CONSTITUTION

Article I. This Society shall be called the Maine Ministerial Relief Society of the United Church of Christ.

Article II. The object of this Society shall be to assist ordained ministers of the United Church of Christ who are in financial need and who have faithfully served or are currently serving churches of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, and the spouses and dependent children of such ministers.

Article III. The voting members of this Society shall consist of the duly elected officers and members of the Coordinating Council of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Article IV. This Society shall hold an annual meeting after the close of the calendar year at a time and place to be determined by the Trustees of the Society.

Article V. The Moderator, Vice Moderator and Treasurer of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ shall serve as, Moderator, Vice Moderator and Treasurer of the Society. They shall select a person who may be a member of the staff of the Conference to serve as Secretary of the Society. The Board of Trustees of the Society shall provide for audit of the books and accounts of the Society by the auditors employed by the Conference.

Article VI. The Moderator, Vice Moderator, Treasurer, and two others, ordained holding standing in a Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ Association, shall constitute a Board of Trustees who shall manage the affairs of the Society. Terms for the “two other” Trustees will be for a period of two years, renewable once. The terms will be staggered, with one of those persons being elected each year. Nominations will be determined by the Trustees. The Trustees shall report their proceedings to the Annual Meeting of the Society.

Article VII. The Trustees shall direct the investment of funds of the Society on recommendation of the Treasurer, giving effect to any directives furnished by donors of such funds.

Article VIII. This Constitution may be altered and amended at any annual meeting by a vote of three-fourths of the members present, previous notice of the proposed amendment having been given in the call for the meeting.

BY-LAWS

Section 1 Publication of the time and place of an annual meeting and mailing of same to each member and Trustee shall constitute a legal notice of the annual meeting of the Society.

Section 2 In the absence of any of the three officers of the Society, a Trustee shall preside at the annual or any special meeting.

Section 3 At each annual meeting the members shall act upon the reports of the Trustees and Treasurer, and if available the reports of the Auditor, shall elect two Trustees and shall act upon such business as may properly come before them.

Section 4 The Moderator may call a special meeting of the Society whenever the Moderator deems it necessary, and shall call such a meeting upon written request of five members. The Moderator may call a special meeting of the Trustees whenever the Moderator deems it necessary and call such a meeting on the written request of three Trustees. Notice of any such special meeting may be given by mailing same to each member or Trustee or by publication thereof in the official magazine of the Conference.

Section 5 No new notice is required when an annual or special meeting of the Society or the Trustees is adjourned to a fixed date.

Section 6 At any meeting of the Society ten members shall constitute a quorum. At any meeting of the Trustees three Trustees shall constitute a quorum. A lesser number may adjourn any meeting to a time and place certain and shall cause notice thereof to be given to absent members.

Section 7 The annual meeting of the Trustees shall be held prior to the annual meeting of the Society.

Section 8 The Secretary shall also serve as Secretary of the Board of Trustees. The Secretary shall record the transactions of both bodies and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to the Secretary.

Section 9 The Treasurer shall, if and when so required by the Trustees, give bond in such sum and with such sureties as the Trustees may determine. The Treasurer shall keep safely all funds and securities of the Society and shall pay the same out on order of the Trustees. The calendar year shall be the fiscal year of the Society. The Trustees shall determine the investment policy with respect to the permanent funds of the Society.

Section 10 Requests by persons seeking ministerial relief of amounts no greater than $1000 per individual may be approved by the Conference Minister, who must notify the Trustees of the action.  Requests by persons seeking ministerial relief of amounts in excess of $1000 per individual must be approved by a minimum of two (2) Trustees in consultation with the Conference Minister.

Section 11 The Society shall work through its Trustees and Treasurer in close cooperation with the Pension Boards of the United Church of Christ.

Section 12 These By-Laws may be amended by vote of three-fourths of the members present at any annual meeting, notice of the proposed amendment having been given in the call for the meeting.