The Daughters of the Holy Cross (DHC) Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Diocese of Upper South Carolina Trinity Cathedral Parish * Columbia, South Carolina I. ORGANIZATION BYLAWS Revised December 7, 1998 April 2016 There shall be organized for the proper administration of the work of the Daughters of the Holy Cross (DHC) the following committees: 1. Christian Formation 2. UTO 3. Bazaar 4. Bazaar Grants 5. Nominating 6. Communications 7. Hospitality 8. Memorials 6.9. DHC Still Hopes Resident Assistance Fund 10. ECW Liaison 7.11. Church Women United Other committees may be added or eliminated as and when necessary. II. FINANCES 1. The sum of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be set aside annually to help defray the expenses of the President and shall be known as the President s Fund. 2. Each committee shall be given a sum with which to carry on its work as approved in the annual budget. 3. The budget shall include items designated for the five fields of services: Parish, Community, Diocese, Nation, and World. 4. Separate accounts will be kept by the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Accounting Department for the Operating Account (current budget year), the Investment Account (residual and earmarked funds), Special Events Account (Bazaar and Lenten Luncheon funds), and Memorials Accounts.
5. Two signatures (current DHC President and DHC Treasurer or DHC Treasurer-Elect) will be required for checks or withdrawals over $1000.00. 6. Each year the Finance Committee will make a report to the Board as to the balance of any excess funds from the previous budget year and Easter and Christmas memorials and honoraria. 7. Disposition of any excess funds will be recommended by the appropriate committee to the Board annually. III. CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS 1. Instead of the original custom of sending a cross of red roses at the time of a President (or former President s) death, the name of the deceased President is inscribed in the Daughters of the Holy Cross Memorial Book and a contribution made from the President s Contingent Fund to the Daughters Memorial Fund in her name. 2. The proceeds of the annual Bazaar will be donated entirely to charity. Traditionally, these funds have been given to 5 local non-profit agencies, standing missions, the ongoing projects as designated by the Outreach Bazaar Grants Committee, and the Diocesan, State, National, and World projects. Up to 10% of Bazaar profits can be set aside for emergency requests during the year. 3. A Daughters Memorial Fund will be maintained to accommodate honoraria and memorials. 4. There will be up to three Senior Advisors to the Daughters Board. They will serve for five one year. Advisors will be appointed by the President for her term of service. IV. DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND CHAIRWOMEN The President shall: Put spiritual matters first in her life and conduct. Preside at all meetings. Understand the provisions of the Constitution. Call meetings or contact her officers and chairs when necessary to plan for the Daughters work. Cooperate with the Dean and Canons and sit on the Vestry representing the DHC. Keep Daughters in touch with the suggestions and plans of the Episcopal Church Women, Executive and Diocesan boards. Learn about all phases of the work of Episcopal Church Women and serve as a voting member at ECW meetings. 2
Read church publications regularly. See that worship, program, and business all have a fair share of the time in the meetings. Attend or send a representative to the ECW annual Convention, ECW Convocation meeting, ECW diocesan training, and ECW special events. Try to know the members personally. Answer letters cheerfully and send reports promptly. Be knowledgeable of the finances of the DHC. Guide and support the President-Elect. The Vice President shall: Preside at meetings in the absence of the President or at the request of the President. Be ready to assist the President at all times and to act for her when necessary. The President-Elect shall: Familiarize herself with the duties of the President and with the members of the Daughters. Make an effort to attend all DHC Board meetings, ECW Convocation meetings and Diocesan meetings, chapter meetings, and other groups that the Daughters support. The Secretary shall: Attend Executive Committee, Board, Finance Committee, and General meetings and keep a record of proceedings to be presented and approved. Write all letters as requested and attend to other necessary correspondence. The Treasurer shall: Have responsibility for the operating account, investment account, and memorials account. Receive and account for funds at Daughters events and deliver to church office. All money is received by the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Accounting Department and is deposited in the name of the Daughters of the Holy Cross. Assist the United Thank Offering Chair in counting the UTO Ingatherings. Sign checks and reconcile the disbursement of money from the budget as approved by the Executive Committee. Attend all Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Board, and General meetings, and be ready to report at each of them. Guide and instruct the Treasurer-Elect in her tasks and duties. Prepare the budget for the coming year for approval by the Board and the General Membership. Comply with audit guidelines in accordance with the financial accounting practices of Trinity Cathedral Parish. 3
The Treasurer-Elect shall: Have responsibility to review the Special Events Account. Receive and account for money deposited with the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Accounting Department for all Bazaar and Lenten Luncheon activities and review payment of and sign checks relating to all expenses associated with these events. Review the pay out of Bazaar funds as authorized by the Bazaar Grants Committee by the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Accounting Department. The Christian Formation Chair shall: Assist the President and Chapters to develop programs to meet the spiritual needs of the Daughters. The United Thank Offering Chair shall: Distribute the United Thank Offering boxes. Coordinate with the Diocese the date of UTO Ingatherings and arrange with the Dean for a special order of service at these times. Receive and count UTO contributions collected with the DHC Treasurer or church official, request check, and complete information to be sent to the UTO Diocesan chair by the deadline. Report to the DHC Board and membership after each Ingathering. Support the DHC President by attending ECW Annual Diocesan Convention. Bazaar Grants Chair shall: Seek Bazaar Grants recipient recommendations from the congregation at-large via church communications. Follow guidelines of the Bazaar Grants Committee to select recipients of the annual Bazaar proceeds and distribute those funds. Bazaar Grants Committee consists of Officers of the Executive Board (including the Immediate Past-President), Bazaar Grants Chair, Canon Missioner of the Cathedral, current Bazaar Chairs, and six members of the Bazaar Grants Committee appointed by the President to serve alternating two-year terms. Complete all communications with the DHC Board and General Membership as well as recipients and nominees. Maintain and update with Board approval the Bazaar Grants committee guidelines. The Bazaar Chair(s) shall: Submit possible dates of the Bazaar for approval to church officials. Select and procure necessary volunteers needed to carry out Bazaar preparations, including communication to congregation and the community, leading up to, during, and after the event. 4
The Nominating Chair (Immediate Past President) shall: Call and preside over committee meetings to identify qualified candidates for the slate of officers to present for election. Contact and explain to a prospective nominee the duties of the office to which she is nominated. Coordinate with President the presentation of the slate of officers for approval by the Board traditionally no later than the April Board meeting. Coordinate with the President the presentation of the slate of officers and the election of officers traditionally no later than the May General Meeting. The Communications Chair shall: Work with the President to determine announcements for the Cathedral newsletter, worship bulletin, website, social media, Diocesan communications, and other sources. Work with the President to revise committee list and contact information for publication. Obtain publication deadlines for Tidings and Cathedral newsletter from Cathedral staff and communicate those dates to DHC committee chairs. Serve as a liaison between the Daughters of the Holy Cross and Cathedral communication staff for all DHC committees except the Bazaar chairs. Work with the President to request important dates to be added to the Cathedral calendar. At the request of the President, gather information about guest speakers for meetings and work with Cathedral staff to create publicity materials to encourage attendance. Hospitality Chair shall: Cooperate with the President in any special parish and Daughters activities The Memorial Committee Chair shall: Call and preside over the meeting of the committee as needed at least once annually to appropriate disbursements and to present any planned expenditures to the DHC Board for approval. Follow the committee guidelines of the Memorial Fund to administer these funds and select projects. Work with the Treasurer to maintain accurate financial records of the Daughters Memorial Fund. Maintain and update with the Board s approval the guidelines of the fund. Report at least once annually to the Board of the DHC as to the status of the Memorial Fund. Coordinate the writing of acknowledgements for gifts received. The Daughters of the Holy Cross Still Hopes Resident Assistance Fund Chair shall: Work within the DHC contract with Still Hopes. 5
Receive and review the audit statement of the Fund. Report at least annually to the Board of the Daughters of the Holy Cross as to the status of the Still Hopes Fund. The Diocesan ECW Liaison shall: Attend all ECW Convocation and special ECW events, and encourage the attendance of others. Report Diocesan activities including information on the Bena Dial Scholarship, Christian Social Relations projects, and Diocesan ECW related meetings to the Board and General Membership of the DHC. Serves as the Daughters voting delegate to the ECW Convention in conjunction with the President. The Church Women United Liaison shall: Attend all meetings of Church Women United. Report activities of Church Women United to DHC. Enlist involvement of DHC members in Church Women United activities. 6
The Daughters of the Holy Cross (DHC) Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Diocese of Upper South Carolina Trinity Cathedral Parish * Columbia, South Carolina Constitution Revised December 1996 April 2016 Article I: Name The name of this organization shall be the Daughters of the Holy Cross (DHC), Episcopal Church Women (ECW), Diocese of Upper South Carolina, Trinity Cathedral Parish, Columbia, South Carolina. Article II: Object The object of the organization shall be to deepen the spiritual life of the women of the parish, to broaden their Christian outlook, and to provide channels through which they may assist in carrying on the Church s program. Article III: Membership The organization shall be composed of those women who, being baptized members of the Church, may actively desire to aid in carrying on the Church s program of worship, study, work, outreach, fellowship, and gifts, in the community, in the diocese, in the nation, and in the world. Article IV: Officers 1. The officers of this organization shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, and President-Elect. These shall constitute the Executive Committee. 2. These officers, with the Chairmen of Standing Committees and Chapter Chairmen, shall constitute the DHC Board. If the President selects advisors, they will also be members of the Board. 3. Any women of the parish who are members of National, Provincial, or Diocesan Boards may be members of the DHC Board. 4. The DHC Board shall transact all necessary business between general meetings of the organization. The Executive Committee shall transact such emergency business as may arise between Board meetings.
5. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. She shall appoint all committee chairmen, chapter chairmen, and such special committees as may be necessary. 6. The President is an appointed non-voting member of the Vestry for the term of her office. Article V: Elections 1. There shall be a nominating committee chaired by the Immediate Past- President and composed of three additional members who nominate DHC Executive Officers and choose a nominating committee member to fill the rotational vacancy 2. All Executive Committee Officers shall be elected for a term of one year. 3. 3. The administrative year shall run from January to January. Article VI: Meetings There shall be at least two (2) or more general meetings per year of the Daughters of the Holy Cross. There shall be at least six (6) meetings of the DHC Board each year. Meetings of the DHC Board may be called at the discretion of the President and must be called upon the written request of five (5) members of the Board. Article VII: Finances 1. There shall be a Finance Committee composed of the President, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, Secretary, Vice President, Memorials chairman, President- Elect, and Immediate Past-President, and the Immediate Past-Treasurer. 2. Funds for the Daughters budget shall be secured through Donations of its members. 3. The fiscal year shall run from January 1 to January 1. 4. The Daughters of the Holy Cross will participate financially in the Diocesan Episcopal Church Women through the pledge set by the DHC Finance Committee and approved by the general membership of the Daughters of the Holy Cross. 5. The financial records shall be audited annually in accordance with the Church s guidelines of Trinity Cathedral Parish. Article VIII: Quorum 1. Fifteen (15) members of the DHC Board shall constitute a quorum. 2. Four (4) members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum. 3. Thirty (30) members at a general meeting shall constitute a quorum. 2
Article IX: Amendments 1. The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of those present at any general meeting, provided there is a quorum. Advance notice of proposed changes shall be one week prior to a vote and shall be published through standard church communications. 2. The Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote at any general meeting provided there is a quorum. 3