THE BY-LAWS
As amended and adopted January 22, 2018
Article I
MEETINGS
Meetings of the Delegate Body of the Federation shall be held in January, May and September of each year, the budget being adopted in September and the election of officers taking place in January. The place of meeting shall be designated by the Executive Board.
One-fourth of the member congregations of the Delegate Body as recorded by the Secretary shall constitute a quorum.
Special meetings of the Delegate Body may be called: 1)by the President at his/her discretion; 2)upon the request of a majority of the member congregations; or 3)by a majority of the Executive Board.
Special meetings of the Delegate Body shall have at least two weeks prior notice.
All meetings of the Delegate Body, the Executive Board, and other committees shall be considered open meetings to all Federation member congregations. (The single exception being an Executive Board meeting concerning personnel issues.)
Article II
OFFICERS
The Officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Pastoral Advisor. Their terms of office shall be two years; the President and Secretary being elected in odd years, and the Vice-President, Treasurer, and Pastoral Advisor in even years.
The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Pastoral Advisor shall be limited to two consecutive elected terms. The Treasurer shall be without limit as to the number of consecutive terms served.
Vacancies in the offices of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Pastoral Advisor shall be filled by appointment by the President. The appointment shall be presented to the Delegate Body at its next regular meeting. Should the office of President become vacant, the remainder of his/her term shall be filled by the Vice-President.
Article III
ELECTIONS
The election of officers shall take place in the January meeting according to the following procedure:
A. A Nominating Committee consisting at least of the Secretary, Pastoral Advisor and may include up to three delegates to the Federation shall be appointed by the President. This committee, their willingness to serve having been secured, shall be announced to the Delegate Body in the September meeting.
B. The Nominating Committee, as soon after the September meeting as practical, shall meet to prepare a list of at least one candidate for each office who is a communicant member of a congregations of the Federation. The candidates must be at least 18 years of age.
C. All nominees shall be notified by a member of the Nominating Committee, be fully informed as to what their offices will require, and given time to prayerfully consider.
D. The Nominating Committee's slate of candidates should be complete by December 1, and publication to all delegates should be made by the Secretary before December 15.
E. Following the publication of the Nominating Committee's slate, any delegate to the Federation may submit additional names. Such names shall be placed on the ballot by the Nominating Committee along with the candidates already chosen, provided:
1. That the individual named is willing to serve, the procedure outlined in C above having been followed; and
2. That such names are submitted at least ten days before the January meeting of the Federation for official publication.
F. In the January meeting of the Delegate Body the Nominating Committee shall present the slate of candidates. Nominations will remain open throughout the election process, the officers being elected in the following order: President and Secretary in the odd year; Vice-President, Treasurer, and Pastoral Advisor in the even year. Election will be by simple majority, and the elected officers duly installed at the end of the meeting.
Article IV
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
A. The President
1. shall preside at the meetings of the Delegate Body and the Executive Board;
2. shall lead the Federation in accomplishing its objectives as stated in Article II of the Constitution;
3. shall annually appoint all standing committees and fill all vacancies of elected offices with the approval of the Delegate Body;
4. shall appoint any ad hoc committees and make individual assignments with the approval of the Executive Board;
5. shall be an ex-officio member of all committees;
6. shall consult with, and delegate to, the Vice-President such duties and responsibilities as they shall agree upon;
7. shall bring to the Delegate Body all appropriate recommendations;
8. shall establish and maintain avenues of communication with the District and its representatives; and,
9. shall, together with the Secretary, be authorized to sign official documents in the name of the Federation.
B. The Vice-President
1. shall, in the absence of or at the designation of the President, preside at the meetings of the Delegate Body and the Executive Board;
2. shall assume the duties of the President should the President resign or be unable to continue in office; and,
3. shall accept such responsibilities, perform such duties, and represent the President at such meetings and functions as the President and he shall agree upon.
C. The Secretary
1. shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Delegate Body and the Executive Board, submitting such minutes for review and approval at the next meeting;
2. shall be responsible for all official correspondence and for communications to member congregations;
3. shall preserve a written version of such minutes in a book provided for that purpose;
4. shall maintain the central file of all historical/legal documents, records, correspondence, articles, photographs, etc. that is available to all officers, committees, and other responsible parties;
5. shall obtain from the member congregations the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all delegates to the Federation; maintaining a current list available for all necessary use;
6. shall make available to Federation delegates copies of this Constitution and By-Laws and such other information necessary to their orientation and understanding of the Federation's mission/ministry;
7. shall, together with the President, be authorized to sign official documents in the name of the Federation; and,
8. shall be a member of the Nominating Committee.
D. The Treasurer
1. shall receive and disburse all monies according to the direction of the Federation;
2. shall keep an accurate record of all receipts and disbursements;
3. shall maintain in the central file all past financial records, documents, etc. that is available to all officers, committees, and other responsible parties; and,
4. shall present a written financial statement at the regular meetings of the Delegate Body and Executive Board.
E. The Pastoral Advisor
1. shall be the spiritual advisor of the Delegate Body and Executive Board;
2. shall accept such duties and committee responsibilities as the President and he shall agree upon;
3. shall be a member of the Nominating Committee; and,
4. shall be the liaison between the Federation and the Circuits' Pastoral Conference.
Article V
DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD,
COMMITTEES AND APPOINTEES
A. The Executive Board
1. shall consist of the five elected officers plus the chairpersons of the standing and ad hoc committees; Former Executive Board officers, who are also delegates of member congregations may serve as advisory members to the Board.
2. shall meet regularly to plan the work of the Federation, prepare the agenda for the Delegate Body, to hear reports from all officers and committees, to receive and review all proposals to the Federation, and to implement the resolutions of the Delegate Body;
3. shall make arrangements for the joint endeavors of the Federation, including circuit convocations, Reformation services, etc.;
4. shall hold and safeguard all property of the Federation, and transact all business involving the same;
5. shall have authority to meet unforeseen expenditures that do not exceed the sum of five hundred dollars ($500);
6. shall draw up the annual budget and present it to the Delegate Body at the September meeting;
7. shall report its activities at each regular meeting of the Delegate Body; and,
8. shall have as a quorum a majority of the currently elected Executive Board members.
B. The Mission/Ministry Committee
1. shall lead the Federation in assessing and developing new mission congregations and projects throughout the area of Circuits 22 and 23;
2. shall evaluate and propose to the Federation possible mission/ministry efforts among different ethnic/cultural populations; also groups with special needs (e.g., inner city, homeless, prisoners, deaf, etc.);
3. shall keep itself, the Executive Board, the Delegate Body, and member congregations informed as to the progress and needs of already established mission congregations and projects, actively seeking their involvement and support;
4. shall receive, review, and recommend to the Federation all requests for mission grants;
5. shall seek the guidance and partnership of the District Board of Missions in support of the Federation's mission/ministry efforts; and,
6. shall report its activities at the regular meetings of the Executive Board and the Delegate Body.
C. There shall be such other standing and ad hoc committees as are deemed necessary by the Executive Board and Delegate Body.
D. There shall be an Auditing Committee appointed in January, consisting of three members and serving for one trimester.
Article VI
ALTERATIONS AND AMENDMENTS
Alterations and amendments to these By-Laws may be made by a two-thirds majority of the delegates present and voting in any meeting duly convened; provided that the changes have received preliminary consideration in a preceding meeting.
Attested:
The Constitution and By-Laws of The Kentuckiana Federation of Lutheran Churches was amended and adopted by the delegates of the Federation at its duly convened meeting on January 22, 2018.
Mark Whitsett, President __________________________ _____________
Jeremy Botkins, Vice President __________________________ _____________
Joshua Botkins, Secretary __________________________ _____________
Charlotte Campbell, Treasurer __________________________ _____________
Rev. Steven Ensley, Advisor __________________________ _____________