Constitution for Parishes (Articles I–XII)

Article I. Area and Object

Sec. 1. This Constitution shall be binding upon each Parish of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Sec. 2. The erea in which a parish shall cary on its activities shall be determined by the Executive Councii of the A. E. L. Church upon recommendation by the Synod.

Sec. 3. The objects of a Parish shall be:

a) To develop the Christian life of the members of the congregation by worship, the faithful preaching of the word of God. the use of sacraments, catechetical instruction, Sunday Schools, Luther Leagues, and other means approved by the pastor and the church council.

b) To show forth, through loving service, the life of Christ dwelling in His Church.

c) To preach the Gospel-to men of other faiths within its area and seek to bring them into a living relationship with Christ through baptism.

d) To further the cause of the Kingdom of God in the world,

Article II. Confession of Faith

Sec. 1. Each Parish of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church confesses Jesus Christ as Saviour of the world and as Lord of the Church. The Holy Spirit creates and sustains the Church through the Gospel and thereby unites believers with their Lord and with one another on the fellowship of faith.

Sec. 2. Each parish of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church holds that the Gospel is the revelation of God's Sovereign will and saving grace in Jesus Christ. In Him the Word Incarnate, God imparts Himself to men.

Sec. 3. Each parish of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church acknowledges the Holy Scriptures as the standard and model for the faith and life of the Church. The Holy Scriptures are the only infallible, divinely inspired record of God's redemptive act in Christ, for which the Old Testament prepared the way and which the New Testament preclaims.

Sec. 4. Each parish of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church accepts the Apostles, the Nicene and the Athanasian Creeds as important statements of the Church.

Sec. 5. Each parish of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession and Luther's Small Catechism as true witrieses to the Gospef, and acknowledges its unity in ¥dith with afl churches that accept the teechings of these confessions, "

Sec. 6. Each parish of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church accepts the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Schmalkald Articles, Luther's Large Catechism and the Formuls of Concord as further valid interpretatiéns of the Church's faith.

Article III. Relationships

Sec. 1. The parish, together with its pastor, is and shall remain a member "of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, and of the Synod designated by the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Sec. 2. The membership in the Andhra Evangolical Luthdran Church includes the right to have a pastor assigned 16 the parish.

Sec. 3. This membership also includes the right of the Andhra Evangetical' Luthesan Church and of the concerned synod, through their regulatly constituted executive officers and deliberative bodies, to exercise aversight and control over this parish for the interest of the Church at large, and of the parish in particular.

Sec. 4. The president of the concerned synod, or his éppointed representative, shall receive prior notice of, and shall have the right to be present-at alk meetings of the parish church counoils cwting & pastaral vagancy.

Sec. 5. In case of strife or division. if any part of a parish or congregutioh rejects the faith set forth in Article it, or refuses to abitle by Hs obligations as a member of the Andhra Evangetical Lutheran Church, that part of parish or congregation, whether a miéjority or & minority of its membership, which continues in unity with the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church and its faith shell be recognized as the lawful parish or congregation and shall continue -in, possession of ail the property of the parish or cohgregation.

Sec. 6. If a parish or capgregatign disbands, ceases or fails. to maintain religious warship or services according to the tenets and usages of tha.Lutheran Church, departs, from mamberhip in the Ahdhra Evangelical Lutheran Church without the consent of the Andhra Evangplical Lutheran Chutch, or so decreases in numbers or financial strangth as fo render it impracticable for the parish or the congregation ta fulfil the purposes for which it was organized or to protect its assets from waste and deterioration, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Churgh shall have the right to take charge and gontrol of all property of the parish or tha congregation and thereafter to hold and manage the same at the discretion of the Church. E

Article IV. Membership

The membership of a parish shall consist of its pastor and t other baptized, pacsons whose qualifications rights and duties are sot forth in the by-laws. With regard to their faith and life, thay

shall be subject to the discipline of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church in accordance with the by-laws bf parishes, of ts sy nods and of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Article V. Ministers

Sec. 1. - Each perish shall be served by a pastor and unordained workers, if needed, in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of this Church, of synods and of Parishes.

Sec. 2. The pastor of each parish shall be a person whose soundness In the faith and other qualifications have been examined and approved by the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, who has been properly ordained and whose life and conduct are.above reproach,

Sec. 3. The pastor of each parish shall be appointed tp that parish by the concerned synod in accordance with the synod's procedure for appointment of pastors, ordinarily for a term of five years. The pastor of a pansh shail not be transferred away from a parish within three years of his assignment to,that parish except with the approval of the executive committees of the synod, and of the Executive Council of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Sec. 4. The pastor of a parish shall cease"to be its pastor if he enters the ministry or joins a congregation of a church of a different confession, if he demits the ministry, if he leaves the work of the ministry and engages in secular pursuits, if he is removed from the office of the ministry of the A.E.L. Church in accordance with its provisions for discipline, if he is transferred from the synod, or if he reaches the age of retirement while serving that parish.

Article VI. Parish Church Council

The voting members of a parish shall elect, in accordance with the by - laws for parishes and of the Andhra Evangelical Luthasran

church, a church council to assist the pastor in planning and guiding the work of the parish, and to parform such other duties as are defined in the by — laws of parishes, of synods and of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Article VII. Congregational Panchayat

In case the parish includes more than one congregation, the voting members of each congregation may elect a local panchayat of five members to assist the pastor in planning and guiding the work of the local congregation and to parform such other duties as are defined in the by - laws.

Article VIII. Support

Members of a patish shall be responsible for the support of the work of that parish, the work of the synod. the work of the AE.L, Church, ana other Christian causes which have been approved by the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church. This Support shall be by free ~ will otferings of its members and from other sources as laid down ih the by - laws of synod and parish,

Article IX. Auxiliary Societies

in each parish: thare may ba Luther Leagues, Stresla Samajams and other organizations as approved by the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Article X. Property

Sec. 1. The title to all property in each parish or congregation shall be vested in the A.E.L. Church. Bec. 2. The prithary respohsibility for the maintenance of this Property shall vest-in the parish. 1 feo,

Article XI. (heading not in scan)

Patish church council the imposition of the latter two. In the case of an offence by a person assigned by the Executive Council to administrative charge of work, appeal may be made from the decision of ' the congregational panchayat to the parish church council, and from that of the parish church eouncil to: the Executive Committee of the synod whose decision shall be tinal and binding.

Sec. 5. In the case of an offence liable to discipline having been committed by a person who has been assigned to administrative charge of work by the Executive Council, the Procedure laid down above shall be followed, but appeal may be made from the decision of the congregational panchayst, to the parish church council; and from that of the parish church council to the executive committee of the synod whese decision shall be reviewed by the Executive Council, which shall take suitable action. Cases of disciplinary action against persons assigned to administrative charge by the Executive Council shall be reported immediately by the pastor of the parish to the President of the Church. Even though the matter is not reported by: the pastor, the president to the Church shall take congnizance of it and report it both to the pastor and to the Executive Council.

Article XII. Amendments

Amandrhents to this constitution shall be made by the Executive Council of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church in accordance with the provisions for amendments of the A. E, L. Church Constitution. Such amendments may be proposed by a payish church council, or by the executive committes of a synod, or by the Executive Council. The president to the Chutch shall report such proposed amendment to the Executive Council through its Committees on Synods. )