Resolution To Elect Additional Ruling Elders


by FPC Leadership on February 26, 2014

BE IT RESOLVED by the Congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, Mississippi, that:

The Congregation elect eight (8) additional Ruling Elders, the election to be held in the sanctuary of the church after the regular 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. worship services on Sunday, August 3, 2014, and each Sunday thereafter, after the regular 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. worship services, until such additional Ruling Elders are elected in accordance with the procedure hereinafter outlined. For the purpose of this election only, the 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. services shall be considered as one Congregational Meeting, with the presence of a quorum to be determined after the 11:00 a.m. service, and with the ballots cast after the 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. services to be preserved and counted with those ballots cast after the 11:00 a.m. service.

Section 24-1, the Book of Church Order, Presbyterian Church in America provides:

                       
Every church shall elect persons to the offices of Ruling Elder and Deacon in the
following manner: At such times as determined by the Session, communicant members of the congregation may submit names to the Session, keeping in mind that each prospective officer should be an active male member who meets the qualifications set forth in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1.  After the close of the nomination period, nominees for the office of ruling elder and/or deacon shall receive instruction in the qualifications and work of the office.  Each nominee shall then be examined in:

a. his Christian experience, especially his personal character and family management (based on the qualifications set out in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1: 6-9),

b. his knowledge of Bible content,

c. his knowledge of the system of doctrine, government, discipline contained in the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America (BCO Preface III, The Constitution Defined),

d. the duties of the office to which he has been nominated, and

e. his willingness to give assent to the questions required for ordination.  (BCO 24-6)

The Session shall examine and approve those nominated and then report to the Congregation before election day those eligible for election.

This plan will be followed, and each communing member of the Congregation in good and regular standing will have from March 9, 2014, until 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 4, 2014, to submit up to, but not exceeding eight (8) written nominations to the Eldership. Only those men who have been members of First Presbyterian Church for at least three years, who meet the qualifications of Scripture, whose reputation and character are known, who are committed to the doctrines of our church, and who show the gifts for the specific office being considered are eligible for nomination.

Each full communing member is allowed to nominate as many men as have been approved to be elected. By submitting and signing an officer nomination form, church members are attesting that they have spoken with the person being nominated and have gained his permission to do so.

For a male member of the congregation to be considered for nomination for either Elder/Deacon, he shall be required to receive at least three nominations. All nominations for either office shall be handed in or mailed to the Executive Minister’s office on the provided form.

 
For multiple nominations, a separate form for each nominee should be provided.

The Moderator will appoint at once nine (9) managers to conduct the election and count the votes until eight  (8) Ruling Elders have been elected. The voting will be by secret written ballot which will be prepared by the committee of managers, and on election day one (1) ballot will be furnished each communing member of the Congregation present. The names of the nominees will be alphabetically listed on the ballot and the nominee or nominees receiving a majority of the votes cast by the communing members present shall be elected.

If eight (8) Ruling Elders are not elected at the Congregational Meeting on Sunday, August 3, 2014, a similar ballot shall be prepared by the committee of managers, which ballot shall contain the names of twice the number of Ruling Elders yet to be elected, the nominees on that ballot to be those with the highest number of votes next after those who were elected, and the voting to take place at a reconvened meeting of the Congregation after the regular 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. worship services on August 10, 2014. If the election is not completed on August 10, 2014, then the election will be continued in like manner from Sunday to Sunday after the 8:30 a.m.,11:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. worship services until eight (8) Ruling Elders have been elected by a majority vote of the communing members present and voting.

A member may vote for up to the full number of officers to be elected for each ballot to be valid (in other words, a member may vote for less than the number of officers, and it still be a valid ballot).

The Resolution to Elect Additional Deacons will be published in next week’s edition of The First Epistle.

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