meet together in a church members’ meeting under the Lordship of Christ, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in subjection to the Scriptures, to discern the mind of God in the affairs of the Church. 4.2 Ordinary and Special Church Members’ Meetings 4.2.1 There are two types of formal church members’ meetings: Ordinary Church Members’ Meetings and Special Church Members’ Meetings.
4.2.2 Ordinary Church Members’ Meetings shall be held as and when necessary but on not less than three occasions in any calendar year.
4.2.3 One Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting each year shall be constituted as the Annual General Meeting for members to receive annual accounts and reports, to appoint auditors or independent examiners, and to consider proposals for the strategy and vision of the Church in the coming year, with other appropriate matters.
4.2.4 A Special Church Members’ Meeting shall be convened when necessary to consider the appointment or dismissal of elders and pastors, matters relating to the acquisition or disposal of or major alterations to church property, the closure of the Church, or matters considered by the elders to be of sufficient importance to require the calling of a Special Church Members’ Meeting.
4.2.5 If the business for a meeting cannot reasonably be concluded in one session, the meeting may be adjourned to another convenient date.
4.3 Convening Church Members’ Meetings
4.3.1 Church members’ meetings shall be convened by the elders so as to be as convenient for as many church members as is reasonable.
4.3.2 An Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting shall be properly convened if the date, time and place for the meeting are publicised at the worship service or services on the previous two Sundays.
4.3.3 A Special Church Members’ Meeting shall be properly convened if the date, time and place for the meeting are publicised at the public worship service or services on the two previous Sundays. In addition, members shall be given written notice containing as full an indication of the matters to be considered as possible. 4.3.4 Additional church members’ meetings, whether special or ordinary, shall be convened by the elders as necessary, and they shall convene a Special Church Members’ Meeting as soon as possible in the event of an application as provided by these Rules and Regulations or upon the receipt of a written request signed by at least one fifth of the church membership.
4.3.5 Apart from guests invited by the elders, only members of the Church shall attend a church members’ meeting.
4.4 The Conduct of Church Members’ Meetings
4.4.1 Worship, including prayer and the reading of Scripture, shall be a key feature of the church members’ meeting. The discussion of any matters affecting the life and activities of the Church shall be set in this context with the intention that, so far as possible, practical issues are not perceived as being separate from the spiritual aspects of the Church.
4.4.2 A quorum of one third of the membership shall apply to church members’ meetings.
4.4.3 The pastor is entitled to chair the church members’ meeting. If he prefers not to do so, has a conflict of interest, or if there is no pastor, the meeting shall elect a Chairman by a simple majority before proceeding with the business of the meeting. 4.4.4 Proceedings at church members’ meetings must be kept confidential unless their disclosure is authorised by the elders.
4.5 Voting
4.5.1 Members shall, so far as possible, seek consensus on all matters considered at a church members’ meeting.
4.5.2 For matters requiring a formal decision, a vote shall be taken and the outcome of the vote recorded as the resolution of the members.
4.5.3 Each member shall have one vote which they may use at the church members’ meeting after hearing about the issues and any comments or questions raised by other members.
4.5.4 No proxy votes shall be allowed and no postal votes shall be valid.
4.5.5 If any matter requires a decision affecting or involving individuals, or if any embarrassment might arise by a public vote, a secret ballot shall be held if agreed by the church members’ meeting.
4.5.6 If a secret ballot is to be held two members will be appointed as scrutineers to the ballot to count the votes. The Chairman shall announce the outcome without necessarily revealing the numbers of votes.
4.5.7 Except as provided in clause
2.2.5 and 2.2.6.1, a resolution at an Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting shall be carried if supported by a majority of the members present and entitled to vote. 4.5.8 If there is an equality of votes on any matter at an Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting the Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his vote as a member. This shall be cast at his discretion but would normally be cast against the motion.
4.5.9 A resolution at a Special Church Members’ Meeting shall be carried if supported by at least three quarters of the members present and entitled to vote. Only those persons who have been members of the Church for a minimum of six months and have attended at least one service of communion at the Lord’s Table in the last six months may vote at a Special Church Meeting.
4.5.10 Although members of any age may attend and participate in a church members’ meeting, the minimum age for voting shall be
18. 4.6 Minutes
4.6.1 The business conducted at church members’ meetings and, in particular, any decisions of the members shall be recorded in the minutes for future reference. 4.6.2 The minutes shall be written or printed and filed in a book or binder set aside for this purpose using materials of sufficient quality to ensure that they survive for many years and shall be kept in a safe place.
4.6.3 Each set of minutes shall be approved by the church members at a church members’meeting. They shall have the opportunity to review the minutes and to correct any errors of fact before a formal vote on the approval of the minutes is taken. If the minutes are approved, the Chairman shall confirm the members’ acceptance of the minutes by signing and dating them as a correct record of the preceding meeting.
4.6.4 The signed minutes shall be conclusive evidence of the decisions taken at the church members’ meeting to which they relate.
5. Power of Amendment
5.1 Amendment Clause These Rules and Regulations may be amended by a resolution passed at a Special Church Members’ Meeting.
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