Heritage Lutheran Church


 

President:  Dale Sandquist

Vice-President:  Dan Bizik

Secretary:  Karen Sederberg

Treasurer:  Paul Flasch

Asst. Treasurer:  Jan Blakley

Board of Elders:  Russ Adams, Bob Etchason, Jim Kalinke, Bill Maar, Glen Piper, Kraig Tonne

Board of Parish Education:  John Britton, Marlene Bartholomew, Kari Carlson, Jo Hughart, Sigrid Kumpf, Marilyn 

                                               Schultz, Martin Steinbach

Board of Trustees:  Jeff Carlson, Rick Kieper, Ed Ruge, Larry Sellers, Doug Van Wienen

Board of Endowment Fund:  Judy Marshall, John Peters, Frank Zoll 

ARTICLE 6.  DUTIES OF OFFICERS, AND  FUNCTIONS,  POWERS, AND ORGANIZATION 
OF THE  CHURCH COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS.

  Section 1.  Duties of Officers.

    1.  The President of this congregation shall

a. preside at the meetings of the voters' assemblies;

b. enforce, to the best of his abilities, the Constitution and Bylaws of this congregation and carry out the expressed will of the congregation as embodied in the resolutions of the voters' assemblies;

c.  endeavor to coordinate the functions,  plans, and activities of the congregation in all its parts for the total furtherance of the work of God's kingdom in our midst;

d. appoint an auditing committee consisting

of any two qualified voting members of the congregation other than the treasurer and assistant treasurer to audit the financial records of the congregation;

e. submit, annually, the report of this

committee to the April meeting of the voters' assembly;

f.  submit a supplemental financial report and audit to the first meeting of the voters' assembly if the offices of the treasurer or assistant treasurer have been vacated for any reason other than completion of term.

    2.  The Vice President of this congregation shall

           a.  preside at all meetings of the church council;

           b.  act instead of the president if the president is prevented from fulfilling the duties of his office;

           c. be available for whatever duties the president may assign to him.

3.  The Secretary of this congregation shall

 a.   be present at all voters' assemblies and meetings of the church council, and enter the  minutes of the meetings of said bodies in a permanent record book over his/her signature;

  b.   conduct all official correspondence of the congregation under the supervision of the president;

          c.  be responsible for the congregation's seal, safe-deposit box, and official copy of the Constitution

          and Bylaws;

d.  be responsible for the storage and management of  the minutes and records of the voters' assembly,  church council, all administrative boards, and committees of this congregation, and develop, in consultation with the church council and the office secretary, ways and means for the proper storage and management of  these materials;  

e.  be empowered, together with the president of this congregation, to attest the validity of the

          congregation seal;

           f.  perform all those duties which are normally associated with this office.

    4.  The Treasurer of this congregation shall

           a.  be responsible for accurate recording of congregational receipts, disbursements,

            budgeted, and actual expenditures according to proper accounting procedures;

           b.  present a written, duplicated financial report to the voters' assemblies and a preliminary

           financial report to the church council;

  c. submit financial records for annual audit and for supplemental audits;

          d. be responsible for the monthly remission of offerings for mission and all agencies of the

          church at large, and for the prompt payment of salaries and bills as authorized by the 

          congregation or the chairmen of the administrative boards;

e. furnish the congregation a fidelity bond in the sum designated by the voters' assembly, and such bond shall be procured and the premiums paid by the congregation;

f. coordinate the flow of moneys from the treasury to the various administrative boards in such a way that an adequate balance is retained for the payment of salaries and other regularly recurring expenses.

g. promptly remit documented expense approved by the administrative board under whose jurisdiction they may arise;

h. receive from the assistant treasurer a  report of all moneys received from worship services, special offerings, or any other source, duly record the same, and reconcile all bank statements;

          i.  sign all checks for payment of bills, salaries, or other financial commitments of the congregation;

 j.  have available for all administrative boards a current record of their accrued disbursements 

          and budgeted allotments;

k. suggest improved methods for keeping financial records and ways of handling the congregation's finances.

5.      The Assistant Treasurer of this congregation shall

         a.  be responsible for the accurate counting, recording, and expeditious depositing (in a

          local financial institution or institutions) of all receipts;

b. furnish the treasurer with complete information about all receipts and duplicates of deposit slips;

c. be responsible for issuance of regular quarterly statements to members, showing their offerings to date;

        d.  notify the pastor and the board of elders of contributions of non-members;

        e.  be responsible for the requisitioning and distribution of offering envelopes;

f. furnish the congregation a fidelity bond set by the congregation, and such bond shall be procured and the premiums paid by the congregation.

           In order to meet the duties of his office, the assistant treasurer shall be authorized to appoint a finance committee, for which he shall be responsible. This committee shall count and record all moneys which are received from worship services.

ARTICLE 7.  THE BOARD OF ELDERS 

  1.  The nature and duties of this board requires that only those noted for their Christian zeal,  knowledge, and experience in the spiritual work of God's kingdom shall be elected to membership.

  2.  The board shall consist of at least five members, including the elected chairman.

  3.  The main duties of this board shall be the spiritual welfare of the members of this congregation, corporately and individually, the super-vision of congregational worship, and the welfare of the pastor and his family.

  4.  This board should

        a.  assist the pastor in fulfilling the duties of his office;

b.  be responsible for the welfare of the pastor and his family, discuss with the pastor his personal budgetary matters, and take them, together with their recommendations, to the church council;

c.  develop, in cooperation with the pastor and the church council, general and special goals for the congregation;

d. evaluate, triennially and in light of the goals mentioned in paragraph (c), the functioning of 

          the congregation and of the pastor, and share such evaluation with the voters' assembly;

e. review the performance and salary of the church secretary and make appropriate recommendations to the church council, or in the case of a vacancy, interview and employ, in cooperation with the pastor, a replacement;

           f.  maintain discipline within this congregation in accordance with Article 10 of the Bylaws of 

           this Constitution;

           g.  determine eligibility for membership of all individuals and families applying for

           membership according to Article IV of the Constitution and Article 1 of the Bylaws of this 

           congregation;

           h.  encourage and expedite the transfer of all members who move away;

i.  investigate cases of severe financial need within the congregation and make recommendations to the pastor and church council;

j.  initiate programs for the development of good stewardship attitudes on the part of the

         members of this congregation in regard to time, talents, and treasures, and ensure the financial 

         stability of the congregation through a program of dedicated giving;

k.   develop and execute programs for strengthening the churchmanship of those who are on the margin of the life of this congregation and for reaching out to the un-churched.

5.      For the worship of the congregation the Board of  

       Elders should

   a. be responsible for, and supervise the organist and choirs, and make appropriate     recommendations to the church council;

           b.  provide, in cooperation with the pastor, vicars,

          assistants, substitute pastors, and guest speakers as needed;

          c.  staff, train, and supervise the ushering staff and acolytes;

d. assist the pastor in the distribution of the   

Lord’s Supper, the administration of Baptism, the reading of Lessons, and the reading of sermons from the lectern as needed;

e. schedule, in consultation with the pastor and the voters' assembly, all services of the year, including services of Holy Communion and special services, and publicize all services;

          f.  approve or disapprove, with the consent of the voters' assembly, liturgies and hymns for public

          worship, provided that they are in accordance with Article II of the Constitution of this congregation,

          and Article VI.4 of the Constitution of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (Handbook,

          1983 ed.);

g. cooperate with the altar guild in the care,  use, and maintenance of the sacred vessels, the altar, the altar furnishings, and vestments;

h.  maintain, in cooperation with the altar guild,

an adequate supply of items necessary for worship, such as wine and wafers for the Lord's Supper, napkins for Baptism, candles,  hymnals;

i.  maintain, in cooperation with the altar guild,

all church and chancel decorations, and expedite the distribution of altar flowers to the donor, or to the sick and shut-ins;

 j.  supervise the budgeted allotments for the 

          procurement of appropriate music;

        k.  establish a nursery.

ARTICLE 8.  THE BOARD OF PARISH  

                      EDUCATION 

  1.  The board of parish education shall consist of at least three members, including the elected chairman.  The superintendent of the Sunday School shall be an ex officio, non-voting member of this board.

  2.  The basic duties of this board shall be to plan, administer, coordinate, and supervise the educational programs of this congregation, with the exception of the instruction of the Confirmands.

  3.  This board should

       a. be responsible for the Christian nurture of children youth, and adults of this congregation, and through them in the community beyond;

b. establish objectives, set policies, and develop curriculums for each educational agency in this congregation (such as the Sunday School, the Vacation Bible School, adult education classes), and generally supervise the functioning of such agencies;

           c.  train, with the help of the pastor and other qualified persons, teachers, and seek constantly

          to improve their performance;

          d.  provide for the growth of the educational staff through conferences, conventions,  

          continuing education programs, and make available the necessary funds for such

          opportunities;

   e. be concerned for the assimilation of the newly confirmed youth into appropriate

          programs for further study;

          f.  maintain a "people accounting system" to record the participation of the members of this

          congregation in educational programs;

          g.  review, periodically, existing educational agencies and their programs to determine

          whether all age groups of this congregation are being served, and to determine the degree of

          participation of the total membership in individual educational programs;

         h. establish and maintain a file for all children and youth of the congregation by age

and grade level (such as cradle roll);

          i.  encourage educational programs in societies of the congregation (such as the Lutheran 

          Laymen's League or the Ladies Circle);

           j.  provide for the recruitment of students for the educational agencies of the church at large,  

           and, in particular, encourage the youth of the congregation to enter full-time church work as 

           pastors, deaconesses,  teachers, or layworkers;

          k. consider special classes, conferences, retreats, and similar activities for special

purposes and special groups of members, and make provisions for special educational opportunities for handicapped persons;

           l.  check, periodically, the safety and convenience of educational facilities (such as steps, handrails,

            lights, exits), and conduct fire drills on a regular basis;

m. examine, annually, the educational facilities 

and equipment, and make recommendations to the board of trustees regarding the necessary upkeep,  repairs,  replacements, and new acquisitions;

            n.  maintain and improve the church library, including audio-visual aids, and cultivate its use

             by the members of the congregation in whatever way seems appropriate.

ARTICLE 9.  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

   1.  The board of trustees shall consist of at least four members, including the elected chairman.

     2. The basic duties of this board shall be the proper maintenance and repair of church property, the  representation of the congregation in all legal matters pertaining to church property, and the general protection of the congregation against loss or damage of whatever nature.

  3.  This board shall        

a. carry out all resolutions of the voters' assembly on purchases, repairs, and replacements of church property and equipment;

b. conduct, triennially, an inventory of all church  property and equipment, and list the dates of acquisition and the approximate value;

          c. conduct, annually, an inventory of official documents for safekeeping, and, together  with the

          secretary of the congregation, be responsible for the safekeeping of such official documents;

d. enter the inventories, listed in paragraphs (b) and (c), into the minutes of the church council;

e. make regular inspections of the buildings and equipment, check the buildings for fire hazards at

          least twice a year, and make recommendations to the voters' assembly regarding improvements,

           necessary replacements, or repairs;

f. make and issue necessary keys, and keep and review, annually, a list of the keys issued;

g. engage, upon approval by the voters'  assembly, adequate custodial help, direct and supervise the custodian(s), and, annually, make recommendations to the voters' assembly regarding the salary(ies) for the custodian(s);

          h. enlist work crews for special projects of maintenance or improvement;

i. establish, with the approval of the voters' assembly,  regulations regarding the use of buildings and equipment by the members of this congregation,  and by those who are not members, and enforce such regulations;

j.  coordinate the schedules of all activities within the facilities of the church;

k. make available proper means, such as bulletin boards, for publishing the activities of the church at large and of this congregation, its agencies and members, and supervise the use of such means;

          l.  establish adequate storage facilities for all equipment, supplies, and records, and

          maintain such facilities in an appropriate way;

m. check, annually, the adequacy of all policies and contracts needed for the protection  and proper maintenance of the congregation, its property and equipment, and negotiate all insurance policies and maintenance contracts as needed;

n.  arrange for, and supervise, immediate repairs of an urgent nature, and all normal repairs and alterations for which funds have been allocated in the congregation's budget;

o.  obtain legal information necessary for the wise consideration of contracts, deeds, and other legal instruments for the congregation.

   4.  The Board of Trustees shall be empowered with exclusive authority to execute any legal documents pertaining to church property.  Such documents shall include deeds, mortgages, and contracts for purchase or repair of church property.