1.   Introduction

      The name of the Church shall be Oldham Bethel Church.
      Therefore:
      Definition: an Evangelical Free Church.

      Objects:

The teaching and establishing of the People of God in this place and in their most Holy Faith:
         -      Through the weekly ministry
         -      Through Worship
         -      Through Pastoral visiting

Winning the people of Oldham for the Lord Jesus Christ
         -      Through the preaching of the Gospel
         -      Through Evangelistic visitation and special missions

2.   Church Membership

2.1.1. Church membership shall be open to all who profess repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; who assent to the 'Statement of Doctrine'; whose lives bear evidence of their Christian profession.   They shall be elected by the admitted members of the Church at a Church Meeting and their names shall be entered on a roll of members.   The admitted members shall mean in this Deed all persons who have been elected in accordance with this clause and whose names are entered on the said roll of members.   It shall be required of all applicants for membership that they shall have worshipped in the Church for a period of 3 months prior to the application for membership and the Church shall have the right to extend this period to 6 months as it feels led in any particular case.   Applicants shall be interviewed by 2 of the Officers and the Pastor, the recommendation of the interviewers being placed before the next Church Business Meeting.

2.1.2. Should the Church receive an application for membership at a time when there is no Pastor, then the recommendation of 2 Officers will be deemed sufficient.

2.2 Suspension of Membership

2.2.1. If it should become necessary for the Church to consider the withdrawal of membership through the backsliding of a member, or for any other reason established by scripture, the method to be observed is that outlined by the Saviour in Matthew 18 v 15-20, namely, first a Pastoral visit to seek the cause of spiritual decline and to urge a return to the Lord Jesus; second, a visit by the Pastor and an Officer, or 2 Officers, or 2 Church Members as the Church appoints; third, the hearing of the matter before the whole Church and a decision by the church as to whether the membership of the Christian concerned shall be retained or not within the Oldham Bethel Church.

2.2.2. If it should be that membership of the Christian concerned is to be terminated, the Church shall pass a resolution suspending the membership and the name of the Christian shall be withdrawn from the roll of members, being transferred to a roll of suspended members, reasons for suspension being outlined therein.   A letter shall be sent to the Christian concerned stating the reasons for all the actions of the Church.   The roll of suspended members shall be read at a suitable meeting of the Church and special prayers shall be offered for all that have strayed away from God.

3.   Church Officers

3.1. The Church Officers shall be selected from amongst the admitted members of not less that 12 months standing by special resolution of the admitted members of the Church at a Church business meeting and shall hold office for a term of 3 years (hereinafter defined).   At the end of this period, the Officers may stand for re-election.   There is no limit to the number of times an Officer may be re-elected.   All candidates for the position of Church Officers must be aged 18 years or older.   Officers will be selected at a meeting of members after open discussion and show of hands in the absence of the candidate (and spouse).   Two thirds of total membership is required.   Members may raise points and vote by proxy for spouses only.   Officers will hold the dual role of Trustee and Deacon and have responsibility for both pastoral and charitable activities.

At each Annual Church Business Meeting, one third of the Officers will relinquish their office but may, as stated above, stand for re-election.

3.2. A Pastor or Pastors who will teach and hold doctrines contained in the statement of doctrine will be appointed by the Church business meeting.

3.3. It shall be the responsibility of the Pastor(s) to ensure the adequate shepherding for all ages in the Church.   They shall arrange therefore, for such meetings as are necessary to meet the needs of all, as the Lord causes the Church to grow, he/she shall appoint on the advice of the Officers and after discussion in the Church such leaders as may be necessary to lead or instruct as such meetings.   All such leaders shall have a delegated pastoral responsibility, being responsible to the Pastor(s) and Officers for the adequate discharge of their work.   It is required of all leaders that they be Members of the Church.

3.4. The Sunday school and all youth meetings or Pastor's Fellowships shall be deemed as part of the delegated pastoral responsibility, the leading Officers in each being appointed by the Pastor(s) on the advice of the Officers.

3.5. Should the situation arise in which the duly elected Pastor should feel his ministry drawing to a close, he shall, in the first instance, discuss this with the Officers and the Officers shall call a Church Meeting to convey this to the Church.   The procedure for the appointment of another Pastor shall be as in 3.2 and 3.3 above.

3.6. If any Pastor, appointed as above, shall, during his pastorate, substantially cease to hold the stated doctrines of the Church, or shall be charged with or suspected of dishonesty or immoral conduct, or otherwise be deemed unsuitable to officiate, the Officers shall investigate such matters and report their findings to a specially called Church Meeting.   If the Members are of the opinion that such charges have been established, the said Pastor shall be called upon to resign immediately and, in default of his doing so within seven days of the date of the said meeting, his appointment shall be deemed at the end of that period to have been lawfully terminated.   In the same way, any Officer against whom any charge shall be proved following the above process, shall likewise be called upon to resign his office immediately and, in default of his doing so within seven days of the said meeting, his office shall be deemed, at the end of that seven days to have been vacated.

4.   Church Business Meetings

4.1. All business meetings of the Church shall be duly convened if called in pursuance of a resolution by the Pastor and Church Officers, or a majority of them, by oral notice of the time and place appointed given at each public Divine Service held on the premises on the Lord's Day immediately proceeding the date of any such intended Church Business Meeting.

Where a special resolution is to be proposed, notice shall be given in a similar manner to the above on each public Divine Service held on the premises on each of the two Lord's Days immediately preceding the date of such meeting.   The general nature of the business which is the subject of the special resolution shall be stated in the notice.

4.2. All resolutions at a Church Business Meeting (other than special resolutions) shall be considered as carried and biding on the admitted members of the Church if passed by a majority of the admitted members entitled to vote and voting at the Meeting.   In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the casting vote.   One third of the total membership shall constitute a quorum for a Church Business Meeting except in cases where the Meeting has been called to consider special resolutions.   In such instances, two thirds of the admitted members will be required to be present.   Resolutions affecting the Constitution of the Church shall, in all cases, be considered as special resolutions.

4.3. A special resolution shall be considered as carried and binding on the admitted members of passed by not less than two thirds of the admitted members of the Church entitled to vote and voting at a meeting convened in accordance with the proviso in clause 4.4.   The two thirds of the admitted members shall be required to vote and shall not make an aggregate number from which a majority is taken.

4.4. No person may vote at any Church Business Meeting unless he or she has been admitted to the membership of the Church and, further, shall have communed with the Church at the Lord's Table at least once per month during the period of six months following election to Membership.

4.5. A Church Business Meeting, to be known as the Annual Church Business Meeting, shall be held every year for the selection of the Church Officers and the approval of the Church accounts for the previous financial year (January to December).   It shall be the duty of the Church officers to ensure that not more than fifteen months elapse between each Annual Church Business Meeting.

The body of Church Officers shall consist of not more than seven and not fewer than three people who shall, upon selection, appoint one of their number to serve as the Church Secretary and another to serve as Treasurer.

The Treasurer shall have control of, and responsibility for, all the monies of the Church and no expenses are to be incurred in the name of the Church without prior consultation with and agreement from the Treasurer or two other Officers (if the Treasurer is absent).

4.6. Two thirds shall constitute a quorum at an Officers' Meeting which shall be held prior to each Annual Business Meeting of the Church.   The authority of the Officers' Meeting shall relate to the day to day running and pastoral activities of the Church, the responsibilities of the building, reconstruction and maintenance of any property owned or leased by the Church and continuing compliance with Charity Commission legal requirements.

4.7. At any Church Business Meeting or Meeting of Church Officers, the Pastor may, if present, act as Chairman or a Chairman may be appointed from among those Officers present.

4.8. The proceedings and resolutions of any Church Business or Officers Meeting shall be proved by a Minute thereof under the hand of the Chairman.   Such Minute shall be prima facie evidence that any resolution therein stated to have been passed was duly passed in conformity with all the provisions of this clause and also of the due appointment of the person signing the Minute as Chairman.

5.   General

5.1. In the event of a dispute between the admitted members of the Church, the Pastor and the Church Officers in any matter relating to the use of the Church premises or upon the construction of these premises or any matter or thing herein contained, such dispute or difference shall be submitted to the Church Officers whose decision upon the matter, after due consideration of the Trust Deed of Oldham Bethel Church, shall be final and conclusive between the parties.

5.2. The responsibility for the spiritual oversight of the Church, admitted members and any outreach (evangelistic) activities lies with the Pastor and appointed leaders.

5.3. Authority for the removal of names from the Roll of Members, for any reason whatever, shall only be given by a properly convened Church Business Meeting.

6.   Doctrinal Basis

6.1. The full inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; their authority and sufficiency as not only containing but being in themselves the Word of God; the reliability of the New Testament in its testimony to the character and authorship of the Old Testament and the need of the teaching of the Holy Spirit to a true and spiritual understanding of the whole.

6.2. The unity of the Godhead and the divine co-equality of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; the sovereignty of God in creation, providence and redemption.

6.3. The utter depravity of human nature in consequence of the fall, and the necessity for regeneration.

6.4. The true and proper Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ; His virgin birth; His real and perfect manhood, the authority of His teaching and the infallibility of all His utterances; His work of atonement for sinners of mankind by His vicarious sufferings and death; His bodily resurrection and His ascension into Heaven; and His present priestly intercession for His people.

6.5. The justification of sinners solely by faith, through the atoning of merits of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

6.6. The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, conversion and sanctification; also in ministry and worship.

6.7. The ordinances of Believer's Baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as being instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, but not in Baptism as conveying regenerating grace nor in the Lord's Supper as being a sacrifice for sin or involving any change in the bread or wine.

6.8. The personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory.

6.9. The resurrection of the body; the judgement of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ with the eternal blessedness of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked.