Annual Meetings
Annual meetings are a time for church members to gather, celebrate the congregation’s life, conduct the official business of the church, and make decisions that affect their common life together. One way to organize the meeting is to separate it into three segments:
- Stating our purpose together as a congregation
- Celebrating the life we have had together in the past year
- Looking ahead to how God is leading us into the future
The ELCA Constitution for Congregations states that the powers of the congregation are vested in the congregational meeting called and conducted as provided in this constitution and bylaws. (C5.02.) Congregations hold annual meetings at a time specified in their bylaws.
Annual Meeting Checklist
Constitution Updates
Every three years - next update 2025
Why is it important to keep your constitution updated?
- All ELCA congregations must comply with the ELCA model constitution AND they must add the updates made at Churchwide.
- Keeping the constitution up to date is a matter of good faith and good governance.
- If, for example, a congregation were sued, an out-of-date constitution might be seen as a sign of general neglect.
- For congregations in transition, an outdated constitution can indicate a lack of vitality or congregation functionality to potential new ministers
- As 501c3 non-profits, it is important for congregations to operate in accordance with Oregon law to retain tax-exemption status
More can be found on the ELCA constitutions webpage.