Constitution

Constitution of Martini Lutheran Church, adopted 2012

CONSTITUTION
OF MARTINI LUTHERAN CHURCH
100 W. HENRIETTA STREET
BALTIMORE, MD 21230

This Constitution was officially adopted by Martini Congregation on adopted 2012

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

PREAMBLE

God requires that a Christian congregation shall conform to His divine word in doctrine and practice (Psalm 119:105; Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 1:6-8; II Timothy 4:1-5) and that all things be done decently and in order (I Corinthians 14:40); therefore, we the members of Martini Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland adopt the following Constitution and Bylaws in accordance with which all spiritual and material affairs of our congregation shall be governed.

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this congregation shall be Martini Lutheran Church of Baltimore, Maryland.

ARTICLE II – DOCTRINAL STANDARD

A. This congregation accepts without reservation all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed and inerrant Word of God, verbally inspired and submits to them as the only rule and norm in all matters of faith and life.
B. This congregation acknowledges and accepts all the confessional writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, contained in the Book of Concord of the year 1580, as true and genuine expositions of the doctrines of the Bible. These confessional writings are:

the three Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed)
the Unaltered Augsburg Confession
the Apology of the Augsburg Confession
the Smalcald Articles
the Large Catechism of Luther and the Small Catechism of Luther
the Formula of Concord

ARTICLE III – PURPOSE

A. Our mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to ourselves, our neighbors, our community and the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.
B. With this mission in mind, we set forth the following purposes for our congregation:

to teach people of all ages the Word of God in accordance with its exposition in the Lutheran Confession;
to worship our Lord with inspired services which clearly proclaim the Gospel through Word and Sacraments. We will use music and the arts and other expressions which encourage the total worshiping congregation to participate;
to care for all our members through professional and lay ministry which gives spiritual, physical and emotional support in crisis, as expressions of our love for one another in Christ;
to witness to our faith in Jesus Christ in our daily lives and in organized ventures into our community and to provide the training which is necessary to make this possible;
to support and encourage the training of Christian evangelists in all walks of life through our schools, colleges, seminaries and other institutions dedicated thereto;
to provide the physical resources which are needed to carry out our mission and to tend them as befits a place identified as God’s House;
to support the work of our district and national organizations through regular contributions of our time, talents and finances;
to care for one another through admonition and discipline when any of us begins to stray from the Gospel of Christ;
to involve all of our members in the mission of our congregation;
to foster Christian friendships through regular gatherings which nourish the fellowship which God has given us with one another, and which combat the impersonality and impermanence so widely found in our community;
to be involved in local, regional and worldwide efforts to meet the physical and social needs of people;
to publicize our existence and activities through inter-congregation communications and public media.

ARTICLE IV — SYNODICAL MEMBERSHIP

This congregation shall hold membership only in a synod or denomination which is in full agreement with Article II of this Constitution. Such affiliation is at will and does not change the right of the congregation to judge doctrine, be sole owner of its own assets, or any other of its prerogatives. As the exercise of its doctrinal and congregational prerogatives, this congregation shall hold membership in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as long as this synod remains true to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confession. It shall be the duty of the congregation and its individual members to support the work and programs of the synod according to their ability.

ARTICLE V — MEMBERSHIP

The membership of this congregation includes the following:

A. Baptized Membership — Baptized members are all persons who have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit at Martini Lutheran Church and who continue under the spiritual care of the pastor and this congregation, and also those minor children baptized in accordance with the institution of Christ, whose parent or guardian requests baptized membership for them upon becoming a confirmed member at Martini Lutheran Church.
B. Confirmed Membership — Confirmed members are those baptized persons who have been instructed and confirmed their faith in the Lutheran teaching of the Christian faith and have been received by the congregation on that basis, promising with the help of God, to conduct a life of love and service accordingly.
C. Voting Membership — Voting members are those confirmed members of age 18 or over who have declared their desire to become members and have signed this Constitution at a properly called Congregational Voters’ Meeting.

ARTICLE VI — AUTHORITY OF THE CONGREGATION

A. General – The congregational voters shall be the governing body of this congregation and shall be the highest authority in the congregation. No other body or person shall have authority to act on those matters reserved solely for the congregational voters, as stated in the Constitution and Bylaws.
B. Right of Calling – The right of calling Roster Workers shall be vested in the congregational voters and shall never be delegated to a smaller group or to an individual.
C. Decision — All matters of doctrine and conscience shall be decided solely on the basis of Holy Scripture. All other matters shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the congregational voters unless otherwise specified by this Constitution and Bylaws.
D. Removal from Office — Any officer or Roster Worker may be removed from office by the congregation in Christian and lawful order for one of the following reasons:

persistent adherence to false teaching contrary to the confessional standard of the congregation;
a scandalous life;
inability to perform the duties of one’s calling, or
willful neglect of duties of one’s office.
This action shall be taken only after the officer or Roster Worker has been formally notified of the charges preferred against him and given the opportunity to answer such charges. The congregation shall fully inform and consult with Synod through its proper channels (e.g., Circuit Counselor).

E. Removal from Membership — The congregational voters shall have authority to exclude any confirmed member according to Matthew 18:15-18. The person so excluded (excommunicated) shall forfeit all rights of a member.

ARTICLE VII — OFFICERS

A. The officers of this congregation shall be such officers, boards or committees as the Bylaws of this Constitution may prescribe.
B. Congregational officers or committees, whether elected or appointed, shall have no authority beyond that which has been conferred upon them, and whatever authority may have been delegated to them may at any time be altered or revoked by the established processes of the congregational voters.

ARTICLE VIII — THE OFFICE OF PASTOR

The pastoral office of this congregation shall be conferred only on such pastors and candidates who profess and adhere to the confessional standard set forth in Article II of this Constitution and who are qualified for their work as prescribed by the Constitution and Bylaws of this congregation (I Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5 — 2:10). Ordinarily, the congregation will call workers found on the roster of Synod or denomination with which it is affiliated.

ARTICLE IX — DIVISION

If at any time a division should take place on account of doctrine, the property of the congregation and all benefits connected therewith shall remain with those voting members who continue to adhere in confession and practice to Article II of this Constitution. If division takes place for any other reason, the property shall remain with the majority of the voting members. In the event the congregation shall totally disband, the property and all assets, after debts are paid and all rights connected therewith, shall be divided equally among the churches and ministries of Baltimore and its contiguous counties which hold the same confession, and which have been in existence at least five years.

ARTICLE X — ADMINISTRATION OF CHURCH PROPERTIES

All property of the congregation is entrusted to the Church Council who shall constitute the body corporate as specified in the laws of Maryland and as such shall manage the estate, property, interest, and inheritance of the congregation in accordance with the Constitution, Bylaws and resolutions of the congregational voters. This board shall have no power to sell, mortgage, or otherwise encumber, convey or dispose of the same except under proper resolution of the congregational voters.

ARTICLE XI — BYLAWS

This congregation may adopt such Bylaws as may be required for the accomplishment of its purpose.

ARTICLE XII — CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION

A. Unalterable Article — Article II of this Constitution shall not be subject to change or repeal.
B. Amendments — Amendments to this Constitution may be adopted at a Congregational Voters’ Meeting provided:

that they do not conflict with the provisions laid down in Article II of this Constitution;
that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing at a previous meeting of the congregation and published prior to the meeting at which the proposed amendment will be acted upon;
that an affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of the members present is secured.

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