Constitution
Grace Hill Fellowship
Juneau, Wisconsin
Adopted: October 30, 2022

Article I - Name
The name of this church is Grace Hill Fellowship. This church is located in Juneau, Wisconsin.

Article II – Statement of Purpose
Grace Hill Fellowship is the result of a passion to meet the needs of the people in our community. Through this ministry, we strive to glorify God by:
1. Proclaiming God’s truth
2. Corporate worship and fellowship
3. Discipleship
4. Ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of those around us
5. Reaching the lost through local and foreign missions

Article III -Statement of Faith
1. We believe in one God, existing in three co-equal persons but sharing one essence; who is infinitely perfect in all His qualities and characteristics and has eternally existed.
2. We believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, without error, eternal, and perfect; used as the ultimate authority for all things. The entire Bible (66 books), in the original manuscripts, is the inspired word of God written through the personality and will of the human authors by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
3. We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully God and fully man, born of the virgin Mary, second person of the Trinity. Jesus came to die on a cross to take away sin and to satisfy the wrath of God.
4. We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, fully God and abides in the believer as a sign and seal of redemption.
5. We believe that men and women are created in the image of God and for God's glory, are equal in value and dignity but differ in function and role and from birth are in a state of sin and guilt because of the Fall of Adam and are in desperate need of Redemption.
6. We believe salvation is a Sovereign work of God and accomplished completely by the power of God, through the gift of faith, made possible by the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the eternal security of each believer claiming salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
7. We believe God's plan is to return to earth and establish His kingdom.
8. We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.
9. The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Grace Hill Fellowship‘s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Pastor and Elder Board is Grace Hill Fellowship‘s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.

Article IV – Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God.
1. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
2. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that a legal divorce terminates the marriage.
3. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful.
4. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Grace Hill Fellowship as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to members and the community, it is imperative for leaders of any ministry at Grace Hill Fellowship to agree with and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality.
5. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
6. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Grace Hill Fellowship.

Article V - Property
The church may in its corporate name sue or be sued, acquire by purchase, gift, bequest, or otherwise, and own, hold, invest, reinvest or dispose of property, both real and personal, for such work as the church may undertake. It may purchase, own, receive, hold, manage, care for, and transfer, rent, lease, mortgage, or otherwise encumber, sell, assign, transfer, and convey such property for the general purposes of the church. The church may receive and hold in trust both real and personal property and invest and reinvest the same and make any contracts for promoting the objectives and purposes of the church. The Congregation may vote to sell, purchase, mortgage, or transfer the church’s real estate after a two-thirds affirmative vote of the members of the congregation present at any annual or special meeting at which a quorum is in attendance (see Article VII B).
Upon the dissolution of the church, the congregation shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the church’s liabilities, dispose of all the church’s assets exclusively for the purposes of the church, to such organization(s) that are philosophically aligned, organized and operated for religious, charitable, or educational purposes.

Article VI - Membership
A. Members
Any person who: Professes faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord & Savior;
1. Agrees with the Statement of Faith of Grace Hill Fellowship;
2. Agrees with the Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality; and
3. Desires to join in membership with Grace Hill Fellowship
may become a member of Grace Hill Fellowship. Members are encouraged to worship regularly, pray daily, study the Bible, share their God-given gifts of time, talent, and treasure as faithful stewards, and lead a Christ-honoring life. All active members 18 years and older are eligible to vote and hold elective office.
B. Reception of New Members
Persons shall be welcomed into church membership during a regularly scheduled worship service upon receipt and approval of the church membership application (attached) by the Elder Board.
C. Voting Members
Voting members are those who are 18 years or older and whose membership is in good standing.
D. Termination of Membership
Members who request to withdraw membership shall be removed from the membership roll immediately. Members who are no longer leading a consistent with our Statement of Faith and Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality, or have not attended in the last calendar year, shall be removed from membership by vote of the Elder Board. In all cases, the church shall attempt personal contact before a membership is terminated.

Article VII –Government
The governing body of this church shall be the Elder Board.
A. Elders
The purpose of Elders is to guide, direct, and coordinate the ministries and actions of the church body. As such, they have the responsibility for the strategic direction of the church and the authority to establish the corporate ministries of the church.
1. Duties & Roles
Elders are responsible to oversee the ministry of the church by:
a. Guiding, directing and protecting its people
b. Leading by example
c. Teaching and exhorting
d. Refuting those who contradict the truth
e. Overseeing and managing church ministries, finances, policies, business affairs and personnel
f. Establishing goals and objectives

2. Qualifications
a. Candidates for the position of Elder will meet the Biblical qualifications set forth in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
b. Candidates must be members in good standing.
3. Selection
a. The Elder Board will determine the number of positions, if any, to be filled that year.
b. The Elder Board will appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three church Non-Elder members to recommend candidates to the Elder Board.
c. The Elder Board will make a final selection and present the names of prospective Elders to the members of the church.
d. Prospective Elders will be invited to give their testimony of salvation before the church membership.
e. After a thirty-day review period, the prospective Elders will be presented to the church membership for confirmation by written ballot. Approval by at least two-thirds of those voting is required.
f. Each year at the annual business meeting, the membership will vote by written ballot, whether to affirm each of the Elders. Approval by at least two-thirds of those voting is required.
g. The Pastor shall appoint the initial nominees for service on the Elder Board and they shall be approved by the membership as set forth in d.-f. above.
4. Tenure
Each Elder may serve two consecutive three-year terms, subject to affirmation by the membership each year. Following a one-year break in service, an Elder may be selected for additional terms.
5. Removal
If an Elder is unable to fulfill his responsibilities or is living in significant disharmony with Biblical principles, the Elder may be dismissed by a unanimous vote of the other Elders.
6. Chairman/Moderator
The Pastor shall serve as chairman of Elder Board and be the Moderator of all church business meetings.
7. Meetings
a. Elder Board meetings will be held monthly at a time and place determined by the Pastor. Minutes will be published for all regular Elder Board meetings.
b. Special meetings may be called by the Pastor.
c. Phone communication is acceptable for business matters.
d. A quorum will be a simple majority of the Elder Board.
B. Congregational Authority
The membership has full and final authority in these areas:
1. Confirmation of Elders and their annual affirmation
2. Ratifying the budget
3. Calling of the Senior Pastor
4. Amending the Constitution
5. Purchasing or selling real property
6. Contracting of debt
In each of these areas of congregational authority, a two-third vote will be required to approve any matter.

Article VIII – Pastor
The Pastor will perform the duties of the ministry and will serve as a permanent member of the Elder Board. He will provide leadership, in concert with the Elder Board, to fulfill the church’s Statement of Purpose.
A. Qualifications
In addition to meeting the requirements for an Elder, the Pastor will fulfill the calling of Ephesians 4:12-13.
B. Selection
A nominating committee established by the Elder Board, will recommend the best available candidate. Upon approval by the Elder Board, the candidate will be given a variety of opportunities to interact with members of the congregation. The membership will then vote at a special business meeting on whether or not to extend a call to the candidate. Two-thirds of the members present and voting will be required to extend a call to the Pastor.
C. Termination
The Pastor will serve indefinitely, but may be terminated on written notice following:
1. A two-thirds vote of the Elder Board (the Pastor shall not vote) to call for a vote of confidence by the church membership.
2. A two-thirds vote of the church membership to dismiss the Pastor.

Article IX – Business Meetings
A. Procedures
The Pastor or his designee shall preside at all congregational meetings. Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern all meetings of the congregation but not be required for boards or committee meetings.
B. Annual and Quarterly Business Meetings
The fiscal year for Grace Hill Fellowship shall run from 1 January through 31 December of each year. The annual meeting of the congregation shall be held in October of each year on a date to be determined by the Elder Board. Quarterly meetings will be held in January, April, and July of each year.
C. Special Meetings
Special meetings of the church may be called at any time or by the written petition to the Elder Board of 25% of the voting members of the church.
D. Meeting Notices
Notice specifying the time and place of all congregational meetings shall be announced during the church service on each of the two Sundays immediately preceding the meeting and emailed to all members. Members wishing to cast absentee ballots must contact and submit their ballot to the Pastor/Moderator prior to the business meeting.
E. Ordinances
After salvation, steps of obedience include regular participation in the Lord’s Supper and Baptism.

Article X – Amendments
This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote at the annual business meeting or at a meeting specially called for that purpose. The proposed change will be presented to the congregation in writing not less than two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting.