ARTICLE VI – Policies

Policies(a) The Congregation holds the ultimate authority to establish statutesthe forpolicies of Mayflower ChurchChurch. The Congregation exercises that authority by setting the ends of the church’s policy, that is, the overarching results and standards the church mustintends, follow.and Policiesthe areends approvedonly. The Congregation does not specify the means and does not adopt or amend individual policies by Churchcongregational Membershipvote.

(b) atThe anyCongregation dulydelegates calledto meetingthe Servants Council the making and operationalizing of church.specific Policiespolicies, toboth articulatetheir theends teachingand oftheir Scripturemeans, on issues that require clear teaching, establishing biblical guidance and/or biblical standards of conductheld in the Church Operations Plan. Within the framework of ends set by the Congregation, the Servants Council determines the specific ends and community,the mustmeans of each policy, and may adopt, amend, or rescind them, provided no policy is adopted or amended until it has first bebeen approved by the Board of Elders, so that the doctrinal and biblical soundness of every policy remains under the oversight of the Elders.

(c) PoliciesAll arepolicy insertedof the Church is held in the Church Operations Plan. There is no separate category of Congregational Policy apart from the policies so held. A policy set out in the Church Operations Plan carries the same binding force and legal effect as attachmentsa policy attached to these By-Laws; placement within the By-Laws is not required for a policy to bind. Where any conflict arises, the Articles of Organization control, then the Constitution and these By-Laws, then the policies held in the Church Operations Plan. No policy may amend, override, or decide any matter reserved to the by-laws.Membership, including amendment of the Constitution or By-Laws, the calling or termination of the Pastor, the election or removal of officers or board members, the annual budget, the dissolution of the Church, or any sale, mortgage, or transfer of property requiring a vote of the Church, and any policy in conflict with a higher tier or with a reserved matter is void to the extent of the conflict.