SP815 Current Working Draft

Preamble
All things in the Christian congregation shall be done in good order (1 Corinthians 14:40). The congregation, Saint Paul Lutheran Church, subscribes to this fundamental principle as our common guidance for congregational affairs.

Constitution

Articles
I. Name

a. Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Rockford IL, hereafter referred to as St. Paul.

II. Symbolic Purpose

a. Without reservation, St. Paul maintains and promotes the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, for they are the inspired Word of God and the only sound rule and norm for Christian faith and life.

b. St. Paul maintains and promotes all the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, as contained in the Book of Concord of 1580, and as summarized in Luther’s Small Catechism, to be a pure and true exposition and presentation of the Divine Word.

c. No teaching or party which deviates from this standard of faith shall be tolerated.

III. Altar and Pulpit Fellowship

a. St. Paul shall be affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and will continue to hold its membership therein so long as the Synod holds to the doctrine laid out in Article II of this constitution.

IV. Membership in St. Paul
a. Regular communicant participation is the proper biblical expression of congregational membership. Participation begins with Holy Baptism and is also expressed in (1) the prayerful study of Scripture, (2) the use of the Catechism (3) and the withdrawal from manifest works of the flesh, such as those listed in Galatians 5:19- 21.

b. Those who desire communicant membership and pastoral care are to request cousel with the pastor(s). Upon satisfaction regarding (1) Trinitarian Baptism, (2) fidelity to Scripture, (3) commitment to the Catechism and its Table of Duties, (4) willingness to accept congregational guidance and fraternal admonition according to Matthew 18, (5) renunciation of syncretistic orders and secret societies, (6) and commitment to ongoing financial and volunteer contributions according to their means, the pastor(s) are to notify the elders of such evidence. The elders are to seek recognition of membership at a voting assembly.

V. Excommunication and Schism
a. Manifest public sinners shall be shepherded according to Matthew 18:15-18.
b. In the case of congregational division, all corporate property of St. Paul shall remain with those communicant members who adhere to Article II of this constitution.

VI. Voting
a. All communicant members eighteen years or older, recognized according to Article IV, are voting members in the congregation.
b. The congregation in a voting assembly exercises supreme authority in its own affairs. Voting Assembly meetings may be called by (1) the Pastor’s request, (2) the Congregational Council’s request (3) or the request of any seven voting members presented in good order to the congregational council.
c. It is the expectation that every voting member attend congregational meetings. Voting members present at any called assembly are authorized to conduct business.

VII. Council and Boards
a. The congregation shall elect from its communicant membership, in Christian order, the number of persons necessary with the pastor(s) to constitute a Congregational Council and a Board of Elders which, within the limits of their offices, shall see that all needful public matters are attended to in good order.

We are releasing the draft as we discuss it.