Bylaws of Immanuel Presbyterian Church
1. Immanuel Presbyterian Church of McLean, Virginia member church of the National Capital Presbytery, is subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the Presbyterian Church (United States of America).
2. There shall be at least two meetings of the congregation each year. There shall be a meeting of the congregation held during the month of January in each year as determined by the session to vote on changes in the terms of call of the pastor, to receive the budget, and to elect the treasurers and members of the Christian Education Council; the second meeting shall be held during the month of May as determined by the Session to elect officers and transact any other business properly coming before such meeting.
3. Special meetings shall be called by the Session or the Presbytery. Such calls state clearly the purpose(s) of such special meeting(s), and no other matter(s) may be considered.
4. Public notice of the time, place, and purpose of all meetings of the congregation shall be given to the members at least two weeks prior to the appointed times.
5. The pastor (MODERATOR) shall preside at meetings of the congregation. If the pulpit should be vacant, or if the pastor and the elders agree that the subjects to be discussed require it, of if the pastor should be ill or otherwise unable to attend, a minister of the National Capital Presbytery shall be invited by the Session to preside as moderator. This invitation shall be cleared through the Ministerial Relations Committee of the National Capital Presbytery.
6. The Clerk of the Session shall be secretary of the meetings of the congregation. If the clerk is unable to attend, the Session shall designate a secretary.
7. All communicant members of the church in good and regular standing shall be entitled to vote at congregational meetings. (Persons who are not communicant members of the church, but who attend the services of the church and regularly contribute to the financial support of the church shall be entitled to attend congregational meetings, but without vote.)
8. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.
9. Meetings of the congregation shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the General Rules of Judicatories, and Robert's Rules of Order.
10. All meetings shall be opened and closed with prayer.
11. A quorum shall consist of the moderator, secretary, and 15% of the communicant members of the church in good and regular standing at the time of the meeting.
12. The Session shall consist of 12 elders, divided into three equal classes. One class shall be elected each year at the second regularly scheduled meeting of the congregation for a three-year term. No elder shall serve on the Session for consecutive terms, either full or partial, totalling more than six year, but shall be eligible for election to a new term after one year has elapsed.
13. Vacancies on the Session shall be filled at a special meeting of the congregation or at the annual meeting, as the Session may determine.
14. There shall be a Christian Education Council consisting of eight members, divided into two equal classes, one class to be elected each year at a scheduled meeting of the congregation for a two-year term. No members shall serve on the Council for consecutive terms, either full or partial, totalling more than six years, but shall be eligible for election to a new term after one year has elapsed.
15. Vacancies on the Christian Education Council shall be filled at a special meeting of the congregation or at one of the regularly scheduled meetings as the Session shall determine.
16. There shall be a representative nominating committee of seven communicant members. Five members will be nominated by the previous year's nominating committee and elected by the congregation at the January congregational meeting. Two active elders, one of who will be the chairperson, will be selected by the Session. This committee shall bring to a meeting of the congregation nominations of at least one person eligible for each office to be filled. Additional nominations of qualified persons may be made from the floor by any eligible voter with the prior consent of the nominee.
17. There shall be an annual complete audit of all books and records relating to finances by an appropriate auditing group or an independent accountant appointed by the Session, and the results of such audit shall be reported to the congregation.
18. These bylaws may be amended subject to the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at any annual meeting or at any special meeting by a two-thirds vote of the voters present provided that a full reading of the proposed changes or a printed distribution of same shall have been made in connection with the call of the meeting.
Session Approved March 9, 1998
Revised as per Congregational Meeting Minutes May 15, 1994
Revised as per Congregational Meeting Minutes January 16, 1994
Revised as per Congregational Meeting Minutes May 3, 1987
Approved November 23, 1975