THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF SALEM REFORMED CHURCH

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

For the glory of God, the praise of Jesus Christ, and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, 

May the words and provisions of this constitution - and any future amendments - only be derived from God's Word, promote the faith of the Lord, and edify the faithful who call themselves Christians.  

We, members of the Church of our Lord, desiring to be blessed together have united as a congregation in common confession, defense, and propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, do hereby adopt this constitution and solemnly pledge to do good by its provisions. 

May blessing be withheld and curses be upon any future generations who would purposely seek to lead this church away from faithfulness to her Lord, and in any way surrender the ministry to deceit and falsehood.

The name of this church shall be Salem Reformed Church of the Cove (hereafter designated ‘Salem’.) Our church was founded in 1803 by reformed Christians, primarily from Germany, seeking to bring the faith of the Scriptures - distilled in the Heidelberg Catechism - to the United States of America. For more than two centuries, our Lord has faithfully brought this church body to where we are today, and has used Salem to be a light and gospel witness in the Cove. Our church building is located at 4008 Clover Creek Road, Martinsburg PA 16662.

The avowed purpose of this church shall be to worship God, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, respond in faith, to rightly administer the Sacraments, and to exercise discipline in accordance with the Holy Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments. This church exists to glorify God through Christian fellowship, service, apostolic teaching, prayer, and breaking bread with one another. We proclaim the Kingdom of God on earth. 

This Church acknowledges as its sole head, Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. We confess that He is both Lord and King. He has left His will and testament to us in the Scriptures of the Old and New Covenant. Therefore, the Holy Bible is our ultimate and only infallible rule of faith and practice. To them we are to heed, listen, and obey. We teach from only translations which are accurately translated, word for word,  from the Greek and Hebrew.  Some current examples are the Authorized Version, the New King James, and English Standard Version. 

As a local church in the wider and universal body of Christ’s Bride, Salem does not seek to create her own unique doctrine or formulas. This would be folly. We gladly receive the plain meaning of Scripture and therefore affirm the Trinity, the sufficiency, clarity, and infallibility of the Scripture, the doctrine of original sin, the doctrines of sovereign grace, the Virgin Birth, the Sacrificial Atonement of Christ, the triumphant Resurrection, the Ascension of Christ to the right hand of power, justification by faith alone, and the victorious Second Coming of Christ when He will return to judge the living and the dead. All of these events took or will take place physically, not only spiritually. 

While we affirm there is a wideness in those who belong to Christ, it is still possible to believe, upon study of the Bible, that certain theological views are actually correct. To help parse out these details, instruct the young, summarize our commitments, and provide unity, reformed Christians use creeds and confessions. 

The Creed

The Apostle’s Creed is one of the oldest affirmations of the Christian faith. This creed is Trinitarian in its structure and clearly explains the most significant events in mankind’s redemption through the love and power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This creed also displays the importance of the Church. No Christian is to be an island unto himself, but rather is called out of the world and into the community of the family of God.

The Confessions

Let there be no mistake: we trust the Bible alone as the Word of God to us. We believe becoming fully biblically saturated is a worthy goal to direct what we believe and do. Through the history of the Church, people have produced more succinct documents, not to replace, but to help teach the doctrines in Scripture. These are called “Confessions of Faith.” The confession of faith we esteem is called the Heidelberg Catechism (1563).

We also find the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) to be extremely helpful.

These creeds and confessions are frequently referred to during Bible study, and we consider them a valuable tool to assist believers in becoming theologically literate (I Peter 3:15). But, to be clear, they are only helpful insofar as they assist us in learning the Scriptures. Where the Scriptures would differ from any of these confessions, the Scriptures trump them and always come first.

We profess that the Church is God’s divine creation and it is both real and visible. The Church is comprised of all those who have been baptized into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The marks of Christ’s Church include, but are not limited to: the perpetual preaching of the Gospel, the legacy of sound doctrine, the celebration of the Sacraments, qualified officers known as pastors, elders, and deacons, and the just use of church discipline. 

The Church worships God, fellowships with one another, and offers the Cup of Christ’s blessing to a lost world. The Church is a body of believers, called out by God, to be His unique people to refresh the whole world and worship the Triune God. We belong in God’s New Covenant, covenanted together to do the will of the Father. The Church exists universally (catholic) all around the world and of all time, and also locally as bodies of believers governing in a particular place and time. 

In light of this, membership in God’s Church is one of our most important identities. The Apostle Paul likens the Church to our mother (Galatians 4:26). Therefore, to be a son or daughter of the Church is a chief privilege in our lives. Since Christian baptism is what introduces someone into Christ’s body, the Church is therefore real and visible. We can know who belongs to Christ, and we ought to fulfill our duties to God and to one another accordingly. 

Therefore, as the Reformers and those before them were fond of teaching, there is no salvation outside the Church. They were not saying one had to have a membership certificate to be saved. Nor were they teaching that one had to be a member of this or that particular church to be saved. Rather they were saying that since the Church is the Body of Christ - our Head - the Church is a primary means by which God sanctifies, cleanses, teaches, and refreshes His people. By that clear logic, to neglect a genuine opportunity to participate in the life of the Church is to willingly go without fellowship, the Sacraments, purity, biblical knowledge, wisdom, and refreshment away from the world. Therefore, outside of an extraordinary circumstance, people are to find salvation within Christ’s Church. To willfully ignore, exclude oneself, slander, and neglect Christ’s Bride are heinous acts of rebellion; (assuredly, we acknowledge the unique cases of sickness, emergencies, those employed in emergency work, and cases such as these which are substantially different from simple, willful neglect of the local church and these cases are to be handled differently).

Membership is a tangible way to grasp our blood-bought privilege and responsibility to make the Body of Christ and her work first in our lives. 

Membership makes us aware of our duties to the Church, our duties in personal Christian living, and our duties to fellow members. The manifold commands of the New Testament, mostly all written to various churches, outrightly assume that its readers are in active attendance at their local body of believers. Moreover, our Lord specifically tells us not to neglect to meet together (Heb. 10:25). Membership is an initial step to covenant together for the holy use of our time, talents, and treasures for the glory of God in our generation.

Membership in Salem Reformed Church shall be open to any person who has been baptized, and can make a public confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and their baptized children also. 

In addition a person can become a member through a letter of transfer from another Christian congregation. 

Covenant Vows

Members shall commit themselves to:

• attend the regular worship of the church and the celebration of the LORD’s Supper

• live the Christian life in integrity

• share in the life and work of the church

• contribute to its support and benevolence

• seek the welfare and unity of the community, and

• submit to the minister and elders of the church in matters pertaining to their Christian life, should church discipline be necessary. 

These will be known as their covenant vows. 

Members eligible to vote and hold office are members of the church that have reached majority (age of 18) for purposes of voting, holding position, leading and executing legal contracts on behalf of the church.

Communicant membership (referring especially to baptized children's access to the Lord's Table) shall be a matter between the parents of the children, the minister, and session of elders pertaining to the timing and nature of their partaking of the sacrament.

Any member seeking to leave the church because of a change in faith or issue within the church, should first meet with the Session or Consistory in good faith to discuss the issue. If reconciliation is not possible at the time, a letter of transfer may be requested.

Any member who remains inactive for two years, may by a simple majority vote of the Consistory be removed from the membership roll. This should only be done after said member has been reached by members of the Consistory, seeking their return and renewed life within the church. 

If a member persistently breaches his covenant vows and the law of Scripture in continual, public, and grevious ways, the minister, elders and deacons, after due notice has been given to him, shall hold a hearing before the Consistory. This hearing shall be conducted with faithful effort being made to bring the member to repentance in accordance with the law of Christ. Reconciliation is the goal. If this fails, the member may be censured, and his or her membership suspended or terminated. Titus 3:10-11 teaches that such a person is to be warned once or twice, given the situation, then the elders are to proceed based on the person's response. A repentant response is to be sought for, whereas an unwillingness to change from their sinful way leads to lawful discipline. We are to follow the model of Matthew 18, where the brother or sister who sins against us is first entreated privately, then with two or more witnesses, then before the whole church. This same procedure follows for the minister and all members of the Consistory. In fact, the standard for them is all the higher due to the holiness of their calling (1 Timothy 5:20)

Salem Reformed Church is a Congregation represented by the Consistory. The Consistory is made of two distinct groups: the Session and the Board of Deacons.

 The Session is the group made of pastor(s) and elders. There shall be no less than two elders. 

The Board of Deacons consists of all Deacons and committee chairs. There shall be no less than three deacons, and no more than seven total voting members. 

The Servants of the Church are members in good standing of Salem Reformed Church who come alongside especially the deacons for the general welfare of the Church. They are welcome and encouraged to attend the Board of Deacons’ Meeting. 

The Committee Chairs shall have a vote among the Board of Deacons, while the Servants of the Church do not hold a vote. 

The Committees of the Church are various groups initiated or approved by the Consistory to serve the mission of the Church. Each committee shall appoint one member to be its chair. Any member of majority age may serve as Chair. Committee Chairs are welcome to attend and serve in the meetings of the Consistory and Board of Deacons. They shall attend no less than quarterly.

The positions of Treasurer and Secretary shall be approved by the Consistory, and may be occupied by any member in good standing of Salem Reformed Church, and they shall serve without a term limit, and their service shall be renewed every January.

They shall give a thirty day notice before stepping down from their positions. 

The Treasurer and Secretary shall attend the quarterly meetings of the Consistory and the monthly meetings of the Board of Deacons.

The Consistory shall be the combination of both of these ecclesiastical groups, plus the secretary and treasurer. The Consistory shall be the executive body of this church, and shall meet no less than once a quarter. A majority of its members shall constitute a quorum. 

The elders, deacons, and committee chairs are the only voting members of their respective bodies and of the Consistory. 

Procedure for Installing Officers

• At a time determined by the elders, the congregation may submit names of men they deem to be biblically qualified for the offices of Elder or Deacon. The qualifications are set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Congregation members must first obtain the candidate’s permission for nomination.

• Next, candidates will be equipped to become familiar with the doctrine and Constitution of Salem Reformed Church, followed by examination by the pastor(s) and elders. Any exceptions the candidate takes with Salem Reformed Church’s doctrines and practices are to be made known and weighed by the Session.

• Following this, the elders shall announce eligible candidates at least 30 days prior to a congregational meeting for elections.

• All members eligible to vote in good standing at Salem Reformed Church are entitled to vote in the election of church officers. All officer elections are by a simple majority of those present.

• From that point onward, the officer will serve on the Consistory for five years. After the year of rest, the same person will be welcomed back to the Consistory, should he be both able and willing. Once a man has already been affirmed by the congregation once, he does not need to be so again after returning to the Consistory after his year of rest, but shall first be affirmed by the Consistory before continuing service.

….

The Session shall organize itself each year, electing a president, and a vice-president. The offices of secretary and treasurer may be filled by non-consistory church members.

The Consistory may also form boards and committees that will serve to further the purpose of the church.

The Consistory shall be the policy-making body and shall transact the business of the church. While all church members are encouraged to counsel and come alongside the Consistory, the majority of spiritual decisions for the church shall be made by the vote of the Consistory, particularly the elders.

Elders and deacons shall meet separately at least once a month. Elders, in their meeting, will attend to the ministry of the Word and praying for the Church, per Acts 6. Elders are called to care, oversee, and tend to the spiritual needs of the flock. 

Deacons shall attend to the material needs of the Church and ministries of mercy. The entire Consistory shall meet quarterly. Committee chairs are also to attend the quarterly meetings. 

Meetings shall include both prayer and study of God’s Word, along with the needs and projects of the church. Special meetings are subject to the President’s call. Members of the Consistory should miss no more than three of the twelve monthly meetings each year. As much as possible, attendance at all of them is highly recommended for the sake of the whole church. 

Elders and deacons are to be, first, members of Salem Reformed Church, affirmed by the church, and installed or ordained into their office. Elders are particularly given the task of assisting the Pastor in the spiritual affairs of the church: teaching, the Lord’s Supper, and visitation. 

Deacons shall be tasked with the significant work of the material needs of the church grounds and her members: their work is sympathy and service. The pastor and elders have the work of teaching and shepherding, while the deacons share the work of maintenance and provision.  Together the Consistory is to meet the physical and spiritual needs of Salem Reformed Church. The Consistory is to rule and wield authority in humility, integrity, and kindness. The stricter judgment shall be upon those who teach, James 3:1 warns. The Consistory does not govern callously, without regard to the state of the congregation, but rather for the good and building-up of the people. However, the Consistory must do what is right and defined by Scripture, rather than the sheer will of the people. The Church is decidedly not a democracy, but rather an institution of Christ the King as governed through His ministers.

The congregation (members of majority age, as cited in Article 4) shall vote on the initial adoption of this constitution, the calling of a new pastor, purchases that accrue debt, and any official amendment to the constitution. 

A vote of ⅔ majority is necessary to ratify these stated matters. A vote of ¾ majority is required to amend the constitution.

Beyond these, the Consistory shall attend to the regular business of the church, make policy, and conduct the decision-making of the Church. 

Biblical qualifications of pastors, elders and deacons are to be found in 1 Timothy 2, 1 Timothy 3, and Titus 1. These passages ought to be regularly studied by the Consistory throughout each year. Moreover, the principles laid down in these passages are to be used in the selection of every officer of the church. No one is above these standards. These standards are given by God Himself, and He takes great care in the order of His household. In these pastoral epistles, the Apostle Paul instructs us how the church of God is to be managed and rightly ordered.

Based on these passages, Salem Reformed Church will examine qualified men for each of these offices. The Consistory, upon a man being nominated, shall examine his life and doctrine before installing him to office. His character must align with Scripture. The qualified officer is one whose life is in accordance with their Christian profession of faith. He must live above reproach. Also, he must believe in the fundamental doctrines of this church, as explained in Article 3. 

A man may become an officer only after being a member of Salem Reformed Church for at least one year. This requirement (and this requirement alone) may be set aside in a specific case by the unanimous consent of the consistory.

Outside of the official ordained offices of the church which have been established by our Lord, Salem Reformed Church acknowledges the many times the Old and New Testaments speak of “servants” and “service” rendered by men and women alike that is inestimable and to be honored by all. The women of any local church are by no means mere spectators, but rather bring glory and excellence to the body as we are different members with unique gifts for the sake of the same Body; consider Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Priscilla (Acts 18), Mary the Mother of our Lord (Luke 1-3), and Mary at the empty tomb (John 20). This being so, with the desire to establish the women of Salem Reformed Church in the daily ministry and work of the Body, women who are servants of the Church shall work alongside the Deacons, and attend their meetings, in effort to glorify God and serve the needs of the Church, particularly those needs where the women can most aptly come alongside aiding the needs of other women.

When the pastoral office is vacant, the Consistory is responsible to begin and conduct the pastoral search. 

The man who is called must embrace the reformed faith as taught by the Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Standards, and has successfully fulfilled an adequate level of ministerial training.

Any exceptions he takes with these are to be made known and weighed by the Consistory.

Once a man is found to serve as pastor, he will meet the congregation and preach for them no less than three times. After this, the congregation will vote. A 3/4 majority is required to call him as pastor. 

Removal of Officers (Pastor, Elder, Deacon)

An officer may resign with written notice, and such resignation shall be weighed and approved by the elders.

The consistory may ask for the resignation of an officer for heresy or moral failure if there is unanimous consent within the consistory.

If one of the members of the church believes an officer  may be morally or doctrinally unfit for his office, the Scriptural requirement is clear: he is to approach that elder individually first (Matthew 18:15), and then with one or two others (Matthew 18:16). If the problem remains, then two or three witnesses should come to the Consistory and present the charges (1 Timothy 5:19).

If the charges are doctrinal or moral in nature, and if the elders unanimously decide that the question merits an investigation, then they will follow the matter with a fitting response and discipline.

If the charges are unanimously sustained by the elders, then that officer, depending on the gravity of the charges and the response to the correction, will be rebuked in the presence of the congregation (1 Timothy 5:20), or will be removed from the office of elder (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), or both.

The annual meeting of the church shall be held in the month of January. At this meeting, the Consistory, the officers of the church, the pastor(s), and all church committees shall submit their annual reports in writing.

A moderator, selected by the Consistory, shall lead the meeting and be foremost to answer questions. Typically the moderator shall be the President of the Consistory.  A clerk or secretary shall be selected to record the minutes of the meeting for permanent record.

Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by this Constitution.

The Congregation shall be notified two week prior to the meeting of the meeting's date.

The church shall have sole title to its property, real, personal, or mixed, tangible or intangible, and shall be sole owner of any equity it may have in any real estate, and no denomination or other entity shall have any reversionary or other rights or title with respect thereto.

Upon joining any denomination, such must be done with the ability of holding all rights to church property and equity, or that denomination shall not be joined.

These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed by a three-fourths majority vote of the church members present at any regular or special meeting.

The procedure for amending these bylaws shall be as follows:

• The Pastor(s), Session, Deacons, or any church member may propose amendments to the Consistory at any time. Proposed amendments must be made in writing and must include a brief rationale for the change, the original language in question, and the suggested revised language.

• The Consistory will discuss the proposed amendment and determine whether to present it to the congregation for approval at the annual congregational meeting.

• Proposed amendments will be presented to the congregation at least two (2) weeks in advance of the annual congregational meeting.

• Those amendments adopted by a three-fourths majority vote of the members present at the annual congregational meeting will take effect immediately.

•The reason for amendments is to bring our doctrine and practice more thoroughly aligned with holy Scripture, and to maximize the effectiveness of our church.

Adopted by a two-thirds majority vote (super majority) of the Corporation members of the Salem Reformed Church of the Cove, Pennsylvania, this ____ day of _____, 202_, in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania. These Bylaws supersede and replace all other previously adopted bylaws.