As outlined in the Cook Memorial Baptist Church Constitution except for items noted with*
GENERAL OFFICERS
Church Clerk: The Church Clerk shall keep a permanent record of all business meetings of the church, sig all letters of dismissal, send all letters of transfer, and maintain a register of members. The Clerk shall enter upon the records any current event pertaining to the history of the church.
Church Treasurer: The Church Treasurer shall receive all offerings belonging to the church, oversee all deposits, and co-sign with the Financial Secretary, all checks. He/She shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.
Financial Secretary: The Financial Secretary shall keep a record of all offerings, deposits, and disbursements. He/She shall cosign, with the Treasurer, all checks and will serve as an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.
President of American Baptist Men: The President shall be the executive officer of the American Baptist Men, giving it supervision, guidance, and counsel. He is to be elected by the American Baptist Men and approved by the church. He then becomes an ex-officio member of the general Nominating Committee to bring to them recommendations for the American Baptist Men officers.
President of the American Baptist Women: The President shall be the executive officer of the American Baptist Women, giving it supervision, guidance, and counsel. She is to be elected by the American Baptist Women and approved by the church. She then becomes an ex-officio member of the general Nominating Committee to bring to them recommendations for the American Baptist Women officers.
Sunday Church School Superintendent: The Superintendent shall be the executive officer of the Sunday Church School, giving it supervision, guidance, and counsel, for a term of one (1) to three (3) consecutive years and not to exceed three (3) years. He/She become, upon his/her election, an ex-officio member of the general Nominating Committee to bring to them recommendations for the Church School officers and teachers, after they have been approved by the Board of Christian Education.
Baptist Youth Fellowship Directors: The Directors shall be executive officers of the Baptist Youth Fellowship, giving supervision, guidance, and counsel.
Librarian: The Church Librarian shall be responsible for the selecting and purchasing of materials and maintaining the library. Materials selected for the church library shall be approved by the Pastor.
BOARDS
Board of Trustees: This Board shall be composed of five (5) members. The Board shall elect its own chairman. The Trustees shall hold title to all church property in accordance with the laws of the State of West Virginia governing the encumbering or selling of such property. This Board shall be the general oversee of all church property, including all additions, renovations, and use of the building.
The Board shall be composed of five (5) members elected for three (3) year terms (with no consecutive term limitations). The chairman of the Deacon Board shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Board. Each trustee shall have demonstrated Christian character and responsibility in handling his own business affairs.
Board of Christian Education: The Board shall be composed of nine (9) members as follows:
The Board shall also include the following ex-officio members: Pastor
Two members at large shall be elected by the church, upon recommendation by the church (upon recommendations from the Nominating Committee), from the active Sunday School membership, one of which must come from the Children’s Department.
The chairman of this Board, with the approval of the Pastor, shall be presented to the church by the general Nominating Committee at the same time the general officers are nominated in order that he may aid in the selection of other nominees to this Board. The Board shall assist in the selection of officers and teachers according to the Standard for Teachers and plan and carry out the entire educational program of the church and shall meet monthly. Any other nominee to this Board may be elected as considered necessary.
Board of Missions: There shall be a Board of Missions consisting of three (3) members selected by the Pastor and recommended for the church’s approval by the Nominating Committee to serve a two-year term. The Board of Mission will select their Chairman. It shall be the duties of the Board to promote missionary interest and support, to coordinate missionary education activities, to recommend amount of payment (goals) to missions as part of our budget, an help lead the church in matters of Christian social concerns.
COMMITTEES
Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall be composed of six (6) members elected annually by the church on the first Wednesday of September. This committee shall be selected as follows:
One member selected by the Board of Deacons, one member selected by the Board of Christian Education, one member selected by the Finance Board, and three members at large selected by the church. This committee shall present and recommend to the church, persons to fill all offices of the church, no later than the annual meeting, to fill vacancies occurring during the ensuing year.
Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the following organizational heads:
The members from the church at large shall be elected by the church upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee. The Committee shall elect a chairman and secretary and shall hold meetings at such times as it may determine. The duties and responsibilities of the committee shall be as follows: To act as a general personnel committee relative to staff members, to try to resolve all questions of a controversial nature, and to formulate the annual church calendar of activities.
In the event that husband and wife, by virtual of their offices should be on the Executive Committee, then one of them shall be replaced by the vice chairman of their committee.
Finance Committee: The Finance Committee shall be composed of five (5) members. One or two will be elected annually for a term of three (3) years upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee. No member who has served a full term shall be eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed. The Church Treasurer, the Chairman of the Trustee Board, and the Chairman of the Board of Deacons shall be ex-officio members: the Financial Secretary also shall be an ex-officio member, serving this committee as secretary. The Committee shall elect its own chairman. It shall recommend to the church at the annual business meeting a proposed budget of anticipated receipts and expenditures covering all the regular work of the church for the coming year. This committee shall supervise the allocation of monies designated by the budget as approved by the church. It shall have supervision over the purchasing system and shall have the books audited annually. The Finance Committee must have the approval of the church before the expenditure of any amount over one thousand dollars ($1,000) for items not set forth in the church budget except in an emergency situation which is for the safety and well being of the church property and personnel. This committee shall meet monthly.
Usher and Greeting Committee: The Usher and Greeting Committee shall be responsible for providing adequate ushers for each regular and special worship service and shall record the attendance of all services. It shall consist of a chief usher and three (3) associates who are elected by the church, upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee. This committee will enlist a slate of ushers to serve.
Constitution: The Constitution Committee shall consist of three (3) members chosen by the Nominating Committee each year to be presented to the church for approval. This committee is to protect and defend the Constitution of Cook Memorial Baptist Church. If at any time this committee agrees it is necessary for any changes or restructuring of the constitution, then this committee should go before the church to request four (4) additional members to be chosen to work with the Constitution Committee, making a total of seven (7) members. This Constitution Committee shall meet quarterly.
Special Committee: Special committees may be established by the church as needed.
*Outreach Committee: (not yet approved by the church; awaiting the Constitution Committee’s presentation to the church): The Outreach Committee shall be a five (5) member committee consisting of the Chairman of the Board of Christian Education, a Deacon, and three (3) members at large. The Outreach Committee will oversee community outreach, with such tasks as keeping the church informed of local and county-wide events for church participation and keeping the church visible in the community and coordinating such efforts.
GENERAL OFFICERS
Church Clerk: The Church Clerk shall keep a permanent record of all business meetings of the church, sig all letters of dismissal, send all letters of transfer, and maintain a register of members. The Clerk shall enter upon the records any current event pertaining to the history of the church.
Church Treasurer: The Church Treasurer shall receive all offerings belonging to the church, oversee all deposits, and co-sign with the Financial Secretary, all checks. He/She shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.
Financial Secretary: The Financial Secretary shall keep a record of all offerings, deposits, and disbursements. He/She shall cosign, with the Treasurer, all checks and will serve as an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.
President of American Baptist Men: The President shall be the executive officer of the American Baptist Men, giving it supervision, guidance, and counsel. He is to be elected by the American Baptist Men and approved by the church. He then becomes an ex-officio member of the general Nominating Committee to bring to them recommendations for the American Baptist Men officers.
President of the American Baptist Women: The President shall be the executive officer of the American Baptist Women, giving it supervision, guidance, and counsel. She is to be elected by the American Baptist Women and approved by the church. She then becomes an ex-officio member of the general Nominating Committee to bring to them recommendations for the American Baptist Women officers.
Sunday Church School Superintendent: The Superintendent shall be the executive officer of the Sunday Church School, giving it supervision, guidance, and counsel, for a term of one (1) to three (3) consecutive years and not to exceed three (3) years. He/She become, upon his/her election, an ex-officio member of the general Nominating Committee to bring to them recommendations for the Church School officers and teachers, after they have been approved by the Board of Christian Education.
Baptist Youth Fellowship Directors: The Directors shall be executive officers of the Baptist Youth Fellowship, giving supervision, guidance, and counsel.
Librarian: The Church Librarian shall be responsible for the selecting and purchasing of materials and maintaining the library. Materials selected for the church library shall be approved by the Pastor.
BOARDS
Board of Trustees: This Board shall be composed of five (5) members. The Board shall elect its own chairman. The Trustees shall hold title to all church property in accordance with the laws of the State of West Virginia governing the encumbering or selling of such property. This Board shall be the general oversee of all church property, including all additions, renovations, and use of the building.
The Board shall be composed of five (5) members elected for three (3) year terms (with no consecutive term limitations). The chairman of the Deacon Board shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Board. Each trustee shall have demonstrated Christian character and responsibility in handling his own business affairs.
Board of Christian Education: The Board shall be composed of nine (9) members as follows:
| Sunday School Superintendent | Chairman of the Library |
| President of the American Baptist Women | Senior B.Y.F. Sponsor |
| President of the American Baptist Men | Junior B.Y.F. Sponsor |
| Teacher of the Adult Class |
Two members at large shall be elected by the church, upon recommendation by the church (upon recommendations from the Nominating Committee), from the active Sunday School membership, one of which must come from the Children’s Department.
The chairman of this Board, with the approval of the Pastor, shall be presented to the church by the general Nominating Committee at the same time the general officers are nominated in order that he may aid in the selection of other nominees to this Board. The Board shall assist in the selection of officers and teachers according to the Standard for Teachers and plan and carry out the entire educational program of the church and shall meet monthly. Any other nominee to this Board may be elected as considered necessary.
Board of Missions: There shall be a Board of Missions consisting of three (3) members selected by the Pastor and recommended for the church’s approval by the Nominating Committee to serve a two-year term. The Board of Mission will select their Chairman. It shall be the duties of the Board to promote missionary interest and support, to coordinate missionary education activities, to recommend amount of payment (goals) to missions as part of our budget, an help lead the church in matters of Christian social concerns.
COMMITTEES
Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall be composed of six (6) members elected annually by the church on the first Wednesday of September. This committee shall be selected as follows:
One member selected by the Board of Deacons, one member selected by the Board of Christian Education, one member selected by the Finance Board, and three members at large selected by the church. This committee shall present and recommend to the church, persons to fill all offices of the church, no later than the annual meeting, to fill vacancies occurring during the ensuing year.
Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the following organizational heads:
| Chairman, Board of Deacons | President, American Baptist Women |
| Chairman, Board of Trustees | President, American Baptist Men |
| Chairman, Finance Committee | Sunday Church School Superintendent |
| Chairman, Board of Christian Education | Three (3) Members from the Church at Large |
| *Chairman, Outreach Committee (to be added upon approval of the church) | |
In the event that husband and wife, by virtual of their offices should be on the Executive Committee, then one of them shall be replaced by the vice chairman of their committee.
Finance Committee: The Finance Committee shall be composed of five (5) members. One or two will be elected annually for a term of three (3) years upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee. No member who has served a full term shall be eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed. The Church Treasurer, the Chairman of the Trustee Board, and the Chairman of the Board of Deacons shall be ex-officio members: the Financial Secretary also shall be an ex-officio member, serving this committee as secretary. The Committee shall elect its own chairman. It shall recommend to the church at the annual business meeting a proposed budget of anticipated receipts and expenditures covering all the regular work of the church for the coming year. This committee shall supervise the allocation of monies designated by the budget as approved by the church. It shall have supervision over the purchasing system and shall have the books audited annually. The Finance Committee must have the approval of the church before the expenditure of any amount over one thousand dollars ($1,000) for items not set forth in the church budget except in an emergency situation which is for the safety and well being of the church property and personnel. This committee shall meet monthly.
Usher and Greeting Committee: The Usher and Greeting Committee shall be responsible for providing adequate ushers for each regular and special worship service and shall record the attendance of all services. It shall consist of a chief usher and three (3) associates who are elected by the church, upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee. This committee will enlist a slate of ushers to serve.
Constitution: The Constitution Committee shall consist of three (3) members chosen by the Nominating Committee each year to be presented to the church for approval. This committee is to protect and defend the Constitution of Cook Memorial Baptist Church. If at any time this committee agrees it is necessary for any changes or restructuring of the constitution, then this committee should go before the church to request four (4) additional members to be chosen to work with the Constitution Committee, making a total of seven (7) members. This Constitution Committee shall meet quarterly.
Special Committee: Special committees may be established by the church as needed.
*Outreach Committee: (not yet approved by the church; awaiting the Constitution Committee’s presentation to the church): The Outreach Committee shall be a five (5) member committee consisting of the Chairman of the Board of Christian Education, a Deacon, and three (3) members at large. The Outreach Committee will oversee community outreach, with such tasks as keeping the church informed of local and county-wide events for church participation and keeping the church visible in the community and coordinating such efforts.