CONSTITUTION OF ST. JAMES UCC 2015

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THE CONSTITUTION OF

JAMES UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

LIMERICK, PENNSYLVANIA

 

The Constitution of St. James United Church of Christ

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this church shall be St. James United Church of Christ located at 321 South Limerick Road in Limerick in the State of Pennsylvania.

 

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

The purpose of this congregation shall be to worship God, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to celebrate the Sacraments; to realize Christian Fellowship and unity within this congregation and the Church Universal; to render loving service toward all people, to strive for righteousness, justice and peace, and to advance the Kingdom of God.

 

ARTICLE III. POLITY

  1. This church shall be a part of the United Church of Christ, and it shall sustain that relationship to the United Church of Christ described in those portions of the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of Christ, adopted July 4, 1961 and as subsequently amended, relating to local churches.
  2. The government of this church is vested in its members, who exercise the right of control in all its affairs, subject, however, to the laws of the State of Pennsylvania relating to churches.

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV. FAITH

This church acknowledges as its sole Head, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. It acknowledges as kindred in Christ all who share in this confession. It looks to the Word of God in the Scriptures, and to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to prosper its creative and redemptive work in the world. It claims as its own the faith of the historic Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the protestant Reformers. It affirms the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and in purity of hearts before God. In accordance with the teaching of our Lord and the practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, it recognizes two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion.

 

ARTICLE V. INCORPORATION

  1. The church may in its corporate name sue or be sued, acquire by purchase, gift, devise, bequest or otherwise and own, hold, invest, reinvest or dispose of property both real and personal for such work as the church may undertake and may purchase, own, receive, hold, manage, care for and transfer, rent lease, mortgage or otherwise encumber, sell, assign, transfer and convey such property for the general purpose of the church; it may receive and hold in trust both real and personal property and invest and reinvest the same and make any contracts for promoting the objectives and purposes of the church.

 

  1. Upon dissolution of the church, its assets and all property and interests of which it shall then be possessed, including any devise, bequest, gift or grant contained in any will or other instrument, in trust or otherwise, made before or after such dissolution, shall be transferred to the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ.