Section Three:
How One May be Removed from Membership
Death: Upon the death of a
member, he/she shall be removed from the membership of this church.
Desire: Upon the
receipt of a written request from a member, his/her name shall be
removed from the membership of this church.
Departure: For lack of
participation in worship and/or financial support of Valley View Baptist
Church, and after an attempt of the Elders to restore an individual to
participation in this church, a special meeting shall be called by the
Elders to remove an individual from the membership of this church.
The meeting and its purpose shall be announced from the pulpit by an
Elder on a Sunday morning at a regularly-scheduled worship service and
shall take place no less than seven nor more than thirty days after the
announcement. Upon a majority vote of those members present at the
meeting, the named individual(s) shall be removed from the membership of
Valley View Baptist Church. A letter shall then be sent to the
individual’s last known address informing them of the church’s decision.
The meeting may be called for more than one individual.
Discipline: If a member of
Valley View Baptist Church be found to be acting or teaching contrary to
the Holy Bible, this Constitution, The 1833 New Hampshire Confession of
Faith, The Articles of Declaration, and/or The Solemn Church Covenant of
Valley View Baptist Church, it shall be the duty of the Elders of this
church to seek to restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness
(Galatians 6:1). If the individual repents and ceases from his/her
behavior and/or teaching, it shall be as if the individual had never
sinned. However, if the individual will not hear the Elders in the
matter at hand, the Elders shall call a special meeting to remove such
an individual from the membership of this church. The meeting and
its purpose shall be announced from the pulpit by an Elder on a Sunday
morning at a regularly-scheduled worship service and shall take place no
less than seven days nor more than thirty days after the announcement.
If the individual in question does not repent before the congregation,
upon a majority vote of those members present at the meeting, the named
individual(s) shall be removed from the membership of Valley View
Baptist Church. If the individual repents before the congregation,
it shall be as if the individual had never sinned; and the individual
shall be comforted by all of the church. The meeting may be called
for more than one individual.
