Congregational Meetings; Amending the Constitution (Chapters 25-26)

Question 1

How may a congregational meeting be called?

Answer 1

The session shall decide when a meeting is necessary and call it, or shall respond to a written notice of a set fraction of the church- BCO 25-2
BCO 25-2 “Whenever it may seem for the best interest of the church that a congregational meeting should be held, the Session shall call such
meeting and give public notice of at least one week. No business shall be transacted at such meeting except what is stated in the notice. The
session shall always call a congregational meeting when requested in writing to do so: by…”

Question 2

Who can vote?

Answer 2

The congregation consists of all communing members of a particular church, and they only are entitled to vote BCO 25.1

Question 3

What officers are required?

Answer 3

Moderator (Pastor or elected person) Clerk (elected person)
BCO 25-4 The pastor shall be the moderator of congregational meetings by virtue of his office. If it should be
impractible or inexpedient for him to preside, or if there is no pastor, the Session shall appoint one of their number
to call the meeting to order and to preside until the congregation shall elect their presiding officer, who may be a
minister of the Presbyterian Church in America, or any male member of that particular church
BCO 25-5 A clerk shall be elected by the congregation to serve at the meeting or for a definite period, whose duty
shall be to keep correct minutes of the proceedings and of all business transacted and to preserve these minutes in a
permanent form, after they shall have been attested by the moderator and the clerk of the meeting. He shall also
send a copy of these minutes to the Session of the church.

Question 4

Who owns the property of the local church?

Answer 4

The local church
BCO 25-8 The corporation of a particular church, through its duly elected trustees or corporation officers (or, if unincorporated, through those
who are entitled to represent the particular church in matters related to real property) shall have sole title to its property, real, personal, or mixed,
tangible or intangible, and shall be sole owner of any equity in any real estate, or any fund or property of any kind held by or belonging to any
particular church or board, or society, or committee or Sunday school class or branch thereof. The superior courts of the church may receive
moneys or properties from a local church only by free and voluntary action of the latter.”
BCO 25-9 All particular churches shall be entitled to hold, own and enjoy their own local properties, without any right of reversion whatsoever
to any Presbytery, General Assembly of any other courts hereafter created, trustees or other officers of such courts

Question 5

Elder Bible

Deacon

Trustees

Answer 5

Elder Bible
Everything authorized by Bible and
subordinate standards

Deacon Bible Everything authorized by bible and
subordinate standards

Trustee State Guarantee that civil/financial practices are
in decent and proper order

Trustees of the church corporation stand as the legal agents for the corporation to the state and to business. They carry great responsibility for
true spiritual witness of church to congregation, Christian community, and Christian world, and to non-Christian world and communtiy

Question 6

How may the Book of Church Order be amended?

Answer 6

1. Approval of majority at General Assembly
2. Consent of 2/3 Presbyteries
3. Approval of majority at subsequent General Assembly

Question 7

How may the doctrinal standards be amended?

Answer 7

1. Approval of ¾ majority at General Assembly
2. Consent of ¾ Presbyteries
3. Approval of ¾ majority at subsequent General Assembly

Question 8

What portions of the BCO cannot be amended?

Answer 8

All sections of the BCO may be amended