CAMP EMMANUEL ASSOCIATION INC

 

1320 Washington Street

 

Rochester, IN 46975 

 

 

 

CONSTITUTION

 

(Articles of Incorporation) 

 

ARTICLE I--NAME 

 

Section A.  This organization shall be named the CAMP EMMANUEL ASSOCIATION INC, here in after referred to as Camp Emmanuel. 

 

Section B.  Camp Emmanuel is and shall remain an independent organization.  Camp Emmanuel acknowledges only the Lord Jesus Christ as its Head; the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, as the only infallible guide in matters of faith, discipline and order; the Holy Spirit as its Teacher; and is not and never shall be amenable to or under the jurisdiction or supervision of any other ecclesiastical body of any kind or nature whatsoever. 

 

ARTICLE II--PURPOSE 

 

Section A.  The purpose of Camp Emmanuel is to provide a setting for young people to experience a week of Bible camp whereby they will be strengthened in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their knowledge of His Word, the Bible, and will be encouraged by the leaders, counselors, and other campers to live faithfully for Jesus Christ.

 

Section B.  The purpose of Camp Emmanuel is to share the Gospel so that any young person who has not yet accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be encouraged to establish a relationship with Him.

 

Section C.  The purpose of Camp Emmanuel to provide an environment where young people can have a relaxing, wholesome and enjoyable time with other young people of similar faith and expectations.

 

Section D.  The purpose of Camp Emmanuel is to provide a network of encouragement to support young people throughout the year and not solely for the time they are at the organized camp. 

 

ARTICLE III--DOCTRINE 

 

Section A.  The Holy Scriptures 

 

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed.  

 

Section B.  The Godhead 

 

We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons:  the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; that these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections, and are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence and obedience.  

 

Section C.  Person and Work of Christ 

 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. 

 

 We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice; that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. 

 

 

 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. 

 

 We believe in the "Blessed Hope," the personal, imminent, pre-tribulational and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; in His subsequent return to earth with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom.  

 

Section D.  The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit 

 

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He is the supernatural Agent of regeneration, and simultaneous with regeneration baptizes all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. 

 

 We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  

 

Section E.  The Total Depravity of Man 

 

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God; that man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.  

 

Section F.  Salvation 

 

We believe that salvation is the gift of God, brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. 

 

Section G.  Everlasting Safety of Believers 

 

We believe that all, once born again by the Spirit of God, are kept by God's power alone and are thus secure in Christ forever, sealed by the Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance.  

 

We believe that it is the privilege of the believer to rejoice in the assurance of his salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for careless living.  

 

Section H.  The Personality of Satan 

 

We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire.  Job 1:6-12

 

Section I.  The Eternal State 

 

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.  

 

We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the lord.  

 

We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when soul and body are reunited and they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment.  They shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment.  

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV--MEMBERSHIP

 

 

 

Section A.  Churches 

 

Paragraph 1.  The membership of Camp Emmanuel shall consist of churches which agree in principle with the Purpose and Doctrine statements given above.   There may be minor disagreements with the doctrinal statement, but the teaching of the Camp Emmanuel will conform to the Doctrinal Statement.  These churches will be called a Cooperating Church. 

 

Paragraph 2.  The Cooperating Churches shall participate in the support of the organization by doing a majority of the following:  (a) The Pastor or designated representative shall attend the organizational meetings held before and after the Camp season; (b) The church will supply meals as needed for the Camp week; (c) The church will supply at least one counselor for the Camp session as needed; (d) The church will provide at least one teacher for the Camp session as needed; (e) The church will contribute financial support for the organization; (f) the church will provide supplies as needed and requested.

 

 Paragraph 3.  The existing Camp Council must confirm the membership of a new Cooperating Church.

 

 

 

Section B.  Campers 

 

Paragraph 1.  Young people become temporary members of Camp Emmanuel for the Camp session they attend by doing the following:  (a)  Registering for the Camp session by the required date; (b) Memorizing the Romans Road as prescribed in the camp brochure; (c) Attending church services six (6) of the eight (8) weeks preceding the Camp session; (d)  Being a part of a Cooperating Church or a guest of one.

 

 Paragraph 2.  The Camp Council must approve all exceptions to the above requirements.

 

 Paragraph 3.  This membership is only applicable during the Camp session.

 

  

 

ARTICLE V--GOVERNMENT

 

 

 

Section A.  Camp Council 

 

The Camp Council will consist of the Pastors of the Cooperating Churches.  The Camp Council is the final authority for the operation of Camp Emmanuel. 

 

Section B.  Meetings 

 

The Camp Council shall meet as needed to plan for the next Camp sessions, to evaluate the past Camp sessions, or as needed for other business.  The Camp Council meetings shall be called by the Camp Coordinator.

 

 Section C.  Officers

 

 Paragraph 1.  The Camp Council shall select the Camp Coordinator who is responsible for the organization and operation of Camp Emmanuel with the assistance of the other members of the Camp Council. 

 

Paragraph 2.  The Camp Council shall select a Treasurer who is responsible for the appropriate receiving and dispensing of the monies and shall keep detailed records of receipts and disbursements.  The Treasurer shall make regular reports of the finances of Camp Emmanuel to the Camp Council.

 

 Paragraph 3.  The Camp Council shall appoint a Dean for each Camp session.  The Dean is responsible for the operation of that week of Camp Emmanuel.

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI--AMENDMENTS

 

 Section A.  This Constitution may be amended when necessary to clarify the intent of its contents.  Any and all amendments or changes must be bathed in prayer in order to assure the change is in accord with the will of the Lord.  Changes therefore should not be done hastily. 

 

Section B.  The Camp Council must unanimously support any amendment or change to this Constitution.  The Camp Council will be given written copies of the proposed amendment or change at least two months prior to the meeting at which time the proposed amendment will be discussed.  This is to allow the Camp Council ample time to pray about the proposed amendment or change.  At the meeting, after allowing opportunity for questions and discussion, the Coordinator shall determine whether the proposal should be tabled or to call for a vote.  If there is considerable dissention, the proposal should be tabled for further prayer and consideration.  If the moderator decides to take a vote, those Camp Council members present must be unanimously in agreement with the amendment or change.

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII--DISSOLUTION

 

 Section A.  Liquidation of Assets

 

 Upon the sad situation wherein Camp Emmanuel Association Inc shall cease and desist to be functional in accord with the purposes stated in Article II above, the Camp Council shall liquidate the assets of Camp Emmanuel.  

 

Section B.  Distribution of Assets

 

 The assets of Camp Emmanuel Association Inc, at such sad time as it is necessary to disband, shall be given in totality to the individual Cooperating Churches or missionary groups which are in agreement with the doctrinal position (Article III) and the purpose (Article IV) of Camp Emmanuel.  The Camp Council shall determine which organizations receive part or all of the distribution.