Making a New Provision

How to decide where it goes

Congregations add new provisions to their constitutions all the time. One congregation wants to say something about conflicts of interests. Another wants to include provisions about their preschool. Others want to say something about whether or not they will allow same-gender marriage or whether guns and other weapons will be allowed on the premises. And the list goes on and on. Whether it's a constitutional provision, a bylaw, or a continuing resolution, how do you decide where to place the provision in your constitution?

Is This a Central Purpose of the Congregation?

Sometimes the congregation wants to say something about who it is. If this is the case, that belongs in Chapter 4.

Who's Got the Power?

Another simple question to ask is: Where does the power lay? Who's being granted power or who's power is being restricted? Who's in charge here? Alternatively, one might ask: Who's most directly responsible for this?

The Pastor or the Congregation Council?

One place the Model often does not match congregational practice is in its divisions between the pastor and the Congregation Council. Some of the powers listed in Chapter 12. Congregation Council are often shared between these two entities, split along clear lines.

The Congregation Council or a committee?

Committees serve under the Congregation Council with powers delegated to them from the Congregation Council. No committee can have a power that the Congregation Council does not have first.