By-Laws

(Revised May 2005)

The name of this community shall be the Coastal Carolina Emmaus Community of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, hereinafter referred to as the Community.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

Section 1. The purpose of the Community shall be to inspire, challenge, and equip church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, places of work, and the world community through the Emmaus experience.

Section 2. The Community is affiliated with the International Emmaus Movement of the Upper Room, Nashville, Tennessee, a unit of the Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. All persons who have completed a weekend experience of the Coastal Carolina Walk to Emmaus shall be members of the Community.

Section 2. Persons who are members of another Emmaus community or of a Cursillo, Via de Cristo, Tres Dias, Chrysalis, KAIROS, Carolina Young Adult Chrysalis (CYAC), or other recognized 72-hour program, who have had a Weekend or Flight experience, may become members of the Community by participating in the activities of the Community, and by registering with the Community Lay Director or the Secretary for receipt of the Community newsletter.

Section 1. Purpose: The direction of the Community shall be vested in a representative body known as the Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board.

Section 2. Composition: The Board will consist of fifteen (15) elected positions; twelve (12) of which are filled by lay persons, and three (3) of which are filled by clergy. The Board may consist of as many as seventeen (17) positions if the Community Spiritual Director is elected from the Community at large and not from the current clergy members, and if the immediate past Community Lay Director is serving another year beyond the elected term in an "ex officio" status. When a husband and wife serve on the Board, they share responsibility and constitute one (1) vote.

a. Board members shall be elected for three (3) year terms.

b. Board members may not succeed themselves in consecutive three (3) year terms. Reelection is allowed after a waiting period of two (2) years.

c. Terms of office shall begin January 1 and shall terminate December 31.

d. Five (5) new Board members will be elected each year; four (4) lay members and one (1) clergy.

e. The Community Lay Director is the Chairperson of the Board and serves a term of one (1) year in that capacity.

f. Community Spiritual Directors shall serve terms of one (1) year and may succeed themselves one (1) time.

g. The Secretary and Treasurer shall serve terms of one (1) year, and may succeed themselves two (2) times.

Section 4. Election of Board Members:

a. Board members shall be elected at annual elections held in November for terms beginning the following January.

b. The Nominating Committee shall prepare ballots to be printed in the October Newsletter and distributed to the Community.

c. Returned ballots shall be received by the Secretary and opened and counted at the November Board meeting by three (3) Board members.

d. The Community Lay Director shall notify all nominees of the results of the election. The results shall be reported to the community in the following newsletter.

Section 5. Officers:

a. Officers shall be Chairperson, who also is known as the Community Lay Director, Assistant Community Lay Director, Secretary, and Treasurer. In case of absences, they will chair the meetings in this order.

b. Officers shall be responsible for committee work areas in addition to elected positions on the Board.

Section 6. Election of Officers:

a. Officers, with the exception of the Community Lay Director, will be elected annually by the Board at the January meeting for a one year term of office, effective upon election.

b. The Assistant Community Lay Director will be elected from the second year class at the November meeting and will succeed to the office of Community Lay Director

c. The Chrysalis Board Representative shall not be an officer of the Board of Directors.

Section 7. Meetings: The Board shall meet monthly in regular meetings unless otherwise ordered by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board in a regular meeting. Special meetings may be called by the Community Lay Director, or by two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board.

Section 8. Quorum: Ten (10) voting members of the Board present at a duly called meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 9. Spiritual Director: The Community Spiritual Director shall be elected by the Board annually prior to the publication of the ballot. The term of office shall be for one year from January 1 to December 31.

Section 10. Past Chairperson: The immediate past Chairperson of the Board (Community Lay Director) shall serve on the Board one (1) additional year in an "ex officio" status with voting privileges.

Section 11. Vacancies on the Board: The Board will elect, upon nomination by the Community Lay Director, persons to fill vacancies. A replacement to the Board will fulfill the term of office of the person being replaced. Such persons are eligible for election by the Community to a full term at the next regular election after the expiration of the replacement term only if that replacement terms is 18 months or less.

Section 12. Qualifications and Responsibilities of Board Members:

a. Board members should be active in their local church, reunion group, and gathering community.

b. Board members oversee the quality, integrity and balance of the Community and the Walks.

c. Attendance is important. Two (2) unexcused absences in a twelve month period shall constitute self withdrawal from the Board.

d. Board members may be retired by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board, taken by secret ballot.

e. Board members are accountable to the Community, to each other, and to the International Emmaus Movement.

f. Each lay member of the Board shall chair a standing committee.

g. Voting

(1) The Community Lay Director votes only to break a tie.

(2) Ex officio members, with the exception of the immediate past Community Lay Director, serve without voting privileges.

ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing Committees: The Board shall name Board members to chair the following committees:
(1) Registrar and Housing,
(2) Agape Acts, Banners, and Supplies,
(3) Newsletter and Website
(4) Kitchen and Refreshments,
(5) Luggage and Transportation,
(6) Literature, Music, and Entertainment,
(7) Team Selection and Training,
(8) Follow-up Meetings, Audits, and Fourth Day Reports
(9) Gatherings and Group Reunions,
(10) Send-Off, Sponsors' Hour, Candlelight and Closing,
(11) Prayer Chapel and 72-hour Prayer Vigil, and
(12) Prison Ministry, Community Growth, and Ecumenical Outreach.
Each committee shall prepare a document describing its roles and responsibilities, which shall become part of the Rules of Operation Document of the Community. The Board may add committees or reallocate functions within committees from time to time as it sees fit.

Section 2. Nominating Committee:

a. The Board shall establish a five (5) person Nominating Committee in May to report to the Board at the September meeting with a recommended list of individuals or couples to be placed on the ballot for the annual Board elections.
b. The Nominating Committee will submit names of at least five (5) individuals/couples for the laity category, and at least two (2) individuals/couples for the Clergy category.
c. The names in both categories, and a brief biography of each nominee, will be published and distributed to the Community as a ballot, with instructions, in the October newsletter.

Section 4. Ex-Officio Members:

a. The Community Lay Director will be an ex-officio member of all committees with voting privileges..
b. International or National Emmaus Movement Representatives, along with the assigned International or National Emmaus Steering Committee members, are also ex-officio members of the Community and the Board, but without voting privileges.

ARTICLE VI. WALK TO EMMAUS

Section 1. Letter of Agreement: All members of the Board will sign a Letter of Agreement with the International Director of the Walk to Emmaus to conduct the three day (72- hour) experience, "Walk to Emmaus", according to the model as presented in The Upper Room Handbook on Emmaus, and the other supporting Upper Room Handbooks and Manuals. A copy of the annual Letter of Agreement shall be attached hereto and automatically become a part of the By Laws of the Coastal Carolina Emmaus Community.

Section 2. General Oversight: The Board shall have general oversight in all matters relating to the Coastal Carolina Community Emmaus Walks including scheduling the Walks twelve (12) months or more in advance, reviewing applications for Walks as the Registrar deems necessary, and reviewing and approving the prioritized list of candidate lay and clergy team members prepared by the Team Selection Committee. The Board shall also honor the Equal Commitment Rule of husbands and wives to Emmaus, so that it does all that it can to strengthen marriages, and to avoid practices that have the potential to affect marriage adversely.

Section 3. The Walk Spiritual Director: The Community Spiritual Director shall select a Spiritual Director for each Walk from a prioritized list approved by the Board. The Walk Spiritual Director may not serve in that position more than one (1) time every twelve (12) months.

Section 4. The Walk Lay Director: The Board shall approve a prioritized list of individuals qualified to be Lay Directors who will then be contacted by the Community Lay Director. The Walk Lay Director shall be a person who has worked in the background on a support team, served as an Assistant Table leader, Table Leader, and twice as an Assistant Lay Director and should have thorough knowledge of the weekend's events and service positions. No gifts exceeding five (5) dollars in value will be given to/by the Lay Director of a Walk by/to team members. The Hand Cross used in the chapel, and by each of the speakers, will be given to the Walk Lay Director at the Closing Service by the Community Spiritual Director or his/her designee. A Walk Lay Director may not serve in that position more than one (1) time every twenty-four (24) months.

Section 5. Conference Room Lay and Clergy Team Members: The Team Selection Committee shall prepare a prioritized list of prospective team members for review by the Community Lay Director, Assistant Community Lay Director, Community Spiritual Director, Walk Lay Director and Walk Spiritual Director. The reviewers shall select and agree to a set of prime and alternate Walk Team Member candidates from this prioritized list. Team candidates should have some experience serving on support teams prior to being considered for service on a conference room team. The Lay and Spiritual Directors may then contact team candidates accordingly. Team training dates will be given to candidates to assist in making their decision. Should a full team not be formed from the prime and alternate candidate list, the process shall be repeated, with prioritized input from the Team Selection Committee, until a full team is formed. Team vacancies, should someone have to leave the team, shall be filled by the same process. Once a full team has been formed, notification of the names of team members shall be given to the Registrar and Housing Committee and the  Newsletter Committee. The names shall be published in the Newsletter at least one (1) month in advance of the scheduled Walk. Lay and Clergy Conference Room Team members may not serve on consecutive Conference Room teams, unless there is an emergency where vacancies would be filled by the Team Selection Committee.

Section 6: Support Team Members: Each committee shall fill its support team from the list of available candidates as shown on the volunteer sign-up sheets provided by the Registrar and/or the Team Selection committee. In recognition that serving on the support team is an entry point for first time team members, preference shall be given to volunteers from recent Walks who have not served on teams before. Family members/sponsors of pilgrims may not serve on the support team in a visible role. Support Team members may not serve on consecutive support teams.

Section 7: Sponsorship: Applicants for the Coastal Carolina Walk to Emmaus must be sponsored by a member of the Community, a sister Emmaus Community, or any of the similar 72-hour Communities as stated in Article III. Sponsors shall encourage spouses of applicants to take the Walk.

Section 8: List of Walk Applicants: The Registrar shall allocate applicants to a target Walk when the application is received and reviewed, and the applicant and the sponsor shall be so notified. Applications for a Walk should be closed five weeks prior to the start date of a Walk. The registrar shall give a list of the complement of applicants assigned to a particular Walk to the Newsletter Committee, at least one (1) month in advance of the scheduled Walk, so that the list may be published and distributed in the Newsletter.

Section 9: Fourth Day Meeting: Soon after each set of Emmaus Weekends (a men's and a women's), a Fourth Day Meeting shall be held with the new pilgrims to encourage them to form Group Reunions, to support them in their Fourth Day experience, and to orient them to the Walk to Emmaus movement.

The Chrysalis Community shall be a standing committee of the Coastal Carolina Emmaus Community. The Chrysalis Community Lay Director (individual or couple) shall serve as a full voting member of the Emmaus Board.

Section 2. The Son Coast Chrysalis Community:

The name of the Chrysalis Community formed under this Article shall be the Son Coast Chrysalis Community. The Son Coast Chrysalis Board of Directors shall hold annual elections to name the Lay Director. The term of office shall begin January 1 and shall terminate December 31. The Son Coast Chrysalis Community shall operate under the umbrella of the Coastal Carolina Emmaus Community liability insurance policies and its status as an Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) organization

Section 3. General Oversight: Watchful and responsible care of all matters relating to the Chrysalis Community shall flow from a Chrysalis Board of Directors made up of youth and adult members organized in accordance with the general structure of the Emmaus Board, and operating in accordance with the International Emmaus/Chrysalis manuals and the Chrysalis committee rules and guidelines.

Section 4. Chrysalis Rules and Guidelines: The approved Rules and guidelines for the operation of the Son Coast Chrysalis Community shall follow the suggestions in Emmaus/Chrysalis Upper Room documents. Any changes to the Son Coast Chrysalis Rules and Guidelines require Emmaus Board approval.

ARTICLE VIII. ORGANIZATION

The Community is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes, within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code.)

ARTICLE IX. NET EARNINGS

No part of the Net Earnings of the community shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, directors, officers or other private persons, except that the community shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of Section 501(c)(3) purposes. No substantial part of the activities of the community shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the community shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

Not withstanding any other provision of these articles, the Community shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried out by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code.)

ARTICLE X. DISSOLUTION OF ASSETS

Upon dissolution of this community, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; i.e., charitable, educational, religious or scientific, or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government or to a state or local government for a public purpose.

ARTICLE XI. DISSOLUTION OF ASSETS OPTION

If the assets cannot be distributed in accordance with instruction in Article IX, then the assets of the community shall be distributed to a fund, foundation, or corporation organized exclusively for the purposes specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code.)

Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing by a member of the Board one (1) month in advance of consideration. If the Board votes to accept the change for consideration, a three- quarters (3/4) majority vote in the affirmative is necessary. The Community Lay Director will appoint a By-Laws Committee to study the matter and make a recommendation. The By-Laws Committee prepares and submits a report on the matter to the full Board. The Board shall place a copy of the By-Laws Committee Report in the minutes and tables the matter for thirty (30) days to consider and pray about the proposed changes. The Board will consider the proposal at the next regular Board meeting and vote on the proposed change. A three-quarters (3/4) majority vote of the full Board is required to send the proposed amendment to the Community for a vote. The Secretary will provide ballots to the Community via the Community Newsletter requesting signed votes for or against the proposed change(s) within thirty (30) days. The Board will open and tabulate all ballots at the next regular or called Board meeting. The proposed amendment will pass/fail by a simple majority. The Secretary will record the results in the minutes and make a full report in the next newsletter. The Secretary will prepare a revised set of By-Laws before the end of the calendar year for use in subsequent years and they shall be recorded appropriately.

Revisions to the by-laws are made from time to time for clarity or to bring them into conformity with the current practices of the community. Any proposed revisions may be adopted by a 2/3 vote of the Board after a period of review and comment by the community of not less than 30 days. The revised by-laws will take effect upon their passage by the Board.

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