1.)Name and basis of faith.

The church shall be known as 'Ramsbottom Evangelical Church' and membership shall be open to all who profess repentance toward God and faith our Lord Jesus Christ, whose lives bear evidence of their Christian profession and who adhere to the doctrinal basis of the Church which is as follows:-

Doctrinal basis

We believe In :-

a) The full inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; their authority and sufficiency as not only containing, but being in themselves the Word of God; the reliability of the New Testament in it's testimony to the character and authorship of the Old Testament; and the need of the teaching of the Holy Spirit to a true and spiritual understanding of the whole.

b) The unity of the Godhead and the divine co-equality of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; the sovereignty of God in creation, providence and redemption.

c) The total depravity of human nature in consequence of the Fall and the necessity for regeneration.

d) The true and proper Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ; His virgin birth. His real and perfect manhood. The authority of His teaching and the infallibility of all His utterances. His word of atonement for sinners of mankind by His substitutionary sufferings and death. His bodily resurrection and His ascension into Heaven and His present priestly intercession for His people at the right hand of the Father.

e) The justification of the sinner solely by faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

f) The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, conversion and sanctification; also in ministry and worship.

g) The universal Church, the body of which Christ is the Head, embracing all the redeemed, called by God through the Gospel, born of the Spirit and justified by faith; the local Church, comprising such believers as the expression of the universal Church and fellowship between such churches, manifesting the unity of the body of Christ.

h) The ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper as being instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, but not in Baptism as conveying regenerating grace, nor in the Lord's Supper as being a sacrifice for sin nor involving any change in the substance of the bread and wine.

i) The personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory.

j) The resurrection of the body. The judgement of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, with eternal blessedness of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked.

2) CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Members qualifications. Candidates for membership must have some experience of the grace of God in salvation and be believers in full accord with the doctrinal basis.

Application procedure. Those desiring to join the Church, including those who held membership in their previous Church, shall make application to the Church Council. This may be done through the Pastor or any Elder. The Church Council will then appoint two visitors who will interview the applicant(s) and then report to the Church Council and then to the Church Meeting. The candidate(s) if elected will be Church Members(s) from that date and will receive the ‘right hand of fellowship’ at the next Communion Service.

Younger Members. Whilst it would not be right to expect that persons under the age of eighteen years should bear the responsibilities of Church Membership, provision is made for a junior membership of those between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years, and who have parental permission. They must still qualify under the provisions mentioned previously. Junior members will have all the privileges of Church Membership except that they will not be allowed to vote at the Church Meeting.

Members Responsibilities. Members are expected to loyally attend the Church services and meetings, to contribute to the support of the local Church and of missionary endeavours as the Lord prospers them, to take part in Church activities utilising all the gifts which God has bestowed on them and with God’s help to live lives that are regulated by the teaching and inspired by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, ever remembering that the Church is Christ’s body in the world of our day.

3) The Ordinances

The ordinances of Believer’s Baptism shall be administered to any who wish to be obedient to the command of Christ. No other form of baptism being recognised as authentic or comfortable to the Scripture. Candidates for baptism must be over fourteen years of age and must have become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of His people and must be baptised by total immersion.

The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper shall be observed at least once per month.

4 Church Officers.

a) Elders.

1.Elders shall be those fitted for work of the spiritual care and oversight of the Church and who are normally called by the existing Elders, with the approval of the Church Meeting so to do.

2. Elders shall be believers in full accord with the doctrinal basis of the Church and shall fulfil the qualifications laid down in 1Timothy Chapter 3 verses 1-7.

3. The Pastor shall be an Elder with special responsibilities for labouring in the word and doctrine and who is responsible to the Church Meeting alone.

4. The Pastor, on behalf of the Elders, shall be ex-officio Chairman of all committees and organisations, although deputies may be appointed by the Elders.

5. Where the number of Elders falls below two, the Church Council will assume the Elders responsibilities, the existing Elder acting as Chairman

b) Deacons.

1. Deacons shall be responsible for the general administration of the Church and shall be appointed from those members who have been in fellowship for at least six months.

2. Deacons shall be appointed by the Church Meeting to fulfil such specific duties as the Church Council or Church Meeting shall decide

3. They shall remain in office as long as they fulfil their stated duties, and on cessation of that function they will resign.

4. Deacons shall be believers in full accord with the doctrinal basis of the Church and shall fulfil the qualifications laid down in 1 Timothy Chapter 3 verses 8-13

c) Church Council.

The Church Council shall act as the executive committee and shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the Church, for arranging the Agenda of the Church Meeting and generally managing the affairs of the Church. The Church Council shall comprise of the Elders and Deacons in office.

d) Resignations.

All officers and workers unable to fulfil their responsibilities will resign.

5) Church Meeting.

a) The government of the Church shall be in the hands of the Church members (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit) who shall normally meet for this purpose four times in the year. All Church members should do all in their power to attend.

b) Two thirds of the total membership shall form a quorum, the next lowest whole number in the case of unequal division.

c) Notice of the Church Meeting should be given to members at least seven days before they are to take place and notice must be given in the ordinary service of the Church on the previous Lord’s Day.

d) Special Resolutions are necessary in respect of the appointment of Church Officers, in giving instructions to the trustees in respect of proposed alterations to, or the sale of any trust property and for the removal of any or all the trustees. Where a Special Resolution is necessary notice must be given on two Lord’s Days prior to the meeting at which it is proposed and the content of the Special Resolution announced. It will be deemed to have been carried if passed by not less than two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.

e) A Special Church Meeting may be called at the discretion of the Pastor, a majority of the Church Council or at the written request of at least six full members.

f) No controversial or important matter shall be discussed by the Church Meeting unless it has been previously considered by the Church Council.

g) Votes shall be taken by ballot if demanded by any of the admitted members, this may be before of after the show of hands.

h No resolution shall be rescinded after it has been passed unless notice of such rescission has been given at a previous Church Meeting.

i) Amendments to this Constitution may be made only at a Special Church Meeting called for this purpose and notice of the proposed alteration must have been given at a previous Church Meeting. Amendments fail unless they get acceptance from two thirds of those present and eligible to vote.

j) The Church Meeting will appoint two auditors who will serve for one year. They will be eligible for re-election.

k In the case of a tied vote the Chairman will have a casting vote in either a Special of Ordinary Resolution.

6) Church Discipline.

Members who are persistently absent from public worship or the Church Meeting for six months without reason or who have been found guilty of a breach of Christian conduct will, after loving consideration and warning be removed from the members roll following the approval of the Church Meeting. The members roll will be reviewed annually by the Church Council.

7) General Matters.

The appointment of the leaders of all departments shall be subject to the confirmation of the Church Meeting.