A Caring Community With a Global Vision to develop every person into a fully devoted follower of Christ
 

Constitution

Niceville First United Methodist Church (FUMC)
United Methodist Men (UMM)

Article I

NAME
The name of the unit shall be the Niceville First United Methodist Church UMM (Niceville UMM); located in Niceville, FL; chartered and certified annually by the General Commission on United Methodist Men. The UMM will often be referred to as the "Men's Ministry."

Article II

PURPOSE
UMM shall be a creative, supportive fellowship of men who seek to know Jesus Christ, to grow spiritually, and to daily seek His will. Its primary purpose is to declare the centrality of Christ in the lives of men and in all their relationships.

Article III

GOALS
1. Encourage knowledge of and support for the total mission of The United Methodist Church, including its organization, doctrines and beliefs.
2. Foster spiritual growth opportunities and accountability in fellowship with other Christian men.
3. Seek commitment to discipleship.
4. Engage in evangelism by sharing the fullness of the gospel in its personal and social dimensions.
5. Support goals of district, conference, UMM, and church-wide ministries and programs.

Article IV

PERSONAL OBJECTIVES
1. Learn to place Jesus Christ first in every aspect of our lives.
2. Develop discipline for daily Bible study and prayer.
3. Accept responsibility for Christian leadership in the family.
4. Allow Jesus Christ to work in our lives in developing relationships with family and friends.
5. Bear witness to Christ's way in daily work and in all personal contacts through words and actions.
6. Engage in Christian service in the church and community.

Article V

PARTICIPATION
1. Men who subscribe to the goals and personal objectives stated above.
2. May include men from other United Methodist Churches, other UMM groups, men from other denominations, as well as non-churched men.

Article VI

OFFICERS
UMM elected officers shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Selection of the UMM President is subject to approval by the church Nominating Committee and subsequently the congregation at the annual charge conference. Terms of officers run from the annual church charge conference (normally in November) through the following year. The President shall also appoint a Publicity Officer and may appoint other positions or ad hoc committees as agreed upon by elected officers.

Article VII

LEADERSHIP RECRUITMENT TEAM (LRT)
The LRT consists of a select group of church spiritual leaders who will seek men in the church who are ready, willing, and able to accept responsibilities as leaders and helpers in the Men’s Ministry. The LRT will provide encouragement to men who appear to be ready for increased responsibilities, lifting up candidates in prayer, and asking candidates to pray for guidance and affirmation. They will recommend candidates to the elected officers for approval. The LRT also serves as the UMM Nominating Committee.

Article VIII

MEETINGS
The annual UMM general membership meeting shall be held during the first or second week of October. It will include a review of District UMM information and activities, spiritual growth and service opportunities in the church, and special topics. During this meeting, men will elect UMM officers for the following year (President subject to affirmation by the church charge conference). In addition to the annual meeting, UMM officers will normally meet each quarter, usually during the months of February, May, August and November. The August meeting will help prepare for annual elections.

Article IX

CORRELATION WITH OTHER PROGRAMS
The Niceville UMM program shall be tailored toward the needs of men in this community and integrated with the total program of the church, which is initiated and directed by the Administrative Board, under leadership of the senior pastor.

Article X

FINANCES
Each year the UMM Treasurer will prepare an annual budget. The budget will be approved during the annual business meeting and then submitted to the church finance committee for action. The UMM Treasurer will work with the church budget staff to track expenditures and report status to UMM officers at quarterly meetings. He will identify any cost overruns and recommend necessary adjustments to stay within budget. The President or Vice President must approve disbursement of UMM funds by the Treasurer.

Article XI

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
The constitution and by-laws to govern activities of the Niceville UMM will be developed by the Secretary in harmony with other church policies and procedures. They will be approved by other elected officers and presented annually to the general membership for approval.

(updated August 2005)