Constitution 

Constitution

The Government of the Association.

From a long series of experiences, we the Churches of Jesus Christ being regularly baptized upon the profession of faith in Jesus Christ are convinced of the necessity of a combination of churches in order to perpetuate a union and communion among us, and preserve, maintain and keep the rules and order of Association according to the following plan or form of government.

Article 1. The Association shall be composed of members chosen by the different churches and those sent to represent them in the association shall be members whom they think best qualified for that purpose and they must produce letters from their respective churches certifying their appointment, which entitle them a seat.

Article 2. In the letters from the different churches shall be expressed their numbers in full fellowship, their baptized, received by letter, dismissed, excommunicated and dead, since the last Association.

Article 3. The member thus chosen and convened shall have no power to lord it over God's heritage, nor shall they have any clerical power over the churches, nor shall they infringe on the internal rights of any church in the Union.

Article 4. The Association, when convened, shall be governed by a regular and proper decorum.

Article 5. (A) The Association shall have a Moderator, and Assistant Moderator, a Clerk, and Assistant Clerk, each of whom shall be chosen by the suffrage of the members present.

(B) When a Moderator or Clerk deceases or resigns, the Assistant shall fulfill the office until the next Association.

Article 6. New churches, who shall petition by letter and delegation shall be admitted into our Union and upon examination it found to be orthodox, and orderly, shall be received by the Association and the same manifested by the Moderator extending the hand of fellowship.

Article 7. Every church in the Union shall be entitled to representation in the Association.

Article 8. Every query presented by any church to the Association, being first debated in their own church shall be taken up by the Association. Only three 3) queries per church will be allowed at each Association.

Article 9. Every motion made and second shall be taken up by the Association, except it shall be withdrawn by the member who made it.

Article 10. The Association shall endeavor to furnish each church within the Association an ample supply of Minutes of the Association.

Article 11. There shall be a record book kept wherein the proceedings of each Association shall be regularly recorded by a secretary appointed for that purpose.

Article 12. The minutes of the Association shall be read, and corrected if need be, and signed by the Moderator and Clerk before the Association rises.

Article 13. All matter coming before the Association shall be decided by the will of the majority.

Article 14. The Association shall have the power to:

a)      To provide for the general union of the churches.

b)      To provide inviolable a chain of communication among the churches.

c)       To give the churches all necessary advice in matters of difficulty.

d)      To inquire into the cause why churches fail at any time to represent themselves at the Association.

e)       To appoint any member or members by and with their consent to transact any business they may think necessary.

f)        To withdraw from any church in the Union which violates the rules of the Association or deviated from the orthodox principles of religion.

g)       To admit any orderly minister of our faith and order to a seat with us in the Association.

h)      To adjourn at any future time or place most convenient to the church of union.

i)        No minister shall be ordained unless forwarded by his home church after being set aside for one year. It shall require two or more ordained ministers from separate churches other than its home church to be present at the ordination.

j)        Order by this Association says that no minister shall be ordained without first being recommended by three 3) churches of her body and a presbytery of two or more ordained ministers of this body.

* As voted on by the suffrage of the body of Old Zion Association an Ordination
Council was established. This council shall consist of two ordained ministers of Old Zion Association chosen by the Association along with the Pastor of the Church the Brother is a member of and being set forth from.
The church will be responsible for setting the Brother forth and will be apart of the process of Ordaining the set forth Brother. This council will by majority vote determine when this Brother is ready to be Ordained.
The Pastor and the two (2) ordained ministers are to work with the Brother following Article 14 of our Articles of Faith and Article 14 (i) and (i) of our Constitution. This will ensure our ministers understand the scriptures, our Articles and Constitution before ordained in our Association.

Article 15. In the absence of the Moderator and Assistant Moderator, the church cannot be called to order by anyone except by an ordained Minister of this Association chosen by the majority of members present and only the Moderator shall call for any special meeting. Or by his consent due to sickness or emergency to his Assistant shall call any special meeting.

Article 16. When said church pulls out of this Association for any reason, the Association shall send a committee to advise the church. The majority must vote as to whether to stay or to leave the Association at the next business meeting.

Article 17. Any member who wants to move to another church that the clerk of said church, send for letter, or the clerk of the church they wish to attend, send for letter.

Article 18. Order of Operations for Voting - Election of Officers - Preachers for Friday of following year and Sunday of current year. The process of Delegation voting will be by the Card System. Where each church represented by letter will receive a card for each Office according to the number of delegates seated.