ARTICLE 1. The organization shall be called Episcopal Church Women, Diocese of Alabama.ARTICLE 2. The purpose of the organization shall be to unite the women of the Diocese in allegiance to their Lord, Jesus Christ, and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, through a program of worship, study, gifts and service, which shall deepen and strengthen their own spiritual lives, and lead them into Christian service in the parish, the community, the diocese and the world.ARTICLE 3. All parishes may affiliate with the Episcopal Church Women, Diocese of Alabama, by first obtaining the consent of the rector in charge, securing a contact person and notifying the diocesan President of their intention to work with the organization.ARTICLE 4. Diocesan officers shall be President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and United Thank Offering Coordinator.ARTICLE 5. These officers shall be elected by the Episcopal Church Women, Diocese of Alabama, in conference assembled to serve a term of two years and shall be ineligible to serve two consecutive terms in the same office.ARTICLE 6. The President shall preside at all Annual, Called and Board meetings, and notify members of board meetings. She shall have general supervision of the work throughout the Diocese. She shall serve as a delegate to Triennial.ARTICLE 7. The Secretary shall write and distribute the minutes of Annual, Called and Board meetings.ARTICLE 8. The Diocesan Finance Officer shall receive and disburse all monies from the branches. The Treasurer shall oversee all monies through communication with the Diocesan Finance Officer, and in compliance with current accounting standards, and shall make a complete report of all income and disbursements at teach Board Meeting and at the Annual Conference. The books (financial records) of the ECW shall be examined annually by the Audit Committee. The Treasurer shall enter names in the Book of Remembrance and make them available for the Memorial Roll.ARTICLE 9. The President-Elect shall preside in the absence of the President, shall assist the President in every way possible, and succeed to the Presidency in the event of a vacancy in that office. She shall prepare and publish the Calendar Handbook.ARTICLE 9A. The United Thank Offering Coordinator shall provide information regarding ordering of supplies. She shall be the contact person for the use of the Alms Basin.ARTICLE 10. The Episcopal Church Women, Diocese of Alabama, shall be divided into seven Convocations. Each convocation shall select a coordinator to serve on the Board. Her term of office shall be for two years; she may succeed herself, provided that she has first made a good-faith effort to secure a successor, but that effort has been unsuccessful. Coordinators shall take office in January following their election with the responsibility to integrate the planning and work of the women of their Convocation with the program of the Episcopal Church Women.ARTICLE 11. Upon taking office, The President shall appoint a Nomination Committee. The duties of this committee shall be as follows:A. To secure nominees for any vacancies that may occur among the offices, except that of President, in which case the President-Elect assumes the Presidency. The President shall make temporary appointment for a vacancy in the pending election at the next Annual Conference. B. To secure a slate of officers for election at the Annual Conference one year before the expiration of the President’s term of office said officers-elect to take office one year after election. C. To secure nominees and alternates for Triennial delegates to be elected at the Annual Conference before Triennial. The number of delegates will be in accordance with current directives from the National ECW Board. ARTICLE 12. The Diocesan Board shall be comprised of the Bishops, the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and United Thank Offering Coordinator elected by the women of the Diocese, plus seven Convocation Coordinators elected by their respective Convocations.The Executive Committee will consist of elected officers. The President may appoint additional members, not exceeding five, for Standing Committees with prior approval of the Board. Appointments may be made for special committees by the president, with approval of the Board. ARTICLE 13. The Annual Conference of the Episcopal Church Women, Diocese of Alabama, shall be held on a date to be decided by the Diocesan Board.ARTICLE 14. At Annual Conferences, each branch shall be entitled to have two voting delegated, selected by the branches.ARTICLE 15. One-third of the total number of branches shall constitute a quorum for the Annual Conference. Two-thirds of the total number of members shall constitute a quorum for the Diocesan Board.ARTICLE 16. Any articles of this Constitution may be changed by a two-thirds vote of the branches present at any Annual Conference, provided written notice of such change be given to all branches 90 days prior to said meeting, or due notice of the desired change shall be given at one meeting and acted upon the following year.BYLAWS 1. The President shall be responsible for all trust funds of the Episcopal Church Women, Diocese of Alabama. These funds will be administered by a Trust Advisory Committee, appointed by the President. This committee shall consist of the Bishop, President, Treasurer, chairperson and one additional member. 2. The President shall prepare the Annual Report which is given at the Diocesan Convention. 3. The branches may make contributions to the general work of the Episcopal Church Women, Diocese of Alabama, according to the plan of proportional giving by the Diocesan Board, as outlined in the Calendar Workbook. 4. The Convocations shall entertain the Annual Conference in the following order: Birmingham, Tennessee Valley, Cheaha, Montgomery, Mountain, Black Belt and East Alabama, and shall host the Annual Women’s Weekend the following Spring in the same order beginning with the Tennessee Valley. 5. Whenever financial support is requested to fund a proposed project, written or email notice and explanation will be sent to the parishes, with instructions to respond with votes within 90 days of receipt of notice. Email responses are preferred but not necessary. The Corresponding Secretary will send such notice via email to all parish ECW presidents from whom she has email addresses; for all other parish presidents, notice will be sent via US Postal Service. Notice will specify the calendar date certain on which voting will close. Each parish is entitled to two delegate votes; delegates' names must be included with votes. revised October 2007 |
