By-Laws of the Outreach Ministry Committee The Outreach Ministry Committee drew up formal by-laws in 2009 to clarify the purposes, membership, meetings, voting and other functions and procedures of the committee. At this time the name of the committee was also changed to Outreach Ministry Committee (OMC), from its original name Social Ministry Committee (SMC), to reflect more accurately the purpose and scope of the committee. The by-laws were approved by the Vestry on 4/16/09. A Committee of the Chapel of the Cross ARTICLE I ORGANIZATION 1. The name of the Committee shall be Outreach Ministry Committee. 2. The Committee may by a vote of the membership body and with the consent of the vestry change its name. ARTICLE II PURPOSES The following are the purposes for which this Committee has been organized: The mission of the Outreach Ministry Committee is to serve God by showing Christ's ever-present love, justice and mercy to the world through leadership in domestic social outreach ministry. The Committee promotes responsible stewardship in the parish through education, outreach activities, and charitable giving. Committee activities in keeping with the mission statement of the Outreach Ministry Committee shall include the following: - Supporting individual ministries through active involvement - Identifying and initiating new areas of outreach ministry - Promoting relevant educational opportunities - Recommending disbursements from the community organization line item in the budget, reviewing requests for discretionary expenditure, reviewing requests for ABC funds (via an ABC sub-committee) and forwarding all recommendations for expenditures to the vestry for approval. ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP A person interested in serving as a member of the Outreach Ministry Committee should notify the Chair or a member of the Committee of his or her interest. New members are welcomed by the Chair and appointed by the vestry of The Chapel of the Cross. Only members who are appointed by the vestry of The Chapel of the Cross may vote on any recommendations by the Committee to the vestry. The rector appoints a member of the vestry and a clergy representative to serve on the Outreach Ministry Committee. In addition to attending regular meetings, committee members are expected to participate in other
activities of the committee such as serving as an agency liaison, staffing the weekly table, and/or assisting with committee projects such as Project 5000. The Chair shall maintain an official roster of the members of the Committee. ARTICLE IV MEETINGS Customarily, regular meetings of the entire Committee are held monthly. In a given calendar year, the Committee shall conduct no fewer than nine (9) regular monthly meetings. These regular meetings are generally held on the first Sunday of the month at 1:00 pm. Regular meetings shall not be subject to a quorum requirement. The Chair will remind committee members of upcoming meetings. The Chair may call special meeting of this Committee when it is in the best interest of the work of the Committee. Notices of such meeting shall be sent to all Committee members at least seven (7) days before the scheduled date set for such special meeting. Such notice shall state the reasons that such meeting has been called, the business to be transacted at such meeting and by whom it is called. No other business but that specified in the notice may be transacted at such special meeting. Special meetings are subject to a quorum requirement. Special Meeting Quorum Requirement. The presence of not less than fifty (50%) percent of the members shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct the business of this Committee at a special meeting. E-meetings are meetings conducted electronically by way of e-mail communications when timely action by the Committee is required. The Chair may call e-meetings of the Committee. E-mails notifying Committee members of such e-meetings shall be sent to all Committee members at the same time. E- meetings shall automatically adjourn 48 hours after the original notices of the e-meeting were dispatched. E-meetings are subject to the e-meeting quorum requirement. E-meeting Quorum Requirement. An e-mailed vote of not less than fifty (50%) percent of the members shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct the business of the Committee at an e- meeting. The date, time and location of all regular and special meetings shall be published in the weekly announcements to the parish, commonly referred to as the Sunday Bulletin. Regular and special meetings shall be open to all people who wish to attend. A person wishing to attend the meeting who is not an official member of the Committee is encouraged to notify the Chair of his or her intention to attend the meeting.
ARTICLE V VOTING At all regular and special meetings, all votes shall be by voice or show of hands. The vote of a majority of those present at a regular or special meeting shall determine the action of the Committee. Voting by e-mail shall be known as e-voting. E-voting during an e-meeting shall commence upon dispatch of the notice of the e-meeting. E-voting shall cease when the e-meeting adjourns. Upon determining that the e-meeting quorum requirement was satisfied and after adjournment of the e- meeting, the Chair shall tally the e-votes. The vote of a majority of those responding to the e-meeting notice shall determine the action of the Committee. The Chair shall tally and save the e-mailed votes until the next meeting. The Chair shall report the results of the e-vote to the Committee by e-mail and at the next meeting. ARTICLE VI ORDER OF BUSINESS 1. Devotions. 2. If a special meeting, establishment of a quorum. 3. Approval of the Minutes of the preceding meeting. 4. Reports (including Vestry and Financial). 5. Old and Unfinished Business. 6. New Business. 7. Other. 8. Adjournment. 9. Closing Prayer. The Chair, unless objected to by a member of the Committee, may adjust the order of business. ARTICLE VII EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, the immediate Past Chair, the Treasurer, the Clergy Representative, and others at the Chair s discretion. The Chair may convene a meeting of the Executive Committee during the week prior to a regular or special meeting to review funding requests and to plan and provide focus for the meeting of the full Committee. Members of the Executive Committee may serve as consultants for the Chair. The Executive Committee shall make decisions on matters by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached within the Executive Committee, the matter shall be brought before the whole Committee membership at the next meeting. ARTICLE VIII OFFICERS The Chair of the Outreach Ministry Committee directs and coordinates the business of the Committee and acts as its spokesperson. The Chair or a member designated by the Chair shall preside at meetings. The Chair shall also chair the Executive Committee. Any member of the Outreach Ministry Committee
may offer nominations to the Executive Committee for the election of a chair. The consent of each nominee and the approval by the rector must be secured before his/her name is presented to the entire committee. In the case of multiple nominees, the entire committee will vote from the slate of nominees. The Chair s term of office is two years, with the possibility of renewal. The Executive Committee of the Outreach Ministry Committee selects the Treasurer, however, nominations may be offered by any committee member. The consent of each nominee must be secured before his/her name is presented. The treasurer shall keep accurate financial records of all funds related to the Outreach Ministry Committee. The Treasurer shall track all funding requests presented to the Executive Committee and report recommendations from the Executive Committee to the full Committee. Following approval by the Committee, the Treasurer will report the recommendations, with all necessary paperwork, to the vestry. The length of the Treasurer s term is two years, with the possibility of renewal. The Treasurer shall keep a record of all requests made by organizations for funding from the Committee. The actual requests shall be saved for one year. The Chair selects the Secretary. He/she shall take, or arrange for someone else to take, the minutes of the Committee meetings. The length of term for the Secretary is a minimum of one year, with the possibility of renewal. The Clergy Representative is a member of the clergy of The Chapel of the Cross and is appointed by the rector. He or she is a member of the Executive Committee and offers counsel to the Committee. ARTICLE IX OTHER POSITIONS HELD BY MEMBERS There shall be one member of the Committee who is primarily responsible for maintaining the Outreach Ministry Committee website. Committee members shall serve as liaisons between Community Organizations and the Committee. There shall be one member of the Committee who serves as the liaison with the Interfaith Council for Social Services. ARTICLE X SUB-COMMITTEES It may be necessary, from time to time, for the Chair to appoint a sub-committee for a particular purpose or task. Upon completion of the purpose or task for which it was created, the sub-committee shall dissolve. The Chair may, in his or her discretion, dissolve the sub-committee before the completion of the purpose or task for which it was created. ARTICLE XI AMENDMENTS These By-Laws may be altered, amended, repealed or added to by an affirmative vote of not less than sixty-six (66%) percent of the members with final approval of the vestry.
Approved by Vestry 4/16/09