Federation of the Evangelical Christian Churches
Statutes
Please note : the following statutes constitute the
standard statute model. They are those of the FECE – France.
The statutes of each national FECE entity shall be
identical to this model and will only vary as required by the specific rules
and laws of each individual country.
Table of Contents
I -
CREATION, PURPOSE
AND DESIGNATION
II –HEADQUARTERS
AND DURATION
III –COMPOSITION
IV MEMBERSHIP AND CONDITIONS
V FEDERATION RESSOURCES
VI THE FEDERATION’S RELATIONSHIPS
(BOARD AND GENERAL MEETING) WITH ITS MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS
VII OBSERVERS
VIII
ADMINISTRATION
A. THE FEDERATION COUNCIL
B. THE GENERAL MEETING
IX MODIFICATION OF THE STATUTES
X DISSOLUTION OF THE FEDERATION
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I -
CREATION, PURPOSE AND DESIGNATION
Article 1
Under the name “Fédération des Eglises Chrétiennes
Evangéliques” (Federation of Evangelical
Christian Churches), a union of religious
associations is created which have agreed to abide by the present statutes,
constituted in compliance with French laws and regulations, specifically the
laws of December 9th, 1905 and that of July 1st, 1901, as well as the
decrees of March 16th, 1906 (Section III) and August 16th, 1901. The object
of this Union is to insure the public exercise of protestant evangelical
worship and to meet its expenses and needs, as well as rendering various
services and activities which are legally associated with it, with the
specific intention of promoting the Christian faith. We intend also to
insure the Federation’s interests, defense, and representation.
II –HEADQUARTERS
AND DURATION
Article 2
Its headquarters is located at:
1665, route de Carpentras, 84170 Monteux –
France. It may be transferred to
another location upon the proposal of the Federation Council, and following
ratification at the General Meeting.
Article 3
The
duration of the Federation is without limit. The fiscal year begins on 1
October and ends on 30 September
Article 4
The
Federation precinct is situated within France and its territories. The
Federation may establish relations of cooperation with church Federations
situated outside of its defined precinct.
III –COMPOSITION
Article 5
The Federation is composed of:
- cultural associations (law of 1905) which proclaim the
Gospel. The Federation strives to insure their growth, as well as the
multiplication and development of cultural associations in the respect of
their various expressions.
- retired ministers. These can request admission as
individual members, in the recognition of the ministry which they
accomplished, following proposition from the Board of Directors, and after
ratification at the General Meeting.
IV
MEMBERSHIP AND CONDITIONS
Article 6
To be part of the Federation, the desire for membership
must be expressed by a legally constituted association (French law 1905
association), or by a pastor in retirement, and these shall abide by the
present statutes, respect the confession of faith, and abide by the
Federation’s internal regulations (see documents in Annex).
The procedure for this is as follows:
a) The Council of the church, the community, or the
retiring pastor is to submit a written request to the Federation President
who designates a delegate with the intent of visiting the applicant for an
exploratory discussion. If the opinion of the delegate is favorable, the
President forwards the request to the Federation Council.
b) Following a favorable opinion by the Council, the
church formulating the request is presented before the General Meeting of
the Federation.
c) The General Meeting has sole authority to accept or
reject an application of membership. Associations retained during the
General Meeting vote undergo a probationary period which, in any event, is
not to exceed two years. A final General Meeting vote will then confirm the
application, or reject it.
d) Those associations who participated in the foundation
of the Federation are not subjected to the probationary waiting period.
e) Associations well-known to the Federation which
request membership may exceptionally be accepted without the probationary
period following a unanimous vote at the General Meeting.
f) Retiring pastors of Federation member churches are
accepted as individual members without any probationary period.
Article 7
All members of the Federation, including those still with
probationary status, will fulfill their financial obligations to the
Federation, so enabling it to meet its running costs, by the payment of
annual dues whose amount is determined at the General Meeting. Those with
individual membership (ie. retired pastors) are exonerated from this
obligation. Each member association must individually meet its expenses and
service costs..
Article 8
Shall cease being part of the Federation without this
departure terminating the Federation’s existence:
1/ Associations or individual members who signified their
resignation from the Federation by registered letter (with returned signed
receipt), addressed to the Federation President following a deliberation of
their own council.
2/ Member associations who, for two successive years,
will not have met their statuary financial contributions (ie. will not have
paid their annual dues) to the Federation, and have not been represented in
the General Meetings of the Federation, will be removed after a notice of
three months subsequent to having been summoned - by registered letter (with
returned signed receipt) - to conform to the Federation statute protocol.
3/ May also be removed from the Federation membership
roster
a)
Associations or
individual members who have not fulfilled their obligations imposed by the
present statutes, regarding their confession of faith, and/or conforming to
the Federation’s internal regulations, following a summons without result (ie
unanswered) by registered letter to that association President.
b)
Member
associations who, either following a modification of their statutes, or
through certain actions, would have placed themselves outside the membership
requirements put forth in the present statutes enabling them to remain part
of the Federation.
c)
Member
associations who, by their actions, will have compromised the honor or
consideration of the Federation.
Expulsion from the Federation may only be decided at the
General Meeting, and this by a simple majority vote of those present or
represented, the quorum being 50% of the Federation roster plus one. If an
expulsion is to be evoked at the General Meeting, the president of the
association in cause shall be summoned by registered letter at least 15 days
before the General Meeting. If the association president does not respond to
the summons, either in person or in the person of a designated
representative, the expulsion decision will be signified to the president by
registered letter.
Article 9
The member associations will by no means be held
responsible for commitments contracted by the Federation; sole the
Federation by its own ressources shall bear responsability for such
committments;
V FEDERATION RESSOURCES
Article 10
The Federation’s ressources break down as follows:
a) Statuary contributions and voluntary offerings by
member churches, destined to meet the expenses of worship (Section IV) and
other receipts covered by the French law of December 9th, 1905.
b) The product of collections and contributions made by
and for the Federation and destined for common actions.
c) Regulatory and permissable subventions.
d) Gifts, donations and inheritances as permitted by law.
e) Interest and income revenue from equities and
properties belonging to the Federation.
VI THE FEDERATION’S RELATIONSHIPS (BOARD AND GENERAL MEETING) WITH ITS
MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS
Article 11
The management of all activites of the member
associations (worship, budget, real estate, various productions) are of
their sole competence, responsibility and authority. These associations may,
however, choose to participate, in accordance with their convictions and
within their budgetary possibilities, in any production (ie. written,
visual, etc.) and any actions which are supported and recommended by the
Federation as part of its objectives (evangelization, education, biblical
instruction, and in the preparation of ministries...)
It is understood that the Federation will not hold
proprietory rights over of these productions.
VII OBSERVERS
Article 12
The Federation Council may, if it so chooses, in a spirit
of unity and fraternal cooperation among churches, solicit and name
observers from other denominations in known and acknowledged ministries .
These nominated obervers will be permitted to to participate in the works
and deliberations of the Commisssions Council, Departments, as well as in
the General Meetings in a uniquely advisory capacity. Their number shall not
exceed one third of the Federation Council.
VIII
ADMINISTRATION
A. THE FEDERATION
COUNCIL
Article 13
The Federation is administered by a Federation Council
which will be constituted by at least four members, and by no more than
eight.
These members shall be elected for 3 years and one third
of them shall be elected (or reelected) every year so as to insure the
continuity necessary for the running and administration of the Federation.
The first elected Federation Council members shall
therefore have a shorter first term. They will be reelectable, and shall be
designated either by a random draw, or on a voluntary basis. Election to the
Federation Council is done by secret ballot. The Federation Council
President shall only serve a maximum of two successive terms.
Article 14
The Federation Council elects among its members a Board
of Directors which may have:
·A President,
· One or several Vice-Presidents,
· A General Secretary and possibly an Assistant Secretary,
· A General Treasurer and possibly an Assistant Treasurer,
· One or several Assessors from its membership
The Federation Council meets at least once a year.
Decisions are taken by a majority vote of those present and represented. In
the case of a tied vote, the vote of the president breaks the deadlock.
The Federation Council has broad power to insure the
running of the Federation and the meeting of its objectives, in accordance
with applicable legislation.
The Federation Council establishes with the assistance of
the Federation’s General Meeting any Commissions and Departments necessary
for the running of the Federation in every field where this is indispensable
for meeting the needs of the member associations: judicial, fiscal,
educational, biblical, theological, training, and ministry preparation,
regional and national operations, churches relation, ethics, etc.
The Federation Council names and establishes the
representatives for these Commissions and Departments, and fixes their
fields of competence, and the attribution of their powers.
The Federation Council determines the
rules of procedure and presents
them before the General Meeting, which alone is authorized to proceed with
any modifications of them. The General Meeting then proceeds with their
adoption.
Article 15
The President calls and chairs the General Meetings,
meetings of the Federation Council, and Commissions or Departments. He
represents the Federation in all acts of civil life and is invested with
powers to this effect. These powers may be delegated by him to a member of
the Federation Council. He may present himself before the courts in the name
of the Federation, as both plaintif or defendant, make appeals, and sign
powers of attorney. He may also delegate the Commission and Department
presidencies in the Federation.
Nevertheless, in order to accept compromises and
arbitration, the President must have acquired the prior approval of the
Federation Council. The Federation Council will have been summoned for this
purpose, and the ensuing decision taken by the majority of those present.
Article 16
The General Secretary is in charge of correspondence and
the archives.
Article 17
The Treasurer is in charge of all that concerns the
management of the property of the Federation. To fulfill any act of
disposal, he must have acquired the prior approval of the Federation Council
in a decision taken by the majority of those present.
The Treasurer has the power to open any bank or postal
account in the name of the Federation, and may deposit and withdraw any
funds by his personal responsibility.
Article 18
The Federation Council is invested with broad powers to
take or authorize any acts necessary for the smooth running of the
Federation.
Only travel expenses concerning counsel for the
Federation along with expenses brought about by meetings with other partner
organisms shall be met by the Federation.
B. THE GENERAL MEETING
Article 19
The General Meeting of the Federation is composed of the
following:
a) Delegates of the member “cultural”
associations (cf. French law of 1905) These are
designated by the Council of every
association, but every association shall have only one
vote when motions are adopted. The Council
of the member association decides who will express its single vote.
that indicates the person authorized to express vote.
b) The Federation Council members are appointed directly
by their association.
c) In the absence of delegates, a member association (or
“church”) can choose another member as its proxy holder; yet no member may
detain more half of the votes in a General Meeting.
d) Each individual member has a right to vote, but only
if he has not already been named as a delegate by another association
member. Voting rights may not be accumulated.
Article 20
General Meetings must be signified with at least fourteen
days prior notice. The General Meeting Board shall be that of the Federation
Council.
The Ordinary General Meeting receives the report about
progress in the work of God and then… approves the accounts of the financial
year. The election of the members of the Federation Council is done at the
General Meeting by the absolute majority of the present (or represented)
members of the Federation (“association”). The Ordinary General Meeting
examines all questions on the agenda submitted by the Federation Council.
If the number of members of the Federation Council should
fall below four because of death, resignation, or for any other reason, the
Federation Council will select a replacement by
co-optation who will sit until the next General
Meeting.
The General Meeting comes together at least once a year
following a summons from the Federation Council President; or else following
a written request by at least one forth of the member associations: requests
which shall be addressed to the Federation Council President by registered
mail with acknowledgement of receipt.
At least one half of the members of the Federation must
be present or represented (by signed and dated proxy) for a General Meeting
to legitimately deliberate. When this quorum is not attained, a second
summons will be issued with an explanation of the situation. Those present
(regardless of their number) shall then be enabled to deliberate and vote,
the quorum requirement in this case being fulfilled.
Article 21
The Secretary will keep a written account of the
deliberations of the General Meeting, and this will be co-signed by the
Federation Council President.
IX MODIFICATION OF THE STATUTES
Article 22
A modification of the Federation statutes can be decided
only by an Extraordinary General Meeting called to this effect with at least
fifteen days prior notice.
A modification of the statutes can be decided only if the
following conditions are met:
a) The Extraordinary General Meeting is called with at
least fifteen days prior notice
b) The nature of the proposed modifications of the
statutes is be made known to each Federation member at the same time as the
summons.
c) As in the normal General Meeting proceedure, the
modifications must be accepted by the majority of those present and
represented by proxy; The same quorum and second summons preceedures will
apply.
An Extraordinary General Meeting may precede or succeed
an Ordinary General Meeting, provided that the Meeting is called following
the aforementioned standard proceedure.
X DISSOLUTION OF THE
FEDERATION
Article 23
The dissolution of the Federation can be decided only by
an Extraordinary General Meeting called especially to this effect, with at
least fifteen days prior notice.
This Extraordinary General Meeting can legitimately
deliberate only if at least 2/3 of the Federation members are present or
represented (by signed and dated proxy) in view to decide on the
dissolution.
In case of dissolution, the Extraordinary General Meeting
shall designate a liquidator who, if need be, shall transfer the assets of
the Federation, in accordance with article 9 of the French law of July 1,
1901, to an Association or Federation which pursues the same objectives
evoked in article 1 of the present statutes.
Article 24
In the event where the
Extraordinary General Meeting called with intent to modify the Statutes or
dissolve the Federation does not attain the necessary quorum, a new
Extraordinary General Meeting will be called in the same manner and delays.
It shall be empowered to legitimately deliberate by a majority of the 2/3 of
the Federation members present or represented by proxy, in any number.
