The corporation shall hereby provide for departments and committees created as needs may require. All such departments and committees shall be subordinate to the corporation.

1) ESTABLISHED PLACES OF WORSHIP

All established places of worship shall be recognized as a subordinate department of The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc., and shall submit to the authority of the corporation under the guidance of the Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc.
A. Purpose

The purpose of an established place of worship shall be to maintain a place of worship for God’s people, such as a building or home where the congregation can come together for religious purposes.

B. Duties

All established places of worship shall subscribe to articles III and IV of this constitution as fundamental to a full Gospel ministry. The appointed pastor shall also be responsible and preside over all meetings of the established place of worship (church).

C. Rights and Privileges

All established places of worship may operate under their own constitution and bylaws provided that they neither contradict nor violate the framework of the constitution and bylaws of The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc.

D. The Appointed Pastor

The corporation shall appoint a pastor to govern the affairs of an established place of worship. The corporation may also appoint a pastor to pioneer a work with the purpose of establishing a place of worship. All pastors are to give account to the corporation for every aspect of the established place of worship.


E. Finances

1. The corporation shall finance the established place of worship until it can financially exist on its own. During the time that a place of worship is financed by the corporation, 100% of the place of worship’s tithes and offerings (income) will be given to The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc.

2. The pastor of said place of worship shall be given financial missionary support by the corporation to compensate him/her for the work of the ministry until the established place of worship can financially exist on its own. When the established place of worship can financially support itself, the appointed pastor shall receive a reasonable salary from the established place of worship.

2) OTHER SUBORDINATE GROUPS

All other subordinate groups shall be dealt with on an individual basis. All requirements shall be set forth for each subordinate group in an agreement between The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc. and the subordinate group.

ARTICLE III FINANCES

1) BUDGET

The funds for the maintenance of the corporation shall be provided for by the freewill offerings of friends of the corporation, established places of worship, by all other subordinate groups affiliated with The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc., and recognized fund-raisers. All offerings are subject to approval by the corporation. If approved, an offering shall be passed on to the treasurer for deposit in the corporation’s treasury.

2) AUDIT

An internal audit shall be completed by the treasurer and president or other person appointed by the board of directors. This audit of all financial records shall be made after the close of the calendar year, prior to the end of February.

3) WITHDRAWALS

Only the treasurer or the Secretary under the supervision of the board of directors shall make all withdrawals from the regular corporation treasury. In the event that the treasurer is unable for a period of time to make deposits or withdrawals, the board of directors may (in written form) authorize the president to make deposits or withdrawals from the corporation’s treasury.

4) SALARIES

a. The president shall be given a regular and reasonable salary as determined by agreement of the official board. His/her salary shall be reviewed each year during the first meeting of the calendar year.

b. The salaries of all other officers and employees shall be determined by the board of directors.

ARTICLE IV PROPERTY RIGHTS
1) All property, real or chattel, shall be taken, held, sold, transferred or conveyed in the corporation’s name.

2) No real or chattel property of the corporation shall be sold, leased, mortgaged, or otherwise alienated without authorization of the board of directors.

3) The president of the corporation shall certify in such conveyances, leases, or mortgages.

4) In the event that the corporation ceases to exist, all assets of The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc. shall be given to the organization(s) of the board of director’s choice that are exempt as described in section 501(c)(3) and or 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue code of 1986. The organization must be of similar purpose and also apply ARTICLE III PARAGRAPHS 1, 2 and 4 as essential tenets of the Christian faith.

ARTICLE V GOVERNMENT AND OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS
1) PRESIDENT

A. Qualifications

The president shall have been saved at least five years and shall have wisdom in handling the corporation’s affairs. He/she shall be sound in doctrine and apt to make good judgment. He/she must also cooperate and listen to the sound advice given by the officers.

B. Duties

i. The president shall be the head of the entire corporation as provided by the Holy Scriptures.

ii. The president shall be chairman of the official board and preside over all corporation meetings.

C. Manner of Appointment

i. In the event that the corporation needs a new president, the executive vice-president shall become the president of the corporation and he/she will appoint a new officer to fill the vacant position of executive vice-president.

ii. If there is no executive vice-president to take the seat of the former president then the remaining officers shall between themselves appoint a new president.

D. Term of Office

The term of the president’s office shall be for an indefinite period of time as provided by the Holy Scriptures. This articles cannot be changed as it will violate our faith as a body of believers who depend on God for our instruction.

2) EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT

A. Qualifications

The executive vice-president shall have been saved at least five years and shall have wisdom in handling the corporation’s affairs if the president is out carrying on the work of the ministry. He/she shall be sound in doctrine and apt to make good judgment. He/she will serve as chief advisor to the president.

B. Duties

i. He/she will serve as the executive president of the corporation.

ii. He/she shall serve on the board.

iii. He/she shall carry out the responsibilities that the president delegates to him/her.

C. Manner of Appointment

The board of directors shall appoint the executive vice-president to office.

D. Term of Office

The office of the executive vice-president shall be for an indefinite period of time; he/she (executive vice-president) is subject to dismissal if he/she violates the constitution and bylaws of The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc.
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3) SECRETARY

A. Qualifications

The secretary shall be a spiritually minded person and of sound judgment.
He/she must be capable of recording the minutes of meetings, and of doing all of the correspondence necessary in the conduct of official corporation business.

B. Duties

By virtue of his/her office, the secretary shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings, including business meetings of the corporation. He/she shall perform clerical duties, and shall be the custodian of all legal documents. The secretary shall also interview all “other employees” and make recommendations to the president.

C. Manner of Appointment

The board of directors shall appoint the secretary to office.

D. Term of Office

The term of office shall be for an indefinite period of time; he/she (secretary) is subject to dismissal if he/she violates the constitution and bylaws of The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc.

4) TREASURER

A. Qualifications

The treasurer shall be a spiritually minded person, and of sound business judgment. He/she shall be capable of doing the accounting required to maintain the corporation books.

B. Duties

By virtue of his/her office the treasurer shall keep, in a business-like manner, an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements of moneys committed to his/her trust and shall make reports to be presented during the official board meetings. He/she shall deposit and make withdrawals in a manner prescribed in article IV of the bylaws.

C. Manner of Appointment

The president shall appoint the treasurer to office for an indefinite period of time; he/she (treasurer) is subject to dismissal if he/she violates the constitution and bylaws of The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc.

5) OTHER EMPLOYEES

Employees may be hired from time to time in order to carry out the work of the ministry. The president must approve an employee after the secretary has given a recommendation. An employee is hired for an indefinite period of time and may be dismissed at any time by the president.

ARTICLE VI OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Anything that has not been discussed in this constitution and bylaws shall be discussed and decided upon at an official board meeting. Nothing can be decided upon without the authorization and approval of the board of directors.

ARTICLE VII AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the bylaws may be made by a 51% vote of the official board, including the president’s approval.


Constitution and bylaws adopted by The Open Door Community Church of Stafford, Inc. on September 18, 2005.