• R1.01. Each committee shall submit its proposed committee size to the Council.
   
• R1.02. When vacancies appear on a committee, the Council shall coordinate the replacement of such members.
   
• R1.03. Committee membership shall be limited to one 3-year term. These terms shall be staggered. A person shall be eligible to serve another term after one year’s absence. Possible exceptions: Choir Director and Organist as ex-officio members of Worship & Music committee.
  (See R2.01. Below Adopted by council on Nov. 19, 1996 “Terms will begin January 1st and end December 31st.“)
   
• R1.04. Each committee shall elect its own chairperson.
   
• R1.05. Church members shall serve on only one standing committee at a time. This does not preclude volunteer work for any other committee’s projects or serving on Council, Mutual Ministry Committee, or as hoc/special committees.
   
• R1.06. Council President shall not be a member of any committee, but shall serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of all standing committees.
   
• R1.07. Council membership shall be limited to only one member of an immediate family at the same time.

• R2.01. Addition to R1.03. above: Terms will begin January 1st and end December 31st.
   
• R2.01. Number of members on each committee shall be as follows:
  • Christian Education 5-7
  • Evangelism 8
  • Finance 4 (Changed from 3 on 4/15/97)
  • Mutual Ministry 6
  • Property 8
  • Social Ministry 8-10
  • Stewardship 4
  • Worship & Music 6
  • Long Range Planning Committee 6 (Addition approved at 2/20/02 Council Meeting)

• R3.01. The treasurer shall be the fourth member of the Finance Committee.

R4.00 Ministry Fund Committee Guidelines Adopted by the Council on May 20, 2003, Clarified, changes in red, Dec. 9, 2009

This fund is established to help our members show their Christian stewardship by donating to the ongoing and future mission and ministry of Kent Memorial Lutheran Church in ways that are not normally included in the annual budget. These donations may be directed by the member to fund specific causes as long as they meet the mission and needs of the church. Money or property can be given to this fund in a variety of ways such as:

Whereas, whole-life Christian stewardship involves management of all the gifts God has given us, including abilities, time, money and property; and

Whereas, members of this congregation can fulfill their privilege and duty to support the work of this church through, for example, bequests in a will, assigning life insurance benefits or certificates of deposit, transferring property such as cash, stocks, bonds and real estate, donating memorial gifts, arranging for trusts, etc., that provide life-time income to the donor and a gift to the fund, establishing endowment gifts, etc; and

Whereas, this congregation would like to encourage and receive these gifts to be administered or utilized for ministry through its Kent Memorial Ministry Fund;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Congregation Council of Kent Memorial Lutheran Church states the ongoing responsibilities of the Kent Memorial Lutheran Church Ministry Fund Committee (also called the Committee) as follows:

1. The purpose of the Kent Memorial Lutheran Church Ministry Fund (also called the Fund) is to provide distributions of gifts according to the wishes of the donor which are beyond the operating budget of this congregation. These distributions will be overseen by the Fund Committee of six(6) members plus the Pastor (Ref. CR2.10) and will be made to causes the Committee deems worthwhile. The distributions may not conflict with the mission and needs of the church or the goals of the Long Range Planning committee.
   
   
2. The Committee shall provide education to the Congregation about the Fund and encourage members to donate to the fund.
   
   
3. Donations may be given to the Fund through any of the vehicles mentioned in the bylaws, (wills, etc.,) and any others deemed appropriate. Members may discuss possible donations with the ELCA Regional Gift Planner and their attorney to find out which mode of giving may be best for them and the legal outcomes of that decision.
    
4. The committee shall recommend to Council for approval, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the entire Committee, the handling of donations using the following methods –

1. Distribute donations immediately.

2. Place donation in certificate of deposit for short-term distribution.

3. Invest the donation in the ELCA Foundation for a later distribution. No committee member shall invest the assets in a way that would bring private gain to that individual.

5. Major gifts to the church such as bequests, life insurance proceeds, etc., that are undesignated shall be automatically placed in the Kent Memorial Ministry Fund.
   
   
6. The congregation will own all of the Fund assets and the Fund will be operated under local, state and federal requirements.
   
   
7. Should the Committee determine that the congregation is in dire need of the assets in the Fund, or has an emergency of such a nature that the future of the congregation is at stake, and the only recourse is to use the Fund assets, the Committee may, upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the entire Committee, recommend such authorizing action to the Congregation Council for recommendation to the congregation.  Upon recommendation from the Council, the congregation must then approve such use by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of members present at a properly called congregational meeting. Assets may not be borrowed from the Fund except by using this same dire need provision.
   
   
8. An annual report with current balance, additions, distributions and any other activity shall be given at the congregational meeting in February. Monthly newsletter reports will also update the congregation on the current activities of the Fund. The Congregation Council will appoint an audit committee to audit the Fund on an annual basis. This audit should be prepared so its findings can be reported at the congregational meeting in February.

December 3, 2009 Clarification to Continuing Resolution R4.00

In an effort to clarify Continuing Resolution R4.00 Ministry Fund Committee Guidelines, we propose the following Revisions:

Paragraphs 1 with numbered list, 2, 3 and 4 remain unchanged.

Paragraph 5 is changed as highlighted in red.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Congregation Council of Kent Memorial Lutheran Church states the ongoing responsibilities of the Kent Memorial Lutheran Church Ministry Fund Committee (also called the Committee) as follows:

Paragraphs 6 and 7, Items 1 and 2 are changed in their entirety to read as follows:

1. The purpose of the Kent Memorial Lutheran Church Ministry Fund (also called the Fund) is to provide distributions of gifts according to the wishes of the donor which are beyond the operating budget of this congregation. These distributions will be overseen by the Fund Committee of six (6) members plus the Pastor (Ref. CR2.10) and will be made to causes the Committee deems worthwhile. The distributions may not conflict with the mission and needs of the church or the goals of the Long Range Planning committee.

2. The Committee shall provide education to the Congregation about the Fund and encourage members to donate to the fund.

Paragraph 8, Item 3 remains unchanged.

Paragraph 9, Item 4 main paragraph is changed as highlighted in red. Lettered list remains unchanged.

4. The committee shall recommend to Council for approval, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the entire Committee, the handling of donations using the following methods –

Paragraphs 10 and 11, Items 5 and 6 remain unchanged.

Paragraph 12, Item 7 changes are highlighted in red.

7. Should the Committee determine that the congregation is in dire need of the assets in the Fund, or has an emergency of such a nature that the future of the congregation is at stake, and the only recourse is to use the Fund assets, the Committee may, upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the entire Committee, recommend such authorizing action to the Congregation Council for recommendation to the congregation.  Upon recommendation from the Council, the congregation must then approve such use by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of members present at a properly called congregational meeting. Assets may not be borrowed from the Fund except by using this same dire need provision.

Paragraph 12, Item 8 remains unchanged.