Structure

The Disciples of Christ is a congregational movement, meaning that each congregation sets its own polity, or rules. In keeping with Disciples’ traditions, the ultimate authority rests with Central’s congregation. Our By-Laws effectively provide the constitution for Central’s government and polity. A copy of the full document is attached below. Key components of this structure are:
OUR CONGREGATION
Acting as a community, we have the responsibility to:
 
  • Call our senior minister
  • Establish our budgets and financial policies
  • Participate through voting representatives in the General and Regional Assemblies of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
 
Our goals include demonstrating our concern for the nurture, mission and witness of the whole church by:
 
  • Proclaiming the gospel
  • Administering baptism and the Lord’s Supper
  • Providing for the spiritual nurture of our members
  • Growing in understanding that the church is a universal fellowship
  • Transcending all barriers within the human family such as race and culture
  • Being faithful in Christian stewardship
  • Seeking to realize the oneness of the church of Jesus Christ through cooperation with other churches and ecumenical structures
 

OFFICERS OF THE CONGREGATION

  • Moderator: preside at all meetings of the congregation and cabinet
  • Vice-moderator: support the moderator and preside at meetings in the Moderator’s absence
  • Secretary: keep accurate minutes of all congregational and cabinet meetings
  • Treasurer: responsible for all income received and payments made
  • Historian: gather and preserve data pertaining to the history, life and work of the church
 
Congregational Officers are elected annually. Except for our church historian, no officer is eligible for reelection to the same office if they have served in that office for a period in excess of 6 months in each of the two previous one-year terms of that office.
 

OUR CABINET

The elected Congregational Officers along with representatives of our lay leaders (Trustees, Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses), chairs from our volunteer departments (Worship, Education, Fellowship, Church in Society, and World Outreach), and “at large” Congregational Representatives, form our Cabinet. The Cabinet acts on behalf of the congregation to make decisions about Central’s ministry. All Cabinet members are members of the congregation that are active in the congregation’s life and give evidence of seeking to grow in their own understanding and practice of the Christian life.