REVISED DECEMBER 9, 2019
nonstock - nonprofit
PREAMBLE
Purpose:The Church of the Spiral Tree (CST) is a non-profit, volunteer-staffed, ecumenical pagan church, designed to foster and celebrate a sense of community and family among pagans, both locally and in other regions of the country/world. CST celebrates the unique pagan family: parents, children, elders, and extended family. It is an ecumenical church in that it encompasses all traditions, and is non-exclusive. It welcomes all who revere the Earth Mother and who respect themselves and others, regardless of which tradition one is affiliated with.
To the above ends we do hereby adopt and enact the following Articles:
4.l: Membership. Membership in Church of the Spiral Tree shall be eligible to all who understand the principles of the Church, who have made application, and who have been accepted by the Board of Directors or its delegated authority. The form of application shall be that approved by the Board of Directors or its delegated authority.
5.1: Ministers. Upon application and payment of fees, the Church may ordain any person over the
age of
18 as a Minister and issue a Minister's Certificate. Licensed CST Ministers shall be authorized to
perform such legal sacraments as weddings, funerals, and baptisms.
6.1: Church of the Spiral Tree shall consist of, at a minimum, a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. These officers shall also serve as the Board of Directors of the Corporation, as per Article VII.
6.2: Any of the officers may choose to take on one or more of these specific roles, along with its specific duties, or may appoint another member to do so. These specific roles and duties are outlined below.
6.3: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, and shall preside at all
meetings of the Board of Directors. The President shall have general charge of the business of the Corporation, and
shall
execute, with the Secretary, in the name of the Corporation, all deeds, bonds, contracts, and other obligations and instruments authorized by the Board of Directors.
7.1: Management of the Church shall be vested in a Board of Directors, who shall also serve as officers both for the Board of Directors and for the Church. All members of the Board of Directors must be qualified to perform the duties of their office.
8.1: Board of Directors. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at least once per year. Special meetings may be held whenever deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.
9.1: No part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable, as dividends or in any other manner, to its members, directors, officers or other
private persons, except that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purpose set forth in the Articles of Incorporation and in Article III of these Bylaws.
9.2: Further, upon the dissolution of the Corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Corporation, dispose of all of the assets of the Corporation exclusively for the purposes of the Corporation in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Law) as the Board of Directors shall
determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Please of the County in which the principal office of the Corporation is then located, exclusively
for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
10.1: The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.
11.1: 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 officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation, and in such manner as shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors.
12.1: Notice. Whenever any notice is required by these Bylaws to be given, personal notice is not meant unless expressly stated, and any notice so required shall be deemed to be sufficient if
given by depositing the same in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the person entitled thereto at his or her address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, and such notice shall be deemed to have been given on the day of such mailing.
12.2: Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given under the provisions of any law, or under the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation
or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to said
notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed proper notice.
13.1: Amendments or changes in these Bylaws may be made by recommendation of the Board of
Directors at any annual meeting or any special meeting thereof if notice thereof is contained in the notice of such special meeting, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the
members entitled to vote thereat, or by the Board of Directors, at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors, or at any special meeting of the Board of Directors, if notice thereof is
contained in the notice of such special meeting.
13.2: The Board shall provide reasonable opportunities for all interested members to propose amendments to the Board for recommendations, and to study recommendations passed by the
Board prior to their presentation for approval at the Annual meeting. And no others.