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Article IV. Membership
Sec. 1. a. The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church shall consist of the Lutheran congregations, including its ministers, of Andhra Pradesh and such other places as this Church shall determine. Those congregations shall consist of all baptized persons who are within the geographical area and who have their names on the roll of those congregations.
b. Any other congregation, group of congregations or Church which accepts the constitution and by-laws of this Church, including its Confession of Faith, and which applies for membership in this Church through the concerned synod"s executive (Committee may be accepted into membership by action of the Executive Council. '
c. Any minister from another Church who accepts the constitution and by-laws of this Church, including its Confession of Faith, and who applies for reception into this Church shall appear before the examining committee, unless this requirement Is waived as provided in the by-laws; and may be admitied to this Church by action of its Executive Council upon the recommendation of the examining committee.
Sec. 2. CONGREGATIONS AND PARISHES
a. Congregations of this Church, through the parishes which they comprise, have membership and privileges in the A. E. L Church and 1n its synods and shall abide loyally by the enactments of these bodies.
b. Lay delegates who represent parishes in conventions of the synods to which they belong shall be chosen by the parishes in accordance with the procedure laid down in the by-laws of the synods. Each synod shall act for its member Congregations and ministers in electing delegates to 'epresent them in conventions of this Church.
c. Incase of strife or division, if any part of a parish or congregation of this Church rejects any part of Confession of Faith of this Church or refuses to abide by the constitution, by-laws or enactments of the A. E L Church and or its successors in interest, or of the synod of which the parish Or congregation is a member, that part of the parish or congregation, whether a Majority or a minority of its membership, which continues in unity with the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church and [ or ts successors in Interest and its faith abiding by the constitution, bylaws and enactments of this Church and ot the concerned synod, shall be recognized as the lawful parish or congregation and shall continue in possession of ai the property of the parish or congregation,
d. If a parish or congregation of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church disbands, ceases or fails to maintain religious worship or services according to the tenets and usages of the Lutheran Church; or departs from membership in the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church without the consent of this Church; or refuses to abide by the constitution, by-laws or enactments of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church and / or its successors in interest; or so decreases in numbers or financial strength as to render it impracticable for the parish or congregation to fulfil the purposes for which it was organized or to Protect its assets from waste and deterioration, the Andhra
Evangelical Luthéran Church and or its successors in interest shall have the right to take charge and" control of all property of the parish or congregation and thereafter to hold and manage the same at the discretion of the Church.
Sec. 3. SYNODS
a. This Church shall be divided into administrative units called synods whose number and boundaries shall be as laid down in the constitution and by-laws for synods,
b. Membership of each of these synods shall consist of the congregations lying within their respective boundaries. including the ministers of this Church in each of these synods. (For purposes of this constitution and the by-laws appended hereto. the term "member' or "membership" shall refer to the relationship of an individual or a body to another more inclusive body and shall not be equivalent to the terms "delegate" or "delegateship"'. The term 'delegate' shall refer to a person or representative sent by, or acting for the member individuals or bodies in a convention made up of such delegates)
Sec. 4. MINISTERS
a. Ministerium
1. The ordained ministers of the A. E. L. Church, whether, in active service or not, who are on the clergy roll of this Church as defined in the by-laws of the A E L. Church shall constitute the ministerium of this Church, of which body the president of the Church shall be the chairman.
2. One-half of the number of such ministers shall constitute a quorum of the ministerium:
3. lt shall be the duty of the ministerium:
a) To atford an opportunity for the ministers to confer together on ecclesiastical, spiritual and other matters.
b) To perform any other task committed to it by the convention or Executive-Council of the A. E. L. Church.
b. Relationships #30 Ea
1. Every. thinisteral oath ip Sel shall hold 'his membership diractly 2 Echarch, 3- Candidates lor theglogical training shal be selegted by the Exagutive Cauncil of this Church 'jn accordange with the procedure sgt forth in the by-laws of this Church.
8. This Church shall define the standards of acceptance into and continuance in its ministry and shall administer these In accordance with the by-laws of the A. E. L. Church.
4. Ordained ministers of thy A. E. L. Church shall be amenable to the.fa(th and practice of the A. E. L. Ghurch, serving under the administration of the synod to which ftiey are assigned.
6. A minister shall serve as pastor of the parish ta which he is assigned by the synod.
6. A minister is a member of the congregation in the place of his residences.
¢. Discipline.
1. Responsibility for the discipline of ministers of this Church Is vested in the A. E. L. Church and procedure for casag of such discipline shall be as laid down in the by-laws of the A. E. L. Church.
2. Ministers shall be liable to discipline for the 'following offences:
a) Preaching or teaching doctrines in conflict with the Confession of Faith as set forth in this constitution or being a member of an organization which holds teachings to be true that are in conflict with the, said confession.
b) Conduct incompatible with moral purity "or with the character of the' ministerial office.
() Wiltil disregard or violation of the capstitytion, bylayys, or en Ri oft.the A. E. L. Ghureh, or of the synod of which the minister is g member.