Following the extensive
review and restructuring approved by the messengers of both the 2008 and 2009
Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) annual meetings, the Board
of Directors (“Board”) is proposing substantially less extensive amendments for
consideration by the messengers at the annual meeting for 2010. The proposed
amendments brought forth by the Board involve two motions to amend the articles
of incorporation and six motions to amend the bylaws.
Motion 1 — Articles of
Incorporation Article VIII. Board of Directors.
The Board proposes two
changes, one of grammar and one of punctuation, to bring clarity to the first
sentence of this article.
Motion 2 — Articles of Incorporation
Article XV. Amendments.
The Board proposes changes
related to the notice requirement for amendments to the articles of
incorporation. The proposal includes the addition of an option for proposed
amendments to appear in the Biblical Recorder, the current requirement, or to
be mailed to each individual cooperating church twenty-one (21) days in advance
of the annual meeting. Changes in publication schedules, including deadlines
for the submission of materials, have made providing notice to churches
regarding proposed amendments more challenging. The proposed addition insures
that cooperating churches will receive proposed amendments in written form
prior to the annual meeting regardless of publication changes with the Biblical
Recorder.
Motion 3 — Bylaws Article
I.C.5.a.(ix) and I.C.5.c.(i). Convention Committees.
Individuals wishing to
replace the name of an individual recommended by the Committee on Nominations
for service to the BSCNC currently must announce their intention in the
Biblical Recorder prior to the annual meeting of the convention. However,
publication schedules of the Biblical Recorder have changed in recent years
making it exceedingly difficult for individuals to bring such a challenge.
Therefore, an amendment is proposed that will allow individuals wishing to make
such a proposal to announce their intention on both the BSCNC and Biblical
Recorder websites a minimum of fourteen (14) days in advance of the annual
meeting of the convention.
Currently, North Carolina
Baptists have the opportunity to submit resolutions for consideration by the
Committee on Resolutions and Memorials up to 30 days in advance of the annual
meeting of the convention. However, the deadline for the committee to announce
resolutions in an edition of the Biblical Recorder for review by messengers is
so close to the deadline for submission to the Committee on Memorials and
Resolutions that it does not have time to fulfill its duty to review, and if
necessary revise, submitted resolutions. Therefore, the proposed amendment will
move the deadline for submissions of resolutions to September 10th each year.
This new date will give the Memorials and Resolutions Committee time to
complete its responsibilities.
Motion 4 — Bylaws Article
II.E.1, Article II.F.9.c, Article II.F.9.d.(ii)(2) and (3), and Article
II.F.9.d.(v). Board of Directors.
These amendments correct and
make consistent capitalization, punctuation, committee names and awkward
wording.
Motion 5 — Bylaws Article
III.B.4. Convention Institutions and Agencies.
This amendment deletes the
reference to “covered entities” and updates the name of the Budget Special
Committee. Revisions to this article in 2008 removed other reference to
“covered entities” which was formerly a reference to the BSCNC’s institutions
and agencies.
Motion 6 — Bylaws Article
III.C.2. North Carolina Baptist Hospital.
The North Carolina Baptist
Hospital (Hospital) has requested a revision of the bylaw concerning the number
of trustees elected by BSCNC to serve on the Hospital’s board of trustees.
Currently, the BSCNC elects one half (1/2) of the Hospital’s trustees, and that
number is specified in the BSCNC Bylaws as three (3) trustees each year. The
Hospital’s board is undergoing changes that will result in a smaller number of
trustees serving on that board. The Hospital requests the removal of the
specific number, but the retention of the provision that BSCNC will continue to
elect one half (1/2) of the elected trustees serving on the Hospital’s board.
This request does not impact the relationship of the Hospital to BSCNC and is
not an act of severance.
Motion 7 — Bylaws Article
IV.B. and C. Convention’s Guaranty of Borrowing.
BSCNC has long established
parameters related to guaranty of debt on behalf of the BSCNC’s institutions
and agencies. However, with changes in relationships and the terms used to
reference those relationships in recent years, clarity is needed regarding to
whom these parameters apply. Therefore, to address all of the entities whether
an institution, agency, auxiliary, association or church, the Board proposes
changing references to “institutions and agencies” in article IV to “third
party” so it will include “institutions and agencies” as well as other entities
within the parameters outlined therein.
Motion 8 — Bylaws Article
IV.H. Amendments.
The Board proposes changes
to the notice requirements for amending the Bylaws in similar fashion to those
proposed for amending the Articles of Incorporation.