Caddo River Baptist Association

Section 3. Reception into the Fellowship 1. Any church desiring to become affiliated with this Association may do so by presenting a petitionary letter to the Leadership Team a minimum of 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting. This letter shall include the following: a. A brief history of its organization b. Evidence of cooperation, or intent of cooperation, with the Caddo River Baptist Association, Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. c. A statement indicating the acceptance of and theological harmony with “The Baptist Faith and Message.” 2. Any church desiring membership in the Association shall undergo watch-care for one year after it is presented to the Association. During this period it shall be determined by the Leadership Team whether the church meets qualifications set forth in section 2 of this Article. The Leadership Team shall present a recommendation after proper consideration at the next Annual Meeting. After approval the church shall have full voting rights. 3. The one year waiting period for a church seeking membership in the Association may be waived upon a recommendation from the Leadership Team provided: a. The church was first a duly organized mission/church plant sponsored by a cooperating Baptist church in the Caddo River Baptist Association. b. The church meets these requirements and provides a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring church. c. The mission/church has been in existence for at least one year.

Article IV – ARTICLES OF FAITH “The Baptist Faith and Message” as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention.

Article V – ANNUAL MEETING Section 1. Representation Each church shall be entitled to a minimum of five messengers; one additional messenger shall be allowed for every 50 resident church members above 100. The maximum number of messengers from any church shall not exceed 10.

Section 2. Seating of the Messengers The Clerk shall, at the beginning of the Annual Meeting, certify and seat messengers from the churches upon receipt of the report of their selection as messengers by their respective churches.

Section 3. Letters and Reports Each church in the fellowship of the Association shall present an Annual Church Profile containing detailed information as to membership, finances, and statistics concerning the various organizations of the church.

Article VI – OFFICERS The Officers of this Association shall be a Moderator, Vice Moderator, Budget Director, Treasurer, and Clerk. All officers must be members of cooperating churches. The Officers shall be nominated by the Executive Committee. The duties of all officers shall be specified in the Policy Manual. The term of office is for one year (from close of Annual Meeting in which elected to serve to close of next annual meeting). No person shall serve as Moderator for more than two years in successive order. No person shall serve as Vice Moderator for more than two years in successive order. In the event that the Moderator’s chair becomes vacant, the Vice-Moderator will automatically become Moderator and fill out the unexpired term. In such a case, (the Executive Committee will present the name of the new Vice-Moderator to be elected at the next regular meeting of the Executive Board to fill out the unexpired term. In the event the Vice-Moderator’s position becomes vacant, the same procedure will be followed).

Article VII – AUTHORITY The Association is independent and sovereign in itself. This Association shall never exercise any authority over any church affiliated with the Caddo River Baptist Association. The Association will, however, stand ready to lend any assistance or counsel to any church making request for such help.

Article VIII – EXECUTIVE BOARD Section 1. Membership The Executive Board of the Association shall be composed of the pastor, either permanent or interim, and one other member from each cooperating church, the Association officers. The churches shall elect an Executive Board representative.

Section 2. Equal Representation A church, whose pastor is serving as moderator, is allowed to elect one additional executive board member for only the time which the pastor serves as moderator, thus ensuring two votes on the executive board resulting in equal representation by all churches.

Section 3. Duties The duties of the Executive Board shall be to promote the program of the Association, to carry out the policies of the Association, and to transact such other business as may be necessary between annual sessions. The Executive Board shall receive, hold, and convey titles to any kind of property belonging to the association. It shall raise, collect, and disburse funds. It shall record all such transactions and make a report to the Association at the Annual Meeting. It shall employ an Associational Missionary and/or other workers to aid it in conducting the business committed to it by the association. The Executive Board is Caddo River Baptist Association between Annual Meetings.

Section 4. Meetings The Executive Board shall meet on such a date and at such a time and place as the Executive Board itself may determine or at any time the Moderator deems a special called meeting is needed. A special called meeting must be called by letter at least two weeks before the date of this meeting. A quorum for the executive board shall be eight members representing not less than five Churches. The moderator shall serve as chairman and the clerk shall serve as secretary. At its meetings, the Executive Board shall hear reports from the officers, committees and teams.

Section 5. Executive Committee The Executive Committee will be appointed by the Executive Board from members of the Executive Board to act on the behalf of the Executive Board in areas of nominating Association members for Team Leaders, Moderators, Vice-Moderators, Clerks, Treasurers, Budget Directors, etc… and to fill vacancies as they arise and bring the nominees to the Executive Board for approval. This Committee will consist of no less than three and no more than five members of the Executive Board. The Executive Committee will address and attempt to resolve personnel issues in the Association. Amendments to the constitution will be made through the Executive Committee for review prior to the Annual Meeting. The term limits for the Executive Committee member will be more than three years and not to exceed five years. The term for an Executive Committee member will be three to five years.

Article IX – COMMITTEES AND TEAMS Section 1. Standing Committees/Teams The standing teams of the Association and their duties shall be outlined in the Association’s Policy Manual.

Section 2. Special Committees/Teams Associational missionary search teams, ad hoc committees/teams etc. may be appointed by the Executive Committee.

Article X – TRUSTEES The Trustees of the Association shall consist of three persons from three different churches. They shall be members in good standing of churches in the Association. The Trustees shall represent the Association in legal matters. They shall sign deeds of conveyance, execute notes, bonds or mortgages, intervene in suits by authority and upon instruction of the Association or its Executive Board. They shall not sign any official document, buy or sell any property, enter into any contract or conduct any business except as directed by the Association or the Executive Board.

Article XI – PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE The Association shall recognize Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) as its’ standard for business procedure.

Article XII – AMENDMENTS The constitution may be amended at any annual meeting of the Association by a two-thirds majority of the messengers present and voting, provided notice of such change has been given at the first session and voted on the during the second session.

CADDO RIVER BAPTIST ASSOCIATION Policy Manual

I. Associational Teams

Purpose: The primary purpose of the Associational Teams is to do the work of the association, to directly contribute to accomplishing the association’s mission and purpose. This involves: • Assisting the churches in assigned areas • Working in a mutually supportive manner with other teams. • Serving as a resource to the churches. • Gathering and interpreting information and resources suited to individual churches or groups of churches.

Leadership Team Moderator, Vice Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer, Budget Director, Associational Missionary, Evangelism Team Leader, Church Health Team Leader

Evangelism Team Team Leader and at least 3 others from Association churches

Church Health Team Team Leader and at least 3 others from Association churches

II. Team Responsibilities

Leadership Team - This team coordinates the overall mission of the association and is responsible for the association’s finances and properties. • Work with the Treasurer and Budget Director to develop & manage the Associational budget. • Be responsible for maintenance of Association properties • Develop and recommend an adequate insurance plan. • Plan and conduct the Annual Meeting • Calendar planning to present at Annual Meeting • Assist in determining the ministry needs of the association • Administrate the “Caddo River Baptist Association Acts 1:8 Missions Fund”

Evangelism Team - This team coordinates the missions and outreach activities of the association. • Encourage the churches to be involved in missions and outreach activities. • Discover and recommend opportunities for mission and church-planting sponsorship outside the association. • Identify evangelistic needs within the association and annually conduct at least one mission/outreach activity within the association to meet those needs. • Work with and continue support for the Henderson BCM unit in Arkadelphia. • Present budget and calendar recommendations to the leadership team by August 1 for the following Association year.

Church Health Team - This team will provide training and resources to aid in leadership development and spiritual growth in our churches. • Identify training needs within the association and annually conduct at least one training event to meet those needs. • Provide resources and opportunities for the development of church leaders. • Develop a plan for and coordinate the implementation of a prayer ministry for the association. • Present budget and calendar recommendations to the leadership team by August 1 for the following Association year.

III. Responsibilities of Associational Officers

The Moderator plans for and presides over all meetings of the association in session and encourages fellowship, cooperation and unity among the churches. The duties of the moderator are to: • In consultation with the Associational Missionary, prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Executive Board. • Serve as team leader of the Leadership Team in the absence of the Associational Missionary. • Serve as ex-officio team member on all teams and special committees.

The Vice Moderator assists in developing fellowship, cooperation, and unity among the churches. The Vice Moderator’s duties are to: • Preside over meetings of the association in session as requested by, or in absence of, the moderator. • Serve as Moderator-liaison to designated teams at the direction of the moderator.

The Budget Director is responsible for managing the Association budget. The Budget Director’s duties are to: • Works with the leadership team to prepare the annual budget for approval at the Annual Meeting. • Periodically, at his own choosing, inspect and correct any discrepancies of the handling of monies within the Association. • Makes recommendations for the Association to the Executive Board for action if the Association is at a financial crisis.

The Clerk records and keeps in permanent form all minutes of the association in session and makes the information available to member churches on request. The clerk’s duties are to: • Serve as recorder for the association in session. • Encourage the churches to complete the Annual Church Profile and obtain the information from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention to prepare a digest of the information to be presented at the Annual Meeting. • Prepare and edit the associational annual.

The Treasurer receives, accounts for, and disburses all the association’s monies. The treasurer’s duties are to: • Work with the Leadership Team to recommend and establish financial policies. • Examine supporting data for all check request. • Make monthly reports to the Leadership Team and reports to the Executive Board.

IV. Associational Missionary

The Associational Missionary is employed at the will of the Executive Board to aid in conducting the business of the Association. The Associational Missionary’s duties are to: • Work with and assist churches within the Association by serving as a resource to the churches. • Work with and assist pastors and other staff members within the Association. • Work to strengthen relationships among the churches. • Provide leadership for the Association. • Maintain denominational and other external relationships. • Manage the Associational office and business affairs in full cooperation with the Leadership Team.

V. Financial Policies • The fiscal year for the association shall be from the first day of October to the last day of September, inclusive. • All checks issued by the Association require two signatures • All disbursements require supporting data. • Expenditures from the teams over $100 need prior approval from Leadership Team. Exceptions can be made only for verifiable emergencies.

VI. Amendments to Policy Manual The policy manual may be amended at the Annual Meeting or at any Executive Board meeting by a simple majority vote.