Article IV – Doctrinal Literature

     Only those hymns, prayers, and liturgy which conform to the confessional standard of Article III shall be used in the public services of this congregation and in all ministerial acts. Only books that conform to this standard shall be used in classes of instruction in Christian doctrine.

Article V – Membership

    The membership of this congregation includes the following:

     BAPTIZED MEMBERS are those who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God, and who are under spiritual care of the pastor of the congregation, including the children who have not yet been confirmed.

     COMMUNICANT MEMBERS are those baptized members who have been confirmed in the Lutheran faith, accept the confessional standards of Article III of this Constitution and are not members of an organization which is in conflict with the Word of God such as secret oath bound societies and subversive societies.

     VOTING MEMBERS are communicant members who have reached the age of 18 years and have signed the constitution.

     ASSOCIATE MEMBERS are those who are temporary residents during several months of the year in the Lake Havasu City area. They have full membership, rights, including voting rights, and may serve on various boards and committees; however, they shall not hold executive office, or chair a regular committee.

     Baptized and communicant members are received through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, through the consent of one or both parents in the case of children who have been baptized in another Christian congregation, through the rite of confirmation, through transfer from a sister congregation, or through reaffirmation of faith. Their reception shall be approved by the Voters’ Assembly.

     Members of the congregation shall conform their lives to the rule of God’s Word, and to that end make diligent use of the means of grace, exercise faithful stewardship of God’s many gifts and talents, and accept fraternal admonition as the need for such admonition becomes apparent, and be available readily for service in the Kingdom of Christ within and beyond the congregation.

     Members shall be terminated by transfer to a sister congregation, by death, by joining a congregation outside the fellowship of this congregation, by excommunication, or by self-exclusion.

     Communicant members who conduct themselves in an un-Christian manner shall be admonished according to Matthew 18:15-20, and if they remain unrepentant after proper admonition, they shall be excommunicated. Each case shall be presented individually to the Voters’ Assembly for a decision. If such members deliberately absent themselves from the meeting(s) at which their case is to be discussed, they shall be regarded as excluding themselves from the membership of the congregation. This is in no way meant to to discourage the individual’s attendance at worship services, and attempts to achieve reconciliation should be ongoing.

Article VI – Officers and Board Members

     The officers of this congregation shall be: President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary. Other officials, boards and committees may be elected or appointed as needed, as in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the congregation. The officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of the congregation, and shall serve for two (2) years, except for Elders. See By-Laws for Elders and terms of other officials, boards and committees.

     The Governing Board of the congregation shall be a Church Council consisting of the above officers, (the President as Chairman) and other persons specified in the By-Laws.

Article VII – Call of Professional Workers

     Only such pastors, deacons, and teachers shall be called and/or serve this congregation as are in accord with the confessional standards of this congregation (see Article III) and are deemed to be well qualified for their work. The right of calling pastors and deacons shall ever be vested in the Voters’ Assembly and shall never be delegated to a smaller body or an individual; called pastors, deacons and teachers must be endorsed by and be members of this Synod.

     Any pastor, deacon, teacher, or officer may be removed from office by the Voters’ Assembly by a two-thirds ballot vote, in Christian and lawful order, for one of the following reasons: persistent adherence to false doctrine, scandalous life, willful disregard or inability to perform the duties of his or her office.

     The congregation may request the resignation of any pastor, deacon, teacher or officer from his or her position in the congregation in case of incapacity or general incompetence.

Article VIII – Authority of the Congregation

     The Voters’ Assembly shall be the governing body of this congregation and shall be empowered to administer all its affairs. The Voters’ Assembly shall have the power to supercede, rescind, or amend actions taken by any body within the congregation even where this Constitution and By-Laws delegate authority for such actions or when the Voters’ Assembly has delegated such authority. The establishment and conduct of all organizations and societies within the congregation or related directly to it shall be subject to the approval and supervision of the Voters’ Assembly.

     All matters, except for those of doctrine or conscience, shall be decided by a majority vote of the Voters’ Assembly unless specified otherwise by this Constitution and By-Laws. Matters of doctrine and conscience shall be decided only on the basis of the Word of God.

     The right of calling pastors, deacons, and teachers shall be vested in the Voters’ Assembly and shall not be delegated otherwise.

Article IX – Property

     The property of this congregation is dedicated irrevocably to religious and charitable purposes and no part of net income or assets of this organization shall ever inure to the benefit of any director, officer, or member thereof or to the benefit of any private individual.

Article X – Ownership

     This corporate body may receive, acquire, hold title and manage such real estate and other property, as it may need to accomplish its purpose, and may sell or dispose of such real estate and other property or any part thereof. This corporate body shall have all the rights and powers that are granted by the laws of the State of Arizona to religious corporations. All real estate and other property and equipment shall be owned in the name of Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Inc., Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Article XI – Division

     If at any time a division or separation shall take place in this congregation because of doctrine, which may God in His grace prevent, the entire property and all benefits connected therewith shall remain with those members – whether majority or minority – who shall continue to adhere to Article III of this Constitution.

     If a division should take place for any reason other than doctrine – or if each group professes adherence in confession and practice of the above Article – this matter shall be submitted for review to the Pacific Southwest District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod of which this congregation is a member. The ruling of the District may be appealed to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod for review and ruling, which ruling is final.

     In the event the congregation should dissolve, the property and all rights connected therewith shall be transferred to the District of the Synod in which the congregation holds membership at the time of dissolution.

Article XII – By-Laws

     The Voters’ Assembly may adopt such By-laws as it may require to accomplish its purposes.

Article XIII – Amendments

     Amendments to this Constitution, except for Article III, may be adopted at any voters’ meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present, provided that the amendment(s) has been presented in writing at the previous voters’ meeting or by mail two weeks prior to the meeting at which the amendment will be acted upon.

Article XIV – Synodical Membership

     The congregation shall be a member of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod so long as the Synod conforms to the congregation’s confessional standards as set forth in Article III as determined by a majority vote at the congregational meeting called for this purpose.

Article XV – Restrictions

     Articles II, VII, and XIII may be changed as follows: Articles II, VII, and XIII may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Voters’ Assembly, provided that the proposed amendment has been included in the call and discussed at two meetings before the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to receive the action. Due notice by mail that a vote will be taken shall be given to all voting members of the congregation. Any changes to those articles shall not change their essential meaning. Whether or not this has occurred shall be decided by synodical dispute-resolution procedures.

END OF CONSTITUTION

Rev. Aug. 2001