ARTICLE 4

MESSENGERS AND CHURCHES

4.1. Definition of Terms. The Association shall have no “members” as that term is defined in the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act. The Association shall have messengers who shall enjoy the rights of “delegates” as that term is defined in the Act. The Association or the Association’s messengers are in session when the messengers have been properly convened to meet. It is the practice of the Association to refer to those churches which have been accepted into the spiritual fellowship of the Association as members or member churches and which are thus affiliated with the Association. Messengers and churches shall have the rights enumerated in the charter and bylaws. Where appropriate, personal pronouns shall be considered as gender inclusive.

4.2. Representation of Messengers. The Association in session shall be composed of duly elected messengers from Southern Baptist churches affiliated with the Association in carrying out the purpose set forth in Article 2. The basis of representation shall be as follows:

4.2.1. Each church shall be entitled to two messengers plus one messenger for each additional fifty members or fraction thereof above fifty, provided that the total shall not exceed fifteen. Messengers may be required to furnish evidence of having been properly elected by the churches.

4.2.2. All pastors of churches and of missions of the Association holding membership in a church of the Association shall be recognized as messengers.

4.3. Affiliation of Churches. Churches desiring membership in the Association shall make written application to the Credentials Committee. A church can be introduced at any Executive Board Meeting between Annual Meetings and, if approved, will serve one year under watchcare. After one year of watchcare, the Credentials Committee shall recommend approval or disapproval of the application. Upon the affirmative vote of the Association in Annual Associational meeting to accept them into fellowship, such church shall be accorded all the services, rights, and privileges of membership in the Association.

4.4. Relationship to the Churches. The Association may advise, give counsel, and propose measures to the churches, but it shall exercise no power or ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the churches, nor shall the Association have any right to control a church or a church’s activities or ministries, nor select, or supervise its ministers, employees, agents, members, activities or ministries. The Association shall have the autonomous authority to determine from among those churches desiring to be members of the Association which churches shall enjoy membership in the Association and thus enjoy its fellowship. Similarly, the Association shall have the authority to withdraw fellowship from a church and thus remove the church from the membership of the Association if the church departs from the principles of The Baptist Faith and Message or the principles of the charter and bylaws of the Association. In order to be affiliated with the Association, churches must adhere to the following:

4.5. No church shall be considered a New Testament type church in good fellowship with the Association if said church receives into its membership any person baptized by any other than a New Testament type church, without requiring such person or persons to be baptized upon the authority of a New Testament type church.

4.6. A “New Testament Type Church” shall be defined as one subscribing to these beliefs: the inspiration and infallibility of the Scriptures; the Lord is one God revealed as the triune Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the virgin birth of Jesus; the full deity and full humanity of Jesus; the substitutionary atonement of Jesus’ death; the bodily resurrection of Jesus; salvation by grace alone through faith alone in the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone; and the promise of the bodily return of Jesus to the earth. Additionally, as Southern Baptists, we subscribe to the following Baptist principles: baptism of believers only by immersion only; a regenerate church membership; the memorial view of the Lord’s Supper; the eternal security of the believer; a free church in a free state; the autonomy of the local church; the priesthood of all believers; and willing cooperation in matters of missions and evangelism.

4.7. Any question concerning fellowship with the churches shall be considered by the Credentials Committee before coming to the Association. Before recommending to the Association that it withdraw fellowship from a church and thus remove the church from the membership of the Association, the committee must first show that the church to be removed had, by certified or registered mail, been notified of the substantive reason(s) for the removal, and that the church had been given an opportunity to be heard and to give answer before the committee.

4.8. Churches shall make annual reports to the Association on the forms provided by the Association. Any church failing for three consecutive years to make such report shall be considered as having withdrawn from the Association and shall be dropped from the roll of the body, provided the Credentials Committee shall have communicated with the church each year, relative to its failure to report, and reported its findings reported its findings to the Executive Board for discussion with final action to take place at the next meeting of the Association.

4.9. Spiritual Nature of Church’s Membership. Matters of affiliation or participation of churches or messengers with the Association are decisions involving spiritual matters and no review of the Association’s decisions may be appealed to any secular authority.

ARTICLE 5

MEETINGS OF MESSENGERS

5.1. Regular Meetings. The Association shall convene in annual session in October at such time and place as approved by the Association in session acting upon a recommendation of the Executive Board. No further notice shall be required. The October meeting shall be considered the Annual meeting of the corporation.

5.2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the messengers for any purpose or purposes may be held at any time, and the time and place of a regular meeting may be changed or the meeting canceled, by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board, provided member churches are given notice at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.

5.3. Challenges to Messengers. Should a challenge arise to a messenger’s right of participation that has not previously been adjudicated by the Association or one of its representative bodies, any member of the Credentials Committee, or any officer of the Association, or the Director of Missions, shall convene a hearing of not less than three (3) persons numbering from among those persons authorized to convene the hearing, for the limited purpose of hearing and ruling on the merits of the challenge provided that the messenger so challenged is given an opportunity to be heard. The decision of the hearing board shall be final with no further publication or notice required.

5.4. Notice of Meeting or Cancellation, or Change. Notice shall be given by mail. The notice shall be deemed given three days after its deposit in the United States mail, first class postage prepaid, and addressed to the churches at their addresses as they appear on the records of the Association.

ARTICLE 6

EXECUTIVE BOARD

6.1. Executive Board. The Association shall have an Executive Board which shall constitute the board of directors of the corporation and which shall consist of the following: the officers of the Association; the directors of each Associational department; retired Holston Baptist pastors who retired before April 23, 1996, from Holston Baptist Association churches; the senior pastor, and one at-large member of each of those churches and missions of the Association whose recorded contributions to the Association the previous year was at least $250; provided that before assuming office each Executive Board member except the Director of Missions shall certify in writing to the Association or its Executive Board his correct name and address, the name of his appointing or electing organization, church or mission, and a signed statement to the effect that he agrees to serve within the Corporate Charter and Bylaws and consents to being named as one of the Board of Directors of Holston Baptist Association for that year.

6.1.1. A pastor, minister, or denominational worker retired after April 23, 1996, from service to a church or churches of the Holston Baptist Association and who is currently a member in good standing of a member church of the Holston Baptist Association shall upon motion and majority vote of any Executive Board or Associational meeting be deemed an honorary member of the Executive Board of the Holston Baptist Association without vote. This honor shall in no way be construed to limit an honorary member from debate or from speaking from his experience and wisdom, nor shall it be construed to include the honorary member in the legal liabilities normally attendant with the office of Executive Board member.

6.1.2. A member church which did not meet the $250 contributions provision for inclusion on the Executive Board may petition in writing the Credentials Committee who shall investigate the matter and report back to the Executive Board, whereupon the Executive Board by a two-thirds majority vote may render any assistance it deems necessary including waiving the $250 contributions provision.

6.2. Power of the Executive Board. The governance of the Association is divided between the messengers in session and the Executive Board. The messengers in session constitute the highest ecclesiastical authority of the Association. The Executive Board shall care for every interest of the Association, direct its activities in the interim between meetings of the Association, and shall carry out the policies and will of the Association as so expressed. Except as specifically vested either in the messengers in session or in the Executive Board by the charter and bylaws, all corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the affairs of the Association managed under the direction of, the Association’s messengers in session and, when the messengers are not in session, of the Executive Board. However, the Executive Board shall have the authority vested in it by the charter and bylaws, and the Executive Board shall not have authority in those matters reserved exclusively for the messengers by the charter or bylaws, or by a resolution of the messengers not contrary to the charter or bylaws, and the Executive Board shall not have the authority to take action contrary to action taken by the messengers which was not within the exclusive prerogatives of the Executive Board under the charter and bylaws.

6.3. Duties of the Executive Board. The Board shall perform the duties specified in these bylaws. The Board shall have the power to fill vacancies among the officers and standing committees of the Association that may occur during the year, and to appoint any special committees deemed needful to carry out its duties. The Executive Board shall have the power to fill a vacancy in the position of Director of Missions and to employ him upon a seventy-five (75%) percent affirmative vote of those present and constituting a quorum. A report from the Executive Board shall be made to the Annual meeting of the Association including a comprehensive summary of its actions during the year together with recommendations as the Board may have.

6.4. Regular Meetings. The Executive Board shall provide by resolution the time and place for the holding of regular meetings. No notice of these regular meetings must be given.

6.5. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Executive Board must be preceded by three (3) days’ notice to each member of the date, time and place, but not the purpose, of the meeting.

6.6. Notice. Notice may be communicated in person, by telephone or facsimile message, by mail or private carrier. Oral notice is effective when communicated in a comprehensible manner. Written notice is effective, if in a comprehensible form, at the earliest of the following: (1) When received; (2) Five days after its deposit in the United States mail, if mailed correctly addressed and with first class postage affixed thereon; (3) On the date shown on the return receipt, if sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, and the receipt is signed by or on behalf of the addressee.

6.7. Quorum and voting. A quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of twelve (12) percent of the members in office immediately before a meeting begins. When a quorum is once present to organize a meeting, a meeting may be later adjourned despite the absence of a quorum caused by the subsequent withdrawal of any of those present. If a quorum is present when a vote is taken, the affirmative vote of a majority of members present is the act of the Board unless the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act or the articles or bylaws of the Association require the vote of a greater number of members.

ARTICLE 7

ASSOCIATIONAL COUNCIL

7.1. The Associational Council shall be made up of the department directors plus the Moderator and Assistant-Moderator and Director of Missions who shall serve ex-officio as members. The Director of Missions shall chair the council. The work of the council shall be under the authority of the Executive Board:

(a) to coordinate the total program ministry of the Association;

(b) to develop an Associational calendar for approval at the Annual meeting;

and

(c) to receive individual requests from the Stewardship & Budget Planning Committee, then

to correlate the various financial programs and/or mission actions together with their

particular financial emphases and return these requests to the Stewardship & Budget

Planning Committee by June 15. The Stewardship & Budget Planning Committee may

request a joint meeting with the Associational Council.

ARTICLE 8

OFFICERS

8.1. Officers. The officers of the Association shall be Moderator, Assistant Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer, and Director of Missions and such others as may be authorized by the Association. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, except the offices of Moderator and Clerk.

8.2. Election and Term of Office. The officers, except for the Director of Missions, shall be elected during the Annual meeting by a majority vote of messengers present and voting at a time arranged by the Order of Business Committee and shall take office at the close of the Annual meeting. When two or more persons are nominated for any stated office, the election shall be by ballot.

After the second ballot, if no single nominee has obtained a majority, the third ballot shall drop all names but the two receiving the highest number of votes. Each officer shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which he is elected and thereafter until his successor has been duly elected and qualified, except that the term of office of any officer who dies, resigns, or is removed shall end immediately upon such event. Vacancies occurring between sessions of the Association shall be filled by the Executive Board. The Director of Missions need not be elected annually but shall certify in writing to the Association or its Executive Board his correct name and address, and provide a signed statement to the effect that he agrees to serve within the Corporate Charter and Bylaws, and consent to being named as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors of Holston Baptist Association for the duration of his employment.

8.3. Moderator. The Moderator shall be considered the President of the Corporation. He shall preside over the meetings of the Association and the Executive Board. He shall appoint such committees as may be authorized by these Bylaws or by the Association or the Executive Board and shall attend to such other duties as his office may require.

8.4. Assistant Moderator. The Assistant Moderator shall discharge the duties of the Moderator in his absence and may preside at his request. He shall correlate and coordinate the work of the committees and shall encourage committee chairpersons to see that their committees fulfill their responsibilities. In the event the Moderator and the Assistant Moderator are absent from Association or Executive Board meetings, the Director of Missions shall call said meeting to order for the election of the presiding officer for that meeting.

8.5. Clerk. The Clerk shall be considered the Secretary of the Corporation. He shall distribute annually to each church the proper letter forms on which each church will report to the Association, keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Association and of the Executive Board meetings; and he shall authenticate the records of the Corporation, arrange the printing and distribution of the “Annual”, and provide before each Executive Board meeting that members of the Executive Board are identified for purposes of conducting the business of the Executive Board. For his services the Clerk may be paid a reasonable compensation. The Clerk shall appoint an Assistant Clerk who with prior approval of the Association or its Executive Board shall assist the Clerk in the performance of his duties and shall act for him in his absence.

8.6. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive all funds and keep an accurate account of the same. He shall make disbursements as authorized by the Association or its Executive Board, report monthly to the Executive Board and annually to the Association, and serve as an ex-officio member of the Stewardship and Budget Planning Committee. The Treasurer may be paid a reasonable compensation for his work. The Treasurer shall appoint an Assistant Treasurer or Financial Secretary who with prior approval of the Association or its Executive Board shall assist the Treasurer in the performance of his duties and shall act for him in his absence.

8.7. Director of Missions. The Director of Missions shall serve as the principal executive employee of the Corporation and, subject to the control of the Executive Board, shall oversee and control the management of the Corporation in accordance with these bylaws. The Director of Missions shall perform all duties as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time, including, but not limited to, the management, supervision and evaluation of all of the staff and employees of the Corporation pursuant to any personnel policies which may be adopted by the Executive Board.

8.8. Removal. Any officer, member of the Executive Board, or agent elected or appointed by the Executive Board may be removed by the Board. An officer, member of the Executive Board, or agent elected or appointed by the Association’s messengers in session may be removed by the Association’s messengers in session, but not by the Executive Board. Removal may be with or without cause. Removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person removed. Prior to the time of removal, the removing body shall notify the officer, member or agent to be removed of the impending action and the reasons therefore. The individual shall have the opportunity to be heard before the removing body for a reasonable length of time to be set as an item of business by the body or its officers.

8.9. Vacancies. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise, may be filled by the Executive Board for the unexpired portion of the term.

ARTICLE 9

COMMITTEES

9.1. Appointment of Committees of the Executive Board. The Executive Board may create committees and appoint or authorize the appointment of persons to those committees as the Executive Board deems desirable, except the Executive Board shall not impinge upon the authority of standing committees of the Association and shall observe the requirements of the following section.

9.2. If the committee is empowered to exercise the authority of the Board, the committee’s creation by the Board and appointment of members to it must be approved by the greater of: (1) A majority of all the members of the Executive Board in office when the action is taken, or (2) the vote required for the taking of action under the “quorum and voting” section of these bylaws.

9.3. No committee may: (1) authorize distribution; (2) approve or recommend to the messengers in session dissolution, merger or sale, pledge or transfer of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets; (3) elect, appoint or remove members of the Executive Board, or fill vacancies on the Board or on any of its committees; or (4) adopt, amend or repeal the charter or bylaws.

9.4. Appointment of Committees of the Association. The Moderator shall appoint any special committees needed to expedite the work and will of the Association.

9.5. Standing Committees. Both the Association and Executive Board shall be authorized to have standing committees along with any other committees that they may authorize. A standing committee shall exercise only those powers necessary to carry out the purpose for which the committee was formed or as otherwise limited in the bylaws. An expenditure of budgeted or allocated funds by any committee, standing or otherwise, shall first be approved by the Director of Missions of the Corporation or his designated agent. A committee by majority vote may through its chairman appeal a decision not to approve an expenditure of funds directly to the Executive Board. The term of service for each member shall be three years and shall begin and terminate immediately preceding adjournment of the Annual meeting. A member who has served one full term shall not be eligible for re-election until having been out of office for one associational year. The filling of an unexpired term shall not be considered a full term, and such members shall be eligible to serve another term before rotation. No person shall serve concurrently on more than two standing committees and one special committee, except ex-officio members, or as chairman on more than one committee. The Moderator, Assistant Moderator, and the Director of Missions shall be considered ex-officio members of all committees.

9.6. The Association shall have the standing committees listed below, along with any other committees authorized by the Association:

(1) BCM COMMITTEE shall be composed of six persons to serve three year terms.* The committee shall promote interest in and support of the student program of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in general and the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at East Tennessee State University in particular by the following ways:

1. Proposing and administering Holston Baptist Association’s BCM program budget;

2. Bringing quarterly reports to the Executive Board in the summer and winter as well as reports in each of our two annual meetings;

3. Maintaining a working relationship with the BCM staff and regional BCM advisory committee;

4. Initiating ministry and mission’s involvement by BCM students in cooperation with HBA churches or Associational projects;

5. Assigning three members being one member in each year of service to serve as the HBA representatives on the regional BCM advisory committee.

*At its inception, the committee will consist of three sets of two people who will serve 1, 2, and 3 year terms respectively. Each will rotate off after their term.

(2) COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES. The Moderator shall appoint at the first regular meeting of the Executive Board following the Annual meeting of the Association two members to the Committee on Committees to serve three-year terms and also appoint members to fill any vacancies on the Committee on Committees that have occurred during the year, making the total no fewer than six members serving on the committee. The duties of this committee shall be to offer to the Executive Board nominations for vacancies occurring among the members of all standing committees and to present to the Association in its Annual meeting nominations as provided herein. The Committee on Committees shall also recommend to the Executive Board the deletion of any committees no longer needed and the changing of special committees to standing committees as provided herein.

(3) CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE shall receive and consider all applications of churches for affiliation with the Association, and after careful study of the doctrines, practices, and organization of each church, shall make its report to the Association. The Committee further shall confer with churches failing to report to the Association for the purpose of rendering to them any possible help in behalf of the Association.

(4) DOCUMENTS COMMITTEE shall propose revisions and amendments to the Charter, Bylaws, and the Procedures Manual for the Association. All proposed changes arising on the floor of the Association or as may be suggested by the Executive Board shall be referred to the committee for review before action by the Association. When practicable, the committee shall present its recommendations to the Executive Board for consideration before the meeting of the Association.

(5) HISTORY COMMITTEE shall promote the preservation and appreciation of the history of the churches of the Association.

(6) NOMINATING COMMITTEE shall present to the Bi-Annual associational meeting nominations for department directors who upon election by the Association shall serve with the committee in nominating all volunteer personnel of the departments for election by the Association at the Annual meeting. The committee shall present to the Executive Board nominations to fill all vacancies occurring during the year. These persons shall assume responsibility at the close of the Annual meeting.

(7) ORDER OF BUSINESS COMMITTEE shall prepare and publicize a tentative order of procedure for the Annual meeting of the Association and arrange for any program personnel. The Committee shall also be responsible for the time and place of the said meetings.

(8) PERSONNEL COMMITTEE shall be composed of at least three (3) but not more than six (6) members. It shall receive from the Director of Missions his decisions regarding the employment and termination of all employees of the Association and, after review, report its recommendations to the Executive Board. Further, it shall receive, from the Director of Missions an annual evaluation of each employee and, after review, report its recommendations regarding changes in employment and salary to the Executive Board and to the Stewardship and Budget Committee respectively. It shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Director of Missions in all matters pertaining to his employment and work.

(9) RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE shall consider, prepare, and communicate all resolutions in behalf of and as directed by the Association and the Executive Board.

(10) STEWARDSHIP & BUDGET PLANNING COMMITTEE shall have the responsibility of planning, proposing, and promoting an annual associational budget. The committee shall promote Biblical stewardship among member churches and shall encourage member churches to contribute to the Holston Baptist Association, Tennessee Baptist Convention, and Southern Baptist Convention mission causes through the Cooperative Program.

A. ANNUAL BUDGET PREPARATION

(1) Instructions for submitting budget requests will be sent to chairpersons of all budgeted areas by June 1 of each year.

(2) All budget requests must be submitted in writing to the Stewardship Budget and Planning Committee by June 15 of each year.

(3) In preparing the budget, the Stewardship and Budget Planning Committee should consider anticipated income and adjust budget requests as needed. Copies of the Committee’s finalized proposed budget should be submitted, prior to the August Executive Board meeting, to all who made requests.

(4) If there has been no request for an area of work, the Stewardship and Budget Planning Committee will submit a sum for the area based upon the previous year’s expenses and/or anticipated programs in that area.

(5) The proposed budget will be distributed, without comment, to all members of the Executive Board during the month of August. It will be discussed at the September Executive Board meeting. Suggestions for changes will be referred back to the Stewardship & Budget Planning Committee. The proposed budget will be presented for final approval at the Annual meeting of the Association.

9.7 The Executive Board shall have the standing committees listed below, along with any other committees authorized by the Executive Board:

(1) ADULT HOMES shall serve in cooperation with the Tennessee Baptist Convention Adult Homes in its responsibility to oversee the total operation of Baptist Village in Johnson City.

(2) CEMETERY COMMITTEE shall have responsibility for the administration and upkeep of the Buffalo Ridge Cemetery.

(3) PROPERTIES COMMITTEE shall be composed of three members. The duties of the Properties Committee are:

a. Develop job descriptions for positions having to do with the physical maintenance and management of Associational property (located in Johnson City), but not limited to buildings, real estate, grounds, equipment, vans, trucks and cars.

b. Regularly evaluate insurance coverage on all facilities and properties and recommend to the Executive Board changes deemed advisable.

The Properties Committee shall have no power to expend funds except by prior approval of the Executive Board according to established procedures, except in case of an emergency. When funds have been approved, the Committee shall follow the execution of the project or purchases to completion and shall not authorize final payment until the specifications have been fully met.

(4) RETREAT COMMITTEE shall be responsible for overseeing the repair, upkeep and maintenance of buildings, grounds, and equipment at the Holston Baptist Retreat Center. They shall establish and maintain a schedule for use of the site. They shall, with approval of the Executive Board, establish rules and regulations governing the Holston Baptist Association Retreat Center. The committee shall recommend to the Stewardship & Budget Planning Committee an annual operating budget. The committee shall establish long-range goals for the development of the Retreat Center. The committee shall establish a fee schedule for the use of the Retreat Center. The committee shall promote, organize, and supervise volunteer work days at the Retreat Center as needs arise.

ARTICLE 10

DEPARTMENTS

10.1. Departments. To further the purpose of the Association, the Association shall have organized departments of Sunday School, Discipleship Training, WMU, Brotherhood, Music, TACMO, Youth, Family Ministries, Church-Ministers Relations, Prayer and Spiritual Awakening, Christian Life, Missions, Evangelism, and Education. An expenditure of budgeted or allocated funds by any department shall first be approved by the Director of Missions of the Corporation or his designated agent. A department by majority vote may through its director appeal a decision not to approve an expenditure of funds directly to the Executive Board. The WMU shall elect its officers according to its bylaws, subject to the approval of the Association in its Annual meeting. The department director or officers of the other departments shall be elected annually as provided elsewhere in these bylaws.

ARTICLE 11

RULES OF ORDER

11.1. Rules of Order. The parliamentary authority of the Association, its Executive Board, and committees, shall be the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE 12

FISCAL YEAR

12.1. Fiscal and Associational Year. The fiscal and Associational year shall begin on October first and end on September thirtieth.

ARTICLE 13

CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

13.1. Contracts. The Executive Board may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract and to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

13.2. Loans. No loan shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation and no evidences of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authority is specifically given by a resolution of the Executive Board of the messengers in session. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

13.3. Prohibited Loans. The Association and its Executive Board shall not lend money to or guarantee the obligation of a member of the Executive Board or officer of the Corporation.

13.4. Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts, or other orders for the payment of money, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents, of the Corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Executive Board.

13.5. Deposits. All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Executive Board may select.

ARTICLE 14

AMENDMENTS

14.1. Amendments. The power to amend the bylaws is reserved to the Association’s messengers in session. Proposed amendments to the bylaws shall be considered at a regular meeting of the Association or at a special meeting called for that purpose only after being considered by the Documents Committee and having been presented in writing to messengers during the preceding meeting of the Association. Amendments shall require a two-thirds majority vote of the messengers present and voting.