Articles of Association

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="068adc50.jpg" border=0 width="173" height="197" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Garamond" ><B>Wisconsin Congregational Association</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wisconsin Congregational Association"><U>home</U></A></div> <bR> <div> Articles of Association</div> <div> Organized April 27, 1968</div> <bR> <div> Amended at 43rd Annual Meeting</div> <div> Wauwatosa, Wisconsin April 4, 2003</div> <bR> <div> ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION</div> <bR> <div> ARTICLE I. NAME</div> <div> The name shall be the “Wisconsin Congregational Association</div> <bR> <div> ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP</div> <div> A. RECEPTION AND DISMISSAL: Any Congregational Church subscribing to this covenant may be received into the Association upon request of the Church and by vote of the Association. A Church may voluntarily withdraw from the Association by providing written notification of such an intention to the Secretary of the Wisconsin Congregational Association (hereinafter-designated WCA or Association). A Church may be dismissed from the Association by vote of the WCA at an Annual Meeting.</div> <bR> <div> B. ACTIVE MEMBERS: An active member Church is one which sends a delegate to the Annual Meeting of the Association in the current or preceding year; OR which has, in the two years immediately preceding the Annual Meeting, made a financial contribution to the operating budget of the Association. The Secretary and Treasurer of the Association shall certify the list of active member Churches to the Moderator prior to the convening of the Annual Meeting. An inactive Church shall be automatically restored to active status by sending a delegate to the Annual meeting OR by making a financial contribution to the Association.</div> <bR> <div> C. VOTING : Vote by the Association must be a majority of the active member Churches present and voting each Church having one vote.</div> <bR> <div> ARTICLE III. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES</div> <div> A. OFFICERS: The officers of this Association, elected at the Annual Meeting, shall be a Moderator-elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Men or women, either clergy or lay, shall be eligible for election to office. They shall take office at the first Executive Committee meeting following the Annual Meeting.</div> <div> 1. MODERATOR: The Moderator shall serve as the official representative of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. The Moderator shall serve a term of one year after which that person shall not be eligible for election to any Association Office until after the expiration of one year.</div> <div> 2. MODERATOR-ELECT: The Moderator-elect shall succeed to the office of Moderator at the expiration of the current Moderator's term of office. If the Moderator is unable to complete the term of office, the Moderator-elect shall fulfill the Moderator's duties for the balance of the term and shall then become Moderator for that person's regular term. The Moderator-elect shall be elected for a term of one year. The Moderator-elect shall not be eligible for election to any Association office until after the expiration of one-year following the term as Moderator.</div> <div> 3. SECRETARY: The Secretary shall keep a full and accurate record of the proceedings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall keep a record of the membership of the Churches of the Association, shall keep an attendance record of Churches represented at meetings of the Association, and shall receive official communications, notices, and correspondence as directed by the Association or Executive Committee. The Secretary shall be elected for a term of one year and shall be eligible for re-election.</div> <div> 4. TREASURER: The Treasurer shall receive all contributions and disburse all funds as are necessary to carry on the business of the Association. The Treasurer shall be elected for a term of one year and shall be eligible for re-election.</div> <bR> <div> B. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The Executive Committee shall consist of the four officers of the Association, the Chairperson of the Youth and Camp Committee, and two Representatives from the membership, making a total of seven persons. The Immediate Past Moderator shall be an ex-officio member.</div> <div> 1. MEMBERSHIP REPRESENTATIVES: Two representatives from the active member Churches, one lay and one clergy, shall be elected at the Annual meeting and shall take office at the first Executive Committee meeting following the Annual Meeting. One representative shall be elected each year for a term of two years and may be re-elected for one additional term of two years after which that person shall be ineligible for re-election until after the expiration of one year.</div> <div> 2. RESPONSIBILITIES: the Executive Committee shall act for the Association in the time between Annual Meetings. It shall transact such business as the Association shall direct. The Executive Committee shall have authority to contract for all necessary expenditures for the carrying out of policies authorized by the Association. The Executive Committee shall make a full report of all its doings, the consideration of which shall be a part of the order of business at the next regular meeting of the Association. It may make rules for its own guidance not inconsistent with the Articles of Association.</div> <div> a. The Executive Committee may submit to the Association for consideration any recommendations that it may understand are helpful for the further development of the life and work of the Churches.</div> <div> b. The Executive Committee shall propose an agenda for the Annual meeting, but such agenda may be modified and amended by the delegates gathered for the meeting and the discussions and actions of the meeting shall not in any manner be limited by the suggested agenda.</div> <div> c. The Executive Committee shall serve as the business committee for the meetings of the Association.</div> <div> d. The Executive Committee shall prepare the proposed annual budget for the Association and present it for discussion, approval, and adoption at the Annual Meeting.</div> <div> e. The Executive Committee shall not exceed the authorizations to it by the Association.</div> <bR> <div> C. YOUTH AND CAMP COMMITTEE: The Youth and Camp Committee shall be comprised of nine members: The Chairperson, two Adult Members at Large (one lay, one clergy), the Junior and Senior High School Camp Directors, and two Adult Advisors to the Wisconsin State Pilgrim Fellowship, and two youth, one representing the Junior High age group and one representing the Senior High age group.</div> <div> 1. It is the purpose of the Youth and Camp Committee to offer the local Churches youth programs and support so that the member Churches may provide opportunities for youth to grow in the understanding of Christian life principles.</div> <div> a. The Youth and Camp Committee, for as long as is necessary, will be responsible for organizing and supervising, under these Articles, a camping program for junior and senior high school age youth.</div> <div> b. The Youth and Camp Committee will supervise, on behalf of the Churches of the WCA, the Wisconsin State Pilgrim Fellowship program. This will be done in a way that is consistent with the principles of Congregationalism and with sensitivity to the Articles of Association of the Wisconsin State Pilgrim Fellowship.</div> <div> 2. CHAIRPERSON: The Chairperson of the Youth and Camp Committee shall be nominated by the Association Nominating Committee and be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Association and shall take office at the close of camp in the year in which they were elected. The term of office shall be one year. The Chairperson may be elected for one additional term of one year after which that person shall not be eligible for re-election until after the expiration of on year.</div> <div> 3. ADULT MEMBERS-AT-LARGE: Two adult members-at-large, one lay and one clergy, shall be elected and shall take office at the close of camp in the year in which they were elected. One representative shall be elected at each Annual Meeting for a term of two years and may be re-elected for one additional term of two years after which that person shall not be eligible for re-election until after the expiration of one year.</div> <div> 4. CAMP DIRECTORS: The Youth and Camp Committee shall, each year, be responsible for securing Directors for Junior High Camp and Senior high Camp. The Directors shall be members of the Youth and Camp Committee until such time as their successors are secured.</div> <div> 5. ADULT PILGRIM FELLOWSHIP ADVISORS: There shall be at least two but no more than three adult Advisors nominated and elected by the Wisconsin State Pilgrim Fellowship (hereafter designated WSPF). Their appointments shall become effective upon ratification by the Executive Committee. Two Adult Advisors shall be members of the Youth and Camp Committee. They shall continue as members of the Youth and Camp Committee as long as they continue to be Adult Advisors to the WSPF. When they are replaced they cease to be members of the Youth and Camp Committee.</div> <div> a. An Advisor must be at least 20 years of age.</div> <div> b. Each year at least one Adult Advisor shall be nominated at the second rally to a two year term, by the outgoing WSPF officers, to be elected by the newly elected WSPF officers, and ratified by the WCA Youth and Camp Committee. In the event of a position being vacant the WSPF Officer Committee shall select a replacement to that term.</div> <div> c. No meeting of WSPF may close without at least two Advisors in the office.</div> <div> d. Advisors are responsible for the programming and scheduling at all WSPF meetings.</div> <div> e. The Advisors, as members of the WSPF Officer Committee, are to work closely with the officers, and to take serious consideration of all suggestions and ideas.</div> <div> f. The Advisors are directly and solely responsible and we are bound to maintain a proper level of discipline at all WSPF meetings.</div> <div> g. It is the duty of the Advisors to see that meetings are being organized.</div> <div> h. All ties in WSPF committee meetings shall be decided by the Advisors.</div> <div> Article III, Section C. Number 5: Adult Wisconsin State Pilgrim Fellowship Advisors may in future be modified as necessary to reflect the current article on Adult Advisors to be found in the Articles of Association, Wisconsin State Pilgrim Fellowship.</div> <bR> <div> D. NOMINATING COMMITTEE:</div> <div> 1. MEMBERSHIP: The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members from the active member Churches of the Association who shall be elected at the Annual meeting. They shall be elected to serve until the next Annual meeting.</div> <div> 2. DUTIES</div> <div> a. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers and committee members for election at the Annual Meeting. No nominations may be presented unless the nominee has consented to serve if elected. Nominations may be made from the floor at the Annual Meeting. In case an office becomes vacant between Annual meetings the Executive Committee, after consulting with the Nominating Committee, shall fill the vacancy by interim appointment until the next Annual Meeting.</div> <div> E. OTHER COMMITTEES: Other committees may be elected by the active member Churches of the Association as needed. The purpose of the committee and the length of time required to fulfill the stated purpose shall be included in the constituting motion.</div> <bR> <div> ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS</div> <div> A. REGULAR MEETINGS: The Wisconsin Congregational Association shall hold an Annual Meeting in the spring of each year, the date and location to be fixed by the Executive Committee.</div> <div> B. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or upon request of five active member Churches. The purpose of the Special Meeting shall be stated clearly in the call for the meeting.</div> <div> C. NOTICE OF MEETINGS: Member Churches shall be notified of all meetings at least two months in advance of the scheduled meeting date.</div> <div> D. QUORUM: A quorum at all meetings where actions affecting the Association are to be taken shall consist of a majority of active member Churches.</div> <div> E. PROGRAM: The program of the meetings shall be consistent with the Covenant and emphasize faith, freedom, and fellowship.</div> <bR> <div> ARTICLE V. AMENDMENTS</div> <div> A. ARTICLES: At any duly called meeting of the Association, if a majority of active members of the Association is represented by delegates present at such a meeting, these Article of Association may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the active member Churches represented at such a meeting through their delegates. Notice of such proposed amendment or amendments shall be printed and distributed with the call to the meeting at which they are to be considered.</div> <div> B. COVENANT: The Covenant of the Association may be amended only by a unanimous vote of the member Churches taken by mail ballot.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Senior High Fall Rally"><U>Back to "About The WCA"</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>