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It includes constitution content such as the preamble, legal name, mission, and confessional standards anchored in Scripture and Lutheran confessions.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/","Letters",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/church-governance-sample-a-constitution-and-bylaws/178504/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/church-governance-sample-a-constitution-and-bylaws/178504.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Putri","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document","2026-10-22","2026-09-02",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",17,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the purpose of this church governance document?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"It helps congregations planning changes to their governance structure by offering three constitution and bylaws samples that can be incorporated into a new or revised constitution.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How does Sample A differ from Samples B and C?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Sample A is designed to be flexible enough for most WELS congregations. Sample B is best suited for larger congregations, while Sample C supports a consensus form of governance with a Leadership Council making final decisions with input from all adult members.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What does Article III require regarding Scripture and confessions?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The congregation accepts canonical Old and New Testament books as the verbally inspired and inerrant Word of God and submits to it as the only infallible authority. It also accepts and confesses the Lutheran confessions in the Book of Concord of 1580 as true statements of scriptural doctrine, without reservation.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},178504,1790174672,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,109,113,117,122],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":105,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},18,30,"letters",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":114,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":140,"read_time":141},962085571259,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","This document is intended for congregations that are planning to make changes to their governance structure.  The document contains three samples (not models) whose features could be incorporated into a new or revised constitution and bylaws.  The current WELS model constitution (available from Northwestern Publishing House) is another option that congregations may consider.  Sample A is flexible enough to fit most WELS congregations.  Sample B is best considered by larger congregations.   Sample C is for congregations considering a consensus form of governance with a Leadership Council making final decisions with input from all adult members.\nConstitution and Bylaws\nSAMPLE A\nDue to the flexibility built into this sample constitution and bylaws, it would fit most Lutheran congregations.\nThis document will walk through the aim of each article in Sample A and, when necessary, the individual sections of an article. The text of the constitution and bylaws is in red.\nConstitution and Bylaws\nOf\n[Name of congregation}\nPreamble\nGod in his holy Word desires that a Christian congregation not only conform to the Word of God in doctrine and practice (Psalm 119:105, Galatians 1:6-8) but also that all things be done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Corinthians 14:40).  Therefore, we, the members of [church name] Lutheran Church of [location] set forth this constitution and bylaws to govern all our congregational affairs.\nThe preamble of a constitution is an optional, yet common, introductory statement that outlines the fundamental principles and goals of the document.\nConstitution\nArticle I: Legal Name\nThe legal name of this congregation shall be [church name] Evangelical Lutheran Church.\nArticle I formally identifies the congregation by specifying its official, legal name. This ensures clarity and consistency in all legal matters involving the church. In all legal documents, the church should be referred to by the name specified in this article.\nGenerally, the legal name of a WELS congregation includes the identifying name (e.g. Trinity, St. Paul’s, etc.) followed by “Evangelical Lutheran Church.” This identifies as a congregation within the Lutheran tradition, aligns the congregation with other WELS congregations in how its named, and distinguishes the congregation from churches of other traditions with the same identifying name.\nThis article is not intended to imply that the full legal name of the congregation must be used in all church literature, mailings, signage, etc. The congregation may, for practical reasons, abbreviate the name. E.g. “Trinity Lutheran Church,” “Trinity Lutheran,” or simply “Trinity” instead of “Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.”\nArticle II: Mission\n[Insert congregational mission statement here]\nArticle II shares the congregation’s stated mission, drawn from God’s Word.  It may delineate core ministry activities, such as: worshipping God, nurturing the faith of members with the Word, engaging in outreach to the lost, etc. Ultimately, the aim of this article is to communicate, “This is what God has called the members of this congregation to do.”\nIf your congregation has formally adopted a mission and/or purpose statement, it would be inserted into this article. It is a worthwhile endeavor to study the mission of the Church every few years. After that study, the congregational mission statement can be produced, updated, or simply affirmed.\nResources for producing a congregational mission statement can be found at welscongregationalservices.net.\nArticle III: Confessional Standard\nSection 1: Holy Scriptures\nThis congregation accepts and confesses all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the verbally inspired and inerrant Word of God and submits to this Word as the only infallible authority of all matters of faith and life (2 Timothy 3:15-17).\nSection 2: Creeds & Confessions\nThis congregation accepts and confesses all the symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church contained in the Book of Con","cbCaitfQz0nPwvZM","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitfQz0nPwvZM","docx",170823,74,"English","# Constitution and Bylaws\n## Preamble\n## Constitution\n## Article I: Legal Name\n## Article II: Mission\n## Article III: Confessional Standard","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of this church governance document?\",\"answer\":\"It helps congregations planning changes to their governance structure by offering three constitution and bylaws samples that can be incorporated into a new or revised constitution.\"},{\"question\":\"How does Sample A differ from Samples B and C?\",\"answer\":\"Sample A is designed to be flexible enough for most WELS congregations. Sample B is best suited for larger congregations, while Sample C supports a consensus form of governance with a Leadership Council making final decisions with input from all adult members.\"},{\"question\":\"What does Article III require regarding Scripture and confessions?\",\"answer\":\"The congregation accepts canonical Old and New Testament books as the verbally inspired and inerrant Word of God and submits to it as the only infallible authority. It also accepts and confesses the Lutheran confessions in the Book of Concord of 1580 as true statements of scriptural doctrine, without reservation.\"}]","Church Governance - Sample A Constitution and Bylaws | DOCX",1788332111,26]