BY LAWS
OF
ST. BARNABAS' HOLY TRINITY PARISH SYKESVILLE, MARYLAND

ARTICLE I
Name

The corporate name is "The Vestry of St Barnabas Church Holy Trinity Parish, Sykesville, Maryland", hereafter referred to as The Church

ARTICLE II
Form of Worship

The Parish, its Rector and Vestry shall at all times adhere to and observe the doctrine, discipline and worship of The Episcopal Church as set forth in its creeds, articles, liturgy, constitution and canons.

ARTICLE III
Identification with Diocese of Maryland

The Parish shall at all times be subject to the spiritual jurisdiction and authority of the Bishop of The Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Maryland.

ARTICLE IV
Membership and Meetings

Section 1 Voting Members.

To be a voting member a person must.

1. be sixteen years of age, or over; and
2. be entered on the register of The Church by the Rector at least three months preceding the voting date as a Communicant (a Communicant is a member who partakes of communion at least three times at The Church in the previous twelve months) member of The Episcopal Church, and
3. be entered on the Treasurer's books at least three months preceding the voting date as a current (in the prior twelve months) pledging member of the church or contributing in good faith to the support of the church as determined by the rector.

Section 2 Non-voting Members:

All other persons who consider themselves identified with The Church, regard it as their place of worship, attend its services regularly, but do not satisfy all requirements of Section 1 are non-voting members of the parish.

Section 3 Annual Meetings:

An Annual Meeting of The Church will be on a date selected by the majority of the Vestry. The meeting will Occur in the month of October every year for the election of Vestry members and for the hearing of reports.

Section 4 Special Meetings:

Special Meetings may be called by the Rector, one-third (1/3) or more of the members of the Vestry, or upon written request of fifteen (15) or more voting members filed with the Rector or the Senior Warden.

Section 5 Notices and Place of Meetings:

All meetings, both Annual and Special, shall be held at the Parish House or The Church. Notice of all meetings shall be given by announcement at all services in The Church on at least two Sundays immediately preceding the date of the meeting, and by publication in the Bulletin not less than one Sunday immediately preceding the meeting. The notice shall indicate whether the meeting is an Annual Meeting or a Special Meeting, and if the meeting be a Special Meeting, the business to be transacted shall be indicated. No business shall be transacted at Special Meetings except that specified in the notice. A quorum of fifteen (15) voting members is necessary to transact business at any meeting. Members must be present to vote.

Section 6 Notices and Voting Criteria:

Criteria for voting membership will be published quarterly to inform members of requirements and criteria. A list of voting members will be published four months prior to the Annual Meeting.

ARTICLE V
The Vestry

Section 1 Eligibility:

Every voting member of The Church, as defined in Section 1 of Article IV of these By-laws, shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Vestry.

Section 2 Number and Classification:

The Vestry of The Church shall consist of the Rector and twelve (12) persons chosen from the voting members. These shall be classified with respect to the time for which they shall hold office by dividing them into three classes of four persons each.

Section 3 Election:

At each Annual Meeting the successors to the class of Vestry members whose terms shall expire in the year 2000 and beyond shall be elected by a majority of the voting members present, to hold office for a term of three years. The term of office for one class of Vestry members shall expire each year; and the members of such class shall be ineligible for re-election as Vestry members for a period of one year.

Section 4 Nominating Committee:

Three months in advance of each Annual Meeting the Rector, with the consent of the Vestry, shall appoint a Nominating Committee of five (5) voting members. The Committee shall nominate voting members to fill the vacancies. The Nominating Committee will submit to the Vestry those nominated two months prior to the Annual Meeting. The Vestry shall publish the names of those nominated at least one month prior to the Annual Meeting. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor the day of the Annual Meeting. The nominated person must be present at the Annual Meeting and accept the nomination before voting commences.

The Nominating Committee will present the slate of Officers to the Vestry at the first meeting following the Annual meeting each year.

Section 5 Power to Fill Vacancies in the Vestry:

In the event of a vacancy in the Vestry between Annual Meetings for any reason, the remaining members of the Vestry shall, by a majority vote of those present. elect an eligible person to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. If the remaining term of the outgoing member is three months or less, the position may remain vacant, and be filled at the Annual Meeting.

Section 6 Duties and Powers of the Vestry:

The Vestry performs such duties and has such powers as set forth in the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church. Six members of the Vestry constitute a Quorum. Members must be present to vote.

Section 7 Meetings of the Vestry:

Regular meetings of the Vestry shall occur each month (except by common agreement) of the year.

1. Special Meetings may be called by the Rector by one-third (1/3) or more of the Vestry members. Notice of the time and place of all meetings and the purposes of all Special Meetings shall be given to each Vestry member in person or by telephone not less that twenty-four (24) hours preceding the meeting, or by mail posted not less that two (2) days preceding the date of such meeting. No business shall be transacted at Special Meetings except that specified in the notice.
2. If a Vestry member incurs three unexcused absences of regular meetings in a term, the member shall be considered resigned from the Vestry.

ARTICLE VI
Officers

Section 1 Officers:

The officers of The Church are the Rector, who is President of the Corporation; a Senior Warden, who is Vice President of the Corporation; a Junior Warden, a Registrar; a Treasurer; and other such officers as the Vestry may from time to time designate and appoint. The officers shall be elected at the first Vestry meeting following the Annual Meeting each year from among the voting members.

Section 2 The Rector:

The Rector performs such duties and has such powers as may be prescribed by the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church. The Rector, as President of the Corporation, may preside at all meetings of the Vestry and may vote only in case of a tie.

Section 3 The Church Wardens:

The Senior Warden serves as lay consultant and advisor to the Rector and performs other such duties as may be assigned by the Vestry and/or the Rector. The Senior Warden is the senior lay officer of the church, and serves as the Vice-President of the Corporation. As the Vice President of the Corporation, he/she performs the duties of the President of the Corporation in the event of the President's absence or incapacity.

The Junior Warden has general responsibility for the supervision and maintenance of all Church property, real and personal (other than securities and cash) and performs other such duties as may be assigned by the Vestry and/or the Rector.

Section 4 The Registrar:

The Registrar has custody of the corporate seal of The Church. The Registrar records the minutes of all meetings of the Vestry and the Annual and Special Meetings, which are maintained in the Church office. The Registrar is also charged with the responsibility of keeping up-to-date at least two copies of the by-laws which shall be open to inspection in the Church office at reasonable business hours by any member of The Church. The Registrar performs other such duties as may be assigned by the Vestry.

Section 5 The Treasurer:

The Treasurer keeps the financial records of the church and has general custody of all Church fluids, securities and other investments. All monies received and dispersed by The Church shall be accounted for by the Treasurer at the direction of the Vestry. The Treasurer shall make a report on the general financial condition of The Church at the Annual Meeting and present other reports from time to time as the Vestry may request. Organizations within The Church, chartered by the Vestry, may maintain separate accounts which are accountable on a yearly basis to the Treasurer. The Church's financial records shall be audited annually.

ARTICLE VII
Oath of Office

Every Officer and member of the Vestry of The Church, after the election, shall subscribe to the Oath required by Canon 11 of the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of Maryland. The Vestry shall provide a suitable book for this purpose.

ARTICLE VIII
Other Officers and Committees

Other officers and committees may be designated and appointed by the Vestry from time to time to perform such powers and duties as may be assigned to them by the Vestry.

ARTICLE IX
Amendment to By-Laws

These By-Laws may be altered, amended, repealed or added to by the voting members of The Church, at the Annual Meeting or any Special meeting called for that purpose, by two-thirds vote of the voting members present at any such meeting.

Adopted at Parish Meeting December 2, 1957
Amended at Special Parish meeting November 17, 1962
Repealed and re-enacted with amendments at Annual Parish Meeting May 9, 1977.
Repealed arid re-enacted with amendments at Annual Parish Meeting April 24, 1978.
Repealed and re-enacted with amendments at Special Parish Meeting October 24, 1999.