The Church Council is a group of leaders who are elected or called to service for various amounts of time.  The group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm in the Fellowship Hall.  The purpose of the group is to help oversee church operations.

          The officers of Grace Lutheran Church (herein after referred to as the congregation) shall be as follows.  Such officers shall constitute the Executive Board of Grace Lutheran Church:  President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary and Treasurer.  There shall be a Chairperson for the following Boards:  Board of Elders, Board of Deacons, Board of Trustees, Board of Education, Board of Stewardship, Board of Church Growth, Board of Youth Ministry, Board of Community Life Center, Board of Health Ministry.  The Board of Elders will consist of six (6) members and there shall be five (5) members who serve as the Board of Deacons, all of whom shall be members of the Church Council.  The Executive Board and appropriate Board Chairpersons, as designated by the Council, shall be approved signatories for all legal transactions of the church.  The Treasurer shall sign all checks for approved expenditures, along with either the Church Secretary, Administrative Assistant, a  member of the Executive Board, or a Board Chairperson.

          The Voters’ Assembly at its (September) meeting, shall annually elect the officers as follows:  President, Secretary, Financial Secretary, Chairpersons of Education, Church Growth, and one half of the Board of Deacons shall be filled to start serving in even numbered years; Vice President, Treasurer, Chairpersons of Stewardship, Trustees and Youth Minister, Health Ministry and the remaining half of the Board of Deacons shall be filled to start serving in odd numbered years.  The chairperson of the Board of the Community Life Center shall be elected by the members of the Board of the Community Life Center.  This person shall be designated as the representative to serve on the Church Council.  Only communicant members shall be eligible to hold these offices and positions of leadership.  Only communicant male members shall hold the office of Elder.

          All elections and candidates are to be previously announced in public worship and by means of the bulletin and newsletter.  The election of officers shall be by written ballot; a simple majority of all ballots cast shall be necessary to elect any candidate to office.  The Nominating Committee shall propose fit candidates to the Voters’ Assembly meeting for the various offices that are to be filled.  The right is reserved by the Voters’ Assembly to add other names to the proposed list. Installation of all officers usually shall be the first Sunday in January.  If any office, other than that of President, becomes vacant, a new officer shall be elected in the manner as described above at the next voters assembly meeting.  The term of office of all above officers shall be two (2) years with each person permitted to succeed himself or herself for one (1) term, except for the Board of Deacons.  The term for Deacons shall be two (2) years with no maximum number of consecutive terms.

          The Church Council shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Chairpersons of all Boards and the entire Board of Deacons.  The Pastor shall be ex-officio member and other called staff shall be non-voting, ex-officio members.  It shall be the duty of the Church Council, under the authority received from the Voters’ Assembly, to administer the affairs of the Congregation between regular meetings of the Voters’ Assembly.  It shall consider and discuss all matters pertaining to the general welfare of Congregation, review all reports and present recommendations for action to the Congregation.  The Council shall be responsible for assisting the President in carrying out the decisions of the Voters’ Assembly.  The Council may not make unbudgeted expenditures in excess of $1,000.00 without direction by the Congregation, except, in case of emergency, when circumstances require action immediately.  Council is authorized to spend in excess of $1,000.00, or take other special action, to the extent the emergency requires, if approved by a 2/3 majority of the Council in attendance at such meeting.  The Council shall seek ratification of its actions from the Voters’ Assembly, at the earliest possible date in either a special or regular meeting of the voters assembly.  Council shall present to the Voters’ Assembly a yearly plan of activity for the entire Congregation as well as a long-range plan.  Council shall approve the agenda for the Voters’ Meetings and set the dates for these meetings according to these By-Laws.

            Council shall meet monthly, except when the Voters’ Assembly meets.  Special meetings may be called as necessary by the President, Pastor or on the request of at least three (3) other members.  In the case of special meetings every designated member of the Council must be notified in a timely manner.  The Council shall keep a permanent set of minutes for each meeting, which shall be the property and permanent record of the Congregation.

          There shall be an ad hoc Auditing Committee of two (2) members, appointed by the President.  This Committee shall examine the accounts of the Financial Secretary and of the Treasurer at the end of each Fiscal Year, or more often if they deem necessary; shall attest them if found correct; and shall report at the January meeting.  Financial officers shall not be eligible to serve on the Auditing Committee.  There shall be an ad hoc Nominating Committee of three (3) members, appointed by the President.  They shall present to the September Voters’ Assembly a complete slate of officers and chairpersons and be available to make nominations in case of a vacancy in any office other than President.

          For more information on the church council, please contact council president Pete Christjohn at 366-3391 or email at petechristjohn@agraceplace.org or click on the church by-laws link to the left.