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Section 1. Each board and committee shall elect its own chairman, and may elect a vice-chairman and secretary, to keep its records and handle correspondence. Except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws a quorum of a board or committee shall be a majority of members thereof.

Section 2 Any delegate, board, committee, society, or fellowship may speak or act in his or its own name and behalf provided he or it shall not purport to bind the Church or to reflect its position unless authorized by the Church to do so. Delegates shall vote as the Church shall have directed them on any matter called for their action as delegates.

Section 3. (Amended March 11, 1992). The moderator shall preside at all business meetings of the Church, oversee the annual implementation of the planning process, and perform such other duties as may be enumerated herein or voted by the Church.

Section 4. The clerk shall keep a complete record of all business meetings of the Church and also of the Church Council. He shall cause to be kept a register of the names of the members of the Church with the date of their admission and dismissal, or death, together with a record of baptisms. He shall cause all persons to be notified of their election or appointment. He shall give notice of all meetings where notice is required by the By-Laws.

Section 5. (Amended March 4, 1998). The treasurer shall have charge of all the monies belonging to the Church and shall perform all the duties usually incident to that office. He shall make disbursements upon the approval of the Board of Trustees, except as is otherwise provided in these By-Laws. He shall keep separate accounts of monies received by him for benevolences, the support of public worship and from all Church organizations, seeing to it that payments from such funds are properly made. The treasurer shall make an annual report showing his receipts and expenditures, duly reviewed, and such other reports as may be required of him from time to time by the Church Council or the Board of Trustees. The treasurer shall give bond for the faithful performance of his duties in the amount and in the form required by the Board of Trustees.

Section 6. The assistant treasurer shall assist the treasurer in such manner as the treasurer may direct and shall perform the duties of the treasurer in the absence of the latter. The assistant treasurer shall give bond for the faithful performance of his duties in the amount and in the form required by the Board of Trustees.

Section 7. The financial secretary and assistant financial secretary shall see that all offerings taken at services of worship are deposited as the Board of Trustees may direct.

Section 8. (Amended March 4, 1998) The auditors shall review the accounts of the treasurer and assistant treasurer before the annual Church meeting and for that purpose shall have access to the financial records of all the officers of the Church and its auxiliary organizations.

Section 9. (Amended March 4, 1998) The Board of Trustees shall have and exercise full control and management of the property, and the financial and business affairs of the Church, including the power to incur temporary indebtedness to a reasonable amount for the purpose of taking care of current expenses. It shall hire or appoint a Certified Public Accountant to review the financial procedures and accounts of the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer prior to the Annual Meeting of the Church. It shall devise ways and means of defraying the current and benevolent expenses. It shall have such additional powers as may be granted by and be subject to any vote of the Church at any duly called annual or special meeting. It shall appoint a Church custodian who shall have general supervision over the Church property under its direction. It may employ a sexton and such other persons as may be necessary to care for the Church property. It shall elect its own chairman and secretary and such other officers as it may see fit. It shall hold regular and special meetings at such times and upon such notice as it may determine. The hiring of any employees and the execution of any contracts by the Church, or any officer thereof, shall be subject to approval of the Board of Trustees in the absence of any specific vote to the contrary by the Church.

Section 10. (Amended January 26, 1977) It shall be the duty of the Board of Deacons to cooperate with the ministers in serving the spiritual life of the Church and community. It shall assist in the preparation and administration of the sacraments, and in visiting and aiding persons in need of its counsel and help. The Board of Deacons shall advise with the pastor in establishing the form and structure of the stated services of public worship. It shall take charge of the religious services of the Church in the absence of the pastor and associate pastors, and perform such other duties as may be delegated to it under these By-Laws or by specific vote of the Church. It shall elect a chairman, a vice-chairman, and other such officers as it may require.

Section 11. (Amended March 11, 1992). The Church Council shall coordinate and promote the entire program of the Church. It shall have general supervision of all Church organizations and advise in all departments of Church work, and insure that a planning process be implemented annually, endeavoring to promote a harmonious inter-relationship. The Council shall fill all vacancies in offices, boards and committees of the Church and for such purposes shall receive nominations from the Nominating Committee. Persons so elected shall hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of the Church or until their successors are chosen at a prior meeting of the Church and have qualified by acceptance.

The Council may act for the Church in any matter where the Church has taken no action to the contrary, and where there is no requirement in these By-Laws that action shall be taken by the Church. A statement of such action by the Council shall be published in the next available Church calendar. If such action by the Council involves the expenditure of money the assent of the Board of Trustees shall be a prerequisite to the validity thereof.

At all meetings of the Council, twelve members shall constitute a quorum. The moderator shall preside at meetings of the Council. The clerk of the Church shall be clerk of the Council. Regular meetings of the Council shall be held in the months of September, November, January and May at times determined by vote of the Council, or in lieu thereof, by the moderator. Special meetings shall be held as voted by the Council and also shall be called upon request of the pastor, the moderator, or any seven members of the Council.

All meetings shall be called by the clerk by notice read during the services of worship on the Lordís Day next preceding the meeting, or by notice mailed to the members at least forty-eight hours before the meeting. In the absence of the moderator some member of the Council shall call a meeting to order and preside until a moderator pro-tem is chosen.

Section 12. (Amended January 21, 1990; March 2, 1994). The Board of Childrenís Ministries shall have general supervision of the work among the children of the Church from nursery through sixth grade, as well as the work among persons with Special Needs. This shall include Church School, fellowship groups, and programs having as their object the promotion of spiritual growth, faith, and values of the children and persons with Special Needs and their families. The Board of Childrenís Ministries shall also have general supervision of weekday nursery or preschool programs which meet in the Church. It shall recommend to the Church Council in the matter of the selection of a minister or director of Childrenís Ministries. The name of the person approved by the committee and the Council shall be acted upon by the Church. It shall have charge of the Church School and shall select its officers and teachers, and generally provide and develop such programs for Christian education as may be necessary to carry out the foregoing broad objects.

Section 13. The Board of Mission and Social Concern shall seek to promote a world wide religious outlook on the part of the members of the Church. It shall inform them of the relevance of the gospel and the Church to all of life and to the problems of the day.

Section 14. The Committee on Adult Education shall plan and carry out a program of Christian Education for the adult members of the Church. An associate pastor shall be a member of this committee ex-officio.

Section 15. The Board of Ushers shall have charge of the ushering at all services of the Church. It may elect additional persons to assist in the performance of such duties.

Section 16. The Music Committee shall have charge of the music of the Church and shall engage a director of music and other suitable persons to assist it in conducting the musical part of the services of the Church.

Section 17. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a report in the form of a printed ballot and submit the same at the annual meeting of the Church, such ballot to contain one or more names for each office of the Church to be filled and a blank space for the naming of any candidate which any member of the Church may decide to elect. It shall present to the Church Council from time to time nominees for the filling of vacancies in the offices of the Church.

Section 18. The Board of Investment shall have full power to invest, reinvest, and change the form of investment of the permanent and special funds of the Church, whether the same be acquired by will, gift, vote of the Board of Trustees, vote of the Church, or otherwise, except to the extent that such will, gift, vote, or other manner of acquisition may provide otherwise. Said Board of Investment, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, may execute an agency agreement or a revocable trust agreement with any bank in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, having a trust department, for the purpose of assisting in the investment of the permanent funds of the Church, the right to withdraw any of said principal and to the income, less the expenses incurred in the maintenance of said trust, being included therein, and deposit any of said funds with said bank under said agency or revocable trust agreement.

Said agency agreement and said trust agreement may be revoked by the Board of Investment or by the Board of Trustees, or by vote of the Church adopted at a meeting duly called and held under the provisions of these By-Laws. Such funds and any securities purchased therewith, subject to the provisions of the two next preceding sentences, shall remain in the hands of the treasurer, subject to the direction of said Board of Investment, and payments from income shall be made therefrom as is provided in these By-Laws, or in the terms of the will, gift, vote, or other provision made in connection with the acquisition of the Fund. No payment from principal shall be made except upon vote of the Church as provided in Article VIII-A and Article VIII-B or as authorized by the terms of the will, gift, vote, or other provision made in connection with the acquisition of the fund.

Section 19. The Food Service Committee shall have and exercise full control and management of the kitchen, the food commissary, and enforcement of rules relating to proper operation in this area. The Committee shall have charge of all meals and receptions except those sponsored by individual committees and clubs of the Church. It shall elect a Treasurer to handle its funds, and appoint a Director of Food Service, if authorized by the Church, who shall be responsible to the Committee. It shall account for its funds as directed by the Board of Trustees.

Section 20. The Church Historian shall provide for the preservation of the archives and other historical documents of the Church, adding to them from time to time in such manner that the historical record of the Church may be preserved intact for succeeding generations. The Church Historian shall receive all correspondence from the historical society of the United Church of Christ of its successor, or any other sources of historical material.

Section 21. The Delegates shall keep the members of the Church informed concerning the matters expected to be acted upon at the meetings which they propose to attend as representatives of the Church, and shall report the action taken at such meetings. The giving of such information and the making of such reports may be at informal meetings called by the chairman of the Delegates, held at least seven days prior to the meeting to be attended and not over fourteen days following its adjournment, and shall be given at meetings of the Church or of the Church Council, duly called and held for such purpose.

Section 22. (Added January 27, 1988). The Stewardship Committee, with the prior approval of the Trustees, annually shall plan and carry on a program to raise funds to meet the current and benevolent expenses of the church.

Section 23. (Added January 21, 1990). The Youth Ministry Committee shall establish and maintain a program for seventh through twelfth grade youth which will maximize opportunities for personal growth, continue the Christian education process, encourage healthy and enjoyable social interaction, and promote active exploration and expression of Christian faith.

Section 1. Any group of persons within the Church which shall desire to be known and recognized as auxiliary to the church shall apply for approval and recognition as such by the Church Council. Such organizations shall report their activities to the Church at each annual meeting.

The Church shall create and maintain an Endowment Fund and such special funds as may be acquired by will, gift, or vote of the Board of Trustees or of the Church.

a.All funds shall be placed in the Endowment Fund where there is no restriction as to use of income. The portion of such funds where the use of principal is forbidden, or is permitted but restricted, shall be so designated on the records of the treasurer, but may be combined for purposes of investment with the portion unrestricted as to use of principal. No payment of principal from the Endowment Fund may be made except upon a two-thirds vote in favor thereof the members, present and voting, adopted at a meeting of the Church, duly called and held under the provisions of these By-Laws, except as authorized by the terms of the will, gift, or vote under which such funds were acquired.

b.A record of special funds acquired by will, gift, or vote of the Board of Trustees or of the Church under provisions which restrict the use of income, shall be kept by the treasurer with a statement of such restrictions. No payment of principal shall be made except as provided in paragraph (a) or as authorized by the terms of the will, gift, or vote under which such funds were acquired.

c.The Memorial Fund shall be a special fund to which contributions may be made in memory of a deceased person. Both principal and income are to be used, from time to time, for the purchase of some specific article or the financing of some specific project for the Church. Such expenditures shall be voted by the Board of Trustees after due consideration of the recommendation of a Memorial Committee consisting of the chairman of the Board of Trustees, the chairman and vice-chairman of the Board of Deacons, and the pastor, who shall be its chairman.

d.The funds of the Church acquired and held under the provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this Article VIII-A shall be administered under the provisions of Section 18 of Article VII of these By-Laws.

The Church, in its endeavors to carry out its purposes in the spirit of its Faith and Covenant, shall seek to establish and maintain certain Special Funds, namely:

It is the primary purpose of this Fund to provide funds for expenditures which do not recur annually, or to meet emergencies having to do with the church buildings, their improvement, preservation, and maintenance in ways not provided for otherwise.

Payments from the income of this Fund may be made upon the vote in favor of two-thirds of the members of the Board of Trustees present at a meeting duly held, or upon the vote in favor of a majority of the members of the Church, present and voting at a meeting duly held. Payments from principal may be made upon the vote in favor of two-thirds of the members of the Church, present and voting, at a meeting duly held.

The purposes of this Fund include not only Home and Foreign Mission as understood historically, but also endeavors to meet human needs wherever such needs be found.

The Board of Mission and Social Concern shall make recommendations to the Church, from time to time, concerning the use of this Fund, through the Church calendar or the "Church on the Green".

Payments from the income of this Fund may be made upon the vote in favor of two-thirds of the members of the Board of Mission and Social Concern present at a meeting duly held, or upon the vote in favor of a majority of the members of the Church, present and voting, at a meeting duly held. Payments from principal may be made upon the vote in favor of two-thirds of the members of the Church, present and voting, at a meeting duly held.

It is the purpose of the Fund to promote the programs of the Church in service of its members and the Community.

The Board of Deacons shall make recommendations from time to time concerning the use of this Fund, either through the Church calendar or the "Church on the Green".

Payments from the income of this Fund may be made upon the vote in favor of two-thirds of the members of the Board of Deacons present at a meeting duly held, or upon vote in favor of a majority of the members of the Church, present and voting, at a meeting duly held. Payments from principal may be made upon the vote in favor of two-thirds of the members of the Church, present and voting, at a meeting duly held.

Section 1. Service of worship shall be held at stated times on the Lordís Day and at such other times as may be determined by the pastor or by the Church Council.

The Lordís Supper shall be celebrated upon the first Lordís Day of each alternate month beginning with February unless otherwise determined by the Board of Deacons.

Section 2. At any of the regular meetings for worship the Church may, without special notice, act upon the appointment of the delegates to councils and conferences of churches, and upon any temporary changes in or arrangements for the services of the Church not involving the appropriation of money.

Section 3. (Amended January 21, 1991) The Annual Meeting of the Church shall be held on the first Thursday of March, unless otherwise determined by the Church Council, at which time the annual reports shall be presented, officers elected and such other business transacted as may be specified or authorized by these By-Laws.

Section 4. Special meetings shall be called forthwith by the clerk upon the request of the pastor, the moderator, the Council or ten members of the Church, and may be called directly by them if the clerk shall fail to act within seven days after being so requested. The object of the meeting shall be stated in the call thereof.

Section 5. The annual and special meeting shall be called by a notice stating the object of the meeting, with a copy thereof being sent to all members of the Church in full and regular standing, whether or not eligible to vote, at the last address of such members on the records of the clerk, at least two weeks prior to the holding of such meeting for the annual meeting, and at least one week prior to the holding of such meeting for a special meeting, and, in each instance, read during the service of worship on the Lordís Day next preceding the meeting, or published in the Church calendar for said day, provided that where more than one such member resides in the same household, one notice to such household addressed to any one or more of such members therein shall take be sufficient. The statement in these By-Laws that the Church shall take any action shall refer to the aforesaid meetings of the members.

Section 6. At all meetings seventy-five members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lesser number may meet and adjourn.

Section 7. In the absence of the moderator some member of the Church Council, or if there be none present, any voting member of the Church shall call the meeting to order, and preside until a moderator pro-tem is chosen.

Section 1. The fiscal year of the Church shall run from January 1 through December 31 of each year.

Section 1. In addition to other requirements set forth in these By-Laws, no real property owned by the Church, or interest therein, shall be conveyed, transferred, or released except upon a two-thirds vote in favor thereof of the members, present and voting, adopted at a meeting of the Church, duly called and held under the provisions of these By-Laws. This section shall apply to the giving of a mortgage to secure sums borrowed by the Church, or other obligation thereof.

Section 2. The Church shall not join in any union with any other church or group of churches upon a local, district, state, national, or international basis; or waive, release or modify in any particular its autonomy and the rights enumerated in Section 21 of the Constitution of the United Church of Christ, as now provided therein, whether enjoyed under said constitution or otherwise, nor convey, transfer, or release its interest in the real property located on Longmeadow and Williams Streets, and including the old parsonage property, owned by the Church at the adoption of this section, except upon a two-thirds vote in favor thereof of the members, present and voting, adopted at a meeting of the Church, duly called and held under the provisions of these By-Laws; and, provided further, any such affirmative vote shall be ratified by a similar two-thirds vote at a succeeding meeting of the Church duly called, and held at least two months after the final adjournment of the prior meeting, notice of such succeeding meeting, in addition to other requirements of these By-Laws, being sent to all members of the Church, whether or not eligible to vote, at the last address of such members on the records of the clerk, at least two weeks prior to the holding of such meeting, with at least one publication thereof in the public press at least two weeks prior to the holding of such meeting. This section shall not apply to the giving of a mortgage to secure sums borrowed for operating expenses, to erect new buildings, to add to, alter, or repair existing buildings, but shall apply to the giving of a mortgage for any other purpose.

Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any annual or special meeting of the Church provided notice of the proposed amendment is stated in the call of meeting.

Section 2. The provisions of Section 2 of Article XI, and of this Section 2, may be amended only by a two-thirds vote of the members, present and voting, at two successive meetings of the Church, duly called and held as provided in said Section 2 of Article XI for action under said Section 2.