CONSTITUTION

(Adopted 1902-Revised 2001)

ARTICLE I. NAME

This Church shall be called “Park Avenue Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Arlington Heights, Massachusetts.”

ARTICLE II. CHARACTER

Section 1. Its polity is Congregational, and its understanding of Christian truth is substantially in accord with the belief of the Congregational Churches of the United States; and in substance set forth by a Committee of their National Council in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and eighty three.

Section 2. Obligations of members. It is understood that church members are under obligation to be loyal to the Church with which they are connected, and to prove their devotion by supporting the Church in its work, with money and effort and personal service, by promoting a spirit of fellowship among its members, by advancing its interests and influence in the community by all proper means, and by so increasing their piety as to enlarge the efficiency of this body, and gain for it the approval of the great Head of the Church.

ARTICLE III. COVENANT

The bond of union between the members of this Church and its distinctive Confession of Faith is set forth in the following Covenant which is also its Form of Admission to membership:

Dearly Beloved: In presenting yourself (or yourselves) for membership in this Church thereby acknowledging God as your heavenly Father and/or loving Creator, and Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior , and accepting the Holy Scriptures as the rule of your life in faith and practice, you do recognize both the duty and privilege of uniting with the Christian community, for fellowship and for the means of growth in spiritual life and for the larger opportunity and usefulness in extending the kingdom of God. And you do, also, in the sight of God and before the world sacredly covenant, so far as you have power, to order your life in public and in private according to the teaching and in the spirit of Jesus Christ; and in becoming a member (or members) of this church you promise to submit to the orderly administration of its affairs, to walk with its members in Christlike love, to guard carefully its honor in your life and conduct, to be present as far as possible at its services, and to contribute according as you may be able to its temporal and spiritual prosperity. And this you do relying upon God for help and in fidelity to Jesus Christ as Savior and Friend, and with confidence in the gracious spirit of God as Comforter and Guide.

_______________ Do you thus covenant?

_______________ _______________ (Baptism administered here)

THE CHURCH COVENANTS And now, we, the members of this Church, in view of your engagement do, on our part, most cordially receive you into our membership. In fulfillment of our sacred obligation we pledge you our sympathy and our loving, Christian fellowship. We engage to watch over you in a caring and generous spirit, and to pray for you, and to further in every possible way your largest growth in the Christian life and your widest influence in the service of humanity

(The right hand of welcome may be given here by the Pastor in the name of the church)

Prayer and Benediction.

ARTICLE IV. AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended at any Annual meeting by a three-quarters vote of those active members of the Church present and voting plus those active members who vote by proxy, provided said change has been laid before the Church in writing at a business meeting not less than three months before the time of the proposed action, and read from the pulpit on the Lord’s day next preceding the Annual Meeting at which action is to be taken thereon.

The original Constitution dated 1902 is attached

Original

CONSTITUTION

(Adopted 1902)

ARTICLE I. NAME

This church shall be called “The Park Avenue Congregational Church of Arlington Heights, Massachusetts”.

ARTICLE II. CHARACTER

Section 1. Its polity is Congregational, and its understanding of Christian truth is substantially in accord with the belief in the Congregational Churches

of the United States; and in substance set forth by a Committee of their National Council in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and eighty three.

Section 2. Obligations of members. It is understood that a church member is under the obligation to be loyal to the Church with which he is connected, and to prove his devotion by supporting the Church in its work, with money and effort and personal service, by promoting a spirit of fellowship among its members, by advancing its interests and influence in the community by all proper means, and by so increasing his piety as to enlarge the efficiency of the brotherhood, and gain for it the approval of the great Head of the Church.

ARTICLE III. COVENANT

The bond of union between the members of this Church and its distinctive Confession of Faith is set forth in the following Covenant which is also its Form of Admission to membership:

Dearly Beloved: In the presenting yourself (or yourselves) for membership in this Church thereby acknowledging God as your heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Master, and accepting the Holy Scriptures as the rule of your life in faith and practice, you do recognize both the duty and privilege of uniting with the Christian brotherhood, for fellowship and for the means of growth in spiritual life and for the larger opportunity and usefulness in extending the kingdom of God. And you do, also, in the sight of God and before the world sacredly covenant, so far as you have the power, to order your life in public and in private according to the teaching and in the spirit of Jesus Christ; and in becoming a member (or members) of this church you promise to submit to the orderly administration of its affairs, to walk with its members in brotherly love, to carefully guard its honor in your life and conduct, to be present as far as possible at its services, and to contribute according as you may be able to its temporal and spiritual prosperity. And this you do relying upon God for help and in fidelity to Jesus Christ as Saviour and Friend, and with confidence in the gracious spirit of God as Comforter and Guide.

_______________ Do you thus covenant?

_______________ _______________ (Baptism administered here)

THE CHURCH COVENANTS And now, we, the members of this Church, in view of your engagement do, on our part, most cordially receive you into our fellowship, and in fulfillment of our sacred obligation pledge to you our sympathy and our loving, Christian friendship; we engage to watch over you in a fraternal and generous spirit, and to pray for you, and to further in every possible way your largest growth in the Christian life and your widest influence in the service of mankind

(The right hand of welcome may be given here by the Pastor in the name of the church)

Prayer and Benediction

ARTICLE IV. AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended at any Annual meeting by a three-quarters vote of all of the members of the Church in good and regular standing, not on the absentee list, providing said change has been laid before the Church in writing at a business meeting not less than three months before the time of the proposed action, and read from the pulpit on the Lord’s day next preceding the Annual Meeting at which action is to be taken thereon.