MARYLAND BAPTIST CONVENTION
MARYLAND BAPTIST CONVENTION
In His wise Providence, God instituted government among men. A Constitution with its laws, by-laws, rules and regulations, and with its aims and objectives is properly the vehicle thereof.
The Maryland Baptist Convention, Inc. recognizing that a constitution is essential to the fundamental principles according to which it is governed and its bylaws are the rules to control its actions, this day sets forth this document to give direction, strength and stability to the workings of our convention.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
This body shall be known as the Maryland Baptist Convention, Inc.
1. The purpose of this Convention is mutual fellowship and cooperation with one another as Baptists in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ at home and abroad. To this end, we propose to provide for and support Christian Education, Missions - Home and Foreign and aid struggling Convention member churches.
2. The support of accredited and Executive Board approved religious educational institutions for the training of our young people in general and that of our ministers in particular.
1. The membership of this convention shall consist of Baptist Churches and its members; Life and Associate members in good standing in their local churches and shall be required to give evidence of their faith and practices in Baptist doctrine subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
2. Joining Fee... Churches and Associate members may become members of this Convention by payment of a fee of $25.00. Life members are honorary subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
3. Each Church shall be responsible for a monthly assessment in accordance with the following table of fees.
Class A 1 - 25 $25.00
Class B 26 - 50 50.00
Class C 51 - 75 75.00
Class D 76 - ABOVE 100.00
4. Associate members. Each Associate members of this convention shall be responsible for a quarterly assessment of $25.00.
5. Life Members. Life members are honorary - no fees required.
1. The officers of this Convention shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Assistant Corresponding Secretary, Financial Secretary, Assistant Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Statistician, Auditor, Historian and Director of Public Relations, all of whom must be members of member Churches of the Maryland Baptist Convention.
2. Term of Office. All presidents, Chairpersons of Boards and Director of Congress shall not succeed themselves after having served three (3) consecutive years except by a majority vote of the delegates present at the time of election.
1. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the president during the third (3rd) quarterly session of the convention which meets on the First Thursday in February of each convention year.
2. Membership on the Nominating Committee shall consist of seven (7) members duly qualified and registered in the convention, not less than two (2) of whom shall be pastors.
3. Election of officers shall be by roll call of churches.
4. Time of Election. The time of election of officers shall be during each Annual Session immediately after the President’s Annual Address.
5. In no case shall an officer be eligible for reelection prior to their submission of an annual report from their office, in writing, as required.
Membership. Membership of the Executive Board shall consist of the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Assistant Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Statistician, Auditor, Financial Secretary, Assistant Financial Secretary, Historian, Director of Public Relations, Pastors and Pastors Emeritus.
1. The Executive Board shall transact the unfinished business of the convention.
2. The Executive Board shall arrange quarterly meetings, the Annual Session and other meetings throughout the state of Maryland.
1. The President. The President shall be the presiding officer, the President shall appoint all committees, authorize the calling of all regular and special meetings. The President shall see that the purposes of the convention are carried out. The President shall also see that the mandates of the convention are carried out. The President shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Board. As president, the President shall make an annual address on the state of the convention during its annual session and make such recommendations as will further the cause of the convention.
2. The First Vice President. At the request of the President or in case of the President’s absence, resignation, death or inability to discharge the President’s duties, then the First Vice President shall fill the office of the President.
3. The Second Vice President. The Second Vice President shall perform the duties that are performed by the President and First Vice President in their absence or inability to perform their official duties. The Second Vice President shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.
4. The Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall keep a correct record of the proceedings of the Convention in session; compile and distribute minutes and maintain an up-to-date roll of the Churches, or organization membership. The Recording Secretary is to be the custodian of all written reports made at the annual and quarterly sessions of the convention. The Recording Secretary shall also give an annual report covering the activities of their office.
5. The Assistant Recording Secretary. The Assistant Recording Secretary shall assist the Recording Secretary in compiling the records of the Annual Session. In the absence of the Recording Secretary the Assistant Recording Secretary shall perform the duties of the Recording Secretary.
6. The Corresponding Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to send out a list of the correspondence, announcements, and notices for the convention as authorized by the President.
7. The Statistician. The Statistician shall gather the statistics of the convention and report same annually to the convention, and as authorized by the President.
8. The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive all finances of the Convention and pay or appropriate it as required by the Convention. The Treasurer shall keep the records as to preserve perpetually for reference and report annually all receipts and disbursements to the convention.
9. Auditor. The Auditor shall audit all records of all boards, convention treasurer and all of the Auxiliaries of the Convention; each of which shall be examined at least thirty days prior to the annual session. The Auditor shall make such recommendations as are consistent with good record keeping. The Auditor shall follow up such recommendations.
10. Director of Public Relations. The Director of Public Relations shall give publicity to the aims and objectives of the Maryland Baptist Convention and the National Baptist Convention of America and its Auxiliaries.
11. Historian. The Historian shall keep a correct history of the Convention, report annually, and preserve the history for future reference. The Historian shall also publish documented records of the Blacks/Negroes in the Baptist Churches.
1. This Convention shall have the following boards and auxiliaries: Home Mission, Foreign Mission, Women’s Auxiliary, Men’s Ministry, Youth Department and Board of Christian Education and any other boards and auxiliaries as approved by the convention.
2. Each board and auxiliary shall have the following officers: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary.
3. The duties of the Chairpersons of the Boards and Auxiliaries shall be to preside at all meetings and faithfully carry out the work of the boards and auxiliaries. The Recording Secretaries shall keep records of the board and auxiliary. The Corresponding cor responding Secretaries shall do all of the correspondence of the boards and auxiliaries in accordance with the rules and regulations of the board and auxiliary. The Corresponding Secretaries shall serve as the treasurer of the board and auxiliary and receive and disburse all finance in accordance with Article X of this constitution.
4. The duty of the Foreign Mission Board is to support the efforts of the National Foreign Mission Board and any other Foreign Missions work as approved by the convention.
5. The duty of the Home Mission Board is to help keep alive struggling Convention Churches, and seek to extend their work of The Kingdom in areas where there is a 1lack of opportunity for Christian witness and any other Home Missions work as approved by the convention.
6. The Board of Christian Education shall have a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and one or two members at large.
7. The duty of the Women’s Auxiliary shall be to foster missionary work in the state of Maryland; missionary societies and the convention and any other women’s designated work as approved by the convention. To establish, direct and supervise the activity and participation of the at-large children membership of the Convention.
8. The duty of the Men’s Ministry is to foster and promote those ministry opportunities and participation of the at-large male membership of the Convention within the Convention and the community and any other men’s designated work as approved by the convention.
9. The duty of the Youth Department shall be to establish, direct and supervise the activity and participation of the at-large youth membership of the Convention and any other Youth designated work as approved by the convention.
1. Each Auxiliary and Board may collect and raise money for its operation.
2. All monies raised in excess of the operational expenses shall be turned over to the parent body treasury.
3. ALL GRATUITIES AND HONORARIUMS SHALL BE PRESENTED TO THE EXECUTIVE BOARD FOR APPROVAL PRIOR TO THEIR IMPLEMENTATION.
4. The determination of all finances and pay or appropriations of the same for all boards and auxiliaries is at the discretion of the parent body treasury who shall report annually all receipts and disbursements of board and auxiliary expenditures in its annual report to the convention.
The Annual Session of the Maryland Baptist Convention shall convene annually on Wednesday, after the fourth Lord’s Day in May.
This constitution may be amended or revised at any annual session of this convention provided that such request be made in writing and presented to the Executive Board not less than sixty days prior to the annual session.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.