ARTICLE 4 OFFICERS

4. 01 Designation of Titles. 

The officers of this corporation are Moderator, Vice Moderator, Clerk and Treasurer. They shall be elected by the Church Council (sometimes herein called "Council") from among its membership at the first meeting of the Council following the Annual Membership Meeting. The Moderator of the corporation shall be the Chairperson of the Church Council. 

4.02 Election to Council Office. 

The Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Clerk and Treasurer will be elected by the Council during the first regularly scheduled Council meeting following the Annual Meeting of the Members. All terms of office shall be for one year. It is permissible for an officer to succeed himself or herself in office.

4.03 Resignation or Abandonment of Office by Holder. 

An officer may resign an office and retain Council membership. Any officer who abandons an office shall, by having done so, be deemed to have abandoned his or her Council membership. 

4.04 Procedure to Fill Vacancy. 

In the event of death of, resignation or abandonment from any office by the person elected to it, that office shall be declared vacant by the Council and promptly filled from among the membership of the Council. If an office holder resigns an office and does not specify retention of Council membership, the resignation from office shall be deemed to also be a resignation from Council membership.

4.05 Immediacy of Action to Fill Vacancy.

A vacancy in Council membership need not be filled by the Council before a vacancy in an office is filled, but the Council may hold that office open pending election of a new Council member who, upon election, may be elected to fill the vacated office. 

4.06 Duties of Each Office. 

The areas of responsibility for the officers of the Council are as follows: 

a. Moderator. 

The Moderator acts as chairperson at all meetings of the Council and as chairperson of all meetings of the Members; holds the office of President of the Corporation; and signs as one of the official signatories on Church disbursements, although his or her signature is not necessary on all of them. The Moderator may participate in discussion of all matters under consideration at every meeting, propose motions and vote on them. Any communications from the Council will come from the Moderator who, if they are to be in writing, shall provide written drafts of them for review by the members of the Council prior to dissemination. 

b. Vice-Moderator. 

The Vice-Moderator assumes the responsibilities of the Moderator in the Moderator's absence; implements procedures and activities within the Church, its Extensions and extended community as requested by the Moderator; signs as one of the official signatories on Church disbursements; and holds the office of Vice-President of the corporation.

c. Clerk. 

The Clerk shall keep a full and complete record of the minutes, correspondence, and all related documentation of the Council; be the officer authorized to receive all petitions, including any to remove any Appointed Pastor or other elected or appointed officer or chairperson and to revoke any license granted for ministry; retain custody of the seal of the corporation and affix it to official papers and instruments as may be required in the regular course of business; prepare all notices and specific correspondence required by the Council; maintain all official records of Church membership, baptisms, and administration of other Rites, and prepare documents reflecting them for the parties involved; prepare the agenda for Council meetings, distribute the agendas to all Council members at least one week prior to each meeting, posting a copy in a prominent place at the location of the weekly worship service the week before the ensuing Council meeting; and post approved minutes of the Council meetings in a prominent place at the location of the worship service in a timely manner for review of the Members and others in attendance at the service. The Clerk is the official repository of all records of Ray Of Hope Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ for all preceding calendar years.

d. Treasurer.

The Treasurer shall maintain all financial records of Ray Of Hope Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ that have not been permanently stored with the Clerk; oversee and maintain the checkbook, savings passbook and other intangible financial assets of the Church, store them at such place as is designated by the Moderator; serve as a signer as needed on all Church financial accounts; have signing authority for all purchases and commercial accounts; maintain records of attendance and funds collected at each worship service and Bible study; assure that at least one other Council member verifies and separately records the amount collected for Church purposes at such services and Bible studies; maintain records of all accounts payable transactions; receive all invoices for payment of expenditures; prepare monthly and yearly financial reports for the Council; coordinate the preparation of the proposed annual budget for presentation to the Council in November and approved in December of each year for presentation and approval at the January Annual Congregational Meeting; and hold the office of Treasurer of the corporation. The Treasurer may appoint, with Council approval, a qualified person to act as the church bookkeeper. The Treasurer ensures that all financial accounts are set up in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; ensures that the payee of any disbursement is not one of the authorizing signatories; and insures that the signatures of all members of the Council are on the resolutions on file with the financial institutions where the Church accounts are located. All bank accounts shall require two signatures for withdrawals.

4.07 Officer’s Oversight Duty. 

Each Council Officer shall train his or her counterpart in each Local Leadership Committee. Each Council Officer will act as a Committee Chairperson of all the officers serving in the same office role in the Local Leadership Committees and shall be accountable (although not personally legally responsible) to the Council for the performance of their committee members. 

4.08 Annual Reports. 

Each officer shall prepare an annual report of the conduct of his or her office for presentation to the annual meeting of the Members.