LIVERPOOL DIOCESAN ASSOCIATION OF READERS

Constitution (Revised 2017)

1.NAME

The association shallbe called the “Liverpool Diocesan Association of Readers” and shall bepart of the Diocese of Liverpool – the financial affairs of which are conducted by the Liverpool Diocesan Board of Finance – a registered company and a registered charity.

  1. OBJECTS

The objects of the Association are:

(1)To promote Reader Ministry within the Diocese.

(2)To ensure the continuing ministerial training and development of all Readers holding the Bishop’s licence; to receive an annual report from the relevant learning manager and to oversee the Ministerial Development Review (MDR) process

(3)To adviseon and recommend to the Bishop suitable candidates for Admission to the Office of Reader within the Diocese.

(4)To monitor the training of those candidates selected as part of a national scheme of recognised training, and to receive regular training reports from the Diocesan Director of Studies

(5) To provide for the support and pastoral care of those exercising the Office of Reader within the Diocese and those with Emeritus status

(6)To promote and facilitate communications between the Readers of the Diocese and:

(a)The Bishop

(b)other Diocesan Associations of Readers.

(c)The Central Readers Council.

(d)The Lifelong Learning department.

  1. PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS OF THE ASSOCIATION

(1)The Bishop of Liverpool shall be the President of the Association.

(2)The Bishop of Warrington and the Archdeacons of the Liverpool Diocese shall be the Vice-Presidents of the Association.

(3)In consultation with the President, the Annual General Meeting may appoint such further Honorary Vice-Presidents as it thinks fit.

  1. MEMBERSHIP

There shall be three types of Membership as follows:

(1)FULL MEMBERS- Readers who hold the Bishop’s licence or his or her Permission to Officiate

(2)ASSOCIATE MEMBERS – Readers who are ‘Reader Emeritus’.

(3)EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS– The President, Vice Presidents, Director of Studies, Warden of Readers, Deanery Chaplains

  1. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

(1)The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall ordinarily be held on the day set for the annual Service of Admission and shall be no later than fifteen months after the preceding Annual General Meeting. At the Annual General Meeting the Association may transact any business consistent with this constitution and further:-

(a)shall receive and consider the annual accounts of the Association.

(b)may appoint such Officers of the Association as authorised herein.

(c)may co-opt members (not exceeding five in all) to the association Committee for any period not exceeding five years and any person co-opted shall:

(i) have full voting rights as a committee member, and

(ii) be eligible for further co-opting thereafter.

(2)Any decision at the Annual General Meeting shall be made by a simple majority of those present and voting, and in the event of equality the Warden of Readers or the person for the time being in the Chair shall have the casting vote.

  1. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

(1)An extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time on the giving by the Secretary due notice in writing to all full members of the Association consequent on either:

(a)a resolution of the Association Committee, OR

(b)a request in writing signed by a number of persons who shall comprise not fewer than 10% of the full members of the Association for the time being.

(2)At such an extraordinary General Meeting the Association may transact any business which it could transact at the Annual General Meeting provided that written notice of any resolutions to be voted upon shall have been given to all full members at the same time as the notice of the meeting.

  1. DEANERY GROUPS

(1) There shall be in every Deanery a Readers’Chapterwhich shall meet regularly on dates and at times to be determined by the Readers of that Deanery in consultation with their Deanery Chaplain.

(2) It shall be the purpose of such a Chapterto promote the objects of the Association within that Deanery as appropriate, and in particular to provide activities that encourage and assist Readers in their ministry together with opportunities for mutual support.

(3) It shall be the duty of every Reader to use his or her best endeavours to attend the meetings of his or her Deanery Chapter.

  1. THE ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE

(1)The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Committee subject always to the resolutions of the Association made in general meeting.

(2)The Committee shall comprise the following persons:

(a)The Officers of the Association

(b)One Reader representative from each Deanery

(c)Ex Officio members (in attendance as required)

(d)any co-opted members provided for herein.

(3)The Committee shall regulate the conduct of its own business in any manner consistent with this constitution and shall in particular have power to:

(a)co-opt any person or persons (not exceeding five in all) on to the Committee for the purposes of fulfilling some particular task (e.g. an archivist, or a Communications Officer).

(b)co-opt any person to fill a casual vacancy on the Committee.

(c)delegate any part of its business to an Officer or group of Officers of the Association.

(4)Any person co-opted on to the Committee shall be and remain a full voting member thereof until the next followingAnnual General Meeting.

  1. THE OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

(1)The Officers of the Association shall be as follows:

(a)The Warden/Chairperson

(b)The Vice-Chairperson

(c)The Secretary(Central Services)

(d)The Treasurer(Diocesan Finance Officer)

(2)The Warden of Readers shall be appointed by the Bishop for a period of 5 years but an extension up to two years may be granted subject to negotiation.

(3)The Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting.

(4)Each appointment in (3) shall be for a period not exceeding five years but an extension may be allowedif agreed by the AGM for up to a further two years.

  1. DEANERY REPRESENTATIVES

Each Deanery Chaptershall elect from its numberone Reader as a member of the Association Committee to serve for a period not exceeding five years and any person so elected shall thereafter be eligible for re-election.

  1. DEANERY CHAPLAINS

(1)A Deanery Chaplain shall be responsible for the pastoral care of the Readers within his or her Deanery and for promoting the on-going training, education and fellowship of such Readers. A retiring Deanery Chaplain and his or her Area Dean should consult and seek a replacement Deanery Chaplain to recommend to the Bishop

(2)The Deanery Chaplains shall be appointed by the Bishop.

  1. FINANCES

(1)The Association shall comply with the instructionsof the Liverpool Diocesan Board of Finance regarding the maintenance, production and audit of its accounts and their consolidation with the accounts of the Diocesan Board of Finance.This will be undertaken by the Diocesan Finance Officer, Diocesan Office Liverpool

(2)The amount of the Annual Subscription and the amount of the fees levied for Readers in training shall be agreed by the Committee in consultation with the Director of Learning and Stewardship.

  1. REPRESENTATION ON THE CENTRAL READERS COUNCIL

The Association shall be represented on the Central Readers Council by the Warden,Vice-Chairperson and Secretary or their duly nominated substitutes.

  1. CHANGES IN THE CONSTITUTION

The Association in general meeting shall have the power to make any change to this constitution provided that:

(a)28 days’ notice in writing of any proposed change shall have been given to all full members of the Association, AND

(b)the views of the Bishop on the proposed change shall have been ascertained and communicated to the Association in general meeting prior to a vote being taken on any such proposal.

  1. THE BISHOP’S REGULATIONS

The Bishop’s Regulations in force for the time being shall be deemed to be incorporated in this constitution.

Revised27th September 2017

Revision agreed by AGM 2015

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