Constitution Approved, Ratified

The RLC Congregational Meeting was held on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 11:30 am in the Worship Center. At this exciting and Holy Spirit-filled meeting, the congregation voted to approve the RLC Church Constitution 202 - 2 - 5.

On March 28, 2022, the St Paul Area Synod approved the Feb 20, 2022 Congregational approved Constitution. This Constitution is in effect as of March 28, 2022 and was ratified at the next RLC Annual meeting on Aug. 28, 2022.

Download the Approved and Ratified Constitution here.

You may find it helpful to also review the RLC Constitution Executive Summary,
which encapsulates key points with chapter references to the full text.

Why Change the RLC Constitution?

Our congregation and the community we serve has evolved significantly since 1999, when the current RLC Constitution and Bylaws were first adopted. The organizational structure and processes it prescribes don’t fully align with our current mission, and our vision for the future of RLC.

Here are the main provisions that the proposed Constitution includes to better address RLC’s growing and changing needs:

• Greater flexibility in how we form and organize ministry teams, committees, and other groups so we can be more responsive to the needs of this congregation and our community.
• The establishment of a Finance Committee. This is a requirement for non-profits. We have had finance committees in the past, but not in recent years. The proposed Constitution will help ensure we fulfill this important obligation.
• Recognition that we must embrace new communications technologies—like Zoom meetings, worship broadcasts, and internet educational seminars—as essential additions and enhancements to in-person meetings and events. 
• Term limits for Council Representatives. The proposed constitution stipulates that a Council Rep may serve up to two consecutive, two-year terms, but would be ineligible for that position for a period of two years after their term ends.
• Better alignment with the St. Paul Area Synod and the ELCA, by following their guidance as outlined in the ELCA Model Constitution for Congregations (2019).

NOTE: Provisions in the draft RLC constitution marked by an asterisk [*] are required by the ELCA to be used “without alteration or amendment of the text in any manner.” Unmarked provisions and bylaws have been developed specifically for RLC. Please consider this as you review the proposed constitution.

Questions? Comments?

Your input and feedback are vital to this process. Please submit your questions or comments to the CBTF through email to KJ Bach.