By-laws of Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston
3512 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, USA
Formally adopted October 2, 2019
by the newly combined memberships of
Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston (Hyde Park) and
the Christian Science Society of Jamaica Plain
Amendments listed at bottom
This branch adheres to all requirements in “The Mother Church and Branch Churches” (Article XXIII, pp. 70-74) of the Manual of the Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts.
Readers
Readers must be members of The Mother Church (see Manual). They are not required to be members of Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston.
Reading Room
The Reading Room Librarian implements the church’s vision for ensuring the Reading Room is relevant, accessible and inviting to our immediate neighbors and the broader community.
The Reading Room is a vital connection with the community. The Reading Room Librarian:
Provides leadership in church participation in community activities and interacts with other neighborhood businesses in addressing community issues
Oversees the design of the Reading Room, the window display, the staffing, activities, and provisioning of the Reading Room
Provides Reading Room information to the church social media sites
Committees/Teams
Church members maintain committees/teams to serve the functions of the church as needed. Proposals to create or disband a committee/team should be sent to the Co-op, a group of three people whose roles and terms are more fully defined below.
Voting
The church strives to make decisions by consensus. When that is not possible, church decisions require the approval of a simple majority of the members. Voting to disband or to change the by-laws requires the approval of three-quarters of the membership.
The Co-op may present voting items at a member meeting, unless a voting item is time sensitive, in which case the item will be distributed for vote via email. Votes will usually be collected via online form but exceptions may occur. Each member is entitled to one vote. Votes may take place at a meeting rather than online if notice of the vote in question is provided to members at least a week in advance, and at least 51% of the membership is in attendance at the meeting to vote.
Business Meetings
Business meetings occur at least three times per year. Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed. Meetings will be held on the second Sunday in January, May, and September, unless an alternate date is agreed to by the membership. The Co-op sets the agenda for business meetings. Members may send items to the Co-op and request that they be included in the agenda.
Non-members who are actively involved in our church community may attend the meetings and share ideas, but may not vote.
The Co-op
The Co-op ensures the management of all day-to-day business and property pertaining to the church in between regular business meetings. The Co-op supports the progress of projects deemed important by the membership. Individual expenditures by the Co-op involving a sum of more than one thousand dollars ($1000.00) require approval of the church membership.
The Co-op is made up of three elected positions: the Clerk, the Facilitator and an additional Co-op Member. The Clerk is elected for one year. The Co-op Member and the Facilitator have two-year terms but are elected in alternating years. Elections are typically held in June.
If the Co-op would like input on new issues from the membership between meetings, it emails its proposal to the membership, and allows for a discussion period via email. If the Co-op feels it necessary to have the membership vote promptly on an issue, an online vote is used so the Co-op can move forward without waiting until the next business meeting.
Elections
When election time comes, every member is added to the list of potential candidates for the positions. The Clerk sends out the list and members have one week to remove their names from the list before the vote. Any names left on the candidate lists are eligible for election. Candidates will be elected by a simple majority vote with at least 50% of the membership casting a vote. Those in the elected positions can be re-elected for up to six years.
Facilitator
The Facilitator facilitates business meetings.
Clerk
The Clerk is the custodian of all records of church business. The Clerk receives all official communications to the church. The Clerk with the aid of the other members of the Co-op sends all communications to the membership (notices of meetings, online votes, communications from The Mother Church, and other church business). The Clerk facilitates member applications and withdrawals and keeps our listing with the Massachusetts Secretary of State up to date.
Treasurer
The Treasurer maintains the financial records of the church. The Treasurer receives and records all contributions and expenses for all funds. The Treasurer and at least one member of the Co-op will be signatories to the bank account and will review the online banking account. The Treasurer will provide financial reports at each regular business meeting, and prepare an annual report to be presented at the January meeting. The Treasurer will arrange for an audit or review of church finances by a competent third party on a yearly basis, or as determined by the membership. The Treasurer is elected for a three-year term.
Membership
Joining this church signifies a love for Christian Science and a commitment to the tenets of Christian Science (See page 497 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures). It also represents a dedication to being an active member. Members of this branch church cannot belong to any other church (except The Mother Church) or to any other religion.
Membership Process
A person who would like to join the church fills out the application and gives it to the Clerk.
The Clerk sends the application to the membership and recruits two volunteers from the membership to interview the applicant.
The interviewers send a summary of the interview to the current members.
The Clerk gives the membership a one-week window in which they can share their thoughts about the applicant via email.
At the close of the one-week window, a vote is sent out to the membership as to whether or not to accept the applicant into membership. A person is voted into membership if they receive approval from at least three-quarters of the entire membership within a week.
The membership will openly welcome new members on a Sunday closely following their admission with a gesture appropriate for the occasion.
Withdrawal of membership
Should an individual decide to withdraw membership, s/he can request a letter of withdrawal from the Clerk, which will be sent upon request.
Conflict Resolution
We commit to solving difficulties with healing as the goal (see Matthew 7:12 and Matthew 18:14-17).
Removal from membership
A member can be removed from membership via a vote of at least three-quarters of the membership in favor of the removal.
Disbanding
At least a three-quarters approval (by vote) of the membership is needed to dissolve the church. The church will automatically disband and dissolve its assets if membership falls below 4 members.
Distribution of Assets
If the church disbands, the remaining assets of the church will be distributed to Christian Science churches and societies in good standing in the area if at all possible and/or The Mother Church—The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, MA.
Amendments
On September 20, 2020, members voted to amend the bylaws as follows:
Designate a three-year term for Treasurer
Replace “Shepherd” with “Facilitator”