About Us
mission • location • beliefs • history • staff • boards • affiliation

History

CONSTITUTION

of

First Lutheran Church

We, the members of First Lutheran Church, gather together as a congregation to equip one another (Ephesians 4:11-14) by the power of God's Spirit in His Word and Sacraments to be God's agents of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:16-21), restoring more and more men, women, and children to life in all its fullness through faith in Jesus Christ (John 10:10). Seeking to do the will of God as new people in Christ, we will together worship the Triune God (Matthew 4:10), witness to the saving power of the Gospel (Romans 1:16,17), teach and learn this Gospel as we nurture one another in the faith (Colossians 3:16,17), serve others in their physical, emotional, and social need (2 Corinthians 8:8-15), and in Christian fellowship support with our love and personal resources the ministry of the Word of God (Philippians 1:3-11; 1 Corinthians 9:1-8) in Chattanooga and in every place where Christ Jesus Himself will come (Luke 10:1-12).

In order to accomplish this purpose, and since the Word of God teaches that all things should be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40), the members of First Lutheran Church, 2800 McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee, do hereby establish and make known this Constitution as the rules and regulations under which we are united in a Christian congregation.

ARTICLE I: Name

The name of the congregation shall be:

First Lutheran Church, Incorporated, of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee.

ARTICLE II: Confession

The Congregation, and every member of the congregation accepts without reservation:

A. The Canonical Scripture of the Old and New Testament, as the written and inspired Word of God and as the only infallible authority, source, rule, and guide in all matters of faith and practice.

B. All the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as written in the books of Concord of 1580 A.D., to wit, the three ecumenical creeds, The Augsburg Confession, The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, The Smalcald Articles, Luther's Small and Large Catechisms, and The Formula of Concord.

No doctrine or practice in conflict, or inconsistent, with the above norms of our faith and life shall be taught or tolerated in this congregation.

ARTICLE III: Synodical Affiliation

This congregation shall be affiliated with THE LUTHERAN CHURCH--MISSOURI SYNOD through THE MID-SOUTH DISTRICT OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH--MISSOURI SYNOD.

This congregation shall, to the best of its ability, collaborate with said Synod and assist it in effecting all sound measures intended for the building up of the Kingdom of God.

 ARTICLE IV: Membership

The membership in this congregation shall include the following:

Baptized members are all members who have been baptized with water in the name of the Triune God. This includes the children on the membership rolls who have not yet confirmed their baptismal vows.

Communicant members are those:

1. Who are baptized with water in the name of the Triune God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;

2. Who accept all canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the only divine rule and standard of faith and life;

3. Who are familiar at least with the teachings of Luther's Small Catechism and declare their acceptance of them;

4. Who attend divine services faithfully, as they are physically able;

5. Who lead Christian lives and do not live in manifest works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21);

6. Who partake of the Lord's Supper frequently during each year;

7. Who contribute regularly and faithfully, as God has prospered them, toward the building of Christ's Kingdom in the congregation and throughout the world;

8. Who devote their time and talents to the extension of the Kingdom of God;

9. Who provide for the proper Christian training of their children by instruction at home and through the agencies of the Church;

10. Who permit themselves to be fraternally admonished and corrected when they have erred;

11. Who are not members, affiliates, or supporters of secret societies and organizations that conflict with the Word of God.

All communicant members who have reached their eighteenth birthday, are familiar with the Constitution and Bylaws of the congregation and are in agreement therewith, have applied for membership in and been accepted by the Voters' Assembly, and have signed the Constitution and Bylaws of the congregation, shall be entitled to vote and to hold office in accordance with the Bylaws.

A member who voluntarily severs his connection with this congregation, or who has been released or transferred, or who has been excommunicated or excludes himself according to the provisions of the Bylaws, shall be deemed to have terminated his membership in this congregation along with all rights and privileges of such membership.

ARTICLE V: Authority of the Congregation

A. General

The congregation shall be represented by, and administer all its affairs through, its Voters' Assembly. The Voters' Assembly shall have supreme power to administer and manage all external and internal affairs of the congregation. The Voters' Assembly shall not be empowered to decide anything contrary to the Word of God and the Confessions of the Lutheran Church, and any such decision shall be null and void.

The right of calling pastors, teachers, or professional staff shall be vested in the Voters’ Assembly and shall never be delegated to a smaller body or to an individual.

All schools, societies, boards, institutions, groups, and organizations within the church must be organized with the consent and function under the control of the Voters' Assembly.

Any elected official or called professional of the congregation may be removed from office by two-thirds majority of the Voters' Assembly (written ballot), in Christian and lawful order, for one of the following reasons only:

1. Persistent adherence to false doctrine;

2. Public and persistent sinful conduct;

3. Willful neglect of their official duties;

4. Permanent inability to perform their official duties.

ARTICLE VI: Administration of the Congregation

 A. Voters' Assembly 

See ARTICLE V, Section A. There shall be at least two annual meetings of the Voters' Assembly. Special meetings may be called as prescribed in the Bylaws.

B. Officers and Boards

The administration of the regular and usual business of the congregation shall be the direct responsibility of the members of the standing boards and elected officers of the congregation as described below.

1. Officers

The officers of this congregation shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Financial Secretary, and any other officers who may be added from time to time as provided for in the Bylaws.

2. Boards

The boards of this congregation shall be a Board of Elders, a Board of Stewardship, a Board of School Directors, a Board of Christian Education and Youth, a Board of Buildings and Grounds, a Board of Evangelism and Church Growth, a Board of Social Ministry, a Board of Parish Fellowship, a Board of Camp Ministry, First Lutheran Child Development Center, and any other Boards that may be added from time to time as provided for in the Bylaws.

 3. Church Council

The congregational officers, together with the Chairman of each Board (or their appointee) shall constitute the Church Council. The Pastor(s) and the School Principal shall be non-voting members of the Church Council.

 4. Authority of Church Council and Boards 

The Officers, Boards, Committees, and Council have only such official powers as are committed to them by the congregation through the Voters' Assembly. Any authority or instructions given them may at any time be changed and/or abrogated by the congregation.

5. Eligibility for Office

The officers of President, Vice-President, and Elders shall be limited to male members only. Other eligibility requirements are prescribed in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII: The Calling of Pastors, Teachers, and Professionals 

A. Should there be a vacancy in the office of a called pastor, teachers, or professional staff person, a meeting of the Council shall be held promptly for the purpose of selecting a Call Committee consisting of a minimum of six _______ members. Following this selection, a meeting of the congregation shall be held promptly for the purpose of approving the Call Committee.

B. The congregation through the Call Committee shall seek the advice of the respective District Officials when calling a pastor, teacher, or professional staff person in accordance with established procedure of the District and Synod.

C. Members of the congregation shall be invited to submit names of prospective candidates to the Call Committee. Only such candidates shall be called and elected to serve as pastors, teachers, or professional staff persons who:

1. Profess acceptance of, and pledge faithful adherence to, the confessions of this congregation as set forth in Article II of this Constitution.

2. Have been certified by an orthodox Lutheran Church Body, and have been found orthodox, apt to teach, and of blameless conduct.

3. Are elected by eighty percent of the votes cast.

D. In the absence of adequate cause for dismissal, as defined in the Bylaws and Article V,

Section D, of this Constitution, the tenure of office of a called or elected pastor, teacher, or professional staff person shall be for as long as the position of ministry exists, or for the remainder of their active life, or until the Lord calls them into another field of service.

ARTICLE VIII: Right of Ownership

 If at any time a division should take place on account of doctrine, the property of the congregation and all benefits connected therewith shall remain with those communicant members who continue to adhere in confession and practice to Article II of this Constitution. If division takes place for any other reason, the property shall remain with the majority of the communicant members. In the event the congregation shall totally disband, the property and all rights connected therewith shall be transferred to the Mid-South District of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.

ARTICLE IX: Amendments and Unalterable Articles 

A. This Constitution may be changed or amended, with the exception of the Articles listed in section B of this article, by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast in a properly called meeting of the Voters' Assembly. The intention to amend and the wording of the amendments must be presented to the congregation on two different Sundays prior to the date upon which the amendment is presented for action.

B. Article II is declared irrevocable and any amendments contrary to this article shall be declared null and void.