Constitution
Article I: Name
A. This body shall be known
as the Northwestern Association Of The Convention Of Atlantic Baptist
Churches, hereafter referred to as the Northwestern Association or
simply "the Association".
B. It is made up of Churches already members of the
Association or later received into this continuing Association upon
written application and by a two-thirds majority vote of the delegates
at a regularly called meeting.
C. Such Churches should give evidence of being in agreement
with Article II of the Constitution.
Article II:
Doctrine
The doctrinal beliefs of this Association shall be those expressed in
the Basis of Union 1905-06 of the Convention (see Appendix
A).
A. The purpose of the
Northwestern Association shall be to pray for and to promote the work
of the Christian Ministry in accord with the Word of God, within and
emanating from the Association in harmony with the Convention and
Canadian Baptist Ministries.
B. This will include:
(1) Seeking spiritual revival
(2) Progress in Christian growth
(3) Promoting positive healing attitudes among the Church
congregations
(4) Training and outreach in Evangelism
(5) Building strong ties of unity within the Association and
Convention family
(6) Supporting and advancing the ministries of our Convention at
home and abroad as the Holy Spirit leads.
Article IV:
Mission Statement of
Northwestern Association
In sharing blessings and
challenges together for encouragement and fellowship we seek to
accomplish together what we cannot do alone. Therefore we will
associate "with one another" as members of the Body Of Christ in accord
with the will of God.
Article V:
Delegates
The following will be recognized
as accredited delegates to the Association Meetings, being in very
instance a member of one of the Churches of Association, a believer who
has been baptized by immersion.
A. Each Church of the Association shall be entitled to send one
delegate for their first seventy-five members or fraction thereof, one
further delegate for each additional seventy-five members or fraction
thereof to a maximum of five delegates. This figure shall be
derived from the membership statistics reported for each Church in the
current edition of the Convention Year Book. Other members of the
Churches will, however, be warmly welcomed as visitors, who may,
although without vote, participate fully in the program and discussion.
B. Also, every ordained Minister, approved for ministry by the
Convention, either in active service or in retirement, living within
the bounds of the Association.
C. Also each Church, Association or Convention Licentiate,
approved for ministry by the Convention, serving a Church within the
Association.
D. Association Officers and Executive members shall be recognized
as delegates whether or not included among the delegates from Churches.
Article VI:
Officers and
Executive
A. The
Officers of the
Association shall be: Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Clerk and Treasurer.
B. The Executive of the Association shall be comprised of the
above-noted Officers (Article VI - Section A) and
the following
additional members: Regional Minister, Communications Director,
Camp Director or Camp Board Chairperson, Ministry Team Chairperson,
Missions Team Chairperson, and Fellowship Team Chairperson.
C. The duties shall be the general duties of any Executive which
include the ultimate accountability and responsibility of an organized,
effective Association as outlined in the Constitution as it functions
within the greater body of the Convention.
D. In addition to its general duties the Executive shall be
responsible for the following:
(1) To take initiative in providing leadership to the Council
including both business and fellowship functions.
(2) To assign tasks of service to the relevant Teams of Ministry,
Missions and Fellowship (see Appendix B).
(3) To take responsibility for placing church delegates on one of
the three teams (Ministry, Missions and Fellowship).
E. If an Executive Member
misses three consecutive meetings without notifying the Moderator or
Clerk of the Association of his/her absence the member will be
automatically relieved of their position. They will be duly
notified and nominees will be sought for their position.
F. The Executive quorum shall be fifty percent of its membership
and shall be administered as directed in "Robert's Rules Of Order" so
as to be consistent with Convention practice.
G. If a Team is not represented at an Executive Meeting then the
Executive may act upon matters pertaining to that Team as deemed
necessary.
Article VII:
Association Council
A. The Association Council shall be comprised of the
Executive (See Article VI) and
the delegates appointed by the Churches. (See Article V).
B. The Council shall have three regular meetings per year, the
fourth Monday in March, September and November unless otherwise changed
by Executive of Council with thirty days notification to the
congregations of the Churches. Special Council Meetings may be
called by the Executive or upon request of no less than five Pastorates
and following two consecutive Sundays of notification, where possible, * to the congregations of the
Churches of the Association.
*Note:
Refers to those Churches which may not have Meetings on consecutive
Sundays.
C. The Council acting through its three teams: Ministry,
Mission and Fellowship (See Appendix B)
shall be:
(1) responsible to
communicate to the Churches of the Association all relevant information
regarding Council activities and decisions.
(2) the forum for discussing and deciding matters of Association
business.
(3) responsible to receive written reports of all our work
together.
(4) responsible to appoint Task Forces, Working Groups and
Standing Committees.
(5) responsible to prepare an Annual Budget. Matters of
major consideration including nomination of Executive, the Annual
Budget and non-budgeted expenditures exceeding Fifteen Hundred Dollars
shall not be transacted prior to two consecutive Sundays notification
to the Churches of Association.
(6) responsible for co-ordination and promotion of all
Association gatherings.
(7) responsible for the drafting and maintenance of a
Constitution and any revisions that may, from time to time, be
necessary.
D. When a Team is not
represented at Council Meeting then Council or Executive may act upon
matters pertaining to that Team as deemed necessary.
E. If a Council member misses three consecutive meetings of
Council without notifying the Moderator or Clerk of Association they
will be automatically relieved of their position. They will be
duly notified and new nominees will be sought for their position.
F. The Council Quorum shall be at least one-third of its
membership and shall be administered by the Chair according to Robert's
Rules of Order.
G. The Council Meeting for the election of the Executive, Team
Members and adoption of the Annual Budget shall be held at the November
meeting of Council.
H. The Council shall function using the calendar year with
members elected to the Council commencing their term of office on
January 1st. following.
I. The Moderator of the Association shall be the Chairperson of
the Council and serve a two year term of Office. The Moderator
shall be an Ex-Officio member of each "Team". In case of his/her
absence the Vice-Moderator shall assume the Chair. In the rare
instance when both Officers may be absent the Council may appoint a
chairperson "pro tem" from within the midst for that meeting only.
J. The Council shall act through the Executive to fill vacancies
on Teams to be ratified at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the
Council following the acceptance of the nomination by the nominee.
K. Council and Association shall seek to engage in the exchange
of ideas and fellowship with other Councils and Associations within
Region I of our Convention whenever possible. Region I rallies
should be considered from time to time as they are of value to
spiritual growth and mutual encouragement. The Executive of
Council shall be responsible for any action regarding this matter.
L. Suggested Rules of
Order
(1) Every Meeting shall be
opened and closed with prayer
(2) All members of Association Churches may speak on all subjects
under debate but only delegates may vote.
(3) No person shall speak more than twice on any motion, unless
by permission of the Body.
(4) Motions made and lost shall not be recorded in the minutes
unless so ordered at the time.
(5) The government of the Body and the regulation of its
proceedings shall be strictly in accordance with parliamentary usage so
called. "Robert's Rules Of Order" shall be the guide.
(6) Immediately after the opening of each Council Meeting, these
rules shall be distinctly read from the Chair.
Article IX:
Association Celebrations
The Association shall meet in celebration twice a year, once in
Spring and once in the Fall for the purposes of worship, fellowship,
encouragement and the proclaiming of God's great work among us.
Notification of such meetings shall be made to the congregations of the
Churches of Association with a minimum of 4 months notice.
Article X:
Moderator
A. Serves as Chairperson of Association, Executive and
Council Meetings and therefore should make him/herself familiar with
Rules of Parliamentary procedure as put forth in "Robert's Rules of
Order."
B. Responsible, in conjunction with the Association Council and
Executive for supervising program format, theme, organization of
meetings, special projects and maintaining a high level of Christian
activity throughout the Association.
C. Responsible, in conjunction with the Association Clerk and
Director of Communications, to ensure that notices of meetings of the
Association Council are mailed to the members thereof, including the
Regional Minister and the Churches of Association within thirty days of
the date of meeting.
D. Responsible for calling meetings of the Executive.
E. By virtue of the office, to serve as a member of the Regional
Nominating Committee.
F. Upon invitation from an Association Church, The Moderator is
normally expected to participate in Services of Induction and
Ordination. In an Induction Service the Moderator is normally
involved in presiding at the event and in conducting the Exchange of
Commitments and the Act of Induction. In a Service of Ordination,
the Moderator normally addresses the Candidate and also leads the
Inquiry of both the Candidate and the Congregation. The format
for these events is usually found in A Manual For Worship And Service
published by All-Canada Baptist Publications.
G. In the event that the Moderator is unable to fulfil his term,
the Vice-Moderator will become the Moderator and complete the
term. Completion of the Moderator's term will present no
restrictions on a future term of office for the Vice-Moderator.
Article XI:
Vice-Moderator
A. The person shall assist and act in place of the Moderator
when required.
B. The position shall be for two years and alternate between
Pastor and Lay Person where possible.
C. After serving the two year term this person should normally be
elected to become Moderator.
Article XII:
Clerk
A. The Clerk shall keep an accurate record of proceedings of
all Association Council and Executive Meetings.
B. Minutes of all meetings shall be circulated within ten days of
the meeting as follows:
(1) Council Minutes to all
Association Executive Members, Council Members, and Pastors.
(2) Executive minutes to all Association Executive Members.
C. The Clerk, in conjunction with the Moderator and Director of
Communications, shall mail notices of meetings of the Association
Council to the members thereof including the Regional Minister within
thirty days prior to the date of meeting.
D. The Clerk shall complete and submit the Annual Report Form to
the Convention Office in Saint John as soon after the Annual Meeting of
the Association as possible.
E. One month prior to the November Council Meeting, the Clerk
shall collect annual reports from each Association Officer, Team
Chairperson, Convention Delegates, Regional Minister and any other
special appointments or other interested parties such as Camp
Shiktehawk, Acadia Divinity College and Atlantic Baptist University.
F. The Clerk shall prepare a booklet of the Annual Reports to be
available for distribution as delegates arrive at the Annual Meeting in
November.
G. The Clerk shall ensure that all records and information,
including this Constitution, are transferred to his/her successor in
the
Office of Clerk.
Article XIII:
Assistant Clerk
A. Acts in place of the
Clerk when required.
B. Shall assist the Clerk wherever possible.
Article XIV:
Treasurer
A. The Treasurer will receive, record, and bank
Association Funds, including the United-in-Mission Fund returned from
Convention for special projects.
B. The Treasurer shall distribute funds within the Budget as
directed by the Officers or Teams responsible for that portion of the
Budget. Other funds shall be dispersed as directed by Association
Council or Executive.
C. The Treasurer will provide accurate printed reports of the
income and expenditures of Association monies, funds and projects at
Council and Executive Meetings.
D. All records are the property of the Association and must be
handed over to the successor in the Office of Treasurer.
Article XV:
Director of Communications
The Director of Communications
will be responsible for keeping the Churches of the Northwestern
Baptist Association informed of Association activities and for
promoting the interests of the Association. For the full
responsibilities attached to this position please see Appendix C.
Article XVI:
Nominating Committee
A. A Nominating
Committee of five members comprised of the Vice-Moderator, the
Chairperson of the Ministry Team and three (3) others selected from
Council at the November Meeting shall serve the Association throughout
the Calendar year.
B. This Committee shall present nominations for election at the
Annual Meeting in November and will also make nominations to the
Council in consultation with the Executive to fill vacancies that may
occur from time to time.
C. Nominees will be presented for election only after being made
fully aware of the nature of their responsibility, and expressing their
consent to allow his/her name to stand.
D. Further nominations may be made from the floor of the
Association with the consent of the nominee.
Article XVII:
Shiktehawk Bible Camp & The
Pastor's Place
A. Shiktehawk Bible Camp is
owned and operated by the Churches of the Northwestern Baptist
Association (by vote of their Association at the East Florenceville
United Baptist Church on January 23, 1962) and (by vote of the
Association at Jacksonville on October 29, 1964). Title to the
property is vested in a Body Corporate known as "Shiktehawk Bible Camp
Inc."; (Date of Incorporation-December 28, 1964). The membership
of which Corporation shall consist of such Officers and Council Members
as shall be named from time to time by the Northwestern Baptist
Association.
B. Final authority in all matters pertaining to the Camp shall
rest with the Delegates appointed by the Churches of the Northwestern
Association meeting in regular sessions of the Association as set forth
in the Constitution of the Association.
C. All Officers, the Camp Council and Committees shall exercise
only such authority as is delegated to them by the Association.
D. The Pastor's Place
is a facility located on the grounds of Shiktehawk Bible Camp and was
dedicated on September 23, 2001 for the purpose of providing a Retreat
and Study Centre for persons involved in full-time Christian
Ministry. The administration of the ministry of The Pastor's
Place is supervised by the Camp Shiktehawk Board of Directors for the
Northwestern Association.
Article XVIII:
Regional Working Group
A. Two Representatives shall
be elected by the Association to the Regional Working Group (see Appendix D).
B. These shall serve a three year term and shall be eligible for
a second term.
C. For further details concerning the purpose and
responsibilities
of the Regional Working Group (see Appendix D).
Article XIX:
Other Appointments
Other appointments shall be
presented by the Nominating Committee as appropriate.
A. Included shall be positions that result from
our Association's involvement with the Convention of Atlantic Baptist
Churches such as member for the Examining Council For Ordination (and
alternate), delegates to Convention, members of Region I Committee,
Historical Records person and others that may arise.
B. These appointments shall be made by annual
election unless otherwise stated in the Constitution of the Convention
as it applies to the positions noted in Section A
C. Notwithstanding Section B above, the
Representative on the Examining Council For Ordination and the
Alternate
shall be elected for a three year term, and shall not be eligible for
re-election a the close of that period until the lapse of one year.
above.
Article XX:
Voting
All questions before the
Association
Council shall be decided by a majority vote, except in the instance of
changing the Constitution, and admitting or dissolving the connection
with member Churches, when a two-thirds majority of delegates present
shall be required.
Article XXI:
Auditor
A. An Auditor shall be
presented as part of the Nominating Committee's report each year.
B. He/she shall make a yearly auditing of the Financial Records
and present a written statement of his/her findings to date to the
November Association Meeting.
Article XXII:
Amendments
This Constitution may be altered
or amended at any meeting of the Association Council by a two-thirds
vote of the Delegates present, providing notice of such intended
alteration or amendment has been given at the previous Association
Council Meeting.
Appendix A
Basis of Union
The Doctrinal Statement known as
the "Basis of Union" is printed for information. In the 1905 Year
Book it is stated that 302 churches considered the Basis and replied in
favour of it. The 1906 Year Book reported that the Free Baptist
Churches of Nova Scotia supported the statement with the exception of
six churches and that none of the six voted negatively. Thus the
United Baptist Convention was brought into being upon an agreed
statement of faith which was accepted by the churches themselves.
Adopted by LOCAL CHURCHES it remains the basis upon which we work
together. This statement has been reprinted from time to
time. Copies for church user are available for free by writing to:
Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches
1655 Manawagonish Road
Saint John, NB
E3M 3Y2
THE AGREED
PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH
THE UNITED
BAPTIST CONVENTION AS FORMED
DOCTRINAL
STATEMENT
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments have their authority from God alone, and are given to us
by divine inspiration. They are the only perfect, supreme,
infallible and sufficient standard of faith and practice.
II. God
There is one true and living
God. He is an infinite Spirit, self-existent, omnipresent,
omniscient, omnipotent, good, wise, just and merciful. He is the
creator, preserver, and sovereign of the Universe. He is
inexpressively glorious in holiness, and worthy of all honour,
confidence and love. In the God head there are three persons in
one: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are equal in
every divine perfection, and who execute distinct but harmonious
offices in the great work of redemption.
III. Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is
the person of the trinity who, by virtue of His sacrificial work, is
the world's redeemer and the Saviour of all who believe. He is at
present the intercessor of all His people at the right hand of the
Father, and is to be the judge of all men.
IV. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third
person the the trinity, by whom all saving, comforting and sanctifying
power is exerted upon human hearts.
V. State and Fall of Man
Man was created sinless. By
his own disobedience he fell into sin. Through his fall into sin,
an evil nature was transmitted
to the whole race, revealing itself in actual transgression, and
bringing all under the reign of condemnation and death.
VI. Atonement
The perfect life, vicarious death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ, have removed the obstacles in the way
of the Holy Spirit's regenerating power and of the Father's forgiving
grace being extended to the sinner, and constitute for every believing
soul an all prevailing plea and sufficient ground for righteousness
before God.
VII. Regeneration
In regeneration a new life
principle is begotten in the soul of man by the Holy Spirit through the
word of truth, producing a disposition to joyful obedience to Christ
and to holy conduct in life.
VIII. Repentance
In repentance the sinner, having
seen his sin, being moved by the energy of the Holy Spirit, is led to
grieve for and hate it as an offence against God, and apprehending the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, he lovingly returns to God to walk in
the way of His commandments.
IX. Faith
Faith is a conviction of the
intellect that God will perform all that He has promised and an
implicit trust of the heart in Christ as a personal Saviour. It
includes a hearty concurrence of the will and affections with the
whole plan of salvation as revealed in the gospel, and is a condition
of justification and of cleansing from the pollution of sin and of all
subsequent gospel blessings.
X. Justification
Justification is an act of God
wherein He accepts as righteous the sinner, to whom is imputed the
perfect righteousness of Christ, on the condition of faith alone.
XI. Sanctification
The Scriptures teach that
sanctification is the process why which, according to the will of God,
Christians are made partakers of His holiness,; that it has its
beginning in regeneration, and that it is carried on in the hearts of
believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, in the
continual use of the appointed means: the Word of God,
self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness and prayer.
XII. The Christian Sabbath
We believe that the first day of
the week is the Lord's day or Christian Sabbath and is to be kept
sacred to religious purposes by abstaining from all secular labour and
sinful recreations, by the devout observance of all means of grace,
both private and public, and by preparation of that rest that remaineth
for the people of God.
XIII. A Gospel Church
We believe that a church of Christ
is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the
faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ,
governed by His laws, ; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges
invested in them by His Word. In the more general sense, the word
church is used to designate all whose names are written in the Lamb's
Book of Life. The only scriptural officers are bishops (pastors),
and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are defined in the
epistles of Timothy and Titus.
XIV. Baptism
This is the immersion of believers
in water into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in which are
represented their death to the world, the washing of their souls from
the pollution of sin, their resurrection to newness of life, the burial
and resurrection of Christ, their resurrection at the last day, and
their engagement to serve God.
XV. The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is an ordinance
of Christ, to be observed by the churches in the manner indicated by
Him (Matthew 26:26 - 30).
XVI. Death
At death our bodies return to
dust, our souls to God who gave them. The righteous being then
perfected in happiness are received to dwell with God, awaiting the
full redemption of their bodies. The wicked are cast into Hades
reserved unto the judgement of the great day.
XVII. Resurrection
There will be a general
resurrection of the bodies of the just and of the unjust; the righteous
in the likeness of Christ, but the wicked to shame and everlasting
contempt.
XVIII. General Judgement
There will be a judgement of quick
and dead, of the just and unjust, on the principles of righteousness,
by the Lord Jesus Christ, at His second coming. The wicked will
be condemned to eternal punishment, and the righteous received into
fullness of eternal life and joy.
Church Polity
Article
I
The voluntary principle underlies the whole church polity of the New
Testament. Each church is independent, but the churches are
interdependent. All the power the more general bodies have over
the less general and the individual churches is to advise and to
enforce advice with the strongest moral motives. In case a
church, or the the churches composing a less general body, depart from
the belief and practice of the denomination, it shall be the right of
the more general body to withdraw fellowship.
Article II
Each church, as occasion may require, shall have the right to appeal to
the more general body for the help of their advice and moral influence,
or to call a council from other churches. If a church, torn by
dissensions and heresy, declines to seek assistance of this kind, it is
the right of the more general body to send a delegation to assist the
church as far as this may be possible.
Article III
Any church should be careful in granting a license to preach.
Every license, to be valid, must be signed by the pastor and clerk of
the church granting it, and countersigned by at least two neighbouring
pastors after an examination of the candidate's qualifications.
Note with regard to Article III
The local church license to preach has been replaced with the License to Minister. Also,
neighbouring pastors are no longer required to countersign and examine
candidates. This process has been replaced by the association License to Minister.
Article IV
When a church desires the ordination of a brother, a council from as
many of the nearest churches as will secure the attendance of at least
five ordained pastors, with a suitable number of laymen may be called;
or the more general body may be requested to attend to the matter.
Note with regard to Article IV
In 1922, this policy was replaced by the current practice of having a
convention examining council consisting predominately of association
representatives. Nevertheless, ordination still continues to be
the responsibility of the local church.
Appendix B
TEAM
RESPONSIBILITIES
I.
MINISTRY TEAM
Our mission is to equip, to edify, and to encourage the churches
in Northwestern Association to magnify God and to enlarge His kingdom.
The Ministry Team will provide leadership in the areas that deal with
ministry in Northwestern Association Churches. Specifically, they
include: Christian Training, Finance, Licensing, Men's Ministry,
Social Action, Evangelism and the Pastors Place.
The Ministry team will endeavour to do the following:
A. To oversee the licensing of those who feel God's
call to minister in full/part-time Christian Work.
B. To encourage and assist local Churches in training
events, seminars, rallies and workshops for personal witnessing and
spiritual growth.
C. To maintain a God- honouring witness through the receiving and
dispensing of Finances.
II.
MISSION TEAM
The primary purpose of the Mission Team is to oversee mission in the
following areas: Shiktehawk Bible Camp, Atlantic Baptist Mission
Board and Northwestern Association grants, local and global missions,
and evangelism and renewal.
Specifically, the Mission Team shall have the responsibility to carry
out the following:
A. To encourage financial and prayer support for the ministry of
Shiktehawk Bible Camp.
B. To receive and process applications and recommend grants to
the Atlantic Baptist Mission Board and the Association in keeping with
the Atlantic Baptist Mission Board procedure.
C. To encourage the smaller Churches who are dependent upon
grants for survival.
D. To encourage and promote missionary work to youth and adult
groups.
E. To provide materials outlining the work and needs of CBM
Missionaries.
F. To encourage and assist Association Churches by planning
special missionary events and rallies.
G. To promote projects in keeping with goals of Canadian Baptist
Ministries.
H. To promote and encourage opportunities for Women's ministries
throughout the Association.
I. To promote renewal conferences and events.
J. To encourage prayer for renewal and revival in Association
Churches.
III. FELLOWSHIP TEAM
The primary purpose of the Fellowship Team of our Association is to
foster fellowship between the people and Churches in Northwestern
Association. It will endeavour to accomplish this objective by
carrying out the following:
A. To plan and carry out the Spring and Fall Celebration
events. Venues, themes, speakers and agenda are all the
responsibility of the Fellowship Team. In addition to this the
Fellowship Team shall endeavour to highlight Association Ministries at
the semi-annual Celebrations.
B. To work in conjunction with the Mission Team in planning and
carrying out any benefit concert or event that financially supports an
Association Church or ministry.
C. To be open to any possible opportunities that might fulfil
the
purpose of the team in encouraging fellowship within our Association.
Appendix C
JOB DESCRIPTION -
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
In
general: The "Communications Director will be responsible
for keeping churches informed and for promoting the activities and
interests of the Association." (Quoted from the proposal presented to
and adopted by the May '03 Association Meeting.)
In
particular: The expectations of the Communications
Director, being an active member in good standing of an Association
Church, shall include the following:
- Be accountable to the Association Council, but receive directions
from the Moderator and/or the Executive.
- Be in attendance at all Executive and Council meetings unless
otherwise excused by the Moderator.
- In cooperation with the Clerk distribute regularly recorded minutes
of meetings to all churches of the Association and appropriate persons
as directed by the Executive as soon as such minutes are made available.
- Be responsible for communicating, and promoting, all events and
activities of the Association which have been approved by the Executive
and/or Council.
- In cooperation with the Director of Shiktehawk Bible Camp, supplement
the communication of activities and events relative to the life and
ministry of our camp.
- When requested by a pastor or other church spokesperson, be
responsible for communicating local church events and activities of
potential interest to other Association churches.
- Maintain and distribute, on a monthly basis, a chronological calendar
of events and activities covering a twelve month period to all
Association churches and appropriate individuals as determined by the
executive and/or Council.
- When so requested by the Executive or Council, be responsible for
reporting particular information to the ATLANTIC BAPTIST or other
media, as well as informing the same of any upcoming events or
activities.
- The normal method for communication with churches and designated
individuals shall be by e-mail except in those instances where e-mail
communication is not possible either directly or indirectly, or may not
be acceptable. In case of the latter, communication shall be by
regular mail.
REGIONAL
WORKING GROUP (RWG) - Region 1 of the Convention of Atlantic Baptist
Churches
A Statement of Purpose, Expectations, Objectives, Structure and Roles
Purpose: To
provide spiritual, moral, and personal support to the Regional Minister
in his/her life and ministry within the Convention of Atlantic Baptist
Churches on behalf of the Associations within Region 1.
Expectations:
The RWG covenants to deal with all items which come to its attention
with the utmost of confidentiality and impartiality, and in an attitude
of Christian love. It also covenants to approach all discussions,
recommendations, and decisions with the strength and wisdom gained from
God through personal and group sessions of prayer. The RWG will
normally hold four (4) meetings per year on dates determined at its
first meeting each Fall. Other special meetings may be called as
determined by the chair and/or Regional Minister.
Objectives:
- To assist the Regional Minister to develop and use effective
strategies for dealing with issues at personal, local, regional, and
Convention levels such as: job expectations, pastoral support,
church crisis, personal and professional goal setting, time management,
family commitments, and personal health and well-being.
- To provide information and networking with the goal of
coordinating the ministries of the Associations in keeping with the
Convention objectives to Evangelize, Teach and Serve.
- To provide a point of access for the Regional Minister to
the Associations within the Region in addition to the Association
Moderators for purposes of communication issues or suggestions in
either direction.
Structure:
The RWG shall be composed of six members, two representing each member
Association, plus the Regional Minister. From this group one
shall be elected as chair person, one as vice, and another as
Secretary-treasurer. Except for the Regional Minister, membership
will be for a three year term, each member having been elected to
represent his/her Association.
Association Representative:
That person, ordained or lay, appointed or elected by his/her
Association as its representative for a three year term (beginning
September 1st). He/she will serve to support the Regional
Minister on behalf of his/her Association. He/she will carry out
these duties in a manner which demonstrates the exceptions of
confidentiality, impartiality, sincerity of prayer and Christian
love. He/she will covenant to be faithful in attending all
regular meetings of the RWG and to participate in other Regional events
as requested by the Regional Minister.
In an attempt to meet the needs of our churches and
to work more effectively together, the Northwestern Association has
undergone major changes during the past few years. There has been
a lot of input from various groups and individuals and from this
dialogue, the present document was developed and presented by a
committee to our Association . As a result, the present
constitution was adopted on November 29, 2004 at the Northwestern
Association Council Meeting.
This present structure offers opportunities for all Convention Churches
in Northwestern Association to work together in the areas of ministry,
mission and fellowship. By God's grace, we will share blessings
and challenges together for encouragement and fellowship and seek to
accomplish together what we cannot do alone. We will associate
"with one another" as members of the Body of Christ in accord with the
will of God.
'It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to
be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's
people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son
of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness
of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV).
Northwestern Association of Atlantic
Baptist Churches, 2007
| Moderator |
Mrs. Shirley
Giberson |
|
| Vice-Moderator: |
Rev. Garth
MacKay |
|
| Clerk: |
Mrs. Joyce
Stairs |
|
Treasurer:
|
Mrs. Gayle
Tompkins |
|
Fellowship Team Leader:
|
Rev Eric
MacKinnon |
|
Ministry Team Leader:
|
Rev. Jim Rhyno |
|
| Missions team Leader: |
Rev.
Brian Barron |
|
Scripture
quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984
by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All
rights reserved.
Request for your your
assistance.
The above document was not available in an electronic
format. Therefore, it was necessary to type the entire document
to create this web page. Since this is a web document and not a
printed document, page references were replaced by Hyper-links.
Although care was used in the preparation of this web version of the
constitution, it is possible that errors may have been made.
Should you find any typographical errors, we would appreciate feedback
to make us aware of these so that they may be reviewed and corrected
where appropriate. -- Sincerely submitted, Randy K
Authorization to place this information on the association website was
given by the moderator.
NorthWestern
Association
of the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches