Categories of Membership in Bylaws

Game pieces of different colors in a network

Some congregations want more flexibility in how they approach membership. For the purpose of the bylaws, it's important to clarify who has voting rights if you have more than one category of membership. This section can refer to board policies for more detail about how members move between categories.

Possible categories include:

  • Voting members (when distinguishing from other categories)
  • Pledging friends
  • Associate members (under 18 and having limited voting rights or possible leadership roles)
  • Inactive members (wants to be a member of record, but not contributing and has no voting privileges)
  • Legacy or Honorary members (unable to contribute due to age or health but still has voting privileges, with board approval)

Sample Provision

A Voting Member is _________________. A Legacy Member is _________________ as defined in the board policy on Legacy Membership. Only Voting & Legacy Members may vote at congregational meetings. A Pledging Friend is _____________________.