TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Regional Responsibility
• Congregation Change Form
• Congregation in Formation
• Congregation Becoming Fully Chartered
• Congregation Being Reinstated
• Congregation Withdrawal
• Congregation Closure
• Name Change for Congregation
• Inactive Removal
• Detrimental Conduct

Regional Responsibility

Paragraph 9 of The Design defines the recognized congregations of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It goes on to describe procedures for adding and omitting recognized churches. The Design gives regions the responsibility for reporting the addition and removal of churches as recognized congregations. 

This makes the regions stewards of the Status and Yearbook Code values for Church Records in ALEX. As stewards, regions are responsible for ensuring that congregations in their region are correctly listed. The Office of General Minister and President serves as custodians of the data, only changing the status of a congregation upon a request from the region.

Congregation Change Form

As a tool for regions to report congregation changes, the OGMP has provided the Congregation Change Form. A link to the form is available on the regional ministers' website. The form must be signed by the regional minister or other person designated by the region. 

Although the primary purpose of the form is to report the status of a congregation, a region can also provide such information as addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and online presence. For new congregations, the region also provides the church's EIN, which is required for the 501(c)(3) group exemption.

The form covers a variety of reporting needs for regions, and the content of the form conforms to the requirements of the request. Each request submitted with a Congregation Change requires documentation. The sections below describe the various actions on the Congregation Change Form and the preferred documentation for each.

Congregation in Formation

The Congregation in Formation action adds a new congregation to the ALEX church listing. The congregation code will be set to In Formation, and Founded will be set to the year that the region sent the request. The addition in ALEX will generate a new PIN for the congregation. The OGMP will notify the region and general ministry partners of the PIN for the new congregation. 

Welcoming a new congregation into the fellowship of Disciples is a regional action. The request should include minutes of the regional board meeting that record the vote to affirm the new church as a congregation in formation.

Congregation Becoming Fully Chartered

The Congregation Becoming Fully Chartered action updates the congregation's yearbook code from In Formation to Fully Chartered. Once processed, the congregation's listing will no longer appear in italics in the Statistical Report of Congregations.

This is a regional action, and the form submission should include the minutes of the regional board meeting that record the vote to affirm the congregation as fully chartered.

Congregation Being Reinstated

When a congregation requests to rejoin the Disciples' fellowship after disaffiliation, the region reports this with the Congregation Being Reinstated action. This will be handled in the ALEX data like a congregation in formation, with the yearbook code set to In Formation. The year founded value will not be changed. This allows for a probationary period of reinstatement. To set the congregation code back to Fully Chartered, the region will submit a Congregation Becoming Fully Chartered request.

Reinstating a congregation is a regional action, and the form submission should include the minutes of the regional board meeting that record the vote to receive the congregation as reinstated.

Congregation Withdrawal

When a congregation decides to disaffiliate or withdraw from the fellowship of Disciples, the region uses the Congregation Withdrawal action. The congregation's status will be set to Inactive; the inactive date will be set to the date the region submitted the form, and the inactive reason will be set to Withdrawn.

Disaffiliation or withdrawal is a congregational action. The form should include the minutes of the congregational or board meeting that records the decision to disaffiliate as well as the letter notifying the region of the decision. If meeting minutes are not available, a notarized letter signed by two officers of the congregation can also provide supporting documentation for the change.

Congregation Closure

When a congregation decides to end its visible ministry, the region uses the Congregation Closure action. The congregation's status will be set to Inactive; the inactive date will be set to the date the region submitted the form, and the inactive reason will be set to Closed.

Ending its ministry is a congregational action. The form should include the minutes of the congregational or board meeting that records the decision to close as well as the letter notifying the region of the decision. If meeting minutes are not available, a notarized letter signed by two officers of the congregation will suffice.

Often a region will choose to report the closure only after the affairs of the church have been settled and assets have been distributed. This is a recommended practice.

Name Change for Congregation

When a congregation changes its legal name, the region reports this with the Name Change for Congregation action. ALEX maintains two name fields for congregations, a friendly or colloquial name and a legal name. Ideally, the legal name recorded in ALEX should match the name recorded on the congregation's incorporation documents. Congregations and regions can change the colloquial name, but a legal name change requires form submission with documentation.

Changing its legal name is a congregational action. The request should include the minutes of the congregational or board meeting that records the decision to change the legal name as well as the letter notifying the region of the decision. The request should also include documentation of the current legal name for the congregation as a corporation or legal entity.

If the legal name in ALEX was entered incorrectly due to clerical error, the OGMP can change the legal name using just proof of the current legal name. No documentation of congregational action is required in that case.

Inactive Removal

The Design provides regions with the ability to remove a congregation after at least five consecutive years with no yearbook report and no Disciples outreach giving. The congregation's status will be set to Inactive; the inactive date will be set to the date the region submitted the form, and the inactive reason will be set to Removed.

Removing a congregation is a regional action, and the form submission should include the minutes of the regional board meeting that record the vote to remove the congregation from the church directory listing. Ideally, the minutes will also report the region's due diligence in attempting to reach the congregation.

Detrimental Conduct

The Design provides regions with the ability to remove a congregation for conduct or action deemed detrimental to the covenantal relationship with all expressions of the church. The congregation's status will be set to Inactive; the inactive date will be set to the date the region submitted the form, and the inactive reason will be set to Removed.

Removing a congregation for detrimental conduct is a regional action. The form submission should include the minutes of the regional board meeting that record the vote to remove the congregation. The form submission should also include a record of communication between the region and the congregation that relates to the decision to remove.