ARTICLE VI:  OFFICIAL MEETINGS AND FINANCES.

 Section 1:  Meetings of the Membership. 

The membership shall hold semi-annual family meetings (in January and July) for the purpose of evaluating together the progress of the church toward meeting its stated objectives (given in Article II), and at other times as needs may arise.  Notice of such family meetings shall be given by the elders two weeks in advance.  All members should come humbly and prayerfully seeking Christ's mind concerning the life of the church. 

A quorum shall consist of all active members present who are eighteen years old or over.  In all matters of business, full agreement by all such members of the congregation shall be prayerfully sought.  When consensus cannot be reached, the congregation will seek God's will further through prayer and fasting.  Matters will continue as before until a consensus decision can be reached under the direction of Christ. 

Section 2:  Meetings of the Elders. 

The elders shall meet each January for the purpose of selecting officers among the elders for the coming year (as required by state law).  These officers will include a chairman, a vice-chairman, a secretary and a treasurer. The treasurer need not be an elder, but must be an appointed servant.  It would be desirable for the treasurer to be at all elder meetings or be available by phone to answer questions which may arise.  When there is an adequate number of elders the offices of chairman and secretary shall not be held by the same person.  The separation of duties among these shall be determined by the elders.  Notice of regular and special meetings shall be given to each elder at least five(5) days in advance, so that all may arrange to attend.  When an emergency meeting is required, the previous stipulation (of five days notice) may be deemed to have been fulfilled when all elders (including those not present for the emergency meeting) have signed a waiver to this effect (or have given verbal assent until the waiver can be signed).  Normally, meetings will be called by the chairman, but they may also be called by the vice-chairman in his absence, or by written request of any elder.  All matters before the elders will be determined by the prayerful and unanimous agreement of the elders present.  (Exception:  in matters of salary or discipline of an elder or the members of his immediate family, the elder in question must abstain.)  A simple majority of the elders of the church shall constitute a quorum except in the case of discipline where 90% presence is required.  (In the case of discipline, every attempt shall be made to get 100% presence of the elders.  If this cannot be accomplished the elder(s) absent shall be contacted at the earliest possible time to be fully informed.  No action shall be taken in discipline without the unanimous approval of all elders.  In the case of absence, verbal approval (via telephone), verified by two elders, is acceptable.) 

Section 3:  Financial Policies. 

The ministries and programs of Sunrise Bible Fellowship shall be funded entirely by the voluntary gifts and offerings of God's people.  No gifts to the church will be made public or the donor identified. 

A written account of receipts and disbursements shall be arranged for by the treasurer.   Such accounts shall be audited annually by the auditing committee to insure that everything is conducted honestly.  Quarterly reports of the finances shall be submitted to the church by the treasurer so that all might be aware of how God's work is being carried out in the area of finances. 

Acquisition and disposition of real property and any equipment valued in excess of $1,000.00 dollars shall be effected by the elders only after ascertaining an affirmative approval of the membership, following the unanimous agreement of the elders.  An annual budget shall be presented to the congregation for affirmation on the unanimous recommendation of the elders.  This shall be presented at one of the official meetings of the membership (Section 1).  During the subsequent fiscal year, any deviations of over $500.00 from the budget in a given category shall be brought before the congregation for approval, so that the budget may be amended. 

Elders as such shall not receive any stated salaries for their services, except that certain elders designated as staff elders shall be paid salaries and receive housing and other allowances as the non-staff elders shall decide (1 Tim. 5:17,18).  The freeing of certain elders to serve in the church on a salaried basis shall in no way be construed as interfering with the equality of office shared among all the elders.  No action of the elders on the matter of salaries shall be deemed to be in force until it is ratified by consensus of the members of the congregation.  (The salaries and benefits of others who may serve the church, such as secretaries, etc., shall also be subject to the unanimous recommendation of the elders and the consensus of the congregation.) 

Any person receiving salaries and/or allowances directly or indirectly from Sunrise Bible Fellowship shall not be in a position to determine the nature and amount of said compensation.