Any eligible Missionary Baptist Church in the State of Connecticut may become a member of this corporation. To be an eligible Missionary Baptist Church, they church must have a pastor, a board of deacons, a board of trustees, a board of missionary society and a Sunday School. If the church seeking membership does not have a pastor, the corporation shall recognize the designated leadership of the church seeking membership.
An eligible Missionary Baptist Church shall become a member by making a written application to the President or Secretary of the corporation and paying the annual dues based upon the then-current schedule of dues. The church must provide satisfactory evidence of existence, which evidence shall be reviewed by the Faith and Order Ministry, which will submit its finding and recommendations to the Board of Directors for adoption at a regular Board Meeting, and ratification by the membership at its annual meeting.
Any church may withdraw from the corporation after fulfilling all obligations to it by giving written notice of such intentions to the Secretary, which notice shall be presented to the Board of Directors by the Secretary at the first meeting after receiving notice.
A Church may be suspended for non-payment of dues or expelled for cause, such as violation of the By-Laws or Rules of the Corporation. Suspension or expulsion shall be by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors, provided that a statement of the charges shall be mailed by certified mail to the church under charge at the church’s last recorded address at least fifteen (15) days before final action is taken thereon; this statement shall be accompanied by a notice of the time when and place where the Board of Directors is to take action on the matter. The church shall be given an opportunity to present a defense at the time and place mentioned in such notice.
Dues
ANNUAL DUES: The Board of Directors may determine from time to time the amount of annual dues payable to the corporation by members.
PAYMENT OF DUES: Dues shall be payable in advance, on the first day of January in each fiscal year. Dues of a new church shall be prorated from the first day of the month in which such new church is elected to membership for the remainder of the fiscal year of the corporation.
DEFAULT AND TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP: When any church shall be in default in the payment of dues for a period of one (1) year from the beginning of the fiscal year or a period for which such dues became payable, the church’s membership may thereupon be terminated by the Board of Directors in the manner provided in Article II, Section 4 of these By-Laws.