BYLAWS FOR CHURCH WOMEN UNITED IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY (CWU-RV)
PREAMBLE
CHURCH WOMEN UNITED IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY (CWU-RV) is one of three parts of the national ecumenical movement of Christian women witnessing to unity and faith in Jesus Christ through worship, study, action, and celebration. These three parts (local, State of Virginia, and national) are interdependent and interrelated and constitute the movement that is Church Women United, Inc.
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of the organization shall be Church Women United in the Roanoke Valley (CWU-RV).
ARTICLE II – PURPOSE & GOALS
SECTION A. Purpose. The purpose of CWU-RV shall be to encourage Christian Women to come together in a visible community to witness to unity and faith in Jesus Christ and, enabled by the Holy Spirit, to go out together into every neighborhood and nation as instruments of Christ’s reconciling love.
SECTION B. Goals. The goals of CWU-RV shall be:
1. To carry forward the purposes and goals of Church Women United, Inc.
2. To form an organized channel by which Christian women determine goals, study, speak, and act together on common issues and to experience community through worship, study, action, and celebration.
3. To develop relationships with Christian individuals and organized groups of church women within the community in order to achieve the goals of Church Women United, Inc.
To develop relationships with secular and other religious groups in order to foster understanding and achieve the goals of Church Women United, Inc.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP & DUES
SECTION A. Membership. Membership in CWU-RV shall be open to women of all races, ethnicities, and Christian denominations and all churches and organizations who believe in the purpose of Church Women United, Inc. and support the movement.
SECTION B. Dues. The amount of annual individual and church/organizational dues shall be determined by the Board and are payable to the Treasurer at any time during the fiscal year.
ARTICLE IV – THE BOARD
The Board shall consist of no fewer than 13 and no more than 17 members and include the following:
1. Officers. Officers of the Board shall be the Executive Committee of CWU-RV and shall be elected by the membership with the exception of the immediate Past President, who is an ex-officio member.
a. President
b. Vice-President
c. Recording Secretary
d. Corresponding Secretary
e. Treasurer
f. Assistant Treasurer
g. Immediate Past President (ex officio)
2. Other Board Members shall be elected by the membership and include the following:
a. Coordinator for Communications
b. Coordinator for Ecumenical Celebrations
c. Coordinator for Ecumenical Development
d. Coordinator for Ecumenical Action
3. Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be chaired by the President to function on behalf of the Board in between regularly scheduled Board meetings.
SECTION B. Duties of the Board. The Board shall meet prior to each membership meeting as defined in
Article VIII. Its duties shall be to:
1. Set policies and goals which carry forward the purposes of CWU-RV.
2. Approve, coordinate, and evaluate projects and programs.
3. Receive and review financial reports.
4. Approve a slate of Officers and other Board members at the last Board meeting of the year to present to the membership at the December meeting.
5. Approve an annual budget at the first Board meeting of the year to be presented to the membership at the Annual Meeting in January.
6. Fill vacancies on the Board as they occur.
7. Appoint Advisory Council members.
SECTION C. Meetings. Meetings may be held in person, electronically, or a combination of both. Meetings may be held electronically as long as the meeting provides, at minimum, opportunity for simultaneous aural communications among all members equivalent to those of meetings held in person.
SECTION D. Quorum. A quorum for each Board meeting shall consist of a majority of the Board. A quorum for each Executive Committee shall be a majority of Executive Committee members.
ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS & TERMS
SECTION A. Elections. Board members shall be elected by a majority of the general membership at the last meeting of the calendar year. All women in attendance either in person or electronically who are members of CWU-RV are eligible to vote.
SECTION B. Terms for Boards Members.
1. Board members shall be elected for a two (2)-year term which shall begin on January 1 following their election.
2. Each Board member may be elected for a consecutive term for a total of two (2) terms, equaling four (4) years. Officers who have completed a first or second term in one role may serve an additional term or terms in a different role.
3. Individuals appointed to fill an unexpired term shall be eligible to serve two (2) additional two (2)-year terms in that position.
ARTICLE VI – RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities of Board Members include the following:
1. The President shall be responsible for:
a. Preparing the agenda for and preside at CWU-RV Board and membership meetings.
b. Serving as the liaison between the local unit and the state and national offices, and referring
information received to the appropriate board members.
c. Serving as ex-officio member of each committee except the Nominating Committee.
d. Preparing the annual report to be submitted to CWU National and State offices.
2. The Vice-President shall be responsible for:
a. Acting in the absence of the President.
b. Assisting the President as needed with day-to-day operations of the unit.
c. Convening the Advisory Council.
d. Other duties as requested.
3. The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for:
a. Recording the minutes of all CWU-RV Board and membership meetings and filing copies
of those documents in the Unit’s archives.
b. Maintaining records of attendance at CWU-RV meetings.
4. The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for:
a. Taking care of official correspondence as directed by the Board.
b. Sending notes of encouragement and benevolence.
5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for:
a. Keeping an accurate record of all funds received and disbursed by CWU-RV.
b. Making disbursements according to the budget or upon order of the Board.
c. Presenting a written report at each meeting of the Board of the Membership, including an annual
report at the end of the fiscal year.
d. Presenting the annual budget prepared by the Financial Committee at the first Board meeting
of the year and at the Annual Meeting.
e. Submitting the 990-N form as required by the IRS.
6. The Assistant Treasurer shall be responsible for assisting the Treasurer as needed.
7. The Immediate Past President shall serve as a member of the Bylaws Committee and as an advisor to the Board as needed.
8. The Coordinator of Communications shall be responsible for communicating information about the work of CWU-RV to the membership and the general public and for assuring that historical records are maintained for the unit’s archives.
9. The Coordinator for Ecumenical Celebrations shall be responsible for making and carrying out overall plans, filing reports, and ordering necessary materials for the celebrations of World Day of Prayer, May Friendship Day, and World Community Day as defined in Article VIII.
10. The Coordinator for Ecumenical Development shall be responsible for deepening and strengthening the sense of community of church women across confessional, national, and racial lines, for membership recruitment and retention, and for working with the Coordinator for Ecumenical Action to facilitate the quadrennial goal-setting process to determine which CWU National quadrennial priority or priorities will be the focus of CWU-RV kingdom-building work.
11. The Coordinator for Ecumenical Action shall be responsible for developing overall plans for projects which assist church women to study, speak and act on conditions in our society that challenge women and the church today and for working with the Coordinator for Ecumenical Development to facilitate the quadrennial goal-setting process to determine which CWU National quadrennial priority or priorities will be the focus of CWU-RV kingdom-building work.
12. Members at Large shall have the same rights and privileges as other Board members and shall support the work of the Board and accept assignments as needed.
ARTICLE VII – COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COUNCIL
SECTION A. Standing Committees
1. Finance Committee. The Finance Committee is composed of the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and two other members appointed by the Board. One of the appointed members must be a member of the Board and will chair the committee. The Finance Committee will be responsible for developing the annual budget and providing status reports as needed. This includes presenting an annual report at the Annual Meeting and preparing the annual budget for the following year.
2. Bylaws Committee. The Bylaws Committee is composed of the President, Vice-President, Past President, and two members at large appointed by the Board. The Bylaws will be reviewed bi-annually and updated as needed.
SECTION B. Ad Hoc Committees
1. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President with approval of the Board in the spring of the year that elections are to be held. The Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and two other CWU-RV members, who will be responsible for nominating persons to fill vacancies on the Board and nominating persons to serve on the Advisory Council. The slate shall be presented for vote by the general membership at the last meeting of the calendar year after approval by the Board prior to that meeting.
2. Financial Review Committee. The Financial Review Committee shall be appointed by the Board to conduct a review of the financial records every two years or whenever there is a change in Treasurer or as requested by the Board.
SECTION C. Advisory Council
The Advisory Council shall meet at least annually and serve in an advisory capacity to the Board. Representatives are approved by the Board and may include past Board members and other CWU members whose longevity with the organization and expertise offer valuable insights to CWU-RV. Nominations for the Advisory Council may come from any CWU-RV member.
ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS
SECTION A. Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting shall be held on the fourth (4th) Friday of January.
SECTION B. Celebrations. CWU-RV will celebrate the following days:
1. World Day of Prayer on the first (1st) Friday in March
2. May Friendship Day on the first (1st) Friday in May
3. Human Rights Day on the fourth (4th) Friday of September
4. World Community Day on the first (1st) Friday in December
SECTION C. Meetings may be held in person, electronically, or a combination of both.
SECTION D. Meeting dates are subject to change upon approval of the Board.
ARTICLE IX – FISCAL YEAR
The Fiscal Year for CWU-RV shall be from January 1 through December 31.
ARTICLE X – DISSOLUTION
In the event of radical change or dissolution of CWU-RV, after all financial claims or obligations have been satisfied, all residual funds, including all monies held in the treasury, the bank, and all other accounts must be forwarded to the CWU National office.
ARTICLE XI – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the governing parliamentary authority of CWU-RV in all cases not provided in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at any meeting of CWU-RV as defined in Article VIII.
Revisions: January 1994; November 2010; November 2019; December 2021; December 2023