The following excerpts of the 2004 Discipline are provided as a reference tool for churches continuing to use the traditional "Official Board" and "Alternative Ministries" structures.

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312 THE OFFICIAL BOARD/MINISTRY COUNCIL
312.1  Every congrgation shall organize an Official Board/Ministry Council to conduct such temporal and spiritual affairs of the congregation as are not otherwise specifically reserved by the Discipline to others.

312.2  Purpose
The Official Board/Ministry Council shall serve as the administrative body of a particular congregation, subject, however, to the right of review vested hereby in the Local Conference. Under no circumstances shall the Official Board/Ministry Council ursurp or infringe upon the duties and powers, as well as the right of administrative review, vested by this Discipline in the Local Conference.

312.3  Membership
The membership of the Official Board/Ministry Council shall consist of the pastor, the lay delegate to the National Conference, the class leaders, the trustees, the stewards, the general superintendent of the Sunday School, the president of the senior Christian Endeavor Society, the Youth Ministries representative, the president of the Adult Missionary Fellowship or the chairperson of the local Missionary Committee, the church treasurer, and the chairman of the local Board of Christian Education, all of whom shall be members of the congregation in good standing. Should any of the above persons be under legal age, they shall be advisory members. The congregation at the annual meeting may authorize the election of additional members to the Board. When authorized, such additional members shall be elected annually by the Official Board/Ministry Council at the meeting following the annual congregational meeting, unless the congregation at the annual meeting has already elected such additional members. The number of additional members shall not exceed the number of trustees.

312.4  Duties
Subject to the rights and powers reserved to the Local Conference, the Official Board/Ministry Council is charged with administering the temporal and spiritual affairs of the congregation, receiving members into the congregation, approving or disapproving requests for letters of transfer, concerting the best measures for promoting the spiritual interests of the congregation, supervising the administrtion of the various societies or officials of the congregation.

312.4.1 The Official Board/Ministry Council shall have and exercise exclusive authority over the uses to be made of church buildings and other property of the congregation, subject always to the superior authority and direction of the Local Conference.

312.5  Regular Meetings
The Official Board/Ministry Council of each congregation shall meet regularly once a month, at an appointed place and time, and due notice of the meeting shall be given to the members of the Board either through the mail or from the pulpit.

312.6  Special Meetings
The pastor or the president may convene special meetings of the Official Board/Ministry Council with due notice to the members and shall do so upon the request of four members of the Baord.

312.7  Organization
The Official Board/Ministry Council shall annually, at the meeting immediately following the annual meeting of the congregation, elect from the membership of the Board, a president, vice president, and secretary and such other officers as may be deemed necessary. The Official Board/Ministry Council shall also elect the church treasurer either from among its members or from the congregation. They shall serve for a period of one year or until their successors are elected and shall for all purposes constitute the officers of the incorporated or unincorporated congregation.

312.8  Records
The Official Board/Ministry Council shall maintain an accurate record of all its proceedings. The records of the Official Board/Ministry Council shall at all times be open for inspection by its members, the Lorcal Conference, and the congregation.

312.9  Treasurer
The treasurer shall report ot he Official Board/Ministry Council at its regular meetings the condition of the funds in his charge and, immediately following the close of the church year, shall present an annual report for use in preparing the statistical report for National Conference.

312.10  Duties of Officers
Except as otherwise provided herein, the duties of the officers of the Official Board/Ministry Council shall be such as are customarily associated with and attached to their respective offices.

312.11  Standing Committees
Standing committees shall be appointed annually by the officers of the Official Board/Ministry Council and the pastor in order to expedite the work of the Board. Members of the Board as well as other members of the congregation are eligible for appointment to these committees. The Board shall designate which committees shall be chaired by a member of the Board.

312.11.1  The trustees shall constitute the Property Committee, and other elected officials are to be assigned to suitable committees.

312.11.2  These committees shall include a Membership Committee whose responsibility it shall be to consider applications for reception into and dismissal from the membership of the congregation and the recommending of suitable action in each case to the Official Board/Ministry Council.

312.11.3  When not a regular member of a committee, the pastor shall be an ex-officio member.

312.11.4  The work of all committees shall be supervised by the Board/Ministry Council.

312.12  Bequests
It shall be the responsibility of the Official Board/Ministry Council to invest funds given or bequeathed to the Church requiring investment, paying particular attention to the terms of the gift or bequest. If there are no directions, such gifts or bequests of less than $2,000.00 shall be used as the Board may direct, but such gifts or bequests of $2,000.00 or more shall be used according to instructions received from the congregation.

313  ALTERNATIVE ORGANIZATION
A congregation (church) may, by amending its bylaws, adopt a governmental organizaion different from that otherwise provided for in paragraphs 311 through 315 of this Discipline provided that such organization shall:

313.1 Have a governing board that shall be the corporate board of directions called the Ministry Council ("Council"), the membership of which may be designated either by the Ministry Council or by the church membership. The pastor(s), the lay delegate, the treasurer and chairpersons of each commission shall be members of the Ministry Council by reason of their offices.

313.2  Provide for election by the church membership of a lay delegate and an alternate lay delegate to National Conference who shall function in accordance with paragraphs 404.6 and 405 of this Discipline.

313.3  Have a Pastoral Relations Committee that shall include in its membership the pastor(s) and lay delegate and other members selected by the church membership. The Pastoral Relations Committee shall function in accordance with paragraph 406 of this Discipline, except as to its election.

313.4  Provide for a Local Conference, which shall be identical in membership with the Ministry Council, plus all the itinerant and licensed members of the congregation or congregations of the charge, and which shall function in accordance with paragraphs 402, 403, and 404 of this Discipline.

313.5  Provide of commissions, the number of which and the method of determining the membership of which shall be determined by the church membership, which commissions shall report periodically to the Ministry Council and which shall be responsible for the following:

313.5.1 Evangelism - covering such matters as outreach, visitation, discipleship, and prayer ministry.

313.5.2 Missions - promoting mission interests and activities for children, youth, and adults, and short-term programs.

313.5.3 Operations - covering such things as property, stewardship, finances, and trustees.

313.5.4 Christian Education - covering such things as Sunday School, youth ministrys, leadership training, and Bible School.

313.5.5  Worship/Music - coveirng all phases of worship and music programs of the church, including choir, worship teams, musicians, communion ministries, etc.

313.5.6  Pastoral Relations Committee

313.6 Provide that the bylaws that set forth the governmental organization shall be subject to amendment by a favorable vote of a majority of the membership taken at a meeting duly called for an announced to be for that purpose.

313.7  Incorporate the provisions of paragraph 311 of this Discipline, except for the provision of election of trustees, and substituting the term "Ministry Council" for "Official Board/Ministry Council" or "Board."

313.8  Provide for an Executive Committee composed of the pastor(s), lay delegate, treasurer, and the following officers of the Ministry Council - president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer - its duties being to make emergency decisions between meetings of the Council and to handle other matters delegated to it by the Council.

313.9 Provide for a Nominating Committee consisting of the members of the Executive Committee and one member at large elected by the congregation. The Nominating Committee's task is to locate qualified and spiritual persons for leadership positions, including that of the officers of the corporation, lay delegate, alternate lay delegate, and members of the Pastoral Relations Committee.

313.10  Provide for the election of officers of the Ministry Council who serve as corporate officers.

313.11  Provide for and conduct the election of a representative to the District Ministry Team.

313.12  Be reviewed and approved by the Conference Ministers prior to implementation.

314  PRAYER MEETING CLASSES

314.1 Membership
The members of the local churches shall be organized into a prayer meeting class or classes.

314.2 Purpose
The object of such organizations shall be:

314.2.1  To more easily ascertain the spiritual condition of the individual members.

314.2.2  The training and development of the members in spirituality, public religious exercises, and general Christian activity.

314.2.3 The classes shall hold meetings for prayer, praise, and testimony at least once a week.

314.3  Officers
The officers of the prayer meeting classes shall consist of class leaders,  who shall be members of the congregation in good standing, and who shall be elected for a two-year term by a majority vote of the members present at a meeting duly announced for said purpose and at which the pastor shall preside. This election may take place at the annual congregational meeting or at a specially announced meeting at the time the class gathers for its sessions. The number of leaders to be elected shall be determined by the congregation but shall not exceed the number of trustees. They shall become members of the Local Conference and the Official Board/Ministry Council. The class leaders' terms of office shall begin at the time of election and cease when successors have been elected.

314.4  Organization
Together with the pastor, the class leaders shall meet for organization following their election. A chairman, a secretary, and such other officers as are deemed advisable shall be elected. Unless otherwise directed, the chairman shall present the reports to the Local Conference and to the Official Board/Ministry Council.
     The pastor and the class leaders shall meet at least quarterly to plan for the prayer meetings and to give prayerful consideration to all phases of the spiritual life of the congregation.

314.5  Duties of the Officers
The duties of the officers of the class shall be:

314.5.1 To be diligent students of the Word of God, so as to be able to instruct properly their classes.

314.5.2 To be circumspect in their own deportment so as to set a proper example to the classes entrusted to them.

314.5.3  To take charge of the meetings of the classes and to conduct them in such a manner as to contribute most effectually to the spiritual edification and upbuilding of the members.

314.5.4  To be ready to assist the pastor, as he may request, in giving spiritual oversight to the members of the classes.

314.5.5  To familiarize themselves with the doctrines and rules of the Evangelical Congregational Church, to read and explain them to their classes, and to call attention to the passages of Scripture on which they are based.

314.5.6  To assume other responsibilities as directed by the congregation or as specified in 602.1.

315  STEWARDS

315.1 Election
315.1.1  The Local Conference shall elect the stewards, the number of whom shall not exceed the number of trustees in that congregation. They shall be persons of accredited piety, members of the congregation in good standing, who are familiar with the Discipline and who possess the necessary ability to transact temporal business.

315.1.2 The pastor shall nominate persons for the office of steward, but in all cases at least twice the number to be elected shall be nominated. Local church bylaws cannot limit the choice of a pastor's nominees.

315.1.3 The time of election, the term of office, and the date each term commences, shall be determined by the rules of each National Conference. (See National Conference Rules.)

315.2  Duties
The duties of the stewards shall be as follows:

315.2.1 They shall meet with the pastor and consider the salary and other benefits for the pastor for the ensuing fiscal year and shall make recommendations accordingly to the Local Conference held just prior to the beginning of that year.

315.2.2 They shall provide the bread and unfermented fruit of the vine for the Lord's Supper.

315.2.3 They shall procure or assist in procuring living quarters for the pastor, with approval of the Official Board/Ministry Council.

315.2.4 They shall be accountable to the Local Conference of the performance of their official duties.

315.2.5 They shall have such duties in promoting the financial program of the church as may be directed by the Official Board/Ministry Council.

315.2.6 They shall have such other duties as the Local Conference of the Official Board/Ministry Council may from time to time delegate or assign to them.

315.3 Vacancies
The Local Conference shall be empowered to fill vacancies in the office of Steward.

322 TRUSTEES

322.1 Purpose
Each congregation is, except as limited by this Discipline, the sole owner and custodian of all property, both real and personal. With respect to such property the congregation operates through trustees, who are elected by the congregation as provided in the Discipline. The trustees are subject to the will of the congregation as this is expressed in properly called congregational meetings; provided, however, that the trustees, in carrying out the will of the congregation and in performing the duties hereinafter required, shall at all times be amenable to the Official Board/Ministry Council. In exercising its right of review over the transactions and business of the trustees, the Official Board/Ministry Council shall not have power to overrule or countermand the provisions of the Discipline or the will of the congregation, but shall, on the contrary, require strict adherence thereto.

322.2 Title of Property
Where a congregation is incorporated, title to all property may be placed in the name of and held by the corporation, but where a congregation is not incorporated, title to all property shall be held by the trustees of the congregation for the use of the congregation as a place of worship according to the faith of the Evangelical Congregational Church.

322.3  Parsonage - Joint Ownership
Parsonages owned jointly or in common by more than one congregation shall be managed and, where appropriate, title thereto held by a Board of Trustees composed of the trustees of the congregations concerned.

322.4 Election of Trustees
Three or more persons shall be elected as trustees. They shall be members of the congregation, of legal age, and in good standing (302 and 311.4). They shall be elected at the annual congregational meeting for terms of one, three, or five years by a majority of the members of the congregation present and voting, of legal age, and in good standing. The trustees' term of office shall begin at the time of election and cease when successors have been elected.

322.5 Vacancies
Any vacancy occurring shall be filled by the trustees until the next annual meeting of the congregation, at which time the congregation shall elect a trustee to fill the unexpired term.

322.6 Duties of Trustee
The duties of the trustees of a particular congregation shall consist of the following:

322.6.1 To manage, keep in repair, and protect the real and personal property of the congregation.

322.6.2 To negotiate for the purchase, lease, mortgage, and sale of property of the congregation in accordance with the instructions of the Official Board/Ministry Council or, in the case of real property, in accordance with the will of the congregation as it is expressed by a majority of the members present, of legal age, and in good standing, in a properly convened congregational meeting (311.2 and 311.3).

322.6.3 Where congregations are not incorporated, the trustees shall receive and hold title to property for use of the congregation.

322.6.4 To protect the properties of the congregation with sufficient insurance coverage.

322.6.5  To perform such financial duties as may be delegated to it from time to time by the Official Board/Ministry Council.

322.6.6 To prepare and submit to the congregation and Official Board/Ministry Council an annual report setting forth its transactions during the year and the condition of the property belonging to the congregation. A copy of this report shall be submitted to the Local Conference.

322.6.7 To prepare and submit monthly reports of its transactions to the Official Board/Ministry Council.

322.6.8 To perform such duties as may be assigned to it from time to time by the Official Board/Ministry Council.

322.7 Organization
The trustees shall meet for organization within thirty (30) days after the annual congregational meeting, at which time officers shall be elected. The officers of the trustees shall be a president and secretary and such other officers as may be necessary.

322.8 Records
The secretary of the trustees shall keep an accurate record of all the business transactions of the trustees, whic shall at all times be open for inspection by the Local Conference, the Official Board/Ministry Council, the trustees, and the congregation.

322.9 Seats Free
As it is commanded that the Gospel be preached to all, and as James 2:1-7 enjoins upon the Church that the poor be neither slighted nor neglected, therefore the seats in all our churches shall be free.