Proposed Amendments to the Bylaws

The following three proposed amendments to the Bylaws of The Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, Illinois, will come before the congregation at the Annual Meeting to be held on February 11, 2024.

You will find the proposed additions noted in bold below; the proposed deletions from the current bylaws appear as [strikethrough text in brackets].

1.

The Nominating Committee recommends amending the Bylaws to codify the current practice of having two youth members on Session. Article V, Section 1 of the current Bylaws provides for only one youth Elder.

The amendment will ensure that youth Elders have peer support during their term of service and provides an additional voice for this important group of the church. This mirrors the structure of the Board of Deacons in which two youth members may be elected to serve together as Deacons.

Proposed amendment to the Bylaws, Article V, Section 1:

SECTION 1: Number and Term. There shall be a board of Elders consisting of thirty-six (36) adult members and [one (1)] two (2) youth members which is known as the Session. There shall also be a Board of Deacons consisting of forty-eight (48) adult members and two (2) youth members. The adult members of each board shall be divided into three equal classes, one class of whom shall be elected each year at the annual ecclesiastical meeting for a three-year term. The youth members of each board shall be elected each year at the annual ecclesiastical meeting for a one-year term. ...

2.

The Nominating Committee also recommends amending the Bylaws to codify the common practice of extending tenured officers past their full term to fulfill an unexpired term created by the early withdrawal of an officer in a different class.

While the Bylaws do not currently allow an Elder or Deacon to serve past the expiry of their full three-year term, extensions have proven to be an expedient and effective means to ensure the Session and Board of Deacons have the requisite experienced and properly trained officers to continue their important work.

Proposed amendment to the Bylaws, Article V, Section 1:

SECTION 1. Number and Term. ... No Elder or Deacon shall be eligible to be reelected to the respective board at the annual meeting at which a prior full term on that board expires; provided that, for just cause, such Elder or Deacon shall be eligible to be elected to fulfill the unexpired term of a member vacancy on the respective board in accordance with Article V, SECTION 3 of the Bylaws and subject to the Terms of Service set forth in the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

3.

The Nominating Committee also recommends amending the Bylaws to codify the common practice of extending tenured officers past their full term to fulfill the unexpired term created by the early withdrawal of a Trustee in a different class.

While the Bylaws do not currently allow a Trustee to serve past the expiry of their full three-year term, term extensions have proven to be an expedient and effective means to ensure the Board of Trustees has the requisite experienced and properly trained officers to continue their important work.

Proposed amendment to the Bylaws, Article V, Section 1:

SECTION 1. Number and Term. There shall be a Board of Trustees consisting of twenty-one (21) members, divided into three equal classes, one class of which shall be elected each year at the annual meeting for a three-year term. No Trustee shall be eligible to be reelected at the annual meeting at which a prior full term of office as a Trustee expires; provided that, for just cause, such Trustee shall be eligible to be elected to fulfill the unexpired term of a member vacancy on the Board of Trustees in accordance with Article VII, SECTION 3 of the Bylaws.