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Constitution

1.   Name.

The name of the Church shall be “Llandaff Presbyterian Church (Reformed), Cardiff” (hereinafter called “the Church”).

2.   Objects.

The object of the Church shall be to advance the Christian Religion in accordance with the Confession of Faith and Subordinate Standards attached.

3.   Powers.

In furtherance of the above object but not further or otherwise, the Church has the following powers:

(a) to establish and build up a Christian church according to the teaching of Scripture, that is a church in the fullest sense of the term as found in Scripture;

(b) to declare the whole counsel of God as revealed in holy Scripture and summarised in the Confession of Faith and Subordinate Standards of the Church;

(c) to express the Christian life within and outside the fellowship of the Church;

(d) to erect or acquire, maintain and, if necessary, dispose of such land and buildings as are needful to accomplish the object, and for no other purposes than those consistent with charitable status.

(e) to seek and establish visible union with all like-minded churches, i.e., with churches which have the same, or a closely compatible, confessional basis and form of government;

(f) to seek association, i.e., fraternal or sister-church relations, with other Reformed or Presbyterian churches subscribing to the Westminster Confession of Faith or the Three Forms of Unity (i.e., the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort) or a compatible Reformed confession;

(g) to co-operate wherever possible, on a Biblical basis appropriate to each category, with other Christian churches and organisations;

(h) to establish and maintain, according to the providence of God, such institutions and structures as will provide for: Christian education; theological training; care of the old and infirm; good works to be done to all men and especially those of the household of faith.

(i) to undertake the task of church extension and foundation as the persuasion of Scripture, providence and the Holy Spirit direct and constrain.

 4.  Doctrinal Belief.

The doctrinal beliefs of the Church are represented in the Westminster Confession of Faith, 1647, received and adopted in the terms expressed in the Statement of Subscription (a copy of which is attached hereto and marked ‘Appendix A – Part 1’) and in the Subordinate Standards, 1991 (a copy of which is attached hereto and marked ‘Appendix A – Part 2).

 5.   Government and Organisation.

The Church shall comprise, formally, elders, deacons, members and their children.

(a) Elders.

(i) The Church shall recognise within the one office of elder two categories: those who rule (ruling elders); and those who rule and teach (teaching elders).

(ii)The Church may call a teaching elder to serve in a full-time capacity.  A full-time teaching elder will be known as a minister. The minister may receive and retain any reasonable remuneration paid to him in respect of his employment by the charity notwithstanding that he is a trustee, provided he withdraws from any meeting of the trustees whilst his appointment or other terms of employment of any other employee or employees which might affect him is being discussed.

(iii) The Church shall be governed by its elders functioning as a Consistory.  Among the elders parity shall be maintained and they shall govern the Church with equal authority.  The Consistory shall appoint a chairman to preside over its meetings (whenever possible a minister) and a secretary to keep all records and correspondence.  The chairman shall have a casting vote.

(iv) The ministers and teaching elders shall have primary responsibility for the preaching and teaching of the whole counsel of God and the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

(v) In session the Consistory shall be quorate when more than half of the elders are present.

(vi) Any elder subject to the discipline of the Consistory because of gross misconduct or heresy shall be suspended from his function as an elder pending resolution of the disciplinary matter one way or the other, that is, either for restoration to function or for disqualification respecting his office.  An elder who is suspended from function shall have no voting powers.  For the purpose of forming a quorum for meetings of the Consistory, elders on suspension shall not be counted.

(vii) Any charge of gross misconduct or heresy against an elder must be specific and in writing, and an opportunity shall be given to him to respond in writing.

(viii) In the case of a minister, the following procedures shall apply.  No minister shall be removed from office or function except for gross misconduct or heresy and only following disciplinary procedures undertaken by the Consistory.   If the decision of the Consistory, having followed the procedure laid down in this Constitution, is to remove a minister from office or function, the consent of four fifths of the Church members must be obtained in a meeting called for that purpose, and at which all material facts shall be presented and, if required, discussed.

(ix) Meetings of the Consistory should be convened at least once a month.

 

(b) Deacons and Deaconesses.

(i) Deacons shall be appointed to minister to the material needs of the Church and congregation; to maintain order in the services of the Church and to ensure that the Church’s property is maintained to that end; thereby relieving the elders of burdens which would hinder them from devoting themselves to the Word of God and prayer.

(ii) Deaconesses may be appointed to assist the deacons.

(iii) The deacons* shall be answerable to the Consistory in all that they do but appropriate freedom shall be allowed to them in their service.

(iv) The deacons* shall meet regularly to discuss and decide upon matters pertaining to their service.

(v) Meetings shall be quorate when more than half of the deacons are present.

(vi) Any deacon* subject to the discipline of the Consistory because of gross misconduct or heresy shall be suspended from his function as a deacon pending resolution of the disciplinary matter one way or the other, that is, either for restoration to function or for disqualification respecting his office.  A deacon who is suspended from function shall have no voting powers.  For the purpose of forming a quorum for meetings of the Diaconate, deacons on suspension shall not be counted.

* Note.  The term deacon is inclusive of deaconess in these places.

(c)  Members of the Church.

(i) The basis of membership of the Church shall be a credible profession of faith in association with godly conduct and a commitment to discipleship and the obedience of faith, as summarised in the Covenant of Church Membership (a copy of which is attached hereto and marked “Appendix B”).

(ii) It is required that all members of the Church be the recipients of a valid baptism.

(iii) Members of the Church in good standing shall be admitted to the Lord’s Supper and shall have the right and responsibility to participate in the election of elders and deacons and in the calling of ministers. 

(d)  Children of Members.

(i) Children of members are part of the covenant community in solidarity, that is, the Church.

(ii) It is the duty of parents to have their children baptised as a sign and seal of their covenant standing and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

(iii) Covenant children who in due time confirm their baptism by a credible profession of faith may apply to be received into full membership of the Church.

(iv) Children of members who reach the age of eighteen years without making a credible profession of faith are to be invited to meet elders to clarify the future of their relationship to the Church.

 6. Election of Elders.

 (a) Elders shall be elected from amongst the male members of the Church.

(b) The election of elders shall be conducted under the authority and direction of the Consistory, according to the following procedure:

(i ) the congregation shall be instructed in the Biblical requirements for eldership;

(ii) prayer shall be made in the congregation that the Lord might guide the Church in the election of elders;

(iii) members of the Church shall present nominations to the Consistory;

(iv) the Consistory shall examine those nominated and shall announce to the Church the names of those who are eligible according to the Biblical requirements for election to the office of elder;

(v) the Consistory may require a candidate nominated for the office of elder to complete a period of probation before putting him forward for the vote of the Church;

(vi) the Consistory shall convene a special meeting of the members in order to take a vote of the members by means of secret ballot;

(vii) the candidate receiving a previously specified percentage of the vote, which must be a clear majority, shall proceed, in due course, to ordination and induction with appropriate vows in association with the preaching of the Word of God.

(c) All elders shall subscribe to the Confession of Faith and Subordinate Standards of the Church.

 7.   Election of Deacons and Deaconesses.

(a) Deacons and deaconesses shall be elected from amongst the members of the Church.

(b) The election of deacons and deaconesses shall be conducted under the authority and direction of the Consistory, according to the following procedure:

(i) the congregation shall be instructed in the Biblical requirements for diaconate;

(ii) prayer shall be made in the congregation that the Lord might guide the Church in the election of deacons and deaconesses;

(iii) members of the Church shall present nominations to the Consistory;

(iv) the Consistory shall examine those nominated and shall announce to the Church the names of those who are eligible according to the Biblical requirements for election to the office of deacon or deaconess;

(v) the Consistory may require a candidate nominated for the office of deacon or deaconess to complete a period of probation before putting him or her forward for the vote of the Church;

(vi) the Consistory shall convene a special meeting of the members in order to take a vote of the members by means of secret ballot;

(vii) the candidate receiving a previously specified percentage of the vote, which must be a clear majority, shall proceed, in due course, to ordination and induction with appropriate vows in association with the preaching of the Word of God.

(c) All deacons and deaconesses shall subscribe to the Confession of Faith and Subordinate Standards of the Church.

 8.   Appointment of Committees.

(a) The Consistory may appoint such committees as is considered necessary and shall decide the membership and terms of reference therefor.

(b) All such committees shall be convened and presided over by an elder or elders, and shall make recommendations to the Consistory in accordance with terms of reference.  Such committees shall have no decision-making powers except as authorised by the Consistory when occasion demands.

(c) The right to attend any committee meeting as observer or inquirer is open to any elder who applies to the chairman of the committee in question, as a matter of courtesy, for permission to attend.

 9.   Appointment of Trustees.

(a) Land.

(i) The Consistory may from time to time acquire by purchase, exchange, gift or otherwise, freehold or leasehold land other than for a term of less than one year’s duration, whereupon they shall appoint trustees who subscribe to the Confession of Faith and Subordinate Standards of the Church to hold such property.

(ii) The said trustees shall never be less than four in number.

(iii) The Consistory shall reserve the right to remove a trustee on any evidence of a breach of trust or departure from the Confession of Faith and Subordinate Standards and shall give its consideration and decision concerning the request of any trustee wishing to retire.

(iv) All decisions of the trustees must be ratified by the Consistory.

(v) The trustees shall hold all such property for the use of the Church as a means whereby the object noted in Article 2 above might be accomplished.

(vi) If for any reason any part of the property from time to time occupied for the purposes of the Church should in the opinion of the Consistory become unsuitable or not be required for such purposes, the trustees may, with the consent of the Consistory sell, exchange or lease the same.

(b)  Other Property.

(i) The Consistory may from time to time acquire by purchase, exchange, gift or otherwise, property other than that noted in Article 9 (a) (i) above.

(ii) Such property shall be held by the Consistory for the use of the Church as a means whereby the object noted in Article 2 above might be accomplished.

 10.   Dissolution (Disposal of Assets).

 In the event of the Church being dissolved all net assets owned by the Church, after discharging all liabilities, shall be given to the charitable institutions which the Consistory considers most nearly strive to fulfil the aims of the Church.

 11.   Amendments and Alterations.

(a) Amendments or alterations which may be made to this Constitution must be consistent with Scripture.

(b) Any alteration or amendment to the Constitution of the Church shall be only by consent of the whole Consistory.

(c) The Consistory shall inform the members of the Church of any proposed amendment or alteration.

(d) No amendment may be made which will cause the Church to cease to be a charity at law.

We, the undersigned, who constitute the elders of Llandaff Presbyterian Church (Reformed), Cardiff, hereby acknowledge our acceptance of the contents of the above Constitution.