Constitution of the Episcopal Youth Community

Diocese of Alabama

ARTICLE I

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the EPISCOPAL YOUTH COMMUNITY IN THE DIOCESE OF ALABAMA.

Section 2. Herein after the Constitution and By-Laws, the following abbreviations may be used:

a. “Diocesan EYC” shall mean the name of the organization in Section 1.

  1. “Convention” shall refer to the annual convention of this group.
  2. “Diocese” shall refer to the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.
  3. “The Department” shall refer to the Diocesan Youth Department.

ARTICLE II

Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of the Diocesan EYC shall be the development and expansion of the Church’s ministry with young people.

ARTICLE III

Membership

Section 1. All resident young people of the Diocese in the ninth through twelfth grades.

ARTICLE IV

Convention

Section 1. There shall be an annual convention of the Diocesan EYC.

Section 2. Membership of this convention shall be limited to three voting delegates from each congregation in the Diocese. These delegates must be baptized and confirmedEpiscopalians and fulfill the qualifications of Article III. In addition to voting delegates, congregations may send non-voting delegates up to the capacity of the host congregation.

Section 3. Each congregation is encouraged to pay a pledge to the Diocesan EYC offering Project. It is not mandatory for an EYC to do so in order to vote at the convention. The voting congregations need not be certified by the Treasurer before the opening of the convention, but each congregation that chooses to pay shall give their contributions to the Treasurer.

ARTICLE V

The Diocesan Youth Department

Section 1. Between conventions, the affairs of the Diocesan EYC shall be conducted by the Diocesan Youth Department consisting of:

  1. The Bishop(s) of the Diocese (ex officio).
  2. The Diocesan Youth Coordinator and the Youth Advisor, which is a priest.
  3. The officers of the Diocesan EYC.
  4. The chairpersons and advisors from the three districts.

Section 2. All members in Section 1 shall have voice and vote at Youth Department meetings.

ARTICLE VI

Districts

Section 1. For better geographic representation in the Department, the Diocese shall be divided into three districts which in turn, shall elect representatives, residents in their district, to serve on the Department.

Section 2. The geographic boundaries for these three districts as well as the number, nature and duties of the representatives shall be outlined in the BY-LAWS.

ARTICLE VII

Finances

Section 1. The Diocesan Youth Department will develop a budget to be presented to the Diocesan Council each year.

Section 2. The Youth Department shall designate a summer Work Project5 each year. This project will be presented to the Diocesan EYC Convention. Money for this project will be designated in the Youth Department Budget.

ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

Section 1. All amendments to this Constitution shall be introduced in writing to the Secretary of the Diocesan EYC at least 24 hours prior to the convening of the Convention. Whenever feasible, all proposed amendments shall be in the following form: “Article…Section…of the Constitution is hereby amended by the following changes (here specify) so as to read as follows (specify).”

Section 2. A two-thirds majority of the voting members present is required for the adoption of any Constitution amendments.

BY-LAWS OF

THE EPISCOPAL YOUTH COMMUNITY

DIOCESE OF ALABAMA

BY-LAW ONE

Purpose and Amendment

Section 1. These by-laws are to supplement the Constitution for the internal governing of the Diocesan EYC, its annual convention, Youth Department and districts.

Section 2. These by-laws may be amended by the majority vote of the convention or a two-thirds vote of no less than eight members of the Department in regular session.

BY-LAW TWO

The Annual Convention

Section 1. The convention shall include a program theme, the election of the Department Chairperson, four Members at Large, election of District Chairpersons by the districts, receiving reports, and all other business necessary for the goals of the organization.

Section 2. In all decisions and elections, except constitutional amendments, a majority of the votes cast constitutes passage.

Section 3. In regards to the election of the Department Chairperson, Members at Large and District Chairpersons, the convention shall abide by these provisions:

  1. If all positions have not been filledin the given ballot, subsequent ballots

of the remaining nominees or those that received a tying number of votes,

shall be taken.

  1. Upon election, the five elected Members at Large shall be nominees for Department Chairperson. The convention will elect the Department Chairperson from this slate of nominees. * Refer to voting procedures in Diocesan Journal.
  1. On the night preceding the election, the duties of department membersshall be outlined by the out-going members.
  1. As the slate of nominees is up for election, all nominees may make an introduction that is limited to one minute.
  1. At each convention, the time and place for the next convention shall be voted upon if more than one invitation has been extended.
  1. In order to endure equal representation by all congregations in the election of district chairpersons, only the voting delegates from each parish may vote. You do not have to be a voting delegate to run for an office.
  1. If needed to fulfill the three delegate positions from their parish, members of the Youth Department may serve as delegates at the convention. The Department Chairperson may not serve as a voting delegate.
  1. In the case of a tie in any election, the Department Chairperson of the Youth Department will cast the deciding vote. This vote will be kept in confidence by the Department Chairperson and the attending advisor(s).

BY-LAW THREE

Diocesan EYC Members

Section 1. The Department Chairperson and Members at Large of the Diocesan EYC, elected at convention, shall assume the following responsibilities:

  1. a. Chairperson: The Department Chairperson shall preside at the convention and at all department meetings. The Department Chairperson is appointed by the bishop to have seat and voice on the Diocesan Council and is encouraged to attend those meetings when possible.
  1. At the transition meeting, in consultation with the outgoing Department members, the incoming Department Members will decide by consensus how to assign the following responsibilities:
  1. Minutes of the convention and Department meetings and report thereto. Minutes of the meeting are to be mailed to all members of the Department as soon as possible after the meeting.
  1. Necessary correspondence such as thank you notes to guest speakers, etc.
  1. Attending the annual budget meeting with the Diocesan Council

with the Youth Coordinator.

  1. Publicity of all youth work in the Diocese which includes, but is not limited to, the writing of articles for the Apostle.
  1. Collecting the Youth Offering at the EYC convention and reporting the amount during the business meeting.
  1. Attending the annual Province IV Network meeting to be held each November with the Youth Coordinator or Advisor.

7. Other tasks deserving attention.

Section 2. The term of office shall be from the Spring transition meeting following the convention to the next year’s spring transition meeting. No member shall hold more than two full terms as an officer of the Youth Department.

BY-LAW FOUR

Districts

Section 1. The Diocese shall be divided into three districts as follows:

  1. TENNESSEE VALLEY DISTRICT whose area includes Marion, Madison, Winston, Cullman, Blount, Marshall and DeKalb counties. Cities with congregations include: Athens, Cullman, Decatur, Florence, FortPayne, Guntersville, Hartselle, Huntsville, Sheffield, Scottsboro, Albertville, Madison and Mentone.
  1. BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT whose area includes Lamar, Fayette, Walker, Jefferson, Shelby, Talledega, St. Clair, Calhoun, Etowah, Cherokee, Cleburne, Randolph, Tuscaloosa, Pickens, and Bibb counties. Cities with congregations include Anniston, Bessemer, Birmingham, Childersburg, Fairfield, Fayette, Gadsden, Jacksonville, Jasper, Leeds, Montevallo, Sylacauga, Talladega, Trussville, Roanoke, Heflin, PellCity and Pelham.
  1. MONTGOMERY DISTRICT whose area includes Greene, Perry, Sumter, Marengo, Dallas, Hale, Chilton, Autauga, Lowndes, Montgomery, Elmore, Coosa, Bullock, Macon, Russell, Clay, Tallapoosa, and Lee counties. Cities with congregations include Alex City, Alpine, Auburn, Boligee, Carlowville, Demopolis, Eutaw, Forkland, Faunsdale, Gainesville, Greensboro, Livingston, Lowndesboro, Marion, Montgomery, Mt. Meigs, Opelika, Phenix City, Prattville, Roanoke, Robinson Springs, Seale, Selma, Tuskegee, Union Springs, Union Town and Wetumpka.

Section 2. In each district there will be two chairpersons elected at convention. These two chairpersons will serve on the Youth Department. In addition, there will be two adult advisors from each district to serve on the Youth Department.

  1. Chairpersons are elected at the annual convention for a one-year term. They shall serve as the communication link between the Youth Department and local congregations. The chairpersons are to plan a district meeting to be held in the fall.
  1. A list of adult advisors from each district is submitted to the bishop for approval. The bishop appoints two adult advisors from each district to serve a three-year term.

Section 3. Guidelines and Goals for Parish Visitations conducted by District Chairman

  1. Each district shall conduct one or more visitations per month from September through April for a minimum total of eight visitations per term.
  1. Both District Chairmen and an adult District Advisor, when available, shall attend each visitation. Other members of the department are encouraged to attend and expected to serve as substitutes when needed.
  1. Chairmen shall share the responsibility of scheduling and coordinating visitations by dividing parishes and months at the start of their term.
  1. Chairmen shall schedule first semester visitations (September, October, November, and December) by the September Youth Department meeting and second semester visitations (January, February, March, and April) by the January meeting.
  1. One Chairman should be designated at the "Lead Chairman" for each visitation. The Lead Chairman shall:
  • Schedule the visitation with the parish contact person.
  • Schedule the visitation with the other Chairman, Adult Advisor and attending members.
  • Plan and/or delegate tasks to the other Chairman and attending members including:

-Icebreakers & icebreaker supplies

-Applications & calendars

-Youth Department video

-Address lists, questionnaires & follow-up contact for youth

  • Send a thank you note to the parish contact person within one week of the visitation and file completed visitation checklist in the Visitation Book.
  1. If a Chairman is unable to attend a scheduled visitation, he/she is responsible for finding and training a substitute to attend in his/her place.

BY-LAW FIVE

Participation and Vacancies

Section 1. All Department Membersof the Diocesan EYC are expected to attend the annual convention, Department meetings, and their respective district meetings and local EYC group. All Department Members of the Diocesan Youth Department must be living in the Diocese of Alabama during their respective term of office. All District Chairpersons must be living in the district in which they represent during their term.

Section 2. Any member who misses two consecutive meetings, having already been notified by the Secretary, is declared retired from the Department.

Section 3. If for any reason there is a vacancy on the department (except for the appointed advisors) the department at the next regular meeting may elect a suitable person to complete the unexpired term providing they meet all the necessary qualifications.

Section 4. The Department Members will meet with their successors in the spring for a transition meeting. This meeting will focus on transferring records and planning for the coming year.

Revised: 2005