Bylaws of the Upper Room Emmaus of North
ARTICLE
The name of this community shall be The Upper Room Emmaus of North Central West Virginia (NCWV) Community, hereinafter referred to as the Community.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
Section 1. Purpose of the Community
The purpose of the Community shall be to inspire, challenge, and equip members for Christian action in their homes, churches, places of work, and the world community through the Emmaus movement.
Section 2. International Affiliation
The Community is affiliated with the International Emmaus Program of The Upper Room Ministries, of
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. NCWV Community Members
All persons who have completed a weekend experience of The Walk to Emmaus /Chrysalis sponsored by the NCWV Emmaus community shall be members of the Community.
Section 2. Other Community Members
Any person who has completed a Walk to Emmaus, Chrysalis, or any other Fourth Day movement as defined by the Upper Room on Emmaus Handbook, may become members of the Community by asking the board communications chairperson to include his/her name on the member list.
ARTICLE IV. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. Purpose
Direction of the Community shall be vested in a Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board.
Section 2. Composition
The Board will consist of fifteen (15) lay members, one clergy member; the Community Spiritual Director, and a representative from the Chrysalis board. This board shall be evenly balanced according to gender, denomination, age, and race, where possible.
Section 3. Terms of Office
a) Laypersons on the board shall be elected by the Community members for three (3) year terms in three (3) classes, each class having five (5) members. The Community Spiritual Director is elected by the new board annually. (See Article V Sec. 3)
b) Board members cannot succeed themselves in consecutive terms; a term being three (3) years. Those appointed to fill vacant positions for terms shorter than three (3) years, may succeed themselves in consecutive terms.
c) Terms of office shall begin with the first meeting after the elections, typically December, and shall terminate at the conclusion of the new boards first meeting three years thereafter.
Section 4. Election of Board Members
a) A Nominating Committee shall be formed to submit to the board a slate of at least seven (7) eligible (see Sect 4 c.) nominees to elect five (5) board positions; this list presented in the September Board meeting. Those nominees must have agreed to serve if elected.
b) The Nominating Committee consists of the board members serving in their final term of
office, providing they are not eligible to succeed themselves.
c) Nominees must be participating community members and active participants of a local
congregation, and have served on at least one NCWV Emmaus Weekend on the Conference Room Team.
d) The list of approved nominees shall be provided to the Community members in the October and November newsletters as well as in any Gathering occurring within this time frame, along with announcement of elections in November and instruction on absentee balloting. Nominations from the community will be received at the last Gathering prior to the November Gathering.
e) Elections occur by the Community during the November Gathering. Ballots must list all
eligible nominees and must instruct the voters to vote for no more than five (5) members.
Counting of the ballots shall be conducted by the Nominating Committee, with no less than three (3) members of this committee conducting the count.
f) Absentee ballots may be requested from the nominating committee.
g) Election is by majority vote of the ballots cast with the new Board members being the five receiving the highest number of votes. In the event of a tie, Board member(s) shall be selected by lot from among the tied nominees.
h) If the term of the immediate past chair of the board has expired, he/she may serve on the board one (1) additional year as a non-voting advisor with no other specific board assignment.
i.) Vacancies (unexpired terms) after the election shall be filled by board appointment, as
nominated by the Board Chair and approved by the Board. The eligibility of the appointed
board member shall be the same as if elected to the position. The appointment shall be in
effect only until the next election.
j.) Vacancies (unexpired terms) are to be filled in descending order based upon highest votes cast; after all regular full term board members are elected.
k.) Board members may be removed during his/her term by ten (10) affirmative votes.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS OF THE BOARD
Section 1. Officers
Officers shall be the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer; and in the event of absences will chair meetings in this order. The Vice-Chair must be eligible to serve an additional year on the board and may serve as the Chair the following year, if elected to that position. Thesepositions shall be considered the assigned work area for those board members.
Section 2. Election of Officers
Officers shall be elected for an annual appointment by the old and new Board at the first meeting immediately following the election. Officers serve in these capacities for a one (1) year term of office effective with the close of the meeting. Reassignment for future years, with exception of the Chair, may occur in succession if so appointed.
Section 3. Community Spiritual Director
The Community Spiritual Director is elected by the board at the first meeting after the election for a one (1) year term of office effective with the close of the first meeting. To be eligible for this position, they must be a participating community member, have served as NCWV Emmaus Weekend Spiritual Director, and meet the eligibility requirements as defined in the International Emmaus Model. A Community Spiritual Director may succeed themselves for two additional one-year terms and is eligible for re-election after a one year absence from the board. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as any other board member vacancy. The Spiritual Director may be replaced during his/her term by ten (10) affirmative votes of the Board
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular Meetings
a.)The board shall meet monthly unless otherwise ordered by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the board in a regular meeting. The board, for the first meeting after the elections, shall consist of both the old and newly elected board members.
b.)The officers and Community Spiritual Director are elected and individual board member assignment areas shall be chosen or assigned, by the new board only.
Section 2. Quorum
Quorum is two-thirds (2/3rd) of the members of the Board of Directors present at a duly called meeting.
Section 3. Special Meetings
Special board meetings may be called by the chair or when requested in writing by two-thirds (2/3rd) of the members of the Board.
Section 4. Meeting Attendance
a.) Board members are required to attend all meetings of the board. In the event the member cannot attend, their absence should be reported to the Chair as soon as possible so that the Chair can confirm that the scheduled meeting will have Quorum.
b.) It shall be the responsibility of the Community Lay Director to contact any board member that has missed two (2) consecutive meetings to assess their reason for absence and their intention for remaining in office.
ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES
Section 1. Board Member Assignments
In addition to the Board Officers, the Community Spiritual Director, and the immediate Past Board Chair, all remaining board members shall be assigned a specific community task as their area of responsibility for a one (1) year term. These areas cover all aspects of the Weekend, of Community Fourth-Day Activities, and of Team Selection and Weekend Offsite roles. These annual assignments are chosen by the old and new board at the December meeting immediately following elections.
Section 2. Committee Members
Each board member may appoint committee members from the community at large to assist them in their assigned tasks, provided:
a.) The committee member is a participating community member who is a constituent of a local congregation. A committee member cannot also be a board member with another assignment with the exception of those serving on the Team Selection Committee as the next Weekend Lay Director or Weekend Spiritual Director.
b.) The board member must report committee appointments to the full board.
Section 3. Board Chair’s Committee Role
The Chair of the board will be an ex-officio member of all committees.
ARTICLE VIII. WALK TO EMMAUS
Section 1. The Model Compliance
The Community shall follow the guidelines of The Upper Room International Walk to Emmaus program in the presentation of the three-day (72-hour) experience of the Walk to Emmaus and in all Fourth Day Community Activities. This commitment is acknowledged by the signing of an Annual Letter of Agreement by all board members.
Section 2. Community Oversight
The Board of Directors shall have general oversight in all matters relating to the community.
Section 3. Weekend Lay Director Selection
The Board of Directors shall choose a Weekend Lay Director for each Community Walk to Emmaus weekend, as presented as eligible by the Chair, ideally one year in advance of the weekend occurrence.
Section 4. Weekend Spiritual Director Selection
The Weekend Spiritual Director for each Community Walk to Emmaus shall be selected by the board, as presented as eligible by the Community Spiritual Director, ideally one year in advance of the weekend occurrence.
Section 5. Team Selection
The Team for a Walk to Emmaus Weekend is recommended by a Team Selection Committee, chaired by the board member with this appointment. The committee will consist of the Community Spiritual Director, the Weekend Lay Director and Weekend Spiritual Director, and community members at large selected by the committee chair. Ideally teams should be selected one year in advance of the weekend.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Proposed Amendments
Proposed amendments may be presented in writing to the board by any member of the Community one (1) month in advance of consideration by the board.
Section 2. Board Approval of Amendments
If the amendments are approved by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the board present, they will be circulated to the membership through the Community newsletter. If no more than twenty-five (25) community members provide written objection to the new amendment(s), the amendments will be presented to the community. Any written objections must be received within forty-five (45) days of the newsletter announcing such amendment(s) under consideration. If more than twenty-five (25) community members provide written objections, the amendment will be considered void.
Section 3. Community Vote
The board will submit the amendment to the entire Community for a vote at the designated Gathering. A two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast by membership present will decide the matter. Absentee ballots may be requested from the Chairman of the Board.
ARTICLE X. RATIFICATION
The bylaws take effect immediately upon certification of the board that a majority of the Community approves them.
