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Constitution and Basis of Faith

Adopted June 1913; Revised and Adopted June 1990 and further revised June 2005.
Carrubbers Christian Centre 65 High Street Edinburgh EH1 1SR
1. The Centre shall be called 'Carrubbers Christian Centre.'
2. The Members shall be (1) the Trustees: (2) the Directors: (3) the Associates as certified by the Minister and Superintendent or person or persons authorised by the Directors. All Trustees Directors and Associates must profess their belief in:-
  1. The Divine Inspiration, authority, sufficiency and total inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures:
  2. the right and duty of private judgement in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures:
  3. the unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of Persons therein:
  4. the total depravity of human nature in consequence of the Fall:
  5. the Incarnation of the Son of God; His work of atonement for sinners of mankind and His mediatorial intercession and reign:
  6. the justification of the sinner by faith alone:
  7. regeneration and sanctification by the Holy Spirit:
  8. the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, the judgement of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ with the eternal blessedness of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked.
Nothing shall be taught in the Centre opposed to the above doctrines. The Centre shall not be used for promoting any denominational purposes.
3. The principal objective of the Centre shall be the furtherance of Evangelistic and other Christian work in the City of Edinburgh its suburbs and neighbourhood. The Centre may also support similar organisations or individuals throughout the world provided their objectives and/or Christian work are in keeping with the objects of the Centre. The work of the Centre shall be carried on under a system of sections, each with a leader who shall be responsible under the Ministerial Superintendent for the work of his or her respective Section. Each leader shall be approved by the Directors.
4. The General Management of the Centre shall be vested in the following who, along with the Trustees (herein referred to) shall constitute and be called the Directors of the Centre:- (1) the office-bearers who shall be appointed by the Directors and shall consist of a President, a Minister and Superintendent, a Secretary and a Treasurer and such other office-bearers as the Directors shall think necessary; and (2) not more than twenty persons interested in the Centre. At least one third of the Directors, other than the Trustees and office-bearers shall be active Associates as nominated for appointment by the Directors at the Annual Meeting. The remaining two-thirds shall be nominated by the Directors for appointment at that Annual Meeting. of the Directors, other than the President, the Trustees and the office-bearers, at least one third shall retire annually according to the date of their election The retiring Directors shall be eligible for re-election. Any nominated Director for election or re-election shall be re- appointed by a two thirds majority of the Associates present at the Annual General Meeting The Directors shall have power to fill up vacancies of their own number arising during the currency of each year. Five shall form a quorum.
5. All names of Associates will be entered in a Register and kept by the Secretary or such other person as is duly a pointed by the Directors. The Directors will review this list annually or at such times as they see fit. If, for any reason, the Directors consider that it is no longer appropriate for an Associate to remain a member of the Centre, the matter will be placed on the Agenda for the next Directors' Meeting at which all Directors will be invited to make comments. At the said Directors' Meeting the matter will be considered by the Directors after which the associate can only be moved from the Register if a three-fourths majority of the Directors consider such removal to be appropriate. Any Associate so removed from the Register will be informed by the Board of Directors within a period of not more than fourteen days.
6. The Directors shall together have power to appoint Committees and sub-committees for carrying on the work of the Centre. These committees or sub-committees shall be composed of such of the Directors as may be prepared to act and of recognised Associates in the Centre; the sectional leaders being ex-officii members of the committees or sub-committees of their respective Sections. No committee or sub- committee shall have power to incur debt without the express sanction of the directors.
7. The Centre shall be supported by voluntary contribution in money or property, which shall be managed and applied by the Directors for the purposes of the Centre. The Directors shall render an Annual Report of all Revenue and Expenditure. The Directors shall have the sole power of such management and application and they shall have full power to employ such official or officials, and pay him, her or them such remuneration as they may consider necessary; and for such period or periods and such conditions as they may deem proper in the interests of the Centre.
8. All property, heritable and moveable (other than income or revenue ) which has been or may be purchased or otherwise acquired by, or donated or bequeathed to the Centre shall be vested in Trustees for behoof of the Centre. Any vacancies in the Trust shall be filled by the survivors, and the appointments so made shall be reported to the first annual Meeting of the Centre held thereafter. The number of the Trustees shall not exceed twelve, and ought not to be fewer than seven. Three of the Trustees shall form a quorum. The Trustees may at their own discretion appoint a law agent from their own number and authorise other Trustees to charge their usual fees in respect of services rendered. The Trustees shall have power to withdraw such use as respects the whole, or portion or portions of such buildings at any time on giving two months' notice in writing to the Secretary, signed- by the Chairman of the Meeting at which it is decided to give such notice. Further in the event of more than one party at any time claiming to be Carrubbers Christian Centre and as such entitled to the use of the buildings, or any portion thereof, the Trustees shall have the sole power to decide which party is entitled to the use of the same. The Trustees shall also be entitled to settle questions of every description which may arise in regard to the use of the buildings, or any portion of them. In all such questions the decision of the Trustees shall be final and binding on all parties.
9. This Constitution shall not be altered except with consent, first of three-fourths at least of those present at two successive meetings of the Directors, held at an interval of not less that 3 weeks, secondly, of two-thirds at least of the Associates (as defined in paragraph 2) present at the next ensuing Special Meeting of the Centre; and, thirdly, of a majority of the whole body of Trustees. All meetings ( other than of the Trustees and Directors) to be called for the purpose of this Article shall be called by the Secretary, by giving one month's written notice to Associates as defined in paragraph 2. The Directors and Trustees shall be entitled to vote at all such meetings and to receive notice of these meetings.
10. The Directors shall have power to make such Bye-laws not inconsistent with the Constitution, as shall appear to them to be necessary for the better regulation of the objects of the Centre an to amend or alter same from time to time to time and in the event of any questions arising either under the Constitution or the Bye- laws in regard to any details of the work, other than the questions referred to the Trustees under Article Seven, such questions shall be referred to the Directors, whose decision shall be final and binding on all parties.