Chapter 11. OFFICERS

Ten-hut!

About This Chapter

This chapter contains everything about the officers of the congregation, particularly the president, the vice president, the secretary, and the treasurer.

Top Priority: Determine the officers and list their responsibilities.

Thoughts and Suggested Provisions

The following is offered merely as suggestions, often based on common provisions in congregational constitutions. It is up to each congregation to determine what is and is not important to include in their own governing documents.

Note: For each suggestion, the congregation must decide whether a provision should be a constitutional provision, a bylaw, or a continuing resolution. Go to the page on types of provisions to understand the differences.

Note: Each state has different laws regarding officers. Make sure to follow such laws.

Note: This chapter is written a little oddly in an attempt to account for many variations between congregations. Feel free to rewrite this chapter to best suit the congregation's needs, especially if election, term length, term limits, or anything else is different from one officer to the next. See examples in ELCA governing documents for ideas on better organization. ELCA Chapter 13. Synod Chapter 8. Or use the rewritten example available on this site.

C11.01. Officer Positions and Duties

What officers does the congregation have?
What are the duties of the officers? ELCA Sample Officer Duties Sample Synod Treasurer Description
Are any officer positions open to non-voting members or even non-members?
Can a corporation serve as the treasurer?
Are there age requirements for officers?
Do any officers receive salaries or stipends for their service?

Note: Additional common officers are financial secretary, historian, executive secretary, and parliamentarian. Assistant officers are also listed in this section.

Note: Though less helpful, consider looking at synod and churchwide officer duties.

Note: The phrase "similar offices" in C11.01.c. would only apply to officers that have similar offices on the Congregation Council (thus this provision does NOT necessarily make the treasurer a voting member of the Congregation Council).

Note: C11.01.d. is the most awkward provision in this chapter. Feel free to rewrite this to fit the congregation's needs.

C11.02. Officer Elections

Does the congregation elect the officers or are the officers elected from among the Congregation Council by the Congregation Council?
What is the length of term for officers?
How many terms can officers serve?
Is prior service on the Congregation Council required for any officer position?
Can the rostered ministers or employees who are also members be officers?
When is the ideal time for officer terms to begin and end?
Does the congregation prefer elections by means other than written ballots?

This section lists two sets of dueling options for how officers are elected. The congregation may choose other options than those listed.

#1	Layperson is the president Terms begin at the close of the annual meeting at which they were elected.
#2	Layperson is the president Terms begin and end on a certain date.
#3	The [senior] pastor is the president Terms begin at the close of the annual meeting at which they were elected.
#4	The [senior] pastor is the president Terms begin and end on a certain date.

This provision raises an interesting question: Should the pastor be president of the congregation or not? Though many congregations and rostered leaders shy away from this, it is the normal pattern for bishops. ELCA Provision 13.21.a. Synod Provision 8.12.i.1.

Most states do not require a vice president. This role exists at the churchwide and synod level to take over many presidential functions for the bishops. If the pastor is not the president, then what is the purpose of the vice president?

Note: If different officers have different term limits, this provision may need to be rewritten.

Note: The "annual" meeting in most states is the meeting at which the Congregation Council is elected. If the Congregation Council elects the officers and the officer terms begin at the close of the annual meeting, the Congregation Council should hold such elections as part of the business of the meeting.

Note: If the congregation elects the officers, include the "officers of the congregation" option in C12.01. If the Congregation Council elects, then remove that statement from C12.01.

Note: Though it is listed in C13.08., the ex officio role of the president could be listed here instead. ELCA Provision 13.21.k. Synod Provision 8.12.i.7.

C11.03. Office Restrictions and Term Limits

Most states allow individuals to hold multiple offices, but this is not recommended practice.

If the term limits of officers are different, adjust this statement.

In the case of filled vacancies, what counts as a full term for reelection purposes?

C11.04. and beyond

The Model Constitution does not contain provisions on how officer vacancies are handled. Consider adding provisions addressing these issues. How this is done will vary from one congregation to another depending on how officers are elected. ELCA Provision 13.60. through 13.63. Synod Provision 8.55. through †8.58.

Note: Most states have laws concerning how to remove officers and how to address vacancies. If the congregation's practices differ, address those differences.

Note: Remember that if the pastor is the ex officio president, the only way to remove the pastor is through the processes outlined in Chapter 9.

The Model also does not address relatives. Can a relative of the pastor be an officer? Can related individuals serve in related officer roles, such as president and vice president, or a primary officer and an assistant officer? The ELCA provides a broad definition of related individuals. Synod Provision †8.16.01.c.