Witnessing to Christian unity through relationships and actions,
We are drawn to…
be a Christian community of hospitality to all,
developing and supporting deep relationships,
hold each other accountable to the ongoing mission of unity,
continuing our faith journeys together,
express a Christian voice of conscience,
providing a voice for the voiceless, and,
increase the visibility of this mission and ministry,
partnering throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The preamble to our constitution states our reason for being in biblical terms that inspire us deeply and that extends a meaningful invitation to all churches in Kentucky that profess Jesus as the Christ:
“In the providence of God, communions and congregations in the Commonwealth of Kentucky that profess Jesus as the Christ, covenant together to manifest more fully the unity of the Church. As communions and congregations, we profess that the ecumenical calling to Christian unity is essential to our own identities, and we therefore commit ourselves to shared life and ministry together in the Kentucky Council of Churches, a conciliar structure that shall serve as a community of communions for us. Our unity is both a gift and a challenge, calling us to interdependence as intimate as the members of a single body (I Corinthians 12), the branches of a single vine (John 15), the stones of a single house (I Peter 2)—a unity that preserves the dignity of our diversity and which gives us a common ministry for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation under the leading of the Holy Spirit. We welcome others to join our household of faith to share in our common life.”
KENTUCKY COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of the organization shall be "Kentucky Council of Churches."
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Council shall be:
To provide the context in which the communions and congregations of the Kentucky Council of Churches may experience a shared life in Christ, deepen their understandings of the promises and demands of the Gospel, uphold one another in faithfulness, offer prayer and bear witness to one another, and seek to discern God’s will for the body of Christ in our time and in our Commonwealth;
To provide an instrument for unified witness to God’s will for justice, peace, righteousness, and compassion for all people, but especially in the Commonwealth of Kentucky;
To work for the renewal of the Church in order that Christians ultimately may confess together the gospel of Jesus Christ, join in common service and worship, make decisions together as circumstances require, recognize one another’s members and ministers, and join in eucharistic fellowship;
4. To promote throughout our Commonwealth, the ecumenical calling of God’s people to be reconciled to Jesus Christ and to one another in order that the unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity of the Church may be made manifest to the world.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
The Council shall be constituted by:
1. the administrative units of those communions within the Commonwealth of Kentucky who accept the purposes of the Council as set forth in this preamble and constitution, and certify such action to the Executive Board, and who are accepted into membership by a two-thirds vote of the Assembly, upon recommendation of the Executive Board; and
2. autonomous congregations who accept the purposes of the Council as set forth in this preamble and constitution and certify such action to the Executive Board, and who are accepted into membership by a two-thirds vote of the Assembly, upon recommendation of the Executive Board.
Congregational membership, either full or observer, shall not be held by any congregation whose communion is affiliated with the Council.
Observer status shall be available, upon petition to the Executive Board and upon the approval by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board, to those administrative units of communions or autonomous congregations who are not able to join the Council but want to be informed of ecumenical ministries. Such observer members shall be entitled to voice but no vote in the proceedings of the Council.
The Council may recognize as Ecumenical Partners those interdenominational church organizations who accept the objectives and purposes of this Council as set forth in this Preamble and Constitution and who elect officers, administer a program, have a budget and who request such recognition from the Executive Board. This relationship shall be one of liaison (i.e., voice without vote) between the interdenominational organization and the Council.
ARTICLE IV
THE ASSEMBLY
The governing body of the Council shall be an Annual Assembly which shall have the following representation:
1. Five representatives to be appointed or elected by each administrative unit of member communions including at least one member of the clergy, one layman, and one laywoman; plus one additional representative for each ten thousand members or remaining major fraction thereof.
2. The chief administrative officer of each constituent unit of the Council, or his/her officially delegated representative.
3. Officers of the Council.
4. Members of the Executive Board.
5. One representative from each congregational member, plus one additional representative from each congregational member with a membership over 2000 persons.
6. Observer member denominational units shall be entitled to send two representatives to the Assembly. Observer member congregations shall be entitled to send one representative to the Assembly. Such observer member representatives shall be entitled to voice but no vote in the proceedings.
7. Ecumenical Partners shall be entitled to send the chief executive officer of their organization to the Annual Assembly. Such ecumenical partners shall be entitled to voice but no vote in the proceedings.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
The officers of the Council shall be a president, first and second vice presidents, secretary and treasurer. These officers shall be elected for terms of one year at the annual meeting of the Assembly. They shall take office at the conclusion of the Assembly at which they are elected, and shall hold office until their successors are elected. No persons shall serve consecutively for more than three terms in one office. In case of a vacancy between annual elections, the Executive Board shall fill such a vacancy to hold until the next annual election. The officers of the Council shall be the officers of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
1. There shall be an annual meeting of the Assembly, the date and place to be determined by the Executive Board, to elect officers, act upon reports of the year's work, adopt a budget, approve plans and policies for the ensuing years, and transact such other business as the interests of the Council may require. Policy statements to be publicly promulgated adopted by the Kentucky Council of Churches in Assembly shall not be in conflict with official statements on the same issue by any Kentucky Council of Churches' member body. It will be the responsibility of the Kentucky Council of Churches' member bodies to inform the Council of their official position on issues.
2. Robert's Rules of Order as currently revised shall be the Council's parliamentary authority unless the Council by-laws specify otherwise in particular instances.
3. Special meetings of the Assembly may be called at any time which may be deemed necessary by the Executive Board, provided that the call for such a meeting is authorized by a majority vote of those present and voting when such a decision is made, and that due notice is given. The purpose for a special meeting shall be stated in the call and the Council may transact only such business as is specifically [named?].
ARTICLE VII
EXECUTIVE BOARD AND STANDING COMMITTEES
The Council shall elect at the Annual Assembly, an Executive Board and all standing committees.
1. The Executive Board shall consist of:
(a) The officers of the Council;
(b) The chief officer of each administrative unit of each member communion, or his/her officially designated representative;
(c) Fifteen members-at-large, elected by the Assembly from among the members of the Council. There shall be three classes of such members-at-large, each class consisting of five persons, one class only of which shall expire each year. Terms for each class shall be three years, except when it is necessary to elect some for shorter terms in order to equalize the numbers in the classes or to fill vacancies. No person shall serve as a member-at-large for consecutive terms, either full or partial, aggregating more than six years. Members-at-large shall be elected with a view to a wide representation from the membership of the Council, including adequate representation of individual congregations that have joined in accordance with Article III.
(d) The immediate past president of the Council who shall serve as a member of the Executive Board for one year following the completion of his/her term as President;
(e) Chairpersons of the Standing Committees and Commissions who are not otherwise members of the Executive Board.
(f) Observers and Ecumenical Partners may be invited to send one representative each to meetings of the Executive Board. Representatives of Observer Members and Ecumenical Partners shall be entitled to voice without vote in the proceedings of the Executive Board.
2. The Standing Committees of the Council shall be: Budget and Finance; Nominations and Personnel; and Annual Assembly. The chairpersons of these committees shall be named by the Executive Board from among members of the committees.
3. The Executive Board shall be charged with the administration and supervision of the program adopted by the Assembly. The Board shall act for the Assembly in the interim between its meetings. It shall have all the powers of the Assembly except the power to receive a denomination into membership and the power to amend the constitution, and shall report annually through the President to the Assembly.
4. The Executive Board shall meet at least twice each year. The President and/or Executive Director and/or any five members of the Executive Board may convene special meetings of the Board whenever they deem such meetings necessary. They shall notify all members of the Board of the time and place of such called meetings at least seven days in advance.
5. The Executive Board shall serve as the Trustees and shall be the legal agents of the corporation.
ARTICLE VIII
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE
The Administrative Committee shall consist of the officers of the Council and one additional person elected by the Executive Board. Its function shall be to advise with the staff in the execution of the program of the Council in the interim between the meetings of the Board and assist in planning for the meetings of the Executive Board. It shall meet on call of the President and/or Executive Director.
When, in the judgment of both the Executive Director and President, an extraordinary situation exists requiring immediate action ordinarily appropriate to the Executive Board, the Administrative Committee may act with the authority of the Executive Board. Such action is to be reported to the Executive Board for ratification within 60 days.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended at the annual meeting of the Assembly by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present, provided that notice of such amendment shall have been given through the Executive Board at least 15 days in advance to all members of the Assembly.
ARTICLE X
BY-LAWS
The Council may adopt such by-laws as it deems necessary and proper, provided the same shall not conflict with this constitution. By-laws may be adopted or amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board and ratified by a two-thirds majority vote of the next Annual Assembly. By-laws may be suspended by a two-third majority vote of any Assembly.
ARTICLE XI
INCORPORATION
The Kentucky Council of Churches shall be incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The corporation shall carry directors' and officers' liability insurance and shall indemnify and may advance expenses to all directors, officers, employees, or agents of the corporation who are, were, or are threatened to be made a defendant or respondent to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative) by reason of the fact that he/she is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation (hereafter a "proceeding"), to the fullest extent that is expressly permitted or required by the statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and all other applicable law.
In addition to the foregoing, the corporation shall, by action of the board of directors, have the power to indemnify and to advance expenses to all directors, officers, employees, or agents of the corporation who are, were or are threatened to be made a defendant or respondent to any proceeding, in such amounts, on such terms and conditions, and based upon such standards of conduct as the board of directors may deem to be in the best interests of the corporation.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP ROLL
An up-to-date roll of the constituent units of the Council shall be maintained by the Executive Director, who shall also compile a roll of representatives to the Annual Assembly who have been certified by the constituent units. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Board to communicate with any unit that fails for two successive years to certify its representatives to the Assembly or to contribute responsibly to the financial support of the Council. This having been done, a unit that continues to fail to certify its representatives or to contribute responsibly for a period of two consecutive years shall be deemed by the Executive board to have forfeited its membership.
ARTICLE II
STAFF
There shall be an Executive Director elected and employed by the Executive Board, which will fix his/her salary. The term of office shall be determined by the Board in consultation with the Executive Director and provided for by written statement of mutual agreement. The Executive Director shall be the general administrative and executive officer of the Council and the Executive Board and shall render such service as the Board shall determine or the constitution provides. In addition to providing personal, creative leadership, he/she shall seek to correlate the activities of the Council and to maintain such relations with the executive officers and other leaders of the member communions and councils of churches as to develop a comprehensive and well-balanced program which will achieve the Council's purposes. He/she shall be entitled to the right of full participation in meetings of the Annual Assembly, the Executive Board, the Administrative Committee, standing committees and program units of the Council, except the right to vote. The Executive Board shall review his/her relationship with the Council annually. Additional professional staff may be employed by the Executive Board upon recommendation of the Executive Director and the Standing Committee on Nominations and Personnel.
ARTICLE III
NOMINATIONS
The Standing Committee on Nominations and Personnel shall nominate to the Annual Assembly persons for all elective offices of the Council. This committee shall meet at least sixty days prior to the Annual Assembly. The President of Church Women United in Kentucky shall be the only nominee for election for second vice president, provided he or she is a member in good standing of a constituent unit or observer member of the Council. Persons placed in nomination by the Nominations and Personnel Committee shall have indicated prior to their nominations their willingness to serve.
ARTICLE IV
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
The Executive Board shall create such program units and assign program functions as it deems necessary. The Board shall review the need for the continuation of such units and functions annually. The members of any program units so established shall be appointed by the President and Executive Director in consultation with judicatory heads from such persons as the following:
(a) Representatives serving at the Annual Assembly, selected both on the basis of their broad understanding of the total life of the Church, and their specialized competence in the program field concerned;
(b) Persons holding responsibilities on similar boards and agencies of their respective communions;
(c) Persons with experience in the program area, including persons with responsibility or experience in the ecumenical life of the Church; and
(d) Persons with similar areas of concern within the structure of organizations related to the Council by provision of Article IX of the By-Laws.
The Executive Board shall be responsible for naming the chairperson of any program unit so created.
ARTICLE V
FINANCE
Each member body is expected to share proportionately in the financial support of the work of the Council.
It shall be the responsibility of the Standing Committee on Budget and Finance to arrange for the preparation of a budget reflecting the financial needs of the Council and its program units to present to the Annual Assembly. The budget shall be based upon recommendations of the Executive Director and the program units of the Council and shall be approved by the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be responsible for the equitable apportionment of responsibility for the financial support of the program of the Council. The Executive Board shall also be responsible for an annual audit of the books and financial records of the Council.
ARTICLE VI
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
The President of the Council shall preside at meetings of the Annual Assembly, the Executive Board, and Administrative Committee. He/she shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Committee on Nominations. He/she shall assist the Director in consultation with judicatory leaders in selecting the members of any program unit established.
The First Vice President shall in the absence of the President perform the duties of the President and be the Chairman of the Committee which plans the Annual Assembly.
The Second Vice President shall in the absence of the President or First Vice President perform their duties as described.
The Secretary shall cause to be made and be kept an accurate record of all minutes and business of the Assembly, Executive Board and Administrative Committee.
The Treasurer shall be a member of the Finance Committee. He/she shall see that all funds of the Council are received at the office of the Council where the records are kept, and that such funds are promptly deposited to the account of the Council. Disbursements from the funds shall be made as directed by the Assembly, Executive Board or any committee or person to whom such authority is directed by the Assembly. Acting with the Finance Committee he/she shall see that an accounting system is maintained which will give a true and accurate accounting of the financial transactions of the Council and that reports of such transactions are duly presented to the Assembly and Executive Board. Bonds shall be required of all persons who handle funds of the Council and of all persons authorized by the Executive Board to sign checks. The Executive Board shall determine the nature and the amount of such bonds and all expenses for the same shall be paid by the Council.
ARTICLE VII
QUORUM
A quorum for the Annual Assembly shall be one-fourth of the total number of certified representatives, representing one-third of the constituent judicatory members. A quorum for meetings of the Executive Board shall consist of one fourth of the total number of voting members of the Board, representing one-third of the constituent units present.
ARTICLE VIII
ELECTIONS
Elections in meetings of the Assembly and the Executive Board shall be by voice or standing vote, and the candidate receiving a majority vote shall be declared elected.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Kentucky Council of Churches was established in 1947 by representatives of six denominations and incorporating three already existing interchurch organizations. Kentucky Council of Churches succeeded the Kentucky Sunday School Union, established in Louisville in October 1865. Thus, Kentucky Council of Churches represents more than a century of interchurch cooperation in Kentucky.
ROSTER OF PRESIDENTS
1947 The Rev. Albert G. Stone, Hazard
1948-50 Very Rev. Norvel E. Wicker, Louisville
1951-52 The Rev. Hayes Farish, Lexington
1953 H. Glenn Stephens, Frankfort
1954 W. Franklin Lahr
1955 The Rev. Robert G. McClure, Booneville
1956 The Rev. William H. Poore, Richmond
1957-58 Samuel R. Guard, Anchorage
1959 The Rev. Samuel F. Freeman, Winchester
1960 The Rev. E. A. Wahl, St. Matthews
1961-65 Dr. J. Farra Van Meter, M.D., Lexington
1966-69 The Rev. William E. James, Owensboro
1970-72 The Rev. Albert W. Sweazy, Lexington
1973-75 The Rev. J. Pater Ashworth, III, Lexington
1976-78 The Rev. O. Worth May, Covington
1978-81 The Rev. Howard H. Willen, Hopkinsville
1982-83 The Rev. Ellen Frost, Lexington
1984-85 Monsignor Donald F. Hellmann, Covington
1986-88 The Rev. Tecumseh X. Graham, Louisville
1988-91 The Rt. Rev. David B. Reed, Louisville
1991-94 The Rev. William G. Brown, Lexington
1994-97 Mr. Charles Coyle, Lexington
1997-99 The Rev. Jude Weisenbeck, Louisville
1999-03 The Rev. C. K. Henry, Lexington
2003-06 The Rev. Ron Gaddie, Louisville
2006-07 Dr. Kathryn Johnson, Louisville
2007-10 Melissa Holland, Lexington
2010-13 The Rev. Michael Ward, Lexington
2013-15 The Rev. J. Gregory Alexander, Lexington
2015-20 The Rev. Kent Gilbert
2020- The Rev. Amanda Groves
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
1948-51 William G. Walker
1951-54 Alexander M. Warren
1954-73 John S. Chambers
1974-90 John C. Bush
1990-91 Katherine G. Kinnamon (Interim)
1991-09 Nancy Jo Kemper
2009-15 Marian McClure Taylor
2015-17 Peggy Cecil Hinds (Interim)
2017- 21 Donald K. Gillett, II
2021- present Melissa L. Holland (Interim)
