BY-LAWS OF PAOLI PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The following By-Laws of the Congregation were approved by motion made, seconded
and passed January 31, 1993.
BY-LAWS OF THE CONGREGATION
OF
PAOLI PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1. Paoli Presbyterian Church, being a particular congregation of The Presbyterian
Church (USA), recognizes that the Constitution of the said Church is, in all its provisions,
obligatory upon it and its members.
2. There will be an annual meeting of the congregation in the church edifice on the last
Sunday in October for the election of officers for the next year and transaction of any
business properly coming before such meeting. There shall also be an annual meeting on
the last Sunday in January to approve the annual report and to receive the annual budget.
3. Special congregational meeting may be called by the Session or Donegal Presbytery.
Such calls shall state clearly the purpose of such special meeting and no other matter save
that specified in the call may be considered.
4. Public notice of the time, place and purpose of all meetings of the congregation shall
be announced from the pulpit on at least the two Sundays preceding the meeting.
5. The senior pastor shall be the moderator and shall preside. If the pulpit is vacant or
if the senior pastor is not available, an associate pastor may preside with permission of
the pastor and approval of the Congregation. If a pastor is ill or is otherwise unable to be
present, or if the subjects to be discussed require it, a minister of the Donegal Presbytery
shall be invited by the Session to preside. This invitation shall be cleared through the
Committee on Ministry of Donegal Presbytery.
6. The Clerk of Session shall be secretary of the meetings of the Congregation. In
his/her inability to attend, the Session shall designate a secretary in his/her stead.
7. Only communicant members in good standing shall be eligible to vote at
congregational meeting.
8. Voting by proxy is not allowed. Voting by secret ballot is permitted when requested
by a member of the church and approved by the Congregation.
9. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the Roberts Rules of Order. See
Book of Order G – 9.0302.
10. All meetings shall be opened and closed with prayer.
11. A quorum shall consist of the moderator, secretary, and eighty eligible voters. (1)
12. There shall be twenty seven elders divided into three equal classes, so far as
possible, one class of whom shall be elected each year at the October annual meeting for
a three year term. No elder shall serve on the Session for consecutive terms, either full or
partial, aggregating more that six years; but shall be eligible to be elected to a new term
after one year shall have elapsed. (2) (5)
13. There shall be not more that thirty six deacons divided into three classes, as far as
possible, one class of whom shall be elected each year at the October annual meeting for
a three year term. No deacon shall serve on the Board of Deacons for consecutive terms,
whether full or partial, aggregating more that six years; but shall be eligible to be elected
to a new term after one year shall have elapsed. (3)
14. Vacancies on the Session or Board of Deacons may be filled at a special meeting of
the Congregation or at an annual meeting, as the Session may determine.
15. Nominations to the office of Elder and to the office of Deacon shall be made by a
representative nominating committee of communicant members of the church. The
nominating committee shall bring to the annual meeting nominations of one eligible
person only for each office to be filled. Additional nominations of qualified persons may
be made from the floor by any eligible voter. The nominating committee shall be
composed of: two members shall be designated by and from the Session, one of whom
shall be named by the Session as chairman, one member shall be designated by and from
the Board of Deacons, and five members of the congregation-at-large (not presently
serving on any Board of the Church). The senior pastor shall be a member of this
committee, ex-officio without vote. The nominating committee shall be chosen annually
at the October meeting. (5)
16. Corporate officers, unless otherwise elected by the Session, shall consist of:
President, the chairperson of the Finance Committee
Vice President, the chairperson of the Property Committee
Secretary, the Clerk of Session
Treasurer (4)
17. The by-laws may be altered, amended or repealed at any meeting of the
congregation by a majority vote of the members present; provided, that ten day’s notice
shall be given of such proposed alteration, amendment or repeal, by mail, or by
information made available at worship at least two Sundays before the meeting.
(1) The following information is copied from the January 19, 1993 Presbytery
minutes. That Paoli Presbyterian Church BE GRANTED approval in accordance
with G-7.0305 to set their quorum for a congregational meeting at 80. This is less
that the 10% required by the Book of Order and requires approval of the Presbytery.
Motion made and seconded. A standing vote was taken. Voting in favor: 84 – Voting
against: 44. MOTION PASSED.
(2) October 25, 1992 Ecclesiastical/Corporate meeting, it was voted to move to a
unicameral form of government and increase the members of Session from 21 to
27.
(3) May 13, 1993 Ecclesiastical/Corporate meeting, it was voted to increase members
of the Diaconate from 36 to 39.
(4) October 29, 1995 Ecclesiastical/Corporate meeting, approved.
(5) June 18, 2006 Ecclesiastical/Corporate meeting, it was voted that for the two
years from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2008, Articles 12 and 15 of the
bylaws be amended to permit as few as twelve elders and increase the Nominating
Committee membership to two from the Board of Deacons and six members of the
congregation-at-large (not presently serving on any Board of the Church).
Corporate Documents