ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

CONGREGATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.


          The undersigned, a natural person of the age of eighteen (18) years or more acting as incorporator of a Corporation under the Wisconsin Nonstock Corporation Law (Chapter 181 of the Wisconsin Statutes) adopts the following Articles of Incorporation for such Corporation.

ARTICLE I

Name

          The name of the Corporation is CONGREGATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.

ARTICLE II

Purposes

          The Corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific and educational purposes; to engage in activities relating to the aforementioned purposes; and to invest in, receive, hold, use and dispose of all property, real or personal, as may be necessary or desirable to carry into effect the aforementioned purposes.

          In furtherance of the above purposes, the Corporation's purposes shall include the provision of support to the Corporation for the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches of the United States (the “Association”), affiliated regional and state associations, and local Congregational Christian churches and the development of religious and charitable initiatives of the Association, affiliated regional and state association, and local churches.

          Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Articles of Incorporation, the Corporation shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under Sections 170(c)(2), 2055(a)(2) and 2522(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

ARTICLE III

Powers

          The Corporation shall have all powers conferred upon nonstock, nonprofit corporations organized under Chapter 181 of the Wisconsin Statutes and any successor provisions thereto now enacted or hereafter amended but shall exercise such powers only in fulfillment of its above-stated purposes.

          The Corporation shall not engage in any of the following activities:

          (1)        The Corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

          (2)        No substantial part of the activities of the Corporation shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation; provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to activities consisting of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, to the extent the Corporation has made an election pursuant to and remains in compliance with the restrictions of Section 501(h) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.

          (3)        No dividends shall be paid and no part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of any private individual within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE IV

Members

          This Corporation shall not have members.

ARTICLE V

Board of Directors

          The affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Directors.  The number of Directors constituting the initial Board of Directors shall be seven (7); thereafter, the number and manner of election shall be as provided in the Bylaws, but the number of Directors shall not be less than three (3).

ARTICLE VI

Dissolution and Liquidation

          The Corporation may be dissolved upon the adoption of a plan to dissolve adopted by the Board of Directors at a duly constituted meeting and in the manner provided in the Wisconsin Statutes.  In the event of dissolution of the Corporation no liquidating or other dividends and distribution of property owned by the Corporation shall be declared or paid to any private individual, but the net assets of the Corporation shall be distributed as follows:

          (1)        All liabilities and obligations of the Corporation shall be paid, satisfied and discharged, or adequate provision shall be made therefor;

         (2)        All remaining assets shall be distributed to the Corporation for the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches of the United States provided that at such time of dissolution and distribution the Corporation for the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches of the United States is an organization described in Sections 170(c)(2), 501(c)(3), 2055(a)(2) or (3) and 2522(a)(2) of the United States Internal Revenue Code; and

          (3)         In the event that the Corporation for the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches of the United States is not an organization described in Sections 170(c)(2), 501(c)(3), 2055(a)(2) or (3) and 2522(a)(2) of the United States Internal Revenue Code at the time of dissolution and distribution, then the assets remaining after the satisfaction of liabilities set forth in paragraph (1) above shall be distributed to one or more organizations described in Sections 170(c)(2), 501(c)(3), 2055(a)(2) or (3) and/or 2522(a)(2) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, as determined in the plan to dissolve adopted in the manner set forth above in this Article VI.

ARTICLE VII

Amendment

          These Articles may be amended by a vote of 75% of the Directors present at a duly held meeting of the Directors.

ARTICLE VIII

Miscellaneous

          Section 1.  The name and address of the initial registered agent of the Corporation is:

Davis & Kuelthau s.c.

111 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 1400

Milwaukee, WI 53202

         


          Section 2.  The mailing address in Wisconsin of the principal office of the

Corporation is:

P.O. Box 288

8473 S. Howell Avenue

Oak Creek, WI 5315           

         

          Section 3.  The names and addresses of the persons constituting the initial Board of Directors are:

          Robert T. Carlson                                        Grant Stannard

          12 Franklin Street                                        P.O. Box 4064

          Bangor, ME 04401                                      Wichita, KS 67204

 

          Harold Frentz                                              Bruce Rothmann

          10035 Haledon #1                                       3020 Kent Road

          Downey, CA 90240                                    Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44224

 

          Carolyn Sundquist                                        Donald Bentley

          2510 E. 6th Street                                        1826 Roanoke Road

          Duluth, MN 55812                                      Claremont, CA 91711

 

          Susan Carter

          4221 Yuma Drive

          Madison, WI 53711

 

          Section 4.  The name and address of the incorporator is:

Attorney Ann M. Rieger

Davis & Kuelthau s.c.

111 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 1400

Milwaukee, WI 53202

                     

          Section 5.   Any action which may be taken at a meeting of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting if two-thirds of the Directors then in office shall consent in writing to such action.  Such action by written consent shall have the same force and effect as a vote of the Directors taken at a meeting duly held.

 

 

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this _____ day of April, 2003.

                                                                            

 

                                                                                                                                   

                                                                             Ann M. Rieger, Incorporator

 

STATE OF WISCONSIN    )

                                              )

MILWAUKEE COUNTY    )

 

          Personally came before me this _______ day of April, 2003, the above-named Ann M. Rieger to me known to be the person who executed the foregoing instrument and acknowledged the same.

 

 

                                                                                                                                   

                                                                             Notary Public, State of Wisconsin

                                                                             My commission:                              

 

 

 

 

 

This instrument was drafted by and should be returned to:

 

Attorney Ann M. Rieger

Davis & Kuelthau s.c.

111 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 1400

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Milwaukee, WI 53202