THE BYLAWS OF THE VESTRY OF
ST. MARY'S PARISH IN THE
DIOCESE OF
ARTICLE ONE: THE VESTRY
A. COMPOSITION:
The business, properties and temporal affairs of St. Mary's Parish, comprising Trinity Church, St. Mary's City, Maryland and St. Mary's Chapel, Ridge, Maryland, ("the Parish") shall be managed by a Vestry consisting of nine members, each of whom shall serve for a term of three years, said terms to be staggered so that, except in the event of a vacancy or vacancies occurring in the membership thereof, other than as a result of the expiration of a member's term, no more than three vestry members shall be elected at any annual meeting the Parish. The number of lay Vestry members may be increased or decreased from time to time by amendment to these Bylaws except that no decrease shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent Vestry member.
B. QUALIFICATIONS:
A candidate for membership on the Vestry shall be:
1) 15 years of age or older,
2) A member of the Episcopal Church ("the Church"), as defined in the Canons of The Genereal Convention.
3) A regular financial contributor of record to the support of the Parish (as used herein the term "regular financial contributor of record" shall mean one who has made regular, periodic monetary contributions to the Parish as shown by the records of the Treasurer or one of the Assistant Treasurers of the Parish), and,
4) A stated worshipper in St. Mary's Parish. As used herein, the term "stated worshipper" shall mean one who regularly attends church services and who is recorded in the Parish Register.
5) In compliance with the above requirements for at least six months prior to nomination as a candidate
C. ELECTIONS:
1) Election to the Vestry shall be conducted annually at the Annual Parish Meeting. Notice of the time, date and place of such meeting as determined by the Vestry shall be published at least one least one month in advance thereof in a regularly published Parish bulletin or other Parish periodical or by special mailing for that purpose.
2) A Nominating Committee composed of at least three members shall be appointed by the Rector at least two months prior to the date of the Annual Parish Meeting. No member of the Vestry eligible to succeed himself or herself shall be considered for appointment to the Nominating Committee. The Committee shall submit a list of at least one nominee for each vacancy on the Vestry to be filled at such Annual Parish Meeting. Nominations may also be made from the floor at such meetings. Only one of the nominees shall be under the age of eighteen years and that nominee shall be at least fifteen years of age.
3) Except as otherwise provided for herein, at each Annual Parish Meeting three members of the Vestry shall be elected, each for a term of three years, by a majority of the qualified voters of the Parish present and voting [AND UPON ELECTION SHALL MAKE OATH IN DUE FORM OF LAW FOR THE FAITHFUL EXECUTION OF THE OFFICE.] A majority of the members of the Vestry at any Parish Meeting shall decide any issues concerning an election. No more than three members of the Vestry shall be under the age of eighteen years of age nor may they be included in the computation of a quorum or vote on the acceptance of any contractual obligation of the Vestry. In all other respects, they shall have full power and responsibilities as Vestry members.
4) Qualifications for voting at the Annual Parish Meeting shall be:
i) 15 years of age or older;
ii) Recorded in the Parish Register;
iii) A communicant of the Episcopal Church (as defined in the canons of the general convention).
iv) A regular financial contributor of record to the support of the parish, as defined in section two c of these bylaws for at least six months preceding the date of the annual parish meeting and
v) A stated worshipper in st. Mary's parish, as defined in section two d of these bylaws.
vi) [the vestry shall decide any issue concerning the inclusion or omission of any person on the list of qualified voters to be maintained by the secretary of the parish.]
5) A Vestry member shall be ineligible to succeed himself or herself for a period of one
year from the expiration of his or her regular three-year term. This prohibition shall not apply to a Vestry member appointed or elected to fill the unexpired term of a member whose office has been vacated.
6) Vacancies occurring in the membership of the Vestry shall be filled by the election by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Vestry of a person meeting the qualifications set forth in SECTION TWO of these Bylaws. The person so elected shall serve until the next Annual Parish Meeting.
7) In the event of a vacancy among the Wardens, a majority of the remaining Vestry members may elect a person who is eligible for election as Warden to fill the vacancy until the next meeting of the Vestry at which the Wardens are normally elected.
D. ORGANIZATION AND
MEETINGS:
1) Regular meetings of the Vestry shall be held once each calendar month at a date and time to be determined by the Rector.
2) Special meetings may be called at any time by the Rector, by the Senior Warden in the absence of the Rector, by the Junior Warden in the absence of the Rector and the Senior Warden, or upon the written request of one-third of the Lay voting members of the Vestry upon not less than three days notice directed to the Rector or to the Wardens in the absence of the Rector. The notice may be shortened by a majority of the voting members of the whole Vestry at any meeting.
3) All meetings of the Vestry shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order unless the same shall be waived by a majority vote of the Vestry
4) Four members of the Vestry shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting thereof.
5) At the first meeting of the Vestry following the Annual Parish Meeting, the Vestry shall organize itself and elect the following officers from among its members:
a. A Senior Warden
b. A Junior Warden;
c. And shall elect from the Vestry or the Parish at large, by majority vote, the following officers:
i. A Chapel Warden,
ii. A Secretary of the Parish,
iii. A Treasurer of the Parish,
iv. An Assistant Treasurer of the Parish, and
v. Lay Delegate(s) and Alternate(s) to the Diocesan Convention
ARTICLE TWO
PARISH MEETINGS
1) The Annual Parish Meeting shall be called and held annually on a Sunday in the first quarter of the year, in the Parish Hall or at such other time and place as shall be designated by the Vestry. Notice of the time and place of the said Annual Meeting shall be published one month in advance thereof in a regularly published Parish bulletin or other Parish periodical or by special mailing for that purpose. Thirty-three and one-third percent of the voting members of the parish shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the annual meeting.
2) Special meetings of the Parish may be called at any time by the Rector, by the Senior Warden in the absence of the Rector, by the Junior Warden in the absence of the Rector and the Senior Warden; upon the written request of two-thirds of the Vestry directed to the Rector or to the Wardens in the absence of the Rector, or upon the petition of not less than thirty-three and one third percent of the voting members of the parish. Notice of the place, day and hour of such special meeting and the purpose for which it is called shall be by publication, at least two weeks in advance thereof, in a regularly published. Parish bulletin or other parish periodical or by special mailing for that purpose. At least 30 days notice shall be given of any proposed changes to the bylaws to be presented at a meeting. The notice shall include the proposed change and an explanation of it.
3) Voting by absentee ballot shall be permitted for the sick and homebound members of the Parish and by Parishioners whose schedules prevent them from attendance at the Parish meeting. Absentee voting shall be limited to the first ballot cast for the election of members to the Vestry and to any issue for which prior notice has been given. Absentee voting shall not be used for issues raised from the floor at the meeting. The absentee ballot shall be in writing and shall be presented to the Register of the Vestry in a sealed envelope to which has been attached a separate signed certificate of the voter certifying the conditions under which the ballot is submitted. The said certificate shall be detached from the envelope by the Registrar prior to the casting of the ballot (by delivering the sealed envelope containing the ballot to the tellers of the election) and retained by the Registrar as a part of the minutes of the meeting at which the ballot was cast.
4) The vestry or, alternatively, a majority of the members of the vestry present at any parish meeting, shall decide any issues concerning an election.
ARTICLE THREE
THE RECTOR
The Rector, or the Senior Warden ( in the absence of the Rector ), the junior warden (in absence of the senior warden),) shall preside at all meetings of the Parish and the Vestry and shall be ex officio a member thereof. if the parish is without a rector the bishop, if present, will preside. The Rector, with the advice and consent of the Vestry, shall appoint from among the parishioners chairpersons and members of such commissions and committees as he or she shall deem necessary for the orderly transaction of the business and affairs of the Parish, and shall charge such commissions and committees as to their duties. The Vestry will review the performance of such chairpersons annually. The Rector shall be ex officio a member of all such commissions and committees
ARTICLE FOUR
COMMISSIONS AND COMITTEES
Chairpersons of such commissions and committees as shall be appointed by the Rector as set forth in article three of these Bylaws shall organize and supervise their various commissions and committees, shall report periodically to the Rector and shall act as liaison between the Vestry and the Parish at large. Each parishioner shall be eligible to serve as chairperson and member of one or more commissions or committees. The definition of Parishioner as used in these Bylaws shall be a person who meets the qualifications for voting at the Annual Parish meeting set forth in Article I, paragraph 3.D, in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE FIVE
DUTIES OF OFFICERS OF THE VESTRY
AND OF THE PARISH
THE SENIOR WARDEN
Shall, in the absence or upon request of the Rector, preside at all regular or special meetings of the Vestry or the Parish Shall act for and in the place and stead of the Rector, in the absence of the latter, in all matters concerning the business and affairs of the Parish, and, shall perform such other duties and have such authority in the management of the property and affairs of the parish as are provided by the canons of the diocese and general convention and the bylaws and resolutions of the vestry not inconsistent with those canons.
THE JUNIOR WARDEN
Shall assist the Senior Warden in the performance of his or her duties, shall act for and in the place and stead of the senior warden in the absence of the latter, shall have such authority in the management of the property and affairs of the parish as are provided by the canons of the diocese and general convention and the bylaws and resolutions of the vestry not inconsistent with those canons and shall perform such other duties as shall be prescribed in his/her job description
THE CHAPEL WARDEN
Shall act as liaison between the Chapel and the larger Parish, assist the Senior and Junior Wardens in matters pertaining to the Chapel, and shall perform such other duties as shall be prescribed in his/her job description.
THE TREASURER
Shall keep a true and correct record of all funds of the Parish, shall pay all Parish obligations approved by the Vestry as set out in the budget and shall account for the collection and expenditure of all Parish funds, charging the same against approved budget items;
Shall report the financial condition of the Parish at each meeting of the Vestry, and to the Parish at its Annual Meeting;
Shall utilize standard accounting procedures;
Shall have the authority, acting with the Senior Warden, to execute all leases, deeds, contracts, and other paper writings on behalf of the Vestry, upon resolution of the Vestry, and Shall have the authority, acting upon recommendation of the finance committee and approval of the Vestry, to invest the funds of the Parish.
ARTICLE SIX
CLERGY
Procedures relating to the election of clergy
1). Rector: when the rectorship becomes vacant, the vestry shall, by a majority vote of the whole vestry, elect a new rector from among the priests of the Episcopal church or other clergy authorized by the canons of the general convention to officiate in the Episcopal church. The election shall follow consultation with the bishop in conformity with the canons of the general convention. Assist ant clergy: the vestry shall, by a majority vote of the whole vestry elect assistant clergy from among the clergy of the Episcopal church or other clergy authorized by the canons of the general convention to officiate in the Episcopal church. The election shall be at the nomination of the rector and after consultation with the bishop in conformity with the canons of the general convention.
2). Contract: the call of a new rector or new assistant clergy shall be made to and accepted by the member of the clergy in writing. The call shall contain a provision substantially in the following form:
The vestry of St. Mary’s parish has elected and do invite the reverend to be the rector (or assistant clergy) of this parish, to serve pursuant to the following understandings:
a) The
rector (or assistant clergy) shall have an annual salary of $ __ and benefits
set in accordance with the salary scales and benefits contained in the
personnel policies & guidelines of the diocese of
b) The rector (or assistant clergy) shall have an annual vacation of (state length of time) with full salary.
c) The parish shall pay for the rector (or assistant clergy) the required assessment to the church pension fund in accordance with its rules.
d) (in the case of a rectorship) this rectorship shall continue until dissolved by mutual consent or by arbitration and decision as provided by the canons of the general convention (or state length of tenure if agreed on).
e) (other provisions as agreed upon by the vestry and the clergy)
f) In addition to the ma tiers enumerated above, the matters specified in appendix b to the canons of the diocese, entitled" guidelines for clergy contracts" shall, at the request of either the vestry or the clergy, be jointly discussed and considered for inclusion in the call. All matters agreed to by the vestry and the clergy on any of the subjects specified in appendix b shall be included in the written call].
SEVEN
MISCELLANEOUS
Any subject not addressed by or provided for in these bylaws
shall be governed by the applicable provisions of the Maryland Vestry Act of
1798, as amended, and by the constitution and other canons of the diocese of
ARTICLE EIGHT
AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended at any annual Parish meeting or at any special Parish meeting called for that purpose, by a two-thirds majority of the qualified voters of the Parish present and voting, provided that such amendment or amendments have been published not less than one month prior to such regular meeting, or not less than two weeks prior to such special meeting, in a regularly published Parish bulletin or other Parish periodical or by special mailing for that purpose. At least thirty days notice shall be given of any change to the by-laws to be presented for action at a meeting
Such amendments shall take effect upon their adoption as herein provided.