Council Officers Gathering
The Council Officers Gathering is held annually and provides information about the specific roles of leaders who serve on congregation councils (president, vice president, secretary and treasurer). Workshops are offered to support and assist officers in the work they have been elected to do.
RESOURCES FROM PAST GATHERINGS
Constitutions
Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Constitution of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod - 2025
ELCA Guide for the use of Model Constitution for Congregations
2025 Model Constitution for Congregations (PDF)
2025 Amendments to Model Constitution for Congregations (PDF)
Financial Matters
Congregation Internal Controls Practices
Contingency Planning in a Congregation
Financial Matters In A Congregation
Accounting and Treasurers Guide
Leadership
Faithful Leadership PowerPoint
"Now we know that the law is good..."
Timothy 1:8
Updating Your Constitution
Each congregation shall provide a copy of its governing documents to the synod. All proposed changes in the constitution or incorporation documents of a congregation shall be referred to the synod with which the congregation is affiliated. The synod shall approve or disapprove the proposed changes and shall notify the congregation of its decision. The synod shall recognize that congregations may organize themselves in a manner which they deem most appropriate.
Congregation Constitutions 101 Workshop Available
The ELCA Office of the Secretary did a Congregation Constitution 101 webinar for the folks in Region 4. The accompanying PowerPoint slides are available HERE.
The training was designed for congregation leaders and covers the basics of how constitutions help, how the Model Constitution is organized, and how to go about amending and updating your congregation constitution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most recent amendments to the Model Constitution for Congregations?