Following are the proposed amendments. To read the current governing document in its entirety, see the Covenant Constitution and Bylaws.
Annual Meeting
Amend Section 7.3 of the Constitution by adding the phrase highlighted in italics: “As the highest deliberative and decision-making body of the ECC, the Annual Meeting shall approve the admission and dismissal of congregations, elect or call persons to leadership positions as provided in the Bylaws, approve the budget of the ECC, receive and approve reports, credential recommended persons for the ministry of the ECC, approve amendments to this Constitution and Bylaws, approve amendments to the Articles of Incorporation of the ECC, and make other decisions necessary to the mutual work of the ECC, the regional conferences, and affiliated institutions, as provided in the Bylaws.”
Covenant Resource Papers
Amend Section 2.1.d of the Bylaws by adding the sentence highlighted by italics: “All proposed Covenant Resource Papers must initially be commissioned by a two-thirds vote of either (i) the delegates present and voting at an Annual Meeting of the ECC or (ii) the Executive Board of the ECC. Once commissioned, a proposed Covenant Resource Paper must be adopted or rejected by an Annual Meeting before another proposed Covenant Resource Paper on any topic may be commissioned. The commissioning of a Covenant Resource Paper may be requested by a member congregation, regional conference, board, commission, corporation, institution, or department of the ECC.”
This amendment was proposed by Gregory Ralston, delegate from Living Hope Covenant Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Positions of Officers Other than the President
Amend Section 6.12.b of the Bylaws by adding the section highlighted in italics: “When a vacancy occurs in the position of any vice president, the corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, or the assistant corporate treasurer, the Executive Board shall, upon the recommendation of the president of the ECC, appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis. The interim officer shall perform all the duties of the position and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on an officer holding that position. Within three months of the creation of the vacancy, the president shall recommend one or more candidates to the Executive Board to fill the vacant position. The Executive Board shall appoint a candidate recommended by the president to fill the vacant position within six months of the creation of the vacancy, unless the Executive Board, by a majority vote, extends the time for filling the vacancy. The president of the ECC shall act in good faith to recommend a qualified candidate. The Executive Board may decline to appoint a candidate recommended by the president.”
Delegates to the Annual Meeting
Amend Section 7.4.a of the Bylaws by adding the sentence highlighted in italics: “Member congregations shall be entitled to representation as follows: congregations up to 99 members, two delegates; congregations with 100 to 224 members, three delegates; congregations with 225 to 449 members, four delegates; congregations with 450 to 699 members, five delegates; congregations with 700 to 999 members, six delegates; and congregations with 1,000 or more members, seven delegates. The number of delegates to which each congregation is entitled shall be based on the number of members set forth in the annual statistical report that the congregation submitted to the ECC for the calendar year immediately preceding the Annual Meeting.”
Board Nominations and Elections
Amend Section 7.10.c of the Bylaws by adding the sentence highlighted in italics: “Only members in good standing of a member congregation of the ECC are eligible for nomination or election to any of these boards. A person is not eligible for nomination or election to any board where that person would have an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. Employees of the ECC, any ECC institution, any regional conference, any conference institution, or any regional mission organization may not be nominated as candidates for the Executive Board or the Board of Nominations. A board member who ceases to meet the requirements for nomination or election to that board may not continue to serve on that board.”
Amend Section 7.10.e of the Bylaws by adding the sentence highlighted in italics: “At least five of the elected members of the Executive Board shall meet the criteria of the ECC policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms. At least three of the elected members of the Board of Nominations and the Board of Trustees of North Park University shall meet the criteria of the ECC policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms. At least two elected members of each of the other boards shall meet the criteria of the ECC policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms.”
Board of Nominations
Amend Section 10.2.b of the Bylaws by increasing the number of elected members of the Board of Nominations from twelve to thirteen, so as to read: “The Board of Nominations shall have thirteen elected members and the ex-officio members identified in these Bylaws. Each member of the Board of Nominations serves all ECC congregations.”
