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Alabama Baptist Conference |
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The Constitution of the
Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf (ABCD) ARTICLE I: NAME The name of this organization shall be the Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf (hereafter referred to as ABCD). ARTICLE II: GOALS The goals of this conference shall be to encourage:
1. Church attendance and attendance at other Christian
services.
And to: The officers, advisors, and committees shall do the work of the ABCD at the direction of the ABCD President and executive board. Advisors shall be selected by the President. One of the responsibilities of the executive board shall include arranging for the annual ABCD conference and Mini-ABCD conference (s). ARTICLE III: DOCTRINE ABCD accepts the Holy Bible as the all-sufficient rule for faith and practice. ABCD agrees with the Baptist Faith as stated by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). ARTICLE IV: COOPERATION ABCD shall join to the fullest capacity possible all actions of the Alabama Baptist Convention (ABC), the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and the Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf (SBCD). ABCD shall keep in mind the efforts of these conventions. The ABCD shall not join with any group whose faith, doctrine, or practices are against those of the Southern Baptists. ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP The membership of ABCD is made up of any registered member of a Southern Baptist Church of Alabama. The ABCD members shall be called Messengers. ARTICLE VI: MESSENGERS Messengers to ABCD shall be deaf/hearing people and deaf ministry workers who are active members of local Southern Baptist Churches in Alabama. Messengers shall be elected by their churches to be messengers. Messengers shall vote in the ABCD business meeting. All other Christians attending are welcome to fellowship and may register as "Visitors". ARTICLE VII: OFFICERS
The officers of ABCD shall be: A Parliamentarian may be a deaf or hearing (with a knowledge of sign language) person. He or She must be an ABCD member and shall be appointed by the President annually for the ABCD business meeting. Article IX: Board of Directors/Trustees (a) ABCD will have a Board of Directors composed of five (5) messengers, which shall be known as the Trustees of ABCD. Trustees will be mature, deaf or hearing men and women who are duly elected messengers to the session in which they are elected. They are to be of sound Christian characters, with proven leadership ability. They are former officers of ABCD Executive Board. (b) Term of Service: Trustees shall serve from the close of the annual meeting in which they are elected, until the close of the annual meeting four (4) years later. No Trustee may serve as an officer, auxiliary, or affiliated head, or be a committee member while serving as a Trustee except as required by virtue of the office being held. (c) Trustees shall be elected during the regular business session at the same time and in the same manner as the officers. Their term shall be for four (4) years. ARTICLE X: COMMITTEES The President will appoint the members of these committees at the beginning of his or her term. These committees shall be:
1. Nominating ARTICLE XI: ALABAMA BAPTIST DEAF DISTRICTS (ABDD) The Alabama Baptist Deaf Districts (ABDD) is made up of a total of 12 districts in the state of Alabama. Each district has a Deaf Missions District Coordinator (DMDC). Each Deaf Missions District Coordinator (DMDC) shall work with Deaf Missions Representatives (DMR). A Deaf Missions Representative (DMR) is a selected representative from their Deaf Ministry or Deaf Church in the state of Alabama. The purpose of ABDD is to further God’s missions work. ARTICLE XII: MEETING The regular meeting of the conference shall be held yearly on any weekend at Shocco Springs Baptist Assembly near Talladega, Alabama. A business meeting shall be held yearly during the conference. The Officers and Advisors of ABCD shall meet as needed to conduct the business of the ABCD. They will plan and put into action these plans for the annual conference and mini-ABCD conference(s). ARTICLE XIII: AMENDMENTS The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a fifty percent (50%) vote of the messengers present at the regular business meeting held during the annual ABCD convention. Any amendment must be given in writing to the Constitution and By-Laws committee ninety (90) days before the annual business meeting. Copies of recommended amendments will be published in the official "Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf" newsletter and web site at least 30 days prior to the annual business meeting. |
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