BYLAWS OF THE TRI-CITY INTERFAITH COUNCIL
PREAMBLE
We, as members of congregations, as members of faith-/interfaith-based organizations, and as individuals in the Tri-Cities area, desire to manifest the unity which we have with one another and with all people of faith who seek to promote a spirit of community, service and cooperation in our area. To that end, though we are a grassroots and unincorporated organization, we unite in the adoption of the following BYLAWS to help organize ourselves.
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Tri-City Interfaith Council, hereinafter referred to as the Interfaith Council or TCIC. The Tri-Cities Area refers to Fremont, Newark, and Union City (California) and the surrounding unincorporated area.
ARTICLE II. VISION AND MISSION
Vision Statement: We are people from various spiritual backgrounds and experiences who envision an inclusive society in which people of all faiths and traditions respect and appreciate one another.
Mission Statement: To promote respect, understanding, cooperation, and appreciation for the many spiritual paths and faith traditions within our community that inspire and teach us to love and support one another more fully.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Interfaith Council is open to any person who:
Membership may be terminated by action of the member. Any member may ask that the Interfaith Council vote to suspend or terminate the membership of any other member for no longer embracing the Vision and Mission of the Interfaith Council or for creating an unsafe space at meetings or programs of the Interfaith Council.
Affiliation with the Interfaith Council is open to any congregation or faith-/interfaith-based organization that:
ARTICLE IV. AUTHORITY AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Interfaith Council is a grassroots, unincorporated organization of people who hold a common vision and mission. As such, it is autonomous and free to carry on its programs and meetings.
The Interfaith Council seeks to be a voice in the wider community for justice and peace while continuing to be a space in which people with differing views on how to best fulfill our Vision and Mission may continue to work together.
The Interfaith Council shall maintain relationships with interfaith bodies.
The Interfaith Council is governed by its members who may, from time to time, delegate certain decision-making to the Leadership Team (see Article VI). This may include the responsibility to speak on behalf of the Interfaith Council as a whole on community, national, and international issues, and issues of justice and peace.
The relationships between and among the members and between and among the affiliated organizations shall be one of mutual respect. Members are encouraged to learn about each others’ religions, beliefs, and practices. However, there shall be no attempts made to convert any person to a differing belief.
ARTICLE V. ORGANIZATION
The Tri-City Interfaith Council holds monthly meetings at which organizational discussions and decisions are made. In addition, these regular meetings of the Interfaith Council sometimes include presentations from community organizations that may be resources for Interfaith Council members and/or their faith communities, sharing of personal faith journeys and spiritual autobiographies, or talks about how different traditions approach important topics. A quorum to conduct any business at these meeting shall consist of those members who are present.
The Interfaith Council also sponsors special programs throughout the year (e.g., an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, an Interfaith Harmony Day event, a Yom HaShoah [Holocaust Remembrance] Service). The Interfaith Council appoints subcommittees to organize these special programs.
The Interfaith Council will appoint a nominating committee each October, charged with creating a slate of Leadership Team nominees to present at the Annual Meeting.
The Tri-City Interfaith Council shall hold their Annual Meeting during the regularly scheduled meeting during the month of December each year. The agenda of this meeting shall include: a financial report from the Treasurer, the appointing of a fiscal agent for the Interfaith Council, the adoption of a budget for the following 12 months, the election of the Leadership Team (see Article VI), and any other business as may be necessary. A quorum for the Annual Meeting shall be 30% of the membership at the time of the meeting.
ARTICLE VI. LEADERSHIP TEAM
The Leadership Team of the Tri-City Interfaith Council shall consist of the President, the Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and two members-at-large. Whenever possible, the Interfaith Council will endeavor to make sure the members of the Leadership Team come from at least three different faith traditions. Vacancies on the Leadership Team shall be filled by election at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Council.
The term of each Leadership Team member shall be one calendar year. A person elected President of the Interfaith Council shall take at least one year off after serving for two consecutive terms before being eligible to be elected President again.
The President shall set the agenda for and preside over regular meetings of the Interfaith Council, chair the Leadership Team, and be the official spokeperson for the Interfaith Council. If the President is unavailable to lead a regularly scheduled meeting of the Interfaith Council, she/he/they may appoint another member of the Leadership Team to preside.
The Vice President shall (with input and assistance of the Leadership Team) schedule locations and programing for regular meetings and, should the President need to resign or become unable to complete her/his/their term, the Vice President will assume the position of President.
The Treasurer is responsible for working with the Interfaith Council’s fiscal agent to oversee the finances of the Interfaith Council, prepare an annual budget for the Annual Meeting, and report at least quarterly on the financial status of the Interfaith Council to the members. The Treasurer works with the Secretary to keep an accurate record of Members and Affiliated Organizations.
The Secretary is responsible for writing and distributing minutes of the regular and Annual Meetings of the Interfaith Council, for maintaining meeting attendance records, and for keeping an accurate membership roster (with the assistance of the Treasurer). The Secretary will also maintain a file of the official correspondence of the Interfaith Council.
The members-at-large of the Leadership Team may be assigned (by mutual agreement of the Leadership Team) tasks related to communications, website maintenance, rapid-response, social and news media work, etc.
Should a vacancy on the Leadership Team other than in the position of the President occur during a term, the Council may fill that vacancy at a regular meeting.
The Leadership Team is responsible for making decisions and taking actions between meetings. These might include adding the Council’s name as an endorser of events or causes, issuing a press statement on behalf of the Council, or other similar actions and decisions. The Leadership Team should use their best judgment to determine if a decision or action might be controversial, in which case, the decision/action should be deferred to a regular meeting of the Council.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
These Bylaws are initially adopted by the Interfaith Council at a regular meeting held on August 3, 2017.
These Bylaws shall remain in full force and effect until such time as they are properly repealed or amended or otherwise validly superseded according to law. Repeal or amendment of these Bylaws may be conducted and accomplished at the Annual Meeting or at a duly called Special Meeting of the Interfaith Council members, provided the proposed repeal or amendment is published and distributed to the membership at least one month in advance of the meeting, at least 30% of the membership is present at the meeting, and at least two-thirds of those present vote in favor of the proposed repeal or amendment.
ARTICLE VIII. ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
The Tri-City Interfaith Council is not an incorporated body.
PREAMBLE
We, as members of congregations, as members of faith-/interfaith-based organizations, and as individuals in the Tri-Cities area, desire to manifest the unity which we have with one another and with all people of faith who seek to promote a spirit of community, service and cooperation in our area. To that end, though we are a grassroots and unincorporated organization, we unite in the adoption of the following BYLAWS to help organize ourselves.
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Tri-City Interfaith Council, hereinafter referred to as the Interfaith Council or TCIC. The Tri-Cities Area refers to Fremont, Newark, and Union City (California) and the surrounding unincorporated area.
ARTICLE II. VISION AND MISSION
Vision Statement: We are people from various spiritual backgrounds and experiences who envision an inclusive society in which people of all faiths and traditions respect and appreciate one another.
Mission Statement: To promote respect, understanding, cooperation, and appreciation for the many spiritual paths and faith traditions within our community that inspire and teach us to love and support one another more fully.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Interfaith Council is open to any person who:
- lives, worships, and/or works in the Tri-Cities,
- embraces our Vision and Mission, and
- pays the annual dues established by the Interfaith Council (due during January each year, or at the time a person joins the Interfaith Council if it is not during January [though dues are not prorated]).
Membership may be terminated by action of the member. Any member may ask that the Interfaith Council vote to suspend or terminate the membership of any other member for no longer embracing the Vision and Mission of the Interfaith Council or for creating an unsafe space at meetings or programs of the Interfaith Council.
Affiliation with the Interfaith Council is open to any congregation or faith-/interfaith-based organization that:
- is located in the Tri-Cities,
- embraces our Vision and Mission, and
- pays the annual affiliation fee established by the Interfaith Council (due during January each year, or at the time an organization affiliates with the Interfaith Council if it is not during January [though affiliation fees are not prorated]).
ARTICLE IV. AUTHORITY AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Interfaith Council is a grassroots, unincorporated organization of people who hold a common vision and mission. As such, it is autonomous and free to carry on its programs and meetings.
The Interfaith Council seeks to be a voice in the wider community for justice and peace while continuing to be a space in which people with differing views on how to best fulfill our Vision and Mission may continue to work together.
The Interfaith Council shall maintain relationships with interfaith bodies.
The Interfaith Council is governed by its members who may, from time to time, delegate certain decision-making to the Leadership Team (see Article VI). This may include the responsibility to speak on behalf of the Interfaith Council as a whole on community, national, and international issues, and issues of justice and peace.
The relationships between and among the members and between and among the affiliated organizations shall be one of mutual respect. Members are encouraged to learn about each others’ religions, beliefs, and practices. However, there shall be no attempts made to convert any person to a differing belief.
ARTICLE V. ORGANIZATION
The Tri-City Interfaith Council holds monthly meetings at which organizational discussions and decisions are made. In addition, these regular meetings of the Interfaith Council sometimes include presentations from community organizations that may be resources for Interfaith Council members and/or their faith communities, sharing of personal faith journeys and spiritual autobiographies, or talks about how different traditions approach important topics. A quorum to conduct any business at these meeting shall consist of those members who are present.
The Interfaith Council also sponsors special programs throughout the year (e.g., an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, an Interfaith Harmony Day event, a Yom HaShoah [Holocaust Remembrance] Service). The Interfaith Council appoints subcommittees to organize these special programs.
The Interfaith Council will appoint a nominating committee each October, charged with creating a slate of Leadership Team nominees to present at the Annual Meeting.
The Tri-City Interfaith Council shall hold their Annual Meeting during the regularly scheduled meeting during the month of December each year. The agenda of this meeting shall include: a financial report from the Treasurer, the appointing of a fiscal agent for the Interfaith Council, the adoption of a budget for the following 12 months, the election of the Leadership Team (see Article VI), and any other business as may be necessary. A quorum for the Annual Meeting shall be 30% of the membership at the time of the meeting.
ARTICLE VI. LEADERSHIP TEAM
The Leadership Team of the Tri-City Interfaith Council shall consist of the President, the Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and two members-at-large. Whenever possible, the Interfaith Council will endeavor to make sure the members of the Leadership Team come from at least three different faith traditions. Vacancies on the Leadership Team shall be filled by election at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Council.
The term of each Leadership Team member shall be one calendar year. A person elected President of the Interfaith Council shall take at least one year off after serving for two consecutive terms before being eligible to be elected President again.
The President shall set the agenda for and preside over regular meetings of the Interfaith Council, chair the Leadership Team, and be the official spokeperson for the Interfaith Council. If the President is unavailable to lead a regularly scheduled meeting of the Interfaith Council, she/he/they may appoint another member of the Leadership Team to preside.
The Vice President shall (with input and assistance of the Leadership Team) schedule locations and programing for regular meetings and, should the President need to resign or become unable to complete her/his/their term, the Vice President will assume the position of President.
The Treasurer is responsible for working with the Interfaith Council’s fiscal agent to oversee the finances of the Interfaith Council, prepare an annual budget for the Annual Meeting, and report at least quarterly on the financial status of the Interfaith Council to the members. The Treasurer works with the Secretary to keep an accurate record of Members and Affiliated Organizations.
The Secretary is responsible for writing and distributing minutes of the regular and Annual Meetings of the Interfaith Council, for maintaining meeting attendance records, and for keeping an accurate membership roster (with the assistance of the Treasurer). The Secretary will also maintain a file of the official correspondence of the Interfaith Council.
The members-at-large of the Leadership Team may be assigned (by mutual agreement of the Leadership Team) tasks related to communications, website maintenance, rapid-response, social and news media work, etc.
Should a vacancy on the Leadership Team other than in the position of the President occur during a term, the Council may fill that vacancy at a regular meeting.
The Leadership Team is responsible for making decisions and taking actions between meetings. These might include adding the Council’s name as an endorser of events or causes, issuing a press statement on behalf of the Council, or other similar actions and decisions. The Leadership Team should use their best judgment to determine if a decision or action might be controversial, in which case, the decision/action should be deferred to a regular meeting of the Council.
ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
These Bylaws are initially adopted by the Interfaith Council at a regular meeting held on August 3, 2017.
These Bylaws shall remain in full force and effect until such time as they are properly repealed or amended or otherwise validly superseded according to law. Repeal or amendment of these Bylaws may be conducted and accomplished at the Annual Meeting or at a duly called Special Meeting of the Interfaith Council members, provided the proposed repeal or amendment is published and distributed to the membership at least one month in advance of the meeting, at least 30% of the membership is present at the meeting, and at least two-thirds of those present vote in favor of the proposed repeal or amendment.
ARTICLE VIII. ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
The Tri-City Interfaith Council is not an incorporated body.