Constitution

PRINCE OF PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH - MISSOURI SYNOD
1756 Michigan St
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

Preamble

The Word of God requires that a Christian congregation shall conform to this Divine Word in doctrine and practice (Ps. 119:105; Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 1:6-8; 2 Tim. 4:1-5) and that all things be done decently and in order (1 Cor. 14-40). Therefore, we the members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, accept and subscribe to the following Constitution and By-laws, in accordance with which all spiritual and material affairs of our congregation shall be governed.

ARTICLE I - Name

The name of this congregation shall be Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Incorporated, located in the city of Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, a religious corporation organized under Chapter 181 of the Wisconsin Statues, the Wisconsin non-stockcorporation law.

ARTICLE II - Affiliation

This congregation shall be affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

ARTICLE III - Purpose

The purpose of this congregation shall be to seek the honor and glory of God, to carry out His will, to manifest the unity of our faith in Jesus Christ as God and Savior, to spread the Kingdom of God and to foster Christian fellowship and love by the preaching of the Word of God, by the administration of the Sacraments, and by the religious instruction of all its members according to the confessional standard of the Lutheran Church (Article IV).

ARTICLE IV - Confessional Standard

This congregation acknowledges and accepts all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed Word of God, verbally inspired, and acknowledges and accepts all the Confessional writings of the Lutheran Church, contained in the Book of Concord of the year 1580, to be the true and genuine exposition of the doctrines of the Bible. These Confessional Writings are the three (3) Ecumenical Creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian), the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, Luther’s Large and Small Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord.

ARTICLE V - Membership

Baptized Membership
The baptized membership includes all members, regardless of age, who have been baptized in the name of the Triune God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), who are under the spiritual care of this congregation, and who have been received into membership in accordance with the by-laws.
Communicant Membership
The Communicant Members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church- LCMS, Sturgeon Bay, WI shall understand that they are entitled to all the rights and privileges of such membership. At the same time, they know that they must accept the responsibility of such membership. Counting it a privilege and responsibility, they join fellow members in subscribing to the following Principles of Belief.
1. The Trinity: I believe in the Holy Trinity; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). I believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of the Father (John 1:1, 2,14); that He died and rose for my sins (2 Corinthians 5:15); and that through Him and Him alone I am forgiven, saved and made a child of God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).
2. God's Word: I accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the verbally inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21) in all their parts and words. They do not err but are true, also those portions which touch upon history (creation) or the things of nature (John 10:35). The Bible is a dynamic, living word (Romans 1:16), to change people’s hearts and lives and I agree to strive to follow its directives all my life.
3. Baptism: I believe in Holy Baptism as a means whereby God makes me His own (Titus 3:5). Infants, too, need re-birth in Christ and are to be baptized (Psalm 51:5, John 3:5-6). I have been baptized in the church.
4. Worship: I shall be faithful in my church attendance as a member of the body of Christ (Hebrews 10:24-26), realizing that only through the hearing of the Word of God can faith be created and maintained (Romans 10:17). (We expect our members to worship with us every week except for excuses acceptable to God.)
5. Lord's Supper: I believe in the Lord's Supper as a means whereby God strengthens my faith by giving me the true body and blood of the Lord Jesus under the bread and wine (1 Corinthians 10:16 & 11:23-25). I shall receive the Lord's Supper often. (We encourage our members to receive the sacrament whenever it is offered.)
6. Study: I shall lead a godly, decent life (Ephesians 2:10), in appreciation for God's gift of salvation in Christ (Galatians 2:20); and I shall seek to grow in both faith and life through the study of God's Word (1 Peter 2:2). (We expect our members to become involved in the Bible study program of our church.)
7. Offerings: I shall give to my Lord willingly (2 Corinthians 9:7); as God has prospered me (1 Corinthians 16:2); liberally (Malachi 3:10, Luke 6:38); and from a grateful heart to Jesus, my Savior (2 Corinthians 8:8). (We expect our members to give liberal, first-fruits, percentage gifts).
8. Evangelism: I will show concern for all the needs of my fellow-men (Galatians 6:10) and I will especially seek to help bring them, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to faith in Jesus Christ (John 4:28-29)
9. Service: I shall join with my fellow members in serving my Lord and His people at Prince of Peace and in our community with the gifts He has given me (Romans 12:4-8, Corinthians 12:27-31). When a call for assistance is issued, I will not wait to be asked, but will strive to make myself available for "the service of the saints" (1 Corinthians 16:15-16).
10. Lodge: I do not and shall not belong to any organization or lodge that teaches a way of salvation by character and not by forgiveness in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16 & 5:4), realizing that such membership compromises the very heart of the Gospel that I have confessed (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).
I express my conviction concerning the above statements. Should Satan succeed in deceiving me into a life of sin, I earnestly desire my fellow Christians to give me brotherly admonition (Matthew 18:15-17).
Voting Membership
Voting membership shall consist of such communicant and associatemembers as have reached the age of eighteen (18) years. Women may have voting membership in the congregation and serve as officers and as members of boards and committees, but may not serve as pastor, elder or chairman of the congregation.

ARTICLE VI - Powers of the Congregation

General
The congregation as a body, through the voting assembly, shall have supreme power to administer and manage all its external and internal affairs. The establishment and conduct of all institutions and societies within the congregation, such as a Christian day school, Sunday school, youth societies, ladies’ organizations, choir, etc., shall be at all times subject to the approval and supervision of the congregation. The congregation, however, shall not be empowered to decide any matters contrary to the Word of God and the Confessions of the Lutheran Church (Article IV), and any such decision shall be null and void.
Right of Calling
The right of calling pastors or teachers shall be vested in the congregation. The congregation shall exercise this right only in a regular or special meeting of the Voter’s Assembly in accordance with the by-laws of this constitution.
Decisions
1. Matters of doctrine and conscience shall be decided by the Word of God; other matters shall be decided by Voter’s Assembly by a majority vote unless otherwise specified by the Constitution and/or by-laws.
2. Matters of purchase of property and/or erection of buildings shall require a two-thirds majority of those present at the Voter’s Assembly by ballot vote.
Powers of Officers
Congregational officers or committees, whether elected or appointed by the voters, shall have no authority beyond that which has been conferred upon them, and whatever power may have been delegated to them may at any time be altered or revoked by the Voter’s Assembly.
Removal from Office
Any officer, pastor or teacher may be removed from office by the congregation by a two-thirds ballot vote, in Christian and lawful order, for one of the following causes: Persistent adherence to false doctrine, scandalous life, inability to perform his official duties or persistent neglect of them.

ARTICLE VII - Property Rights

All rights to the property of the congregation are vested in the congregation. Should dissension and strife arise which the congregation cannot bring to a peaceful conclusion, it shall seek the advice and assistance of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod with which it is affiliated. If even then a separation or division cannot be avoided, the property of the congregation and all benefits

ARTICLE VII - Property Rights (cont’d)

therewith connected shall remain with those members who continue to adhere to the Confessions mentioned in Article IV of the Constitution.

ARTICLE VIII - Officers

The officers of this congregation shall be such officers, boards or committees as the by-laws of this congregation may prescribe.

ARTICLE IX - Pastoral Office

The pastoral office of this congregation, as well as that of a called teacher in a Christian day school, shall be conferred upon such ministers, teachers of a Christian day school, and candidates only as they profess and adhere to the confessional standard set forth in Article IV of this constitution and are well qualified for their work. Pastors and teachers of a Christian day school shall in the call extended to and accepted by them be pledged to this confessional standard.

ARTICLE X - Doctrinal Literature

Only such hymns, prayers and liturgies shall be used in the public services of the congregation and in all ministerial acts as conform to the confessional standard of Article IV and overflow to God’s glory. Likewise, in all classes for instruction in Christian doctrine, only such books shall be used that conform to this standard.

ARTICLE XI - Amendments

Unaltered Article
Article IV and paragraph “A” of Article XI of this constitution shall be unalterable and irrepealable.
Amendments
Amendments to this constitution and the by-laws may be adopted at a regular Voter’s Assembly, provided:
1. That they do not conflict with any section of any other article that pertains to Scriptural doctrine and practice; and
2. That the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing at a previous Voter’s Assembly.

The affirmative vote of the two-thirds majority of the voting membership present at the Voter’s Assembly shall be required for the adoption of an amendment.

Prince Of Peace Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod