(Highlighted Text below is required and cannot be changed because of OCF’s Non-Profit Status - This note and highlighting are to be removed in final draft)
Orthodox Christian Fellowship of ________________
Model Constitution
PREAMBLE
We, the undersigned Orthodox Christians and other persons interested in Orthodox Christianity of the (name of college) community, wishing to establish a profound and lasting fellowship among ourselves and others who share these interests, and seeking ways to dedicate ourselves and each other and our whole life to Christ our God, do ordain and establish this Orthodox Christian Fellowship for the community of (name of college) (the “Fellowship”).
ARTICLE I -- NAME
The name of the organization shall be "The Orthodox Christian Fellowship of (name of college)".
ARTICLE II -- AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Section 1 To support fellowship on campus, to experience and witness the Orthodox Christian Church through community life, prayer, service to others and study of the Faith (Acts 2:42). Furthermore, OCF will work to nurture and strengthen love for Jesus Christ and His Church in its fullness at this most critical juncture of human life and offer an opportunity for Orthodox Christian students and those interested in the Orthodox Christian Church to become more fully acquainted with and informed about their Orthodox heritage.
Section 2. To deepen the spiritual and devotional life of university and college students and to promote earnest study of Orthodox Christian doctrine, practice and living.
Section 3. To strengthen ties between students of the Orthodox Christian Faith, and to develop a more fruitful fellowship among them, and further cooperation with other Christian organizations with similar aims.
Section 4. To bear witness on campus to the unique message of the Orthodox Church by affirming its continuity in the course of history from the Apostolic beginnings.
Section 5. To further, directly or indirectly, the welfare of students in body, mind and spirit, in harmony with the Christian purpose.
Section 6. To unite Orthodox students in Orthodox worship.
Section 7. To sponsor activities such as study groups, Christian service, and lectures by specialists on topics of interest to the group.
Section 8. To promote and participate in national programs offered by Orthodox Christian Fellowship, a religious corporation, which is a national organization authorized by and affiliated with the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas.
ARTICLE III -- MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the Orthodox Christian Fellowship of (name of college) shall be open to all registered university students.
ARTICLE IV – GOVERNANCE
Section 1. The Fellowship shall be governed and managed by Officers and an Executive Committee as provided for in the Bylaws.
Section 2. The Fellowship shall have at least one religious advisor approved by the North American Orthodox Christian Fellowship. The religious advisor(s) to Orthodox Christian students shall be ex officio members of the Executive Committee and of all other committees of the Fellowship. Prior to seeking approval from the North American Orthodox Christian Fellowship organization, each religious advisor must have obtained the blessing and endorsement from the diocesan bishop of the archdiocese with whom he or she is affiliated as to his or her service as a religious advisor to the Fellowship.
ARTICLE V -- MEETINGS
Section 1. The Fellowship shall meet at least monthly during the school year.
Section 2. A quorum shall consist of at least a majority of the members of the Fellowship.
ARTICLE VI – LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS
Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Constitution, this Fellowship shall not carry on any activities not permitted by an organization exempt from federal income tax under IRC Section 501 (c) (3), or contributions to which are deductible under IRC Section 170 (c) (2). All references herein to “IRC” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
Section 2. This Fellowship is organized and is to be operated exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational purposes within the meaning of IRC Section 501 (c) (3). This Fellowship is not organized, nor shall it be operated, for any pecuniary gain or profit, and it does not contemplate the distribution of gains, profits, or dividends to the members thereof (if any) or to any private individual or private shareholder, as the latter is defined for purposes of IRC Section 501 (c) (3).
No substantial part of the activities of this Fellowship shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, except as provided in IRC Section 501 (h), nor shall this Fellowship participate or intervene in any political campaign (including the publication or distribution of statements) on behalf of any candidate for public office except as provided in IRC Section 501 (h).
The money and property of this corporation are irrevocably and exclusively dedicated to charitable, religious, and educational purposes, and no part of the net income or assets of this corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any director, trustee, officer, shareholder, or member (if any) hereof, or to the benefit of any private individual.
Upon dissolution of this Fellowship, its assets remaining after payment of, or provision for payment of, all debts and liabilities of this corporation, shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, trust, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, or educational purposes which has established its tax exempt status under IRC Section 501 (c) (3).
ARTICLE VI -- BY-LAWS
Section 1. The Fellowship shall adopt By-Laws for the operation of the Fellowship consistent with this Constitution, and ratified by the vote of three-fourths of the members present at the first meeting of the Fellowship.
ARTICLE VII -- AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by written petition signed by ten percent of the membership, and approved by a three-fourths vote of the members present at a meeting of the membership, provided that the secretary shall have sent notice of the proposed amendment to all members of the Fellowship at least ten days before the meeting scheduled for this purpose. All amendments to this Constitution also shall be subject to the approval of the North American Orthodox Christian Fellowship organization.
ARTICLE VIII -- ADOPTION
Section 1. This Constitution has been ratified and adopted by the undersigned initial members of the Fellowship on ______________________..
[signatures of initial members]
©2002 Orthodox Christian Fellowship
All rights Reserved.
THE BY-LAWS OF THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
OF (Name of College)
ARTICLE I -- MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Active members shall consist of those members who regularly participate (two-thirds) in the activities of the Fellowship and are registered university students.
Section 2. Only Active Members shall have the right to vote. All other members shall have the privilege of attending meetings and of participating in discussion but not of voting.
Section 3. The Fellowship may require a payment of dues by the members by vote of its active members.
ARTICLE II -- GENERAL MEETINGS
Section 1. The regular meeting time for general meetings of the membership shall be determined by the Executive Committee with due regard to the convenience of the membership.
Section 2. No vote shall be taken on any matter of business at any meeting unless notice of the issue to be submitted for a vote shall have been given at least 10 days prior to the vote.
Section 3. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the active members.
ARTICLE III -- OFFICERS
Section 1. The day to day operations of the Fellowship shall be managed by elected officers consisting of a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer.
Section 2. The president shall perform all duties usually pertaining to that office and shall be ex officio member of all committees of the Fellowship.
Section 3. The vice-president shall, in the absence of the president, perform all duties of that office with the approval of the Executive Committee. The vice-president shall serve as the liaison between the individual committees and the Executive Committee.
Section 4. The secretary shall keep minutes of all business transacted at meetings and minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee, shall keep an up-to-date list of members as determined by the Executive Committee, shall conduct all official correspondence of the Fellowship, and shall maintain a bulletin board for posting all required notices and postings of the Fellowship.
Section 5. The treasurer shall collect all money due to the Fellowship and keep accurate records of all receipts and disbursements and shall make a report of the conditions of the Fellowship's finances at each Executive Committee meeting. He shall disburse funds as approved by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV -- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committees responsibility will be to implement policy decisions of the Fellowship. The Executive Committee shall consist of the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, and such other committee positions as may be authorized from time to time by vote of the membership.
Section 2. The duties of the Executive Committee shall be:
a. To transact all ordinary business of the Fellowship.
b. To approve all disbursements of funds by the Treasurer, and to arrange for an annual audit of the accounts of the treasurer at the end of April.
c. To facilitate the program of the Fellowship.
ARTICLE V -- ELECTIONS
Section 1. Annual elections of officers and of additional Executive Committee members shall be held in April on a date set by the Executive Committee and posted at least one month in advance of the election.
Section 2. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the president from the active members of the Fellowship.
Section 3. The nominations made by the Nominating Committee shall be posted at least one week in advance of the April election. Additional nominations may be submitted for consideration by petition signed by at least ten percent of the active members of the Fellowship who shall have submitted to the secretary of the Fellowship at least two days before the election. The secretary shall promptly post the names of the additional nominees along with those made by the Nominating Committee.
Section 4. The annual terms for the elected officers and other Executive Committee members positions shall be from May 1 to April 30.
Section 5. Whenever a vacancy in an officer or other Executive Committee position shall occur, the president may fill the vacancy by appointment, with the appointee to serve until the vacancy shall be filled by an election of the membership arranged by the Executive Committee at its next meeting.
Section 6. Contact information for all new officers must be submitted by email [info@ocf.net] to the North American Orthodox Christian Fellowship office within 7 days of election.
Section 7. An officer may be removed from his office by a [three-fourths] vote of the active members present at any meeting provided that this number comprises at least one-half of the total membership and that the secretary has sent notice of the proposed removal to all members of the Fellowship at least ten days before the meeting is scheduled. Recall proceedings may be initiated by a written petition signed by ten percent of the active membership stating the reasons why such recall is desirable.
ARTICLE VI –NOTICES AND POSTINGS
Section 1. All official notices and postings required to be given to the members under these Bylaws shall be given through the secretary of the Fellowship. Items required to be posted shall be posted in writing at a notice board maintained by the secretary of the Fellowship and conspicuously displayed (any website or other communications media regularly maintained by the Fellowship).
Section 2. Any notices to be delivered to the Fellowship under these Bylaws shall be effective on delivery in writing to the secretary of the Fellowship by certified mail, by receipted courier or overnight delivery service, or by hand delivery, at the regular office of the Fellowship.
ARTICLE VII – AFFILIATIONS
Section 1. The Fellowship shall not affiliate with any outside organization whose mission is not in accord with the stated aim of the Fellowship.
Section 2. Any affiliation with an outside organization shall be authorized by a three-fourths vote of the active members present at a meeting (so long as notice of the vote on the proposed affiliation has been posted at least 10 days prior to the meeting) and by the approval of the North American Orthodox Christian Fellowship office.
Section 3. Any affiliation with an outside organization shall be subject to the limitations and restrictions applicable to tax-exempt organizations organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as provided in the Constitution.
ARTICLE VIII -- AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These By-Laws of the Fellowship may be amended by a three-fourths vote of the active members present at a meeting, so long as notice of the vote on the proposed amendment has been posted at least 10 days prior to the meeting.
ARTICLE IX -- ADOPTION
Section 1. These By-Laws shall become effective upon ratification by three-fourths of the active membership of the Fellowship.
©2008 Orthodox Christian Fellowship All rights Reserved.
You may download the Model Constitution Here (MS Word Format)