The comments section of this post is devoted to general and specific concerns about the Bylaws of Riverside Community Church. Please use this space to discuss either a) large-scope comments about additions to the church bylaws or b) questions about the bylaws, as considered in sum.
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The mailing address of Riverside Community Church:
P.O. Box 5057
Columbia, SC 29250
Riverside Community Church does not have a physical address at present. The move to a stable physical address would necessitate a revision of this article approved by the Church Council or, if such a decision is made after the disbanding of the Church Council, by the Riverside Community Church Elder Board.
We are a community of sinners saved by grace, thriving in relationship with each other and with our God, and sharing that grace with our city.
Values:
Truth
We see God’s revelation as the way we encounter the living Lord, know Him personally, and experience continual transformation through His Spirit.
·We value faithful preaching and in-depth study of Scripture
·We value evangelism as the only means of new birth
·We value nature as God’s revelation and gift
·We value men, women and children as images of God
·We value culture, science and the arts as avenues of truth, beauty and goodness
Community
We desire community formed by the truth of the gospel, where we experience grace, and share it with others.
·We value grace, authenticity, depth and interdependence in community
·We value corporate worship and prayer that springs from God’s work in our lives
·We value the plurality of elders and godly leadership
·We value the gifts of service each member in the body of Christ has been given
·We value partnering with other churches in Columbia and beyond
Mission
We want our community to join Jesus’ mission to recover the lost, build the church, and serve our neighbors in Columbia and beyond.
·We value our neighborhoods, our city, and our region
·We value mercy ministry and social justice
·We value personal and relational evangelism
·We value leadership development locally and abroad
·We value church-planting regionally, nationally and internationally
Revelation
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
We believe the invisible, unapproachable, incomprehensible God has revealed Himself in visible, approachable and comprehensible ways. And because we have known Him, we love Him. Because we love God, we love His Self-revelation.
Jesus
God has revealed Himself fully in the eternal Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ. Because we have come to know Jesus, we now know God.And because we love God, we love Jesus.
The Bible
God has revealed Himself in Scripture. As the written Word of God, inspired and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, we greatly value the faithful, corporate teaching of Scripture, and our own, individual and diligent study of it.
Nature and Culture
God has revealed Himself in creation and, most uniquely, in men and women – a revelation sustained despite the radical corruption and confusion of sin. We value not only all of nature as God’s gift, including, most especially, men, women, and children, but even our fallen culture, as the magnificent artifact of those bearing the divine image.
The corporation is organized for the purpose of forming, maintaining, and operating a church, which shall be engaged in activities of proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ as the source of man’s eternal salvation within the area of Columbia, and working through empowerment of the Holy Spirit to transform people into image-bearers of Christ, encouraging one another in spiritual growth through Christian education, and making distributions to other organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Membership at Riverside Community Church shall be established by individuals and families through the active participation in the church’s membership class, coupled with an interview with two or more members of the Steering Committee.
Riverside Community Church is financially supported by the voluntary contributions of its attendees, members who shall give according to their abilities, and other supporting churches. Accountability for the handling of church finances are as follows: The treasurer oversees the church’s weekly collections, accounts for church expenses, and reimbursements. The Treasurer is also responsible for the oversight and management of the church’s checking account. Finally, the Treasurer is responsible for hiring a Certified Public Accountant to file the church’s end-of-year taxes as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Treasurer also functions as the default head of the Finance subcommittee, and is thus responsible for personnel decisions and levels of involvement within that committee, as these decisions bear on the financial matters of the church.
The authority of this corporation shall rest in the Combined Board of the Church Council. Members of said Board shall be selected, maintained and removed as provided in the By‑Laws.
The normal activities of this corporation shall be governed by the combined board, not to be less than nine (9) members.
The Church Council is made up of the Interim Leadership Team and the heads of the following Subcommittees:
1) Hospitality Team
2) SG Coaching Team
3) Children's Ministry Team
4) Finances
5) Missions
6) Worship Team
The Interim Leadership Team (ILT) will be composed of men appointed by the lead pastor, with the affirmation of the congregation (by 3/4 vote). Members of ILT will serve for one year, after which time they will be evaluated by lead pastor, and then submitted to the congregation for a vote on their continued role (to be determined by a 3/4 vote majority), as well as nomination by the congregation of other names. The ILT will serve until the first board of elders is formed, consisting of no less than three (3) men, submitted by the lead pastor, affirmed by the congregation (by 3/4 vote) and the Advisory Board. At such a time, both the ILT and the Advisory Board will dissolve, and the Governing Documents requires appropriate amendment.
The combined Church Council will meet bi-monthly (twice monthly) to conduct the business of the corporation.
Though all matter of church issues will be discussed among the Combined Board, the following items must be voted on by the Combined Board and passed with a majority 3/4 vote of the Church Council:
1) Yearly Budget (and any amendations over 10% of budgeted amounts (per category))
2) Amendations to the Governing Documents (i.e., articles of incorporation/bylaws or constitution) and any deviations from them
