Constitution of the Washington Area CRH adopted Dec. 6, 1965
Dublin Core
Title
Constitution of the Washington Area CRH adopted Dec. 6, 1965
Description
Organization Collection, Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C.
Source
Repository: National Archive of LGBT History
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
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Constitution of the Washington Area Council on Religion and the Homosexual
Adopted: December 6, 1965
Address:
Post Office Box 5618
Washington, D.C. 20016
Page 2:
Article I Name
This organization shall be known as The Washington Area Council on Religion and the Homosexual.
Article II Purpose
It is the purpose of this organization to provide communication, mutual understanding, and appropriate action between homosexuals and organized religion, in order:
A. To effect the integration of the individual homosexual into the religious life of the community be alleviation of the estrangement and alienation which now exist between the homosexual and the religious community.
B. To work to establish the homosexual as a member of the community-at-large, with his full dignity as a human being, and his full rights as a citizen.
C. To foster mutually beneficial communication between organized religion and the homosexual community.
Article III Membership
Section 1.
A. Members from the clergy shall be duly ordained clergymen who are sympathetic to the purposes of the Council, with inter-faith representation encouraged.
B. New members from the clergy shall be approved or disapproved by the clergymen on the Council, after attending two meetings.
Section 2. Members from the homosexual community shall be provided by The Mattachine Society of Washington through procedures instituted by the Society.
Article IV Officers
Section 1. There shall be two Co-Chairman, one from the clergy and one from the homosexual community; a Secretary; and a Treasurer.
Section 2.
A. Each officer shall serve for a term of two years.
B. 1. The Co-Chairmen may not succeed themselves in office.
2. The Co-Chairmen from the clergy shall be elected near the time of adoption of this Constitution, and in even-number years thereafter.
3. The Co-Chairmen from the homosexual community shall be elected in odd-numbered years.
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Section 3. Officers shall be elected in October, and shall serve from November 1 until October 31, two years later.
Section 4. Special elections shall be held to fill vacancies in office. Such elections shall be held at the next regular meeting of the Council after the vacancy occurs. An officer so elected shall serve out the unexpired term of his predecessor. If it be necessary, temporary officers to fill vacancies in office for the period between the occurrence of the vacancy and the next regular meeting of the Council.
Section 5. The Co-Chairman shall be responsible, jointly, for the general administration of the Council.
Section 6. The Secretary shall keep formal minutes of all meetings of the Council, copies to be distributed to the members, between meetings; shall maintain all other records of the organization except those specifically assigned to others; in coordination with the other officers and with the Council itself, shall conduct the correspondence of the organization; shall send out notices and otherwise handle notification of meetings; and shall perform such other duties as the Council or the Co-Chairman may assign to him.
Section 7.
A. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the funds of the organization shall keep necessary financial records; shall collect dues; and shall make disbursements.
B. The Treasurer shall make written financial reports at the first meeting of the Council after December and after June, and at whatever other times the Council may direct, but upon not less than 14 days' notice.
Article V Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings shall take place not less often than once in two months.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the two Co-Chairmen, or by one Co-Chairman and one other officer, or by any four members. The notice of a special meeting shall be made to every member not less than three days in advance, and shall state the purpose of the meeting. No action which does not pertain to the stated purpose shall be taken at the meeting.
Section 3.
A. A quorum for a meeting shall consist of all of: (1) At least one Co-Chairmen; (2) Not less than five representatives of the clergy; and (3) Not less than three representatives of the homosexual community.
B. If a quorum is not present at a meeting, action may be taken subject to ratification at the next meeting.
C. 1. Unless otherwise stipulated, action at any meeting shall be by a majority vote of the members voting as individuals.
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2. (a) Either the representatives of the clergy, or the representatives of the homosexual community, as a group, can exercise veto power.
(b) As necessary, caucusing of the the two groups shall be in order.
Article VI Dues and Finances
Section 1.
A. Dues shall be established by By-Law.
B. 1. Notification shall be given to any member whose dues are three months in arrears.
2. Following final notification, any member more than six months in arrears in payment of due or of any assessment, shall be dropped from membership, and shall be notified of this fact.
C. Any other assessment of the members shall be decided by a two-thirds vote of those voting.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall attend to the orderly collection of dues and notification to members who are incipiently and actually in arrears.
Section 3. Disbursements of funds shall be made only upon authority of the Council.
Section 4. All checks of the organization shall be signed by one Co-Chairman and by the Treasurer.
Article VII Parliamentary Authority
Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for this organization, except that we here it differs from, or conflicts with the Constitution or a By-Law, the Constitution shall prevail.
Article VIII By-Laws
Section 1. The Constitution shall be supplemented by By-Laws, except that no By-Law shall have force or effect insofar as it conflicts with this Constitution.
Section 2.
A. A By-Law or an amendment to a By-Law shall be proposed at a meeting of the Council; if passed by a majority of the Council present and voting at the meeting, it shall be submitted to the entire Council by a mail referendum ballot, and shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members voting.
B. Either group, acting explicitly as a group, may, by a two-thirds vote of its members voting, exercise veto power over the adoption of any By-Law or amendment thereto.
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Article IX Amendment
Section 1. An amendment to this Constitution shall be proposed at a meeting of the Council, if passed by a majority of the Council present and voting at the meeting, it shall be submitted to the entire Council by a mail referendum ballot, and shall be adopted by a three-fourths vote of the members voting, except that amendments proposed within the first three months after the ratification of this Constitution shall be adopted by a three-fifths vote of those voting at a meeting, and amendments proposed within the second three months after ratification of this Constitution shall be adopted by a three-fifths vote of those voting by a mail referendum ballot.
Section 2. Either group, noting explicitly as a group, may, by a two-thirds vote of its members voting, exercise veto power over the adoption of any amendment to this Constitution.
By-Laws
1. Dues
Dues shall be $2.00 per year per member.
Constitution of the Washington Area Council on Religion and the Homosexual
Adopted: December 6, 1965
Address:
Post Office Box 5618
Washington, D.C. 20016
Page 2:
Article I Name
This organization shall be known as The Washington Area Council on Religion and the Homosexual.
Article II Purpose
It is the purpose of this organization to provide communication, mutual understanding, and appropriate action between homosexuals and organized religion, in order:
A. To effect the integration of the individual homosexual into the religious life of the community be alleviation of the estrangement and alienation which now exist between the homosexual and the religious community.
B. To work to establish the homosexual as a member of the community-at-large, with his full dignity as a human being, and his full rights as a citizen.
C. To foster mutually beneficial communication between organized religion and the homosexual community.
Article III Membership
Section 1.
A. Members from the clergy shall be duly ordained clergymen who are sympathetic to the purposes of the Council, with inter-faith representation encouraged.
B. New members from the clergy shall be approved or disapproved by the clergymen on the Council, after attending two meetings.
Section 2. Members from the homosexual community shall be provided by The Mattachine Society of Washington through procedures instituted by the Society.
Article IV Officers
Section 1. There shall be two Co-Chairman, one from the clergy and one from the homosexual community; a Secretary; and a Treasurer.
Section 2.
A. Each officer shall serve for a term of two years.
B. 1. The Co-Chairmen may not succeed themselves in office.
2. The Co-Chairmen from the clergy shall be elected near the time of adoption of this Constitution, and in even-number years thereafter.
3. The Co-Chairmen from the homosexual community shall be elected in odd-numbered years.
Page 3:
Section 3. Officers shall be elected in October, and shall serve from November 1 until October 31, two years later.
Section 4. Special elections shall be held to fill vacancies in office. Such elections shall be held at the next regular meeting of the Council after the vacancy occurs. An officer so elected shall serve out the unexpired term of his predecessor. If it be necessary, temporary officers to fill vacancies in office for the period between the occurrence of the vacancy and the next regular meeting of the Council.
Section 5. The Co-Chairman shall be responsible, jointly, for the general administration of the Council.
Section 6. The Secretary shall keep formal minutes of all meetings of the Council, copies to be distributed to the members, between meetings; shall maintain all other records of the organization except those specifically assigned to others; in coordination with the other officers and with the Council itself, shall conduct the correspondence of the organization; shall send out notices and otherwise handle notification of meetings; and shall perform such other duties as the Council or the Co-Chairman may assign to him.
Section 7.
A. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the funds of the organization shall keep necessary financial records; shall collect dues; and shall make disbursements.
B. The Treasurer shall make written financial reports at the first meeting of the Council after December and after June, and at whatever other times the Council may direct, but upon not less than 14 days' notice.
Article V Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings shall take place not less often than once in two months.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the two Co-Chairmen, or by one Co-Chairman and one other officer, or by any four members. The notice of a special meeting shall be made to every member not less than three days in advance, and shall state the purpose of the meeting. No action which does not pertain to the stated purpose shall be taken at the meeting.
Section 3.
A. A quorum for a meeting shall consist of all of: (1) At least one Co-Chairmen; (2) Not less than five representatives of the clergy; and (3) Not less than three representatives of the homosexual community.
B. If a quorum is not present at a meeting, action may be taken subject to ratification at the next meeting.
C. 1. Unless otherwise stipulated, action at any meeting shall be by a majority vote of the members voting as individuals.
Page 4:
2. (a) Either the representatives of the clergy, or the representatives of the homosexual community, as a group, can exercise veto power.
(b) As necessary, caucusing of the the two groups shall be in order.
Article VI Dues and Finances
Section 1.
A. Dues shall be established by By-Law.
B. 1. Notification shall be given to any member whose dues are three months in arrears.
2. Following final notification, any member more than six months in arrears in payment of due or of any assessment, shall be dropped from membership, and shall be notified of this fact.
C. Any other assessment of the members shall be decided by a two-thirds vote of those voting.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall attend to the orderly collection of dues and notification to members who are incipiently and actually in arrears.
Section 3. Disbursements of funds shall be made only upon authority of the Council.
Section 4. All checks of the organization shall be signed by one Co-Chairman and by the Treasurer.
Article VII Parliamentary Authority
Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for this organization, except that we here it differs from, or conflicts with the Constitution or a By-Law, the Constitution shall prevail.
Article VIII By-Laws
Section 1. The Constitution shall be supplemented by By-Laws, except that no By-Law shall have force or effect insofar as it conflicts with this Constitution.
Section 2.
A. A By-Law or an amendment to a By-Law shall be proposed at a meeting of the Council; if passed by a majority of the Council present and voting at the meeting, it shall be submitted to the entire Council by a mail referendum ballot, and shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members voting.
B. Either group, acting explicitly as a group, may, by a two-thirds vote of its members voting, exercise veto power over the adoption of any By-Law or amendment thereto.
Page 5:
Article IX Amendment
Section 1. An amendment to this Constitution shall be proposed at a meeting of the Council, if passed by a majority of the Council present and voting at the meeting, it shall be submitted to the entire Council by a mail referendum ballot, and shall be adopted by a three-fourths vote of the members voting, except that amendments proposed within the first three months after the ratification of this Constitution shall be adopted by a three-fifths vote of those voting at a meeting, and amendments proposed within the second three months after ratification of this Constitution shall be adopted by a three-fifths vote of those voting by a mail referendum ballot.
Section 2. Either group, noting explicitly as a group, may, by a two-thirds vote of its members voting, exercise veto power over the adoption of any amendment to this Constitution.
By-Laws
1. Dues
Dues shall be $2.00 per year per member.
Citation
“Constitution of the Washington Area CRH adopted Dec. 6, 1965”, The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed May 18, 2024, https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/crh/item/1825.