Following is a “Mock Bylaws” example compiling pertinent statements taken from the LWML (national) and District Bylaws along with the flyer titled “Helpful Hints For Local Societies For Writing Good B ylaws”. The intent is to help Z ones in writing their Bylaws by following this format:
TITLE PAGE to include:
BYLAWS
……Name……
Zone
Oregon District
Lutheran Women in Mission or LWML
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BYLAWS…. Name ….. ZONE LWML
ARTICLE # - ARTICLE NAME PAGE #
ARTICLE I – NAME 2
ARTICLE II – OBJECT 2
ARTICLE III – MEMBERS 2
ARTICLE IV - ORGANIZATION ………………………………………………………………………………………..2
ARTICLE V – CONVENTIONS / REPRESENTATION 3
ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS 4
ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF OFFICERS 5
ARTICLE VIII – NOMINATIONS 7
ARTICLE IX – APPOINTED OFFICERS 8
ARTICLE X – MEETINGS 8
ARTICLE XI – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 8
ARTICLE XII – PASTORAL COUNSELOR 9
ARTICLE XIII – COMMITTEES 9
ARTICLE XIV – FINANCES 12
ARTICLE XV – FISCAL YEAR 13
ARTICLE XVI – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 13
ARTICLE XVII – AMENDMENTS 13
STANDING RULES 1a
(Standing Rules do not have to accompany the Bylaws, but many zon es and societies include them.)
( each page to have Zone name, date and page number )…
BYLAWS……….Name…… ZONE
Oregon District LWML
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the …. Name …. Zone of Lutheran Women in Mission (hereinafter referred to as Zone) of the Oregon District (hereafter referred to as District) Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (hereinafter referred to as LWML).
ARTICLE II – OBJEC T
The object of this Zone shall be:
(example statements)…
a. to nurture and develop a mission and ministry vision;
b. to assist the District and its officers in promoting the program;
c. to promote Christian fellowship among the members;
d. to provide representation at LWML Conventions in accordance with LWML and District Bylaws.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERS
Section 1
This Zone shall be composed of units, societies, and individual members located within the geographical area of the Zone. These units, societies, and individual members shall have complied with membership requirements as set forth in the District Bylaws. When a congregation has more than one (1) women’s ministry group, the groups shall be a unit for the purpose of representation at the District and LWML Conventions.
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. Women’s organizations within Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (hereinafter referred to as LCMS) congregations, on campuses, or in resident homes shall be eligible for membership as societies.
b. Societies formed in a setting other than a congregation, a campus, or a resident home by women who hold membership in a LCMS congregation shall be eligible for membership upon ratification by the District Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as the EC).
Section 2
An individual member:
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. is a woman communicant member of an LCMS congregation who has applied
for individual membership through the District Vice President of Servant Resources;
b. has the rights and privileges of a member within the District, including voice and vote at Zone events, and may attend District Conventions with the privilege of voice but not vote, unless she is an appointed chairman of a District committee or an elected delegate;
c. may have voice and vote at LWML Convention only if she is an elected delegate;
d. may hold an elected office or be appointed to chair a committee and thus has the privilege of vote.
ARTICLE IV – ORGANIZATION
This Zone shall be part of the District and will be represented at District Conventions, held biennially in the even-numbered years and LWML Conventions, held biennially in the odd-numbered years.
ARTICLE V – CONVENTIONS / REPRESENTATION
Section 1 – District Meetings / Convention s
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. All members may attend District and LWML Conventions.
b. The Zone President, as a voting member of the District Board of Directors, has voice and vote at District Conventions. Should she be unable to attend, the Zone Vice President or her appointed Zone representative shall attend in her place.
c. Zones or societies may extend invitations for hosting District Conventions. Invitations shall be sent to the District President by November first (1st) in the odd-numbered years, at least three (3) years prior to the proposed date of the Convention.
Section 2 – LWML Convention
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
Zone representation at LWML Conventions shall:
a. have one (1) certified delegate and one (1) certified alternate elected at the Zone meeting preceding the Convention registration deadline;
b. if possible, have one (1) member from each society be nominated for delegate. The individual with the highest number of votes shall be the delegate; the individual with the second highest number of votes shall be the alternate;
c. have opportunity for nominations for delegate to be made from the floor, providing the nominee has given her consent to serve if elected;
d. include the elected Zone alternate delegate, when possible;
e. have, in the event neither the delegate nor the alternate is able to serve, a member of the Zone serve as delegate upon the certification in writing by the District President and presentation to the LWML Recording Secretary;
f. have the Zone President provide the District President with information as to the elected delegate and alternate for proper certification;
g. have the elected delegate and alternate attend all business meetings of the LWML Convention for the purpose of voting and gathering information and give a report on the proceedings to each contact person in her Zone.
ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1
The elected officers shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
( Note that this listing may be in list format to be consistent with document )…
Section 2
Elections
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. Officers shall be elected by ballot at the Spring Zone Rally, to serve for a term of two (2) years, and shall be eligible for one (1) consecutive reelection to the same office or until their successor is elected.
b. If there is only one (1) candidate per office, a voice vote shall be taken. A majority vote shall elect.
c. The President and Secretary shall be elected in the odd-numbered years and the Vice President and Treasurer shall be elected in the even-numbered years.
d. Newly elected officers shall assume their duties at the close of the meeting in which they were elected.
e. The Zone EC shall fill vacancies occurring in elective offices, except that of President.
ARTICLE VII - DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1
The President shall:
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. preside at all Zone rallies, other Zone meetings and all meetings of the Zone EC;
b. be a liaison between the District and Zone units and societies;
c. proactively encourage Zone units and societies in LWML activities;
d. be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee;
e. appoint all standing committee chairmen and special committees with the approval of the EC;
f. notify each unit society to elect a delegate and an alternate to the District Convention by the set deadline;
g. submit the required information on the elected delegate and alternate to the District President by the set deadline;
h. be authorized to sign checks in case of an emergency;
i. be the Zone’s representative as a voting member of the District Board of Directors attending all meetings and District Conventions, and when unable to attend, be responsible for Zone representation, preferably the Zone Vice President;
k. attend a meeting of each society within the Zone at least once during her term of office;
j. invite the District President or her representative to Zone rallies;
k. keep notes and operational material pertinent to the responsibilities of the office to pass on to her successor within 30 days following election;
l. perform other duties as requested by the District or the EC.
Section 2
The Vice President shall:
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. assist the President in carrying out the Zone program;
b. perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence, or inability to act;
c. serve as Hospitality Chairman and Publicity Director;
1. As Hospitality Chairman, may introduce special guests and speakers at Zone Rallies/Gatherings.
2. As Publicity Director, shall notify the societies within the Zone regarding meetings.
d. keep notes and operational material pertinent to the responsibilities of the office to pass on to her successor within 30 days following election;
e. perform other duties as requested by the EC.
Section 3
The Secretary shall:
(Add to t hese as pertinent to your area)…
a. keep accurate minutes and attendance records of all Zone Rallies and EC meetings;
b. maintain a current mailing list of all Zone officers, committees, society presidents and officers, and the contact person for each unit and society;
c. distribute copies of minutes of Zone rallies to all officers and member units societies within 30 days of each meeting;
d. send names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses if available, of all officers and any subsequent changes of same to District Corresponding Secretary;
e. distribute notices of the Zone’s EC meetings to the Zone officers, and of the rallies to member units societies and the District President, and rally notice to the Oregon Leaguer Editor;
f. send notices of all Zone minutes and activities to all societies’ contact persons and to individual members;
g. send a copy of Zone minutes and EC minutes, Bible study and Zone rally poster to the District Archive-Historian and District President within 30 days following the meetings;
h. keep notes and operational material pertinent to the responsibilities of the office to pass on to her successor within 60 days following election;
i. perform other duties as requested by the EC.
Section 4
The Treasurer shall:
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. receive all monies and deposit them in a financial institution approved by the EC;
b. keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements;
c. make all authorized disbursements;
d. submit 75% of offerings which may be gathered at Zone meetings, rallies and/or other functions to District Financial Secretary promptly;
e. present a financial report at all Zone meetings and EC meetings;
f. use the LWML tax exemption number 23-7540669;
g. submit records for financial review by EC appointed committee at the close of each fiscal year and with the change of officer;
h. keep notes and operational material pertinent to the responsibilities of the office to pass on to her successor within 60 days following election;
i. perform other duties as requested by the EC.
ARTICLE VIII – NOMINATIONS
Section 1
A Nominating Committee of at least three (3) members shall be appointed by the President with approval by the EC prior to the Spring Rally.
Section 2
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
The Nominating Committee shall:
a. receive from individual members or societies nominations for offices open for election;
b. receive from nominees written consent to serve, if elected;
c. submit a list of candidates with qualifications, society, church affiliation (if a member) and their city to the Zone Secretary for distributing to societies six (6) weeks prior to the Spring Zone rally;
d. prepare printed ballots with the names of candidates printed in alphabetical order including their society, church/individual membership and city;
e. serve as tellers, if necessary.
Section 3
Nominations may be made from the floor, provided the nominee is present or her written consent has been secured, and she meets the stipulated qualifications for office.
ARTICLE IX – APPOINTED OFFICERS
The EC may appoint officers as needed. (This Article may not be needed in many zones as it can be covered under Article XI – Executive Committee)
ARTICLE X – MEETINGS
Section 1
The Zone shall:
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. hold one (1) Spring rally and one (1) Fall rally per year for the purpose of fellowship, inspiration, personal Christian growth, and business;
b. conduct other events such as retreats, workshops, servant events, gospel outreach, etc. as deemed necessary by the EC or as requested by District. The EC is responsible for the rally business and assists the host unit or society with the rally program.
Section 2
All units society and individual members in the Zone may attend all Zone functions and have the privilege of voice and vote. Members present shall constitute a quorum. Members of organizations not yet chartered by the LWML may be invited as guests without the privilege of vote.
Section 3
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
a. Member units and societies shall be given the privilege of serving as rally hosts as determined by the Zone EC.
b. The Rally Host Unit shall coordinate with the Zone EC when planning the day’s activities.
ARTICLE XI – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1
The EC shall be composed of the elected officers, standing committee chairmen and a representative from each Zone unit with privilege of vote. The Pastoral Counselor may attend in an advisory capacity. A majority of the voting members in attendance shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2
The EC shall:
a. meet at the call of the President at least annually. The meeting may be held at a given location, by phone conference, by mail, FAX or electronically;
b. assist the Zone President in making appointments and approve all appointments;
c. conduct the business of the Zone between rallies and other regularly scheduled Zone meetings;
d. assist the President in implementation of the Zone’s responsibilities and District and LWML programs;
e. fill any vacancy on the EC except the President;
f. have power to act in emergencies between Zone Rallies;
g. approve the financial institution in which funds are deposited.
ARTICLE XII – PASTORAL COUNSELOR
Section 1
The President of the Zone shall appoint with EC approval a Pastoral Counselor who is a rostered LCMS pastor within the Zone to serve a term of two (2) years and who is eligible for one (1) consecutive reappointment.
Section 2
(Add to these as pertinent to your area)…
The Pastoral Counselor shall:
a. pray regularly and serve as spiritual leader for officers and Zone members;
b. be a rostered LCMS pastor within this Zone;
c. attend all Zone meetings and EC meetings in an advisory capacity, or have a representative present;
d. prepare Bible studies and worship services at Zone rallies, as requested;
e. serve as doctrinal advisor to committees as assigned by the President;