CONSTITUTION
COASTAL BEND BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
October 20, 2007
ARTICLE I - - NAME AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1. The name of this organization shall be the "Coastal Bend Baptist Association
SECTION 2. The purpose of this association is to provide a convenient and efficient means of cooperation and fellowship for Baptist churches in this area of Texas which may wish to unite their efforts in the missionary, educational and benevolent work commanded by our Lord. Since the association has no power of itself, it will always recognize the independence of the local church and seek to work in harmony with it.
SECTION 3. The foundation of our cooperation is the Bible. The faith and practice of the churches of the association shall be in basic harmony with historic Baptist beliefs.
ARTICLE II - - MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. The membership of the Coastal Bend Baptist Association shall consist of all churches in recognized cooperation with the association.
SECTION 2. Churches desiring to become a part of the Coastal Bend Baptist Association must present a letter of petition to the association at least (60) sixty days prior to the Annual Meeting of the association. The Credentials Committee of the association will investigate thoroughly the petitioning church and make its recommendation at the Annual Meeting. The messengers from the petitioning church will be seated when two-thirds of the present messengers vote in favor of receiving the petitioning church.
SECTION 3. Each cooperating church shall be entitled to three messengers with an additional messenger for each twenty-five (25) resident members. No church will have more than eight (8) messengers.
SECTION 4. Each cooperating church and their missions will be encouraged to contribute financially to the associational work.
SECTION 5. Each cooperating church should send an Annual Report of personnel and statistics on the forms provided by the convention or the association.
SECTION 6. This body reserves the right to recognize and seat messengers from the churches.
ARTICLE III -- AFFILIATION.
AFFILIATION: This association shall work cooperatively with the Baptist General Convention of TX , the Southern Baptist Convention and any Baptist organization of like faith and practice.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
SECTION 1. The association shall have a Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Clerk, and Treasurer. These shall be elected at the opening session of the Annual Meeting. The Nominating Committee shall bring its recommendation for these officers to the association, but other nominations may be made from the floor.
SECTION 2. The Nominating Committee shall also nominate: The Association's Officers, leaders, committees, and teams as needed.
The Nominating Committee may make recommendations or be required to amend officers, committees and teams in any way the Executive Board deems best in meeting the needs of the association.
The Nominating Committee shall also nominate Trustees for Zephyr Baptist Encampment.
SECTION 3. The Moderator shall appoint the Nominating Committee for the aforementioned officers by the time of the Executive Board meeting in January of each year.
The Nominating Committee shall be a standing committee until its successor is appointed and shall recommend to the Executive Board replacements for any elected vacancies which may occur .
SECTION 4. TENURE OF OFFICE: The Moderator shall not serve more than two elected terms in successions. All other officers may be re-elected as often as the body shall decide.
The Associational Clerk shall assume that office immediately on election, but all other officers and standing committees will assume their duties at the close of the last session of the Annual Meeting, and shall serve through the next Annual Meeting.
SECTION 5. OFFICER'S DUTIES:
MODERATOR shall be Chairman of the Executive Board. He shall with the Vice-Moderator and the Association Officers, and Director of Missions, plan the Annual Program and he shall preside over the Annual Meeting or request the Vice-Moderator to do so. He shall be an Ex-officio member of all committees. He may appoint a PARLIAMENTARIAN with the responsibility to guide each meeting of the association in regards to Parliamentary Law, upon the request of the Moderator.
VICE-MODERATOR shall preside over the meetings of the Executive Board in the absence of the Moderator. In case of a vacancy, he shall assume the duties of the Moderator to fill the un-expired term.
CLERK shall keep accurate minutes of the Annual Association Meeting. It will be the clerk's responsibility to compile statistics from the church letters and publish and distribute to the churches the same in a booklet under the title, Minutes of the Coastal Bend Baptist Association , and give the year of publication. The Clerk shall also serve the Executive Board and keep accurate minutes of their meetings and shall register attendance at the same. All records of the association and all legal papers shall be kept in the clerk's custody.
TREASURER shall receive and disburse all funds belonging to the association in keeping with the budget and he shall make reports to the Finance Committee and Executive Board as they deem necessary. An Annual review of the books shall be done by the Finance Committee and if an audit is desired it shall be at the expense of the association.
All elected leaders shall coordinate their associational calendar responsibilities with the associational office and will submit such information annually at the beginning of their term. . Moderator and Director of Missions shall call all necessary meetings with them as needed.
ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE BOARD
SECTION 1. The Executive Board shall consist of one member from each church of the
association, the officers of the association, the president of the Compañerismos of Coastal Bend
Baptist Association, the pastors of the churches of the association, and their mission pastors.
SECTION 2. The Executive Board shall attend to the business of the association during the interim between sessions and will employ such personnel and name such committees as it deems necessary to execute the work of the association entrusted to it. The Director of Missions should be deemed Ex-Officio member of all committees.
SECTION 3. The Executive Board shall meet at such times and places as shall be decided by the Executive Board.
Called meetings of the Executive Board may be held at the request of the Moderator or Vice-Moderator, provided all members shall be notified as to the time and place of any such meeting.
At all regular and called meeting of the Executive Board, ten members from at least eight (8) churches shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 4. The Executive Board shall be entrusted with the authority to select, interview, and elect a Director of Missions and such assistants as may be necessary, shall fix salaries, make financial arrangements and have such other powers and authority as may be necessary to carry on the work of the body.
ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS AND PROCEDURES
SECTION 1. The association shall meet annually at a time and place of its own choosing. The Executive Board may change the time and place of Annual Meetings, or call special sessions of the association.
SECTION 2. Robert's Rules of Order shall serve as the rule for the business of the association.
ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the Association by two-thirds vote of the messengers present and voting, provided notice is given of the proposed amendment(s) in a previous session to the one in which the amending action is taken.
ARTICLE VIII - ASSETS
SECTION 1. If at any time Coastal Bend Baptist Association ceases to be an association none of the moneys or assets will go to any individual. The assets or moneys acquired before October 2, 2000 will go to the Baptist General Convention of TX . All other assets will be dispersed to a 501C3 of like minded religious organization at the choosing and vote of a special session of the association.
SECTION 2. Coastal Bend Baptist Association pledges that its assets are to be used in its charitable and non-profitable churches.
