BYLAWS of the Church of All Worlds, Inc.
Corporate Headquarters 960 Berry St Toledo, OH 43605
As amended by General Membership Meeting 5 August 2000.

PREAMBLE

Dedication-Recognizing the necessity for the affirmation of life in a world choked by the worship of death, we, the Clergy and Councils of the Church of All Worlds do re-establish and re-ordain on this fair planet a vital new Pagan religion, dedicated to the celebration of Life, the maximal actualization of Human potential, and the realization of ultimate individual freedom and personal responsibility in harmonious eco-psychic relationship with the total Biosphere of Holy Mother Earth.

Mission Statement-The mission of the Church of All Worlds is to evolve a network of information, mythology and experience to awaken the Divine within and to provide a context and stimulus for reawakening Gaea and reuniting Her children through tribal community dedicated to responsible stewardship and the evolution of consciousness. To which ends we do hereby adopt and enact the following Articles:

ARTICLE I
NAME

1.1: The name of the corporation shall be the Church of All Worlds, Inc., and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) religious organization, incorporated in the United States under the laws of the States of Missouri and California, and in Australia under subsection 23(e) of the ITAA (Income Tax Assessment Act) of 1936.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE

2.1: The purpose of this Corporation shall be as outlined in the Articles of Incorporation; and specifically the following:

2.1.1: To do all in our power to increase the total degree of consciousness, individually, collectively, and synergically, at all levels of Being, in the unfolding course of emergent evolution;

2.1.2: To aid individuals and groups in the maximal actualization of Human potential and the realization of ultimate individual freedom and personal responsibility; to help people become what they potentially are;

2.1.3: To work toward the development of life-affirming alternatives to hatred, prejudice, intolerance, war, violence, greed, and all of the societal and individual actions and policies which leave humankind paralyzed by fear, ignorance, alienation and guilt, and to work to dispel apathy towards these situations;

2.1.4: To provide mutual help and encouragement in the search for meaning and identity through association with similarly oriented fellows in a context of acceptance and love;

2.1.5: To assist those who are searching for alternatives to presently established religions and institutions; to also assist individuals in the integration of life-affirming values and practices into present religious/spiritual paths; to assist individuals in retaining and enriching past affiliations where desired and rejecting that which is negative or no longer relevant to the individual;

2.1.6: To furnish a central headquarters and branch offices (called Churches, Nests, Centers, or Temples) through which seekers may locate and communicate with each other, and to buy, sell, own, hold, mortgage, or otherwise encumber, lease, or otherwise hold and dispose of real and personal property necessary to properly establish, fit up, and maintain such places;

2.1.7: To encourage reading, study and growth on the part of members and friends, and to make available literature in various relevant fields;

2.1.8: To publish newsletters, papers, magazines, pamphlets, books, directories and other materials deemed appropriate to the purposes of the Church by the Board of Directors or its delegated authority;

2.1.9: To establish and maintain religious orders, communities, schools, colleges, libraries, research facilities, wilderness sanctuaries and retreats, camps, festivals, rites and rituals in accordance with the principles of this Church;

2.1.10: To provide for all possible means for recycling the bodies of deceased members consistent with eco-psychic awareness and personal will;

2.1.11: To make provision to establish and ordain various sacraments of the Church of All Worlds;

2.1.12: To receive money, property, and values of every kind heretofore donated, contributed, collected, and held, and to receive, and hold money, property and values of every kind that might be donated, contributed, collected and held, for the benefit of this religious organization;

2.1.13: To work, associate, and affiliate with other similarly oriented individuals, churches, agencies and groups promoting peace, love, joy, freedom, mutual respect and cooperation among peoples, tribal community, planetary stewardship, personal awareness and development, celebration of life and the eco-psychic recovery of Natural Wilderness, and to aid and support such people in such efforts as shall be found not to be in conflict with the purposes and principles of this Church; and

2.1.14: To engage in and promote any functions, services and activities deemed appropriate, necessary or expedient for the purposes of the Church by the Board of Directors, its delegated authority, or the directors of the various Subordinate Organizations.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

3.l: Membership. Membership shall consist of those who understand the principles of the Church, who have made written application, signed the membership pledge, paid the annual dues, and have been accepted by the Board of Directors or its delegated authority. The form of application shall be that approved by the Board of Directors or its delegated authority.

3.l.1: Dues. The annual membership dues and amounts shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The treasurer shall collect all membership funds and administer them in accordance with established policy as determined by the Board of Directors.

3.l.2: Work Trades and Scholarships may be considered in place of dues on a case by case basis upon the approval of the Board of Directors or its delegated authority.

3.2: Active Membership. Adult members of 2nd Circle or inward whose annual dues are current shall be referred to as Active Members, with full voting privileges, subscription to the membership newsletter, notices of caw festivals, events and membership discounts at paid functions.

3.2.1: Inactive Membership. Those whose dues are in arrears shall be regarded as inactive members, and their voting privileges, subscription to the membership newsletter, notices of CAW festivals, events and membership discounts at paid functions shall be suspended until such time as they renew their memberships with a payment of the annual dues.

3.3: Family Memberships. The Church of All Worlds wishes to recognize and acknowledge every conceivable configuration of family structure that our members wish to claim. Therefore, "Family Memberships" shall be made available at a discount in annual dues to all members claiming the same mailing address.

3.3.1: Member families shall receive a single copy of all mailings, newsletters, etc. for the entire family.

3.4: Youth Memberships. Children and adolescents under the age of 18 may join the Church as Youth Members upon filing a Youth Membership Application which includes a signature of parent or guardian granting permission and approval.

3.4.1: Youth members shall not have voting privileges, nor be eligible to form nests or subordinate organizations.

3.5: Prison Memberships. Incarcerated adults may formally join the Church of All Worlds at 1st Circle, using a special prison membership application form. In consideration of their condition, annual dues shall be waived during the term of their incarceration.

3.5.1: Incarcerated members may ingress through the 3rd Circle only, via a specially-adapted prisons RINGS study program. Once released, further Circles earned while incarcerated shall be fully credited.

3.5.2: Incarcerated members shall not have voting privileges.

3.6: Rings and Circles. Membership shall be organized in degrees of introgression, as follows...

3.6.1: Three Rings of three Circles each, to be known (from outer to inner) respectively as Seekers, Scions, and Priests/Priestesses (Priesthood).

3.6.2: Members may be referred to by designation of a Circle, one through nine.

ARTICLE IV
SEEKERS

4.1: The First Ring shall consist of Seekers, to be identified by the color green, as used on membership cards, newsletters and in ceremonial vestments. They shall be grouped in the following three Circles, by qualifications to be determined and amended by the Clergy Council or its delegated authority:

4.1.1: First Circle (identified with the planet Pluto and its symbols.)

4.1.2: Second Circle (identified with the planet Neptune and its symbols.)

4.1.3: Third Circle (identified with the planet Uranus and its symbols.)

ARTICLE V
SCIONS

5.1: The Second Ring shall consist of Scions, to be identified by the color red, as used on membership cards, newsletters, and in ceremonial vestments. They shall be grouped into the following three Circles by qualifications to be determined and amended by the Clergy Council or its delegated authority:

5.1.1: Fourth Circle (identified with the planet Saturn and its symbols.)

5.1.2: Fifth Circle (identified with the planet Jupiter and its symbols.)

5.1.3: Sixth Circle (identified with the planet Mars and its symbols.)

5.2: Duties of Scions may include management of Church programs, and any other such duties as may be determined by the Board of Directors and Clergy Council or their delegated authority.

5.3: Tracks. Scions may follow one or more alternate tracks through the Second Ring-including but not limited to: Support Services; Earth Stewardship; Magical Guilds; or Ministry-by qualifications set forth by the Board of Directors or its delegated authority.

5.4: Ministers. In special cases the Church may license a Scion of 6th Circle as a Minister and issue Ministerial Credentials. Licensed CAW Ministers shall function as the equivalent of Chaplains, and be authorized to perform such sacraments as authorized by the Priesthood Council. In order to qualify for this special status, the Scion must present a Ministerial Proposal to the Board of Directors and Priesthood Council indicating the nature of the Scion's intended Ministry and his/her qualifications to fulfill it.

5.4.1: Ministers shall be regarded as Clergy, but not as part of the Priesthood, which is a designation reserved for Third Ring members.

5.4.2: A Minister may form his/her ministry as a subordinate organization subject to the provisions of §XI et. Seq.

5.5: Priories. A Scion of 6th Circle or inward may be appointed by the Priesthood Council to be a spiritual steward for Sacred Land involving a Temple or a community of votaries. Such person may be nominated by their community and shall be installed as a Prior or Prioress whose duties shall include administrative and ministerial functions to be determined by the Board of Directors and the Clergy Council or their delegated authority.

5.5.1: Priors/Prioresses shall be regarded as Clergy, but not as part of the Priesthood, which is a designation reserved for Third Ring members.

ARTICLE VI
PRIESTHOOD

6.1: The Third Ring shall consist of Priests and Priestesses, to be identified by the color blue or purple, as used on membership cards, in newsletters, and in ceremonial vestments. They shall be grouped into the following three Circles, by qualifications to be determined and amended by the Priesthood Council.

6.1.1: Seventh Circle (identified with the planet Earth and its symbols.)

6.1.2: Eighth Circle (identified with the planet Venus and its symbols.)

6.1.3: Ninth Circle (identified with the planet Mercury and its symbols.)

6.2: Duties of the Priesthood shall include providing spiritual guidance and counsel to other members, hosting and officiating at various ceremonies and services, administering the sacraments, writing and preparing rituals, participating in the Clergy and Priesthood Councils, supervising the training of Seekers and Scions, sponsoring and aiding postulants to the Priesthood, serving as conscience dictates as members of the Board of Directors, facilitating communications among Nests, and any other such duties as may be determined by the Priesthood Council or the Board of Directors.

6.3: Ordination into the Priesthood may be bestowed upon Scions who have completed all the currently stated qualifications of the Sixth Circle and have been recommended for the Seventh by any sponsoring member of the Priesthood, provided the candidate has first been approved unanimously by the Priesthood Council through the submission of such data as the Council may choose to require.

6.4: High Priest and High Priestess. The titles "High Priest" and High Priestess" are honorific, and may be applied to only one man and/or one woman in a given country at a time. These are religious titles granted in recognition of such individuals as the foremost Clergy representatives of the Church in their country, and are meant primarily to denote such status in interactions outside the Church, such as interfaith conferences and forums, public interviews and media presentations, etc. where it is appropriate to have our authorized representatives designated by suitable titles of rank.

6.4.1: Qualifications. To qualify for the title of High Priest or High Priestess, said individual must be a superb ritualist and public speaker, and be acknowledged High Priest or High Priestess by the National PRIESTHOOD Council of their country. He or she should have served on the Central Board of Directors or National Management Council of their country.

6.4.2: Term of office. The title of High Priest or High Priestess may be held for no longer than seven years in succession, during which time it shall be the duty of said persons to select and train their successors. If at any time no member of the Priesthood in a particular country is qualified, acknowledged, or willing to hold one of these titles, said title shall languish until an appropriate recipient arises.

ARTICLE VII
PRIMATE

7.1: To honor Oberon Zell for his many years of service to the Church of All Worlds, and to acknowledge him as co-founder of the CAW, and in recognition of his well-known abilities as an excellent representative of the larger primate family, he shall be known as the Primate, and shall hold this position for as life unless he no longer desires to, or if through illness or incapacity he can no longer adequately demonstrate his capability to perform its duties and functions to the membership and the Clergy Council. Any of the foregoing conditions may serve to limit the term of office of the Primate.

7.2: Duties of the Primate shall include all appropriate duties of a general spokesperson, integration of the changing awareness of society into the vision of the Church, and coordination of relationships with other groups within the larger Pagan community. It shall be the responsibility of the Primate to keep well informed enough on all phases of both the Church of All Worlds and Paganism as a whole that such duties may always be competently and effectively performed.

7.3: As the Primate is largely an honorific position awarded by the membership in respect for a person's years of service to the Church of All Worlds, a successor shall not be chosen upon the discontinuation of the Primate's term of office..

ARTICLE VIII
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

8.1: Management of the Corporation shall be vested in a Board of Directors, consisting of the four corporate officers (President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary) and one or more Members-at-Large.

8.1.1: Members of the Priesthood may, as conscience dictates, attend Board meetings, advise the Board on matters touching upon concerns of the Church, and participate in such decisions of the Board as voting members thereof.

8.1.2: Any active member of the Church may attend any meeting of the Board of Directors as a non-voting observer.

8.1.3: Conflict of interest. No member of the Board shall vote on a matter from which they would derive direct financial gain or loss.

8.2: At the Annual Meeting of the General Membership, members of the Board of Directors shall be elected by a vote of the Active Membership. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall serve as officers both for the Board of Directors and for the Corporation. All members of the Board of Directors must be active members in good standing and qualified to perform the duties of their office.

8.3: The powers of the Board of Directors shall be those usually assigned to such Directors. They are subject to limitation or specification at any meeting of the Board. They shall specifically include the following powers:

8.3.1: To call regular or special meetings of the Directors, the Councils, or of the membership, on initiative of the President, or by mutual agreement of two or more of the Directors;

8.3.2: To make rules and regulations not inconsistent with the laws of the State of California or the Bylaws of this Corporation, for the guidance of officers, Directors, and members;

8.3.3: To make rules and regulations for the use and management of all Church property, whether real or personal, and to change such rules and regulations at such time and in such manner as to said Board of Directors, or Directors of subordinate organizations, shall seem right and proper;

8.3.4: To issue certificates of Charter to members in other areas when they wish to establish a local Nest, or to establish Subordinate Organizations, upon conditions to be determined by the Board or its delegated authority;

8.3.5: To determine what shall be due and reasonable compensation to be paid any member of the Corporation for services rendered to or for the Corporation, affecting one or more of its purposes; and

8.3.6: To maintain, at the Central Office, confidential files on all members, active and inactive, and such other records as may be deemed necessary adequately to carry out the purposes of the Corporation.

8.4: The Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to borrow money on behalf of the Corporation, including the power and authority to borrow money from any of the members, Directors, or officers of the Corporation, and to otherwise incur indebtedness on behalf of the Corporation, and to authorize the execution of promissory notes, or other evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation, and to agree to pay interest thereon to sell, convey, alienate, transfer, assign, exchange, lease, and otherwise dispose of, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate, and otherwise encumber the property, real or personal, and the franchises of the Corporation to purchase, lease, and otherwise acquire property, real and personal, on behalf of the Corporation; and generally to do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, every act which the Corporation may lawfully do and perform.

8.5: The Board of Directors shall have summary power to suspend or expel any member of the Church, or suspend their rights and privileges for conduct which in its opinion disturbs the order, dignity, business or harmony, or impairs the good name, popularity or prosperity of the organization, or which is likely in its opinion, to endanger the welfare, interest or character of the organization, or for any conduct in violation of these Bylaws or of the rules and regulations of the Corporation, which may be made from time to time. Such action by the Board of Directors may be taken at any meeting of such Board upon the initiative of any member or members thereof in accordance with established procedures set forth by the Board of Directors.

8.5.1: Veto. The proceedings of the Board of Directors shall be final and conclusive, unless overruled by majority vote of the Priesthood Council, acting as a board of appeal.

8.6: Dialogue with membership. The mission of the Board collectively and of each member individually shall include, within reason, seeking input from the membership on all major decisions, especially from concerned parties and Scion councils.

8.6.1: The Board of Directors shall also be empowered to call a meeting of the general membership, provided that they give no less than 30 days notice of such meetings in the official membership publications and online fora recognized by the Church.

8.7: Limitations. Except in cases in which the Board finds a compelling interest, or in areas in which a dispute arises, the Board shall exercise the minimum necessary power to coordinate the business of the Church as a whole, empowering the membership-including subordinate organizations, Nests and Branches-to exercise maximum autonomy. It shall limit itself to matters of the whole body, unless a dispute comes up within a subordinate organization or Nest or regarding an individual or relationship within the Church, and the parties concerned elect to refer their dispute to the Board for resolution. If such a dispute does arise, the Board shall still encourage the subordinate organization or Nest to resolve the conflict internally and offer suggestions for doing so. Only if the Board finds a compelling interest shall it take action in the internal matters of a subordinate organization, Nest or Branch.

8.8: The Board of Directors shall constitute a nominating committee for Directors to serve on the Board. Their recommendations shall be presented by the Secretary to the Annual Meeting of the General Membership. Other nominations may be made by any active member present at said meeting, or submitted to the Board prior to the Summer Board meeting for inclusion on the ballot to be published in the Summer edition of the general membership newsletter.

ARTICLE IX
OFFICERS

9.1: The Officers of the Corporation shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

9.2: Terms. The term of all offices shall be one year.

9.3: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, and shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Membership. The President shall be a member of at least 5th Circle or inward, of at least five years standing as an active member of the Church. S/he shall have general charge of the business of the Corporation, and shall execute, with the Secretary, in the name of the Corporation, all deeds, bonds, contracts, and other obligations and instruments authorized by the Board of Directors.

9.3.1: The President shall also have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors.

9.4: The Vice-President shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the President in case of the absence or disability of the President. The Vice-President shall be a member of at least 5th Circle or inward and be familiar with the administrative procedures of the corporation.

9.4.1: In the case of resignation, permanent disability, or death of the President, the Vice-President shall serve as President Pro Tem and the Board shall appoint a new Vice-President Pro Tem until the next Annual Meeting of the General Membership in accordance with the qualification of the office of Vice-President as set forth in §9.2.

9.4.2: The Vice-President shall also have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors.

9.5: The Secretary shall keep records of all regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and forward these records to the members of the Board, the Priesthood, and the membership. The Secretary shall also notify members of the Priesthood and the Board of the time, place, and planned agenda of the regular Board meetings. Notices should be sent at least two weeks prior to each regular meeting, and as early as possible before a special meeting. Notice of the time and place of future meetings shall be published in a general membership publication and/or be posted to the membership via CAW mailing lists.

9.5.1: In case of the absence or disability of the Secretary, or refusal or neglect to act, notices may be given and served by the President, or by the Vice-President, or by any person authorized by the President or the Vice-President, or by the board of Directors.

9.5.2: The Secretary also serves as the correspondent of the Corporation with persons representing the State of California, and files whatever reports and forms may be required by the State on an annual or ongoing basis.

9.5.3: Minutes of Board meetings shall be prepared by the Secretary and distributed to the Board members and Priesthood not more than two weeks after each meeting.

9.5.3.1: The Secretary shall send minutes for meetings in detail (excluding confidential items as defined by the Brown Act) to those active members who request them and who pay for mailing and preparation time. Requests may be fulfilled via e-mail if so requested.

9.6: The Treasurer shall receive and safely keep all funds of the Corporation and deposit same in such bank or banks as may be designated by the Board of Directors. Such funds shall be paid out only on the cheque of the Corporation signed as directed by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall also control the keeping of the books and accounts of the Corporation, and is responsible for the filing and payment of any moneys required by the State of California. Subordinate Organization representatives are responsible for the forwarding of quarterly financial records of each Subordinate Organization to the Treasurer in advance of each quarterly Board of Directors meeting.

ARTICLE X
ADMINISTRATION

10.1: Administration of Church operations shall be coordinated by a Director of Operations who shall be primarily responsible for day-to-day Administration of the Church.

10.2: The Director of Operations shall report directly to the Board of Directors. In cases where the Church becomes incorporated in other countries, each country shall establish an Administrative Operation to manage local operations and Subordinate Organizations.

10.3: Subordinate Organizations shall coordinate their activities through the Administration office. In each country where the Church is incorporated, the local organization may establish such Subordinate Organizations as it deems appropriate for its needs.

10.4: National Management Councils. In countries other than the United States, local administrative operations may constitute within their Administration a management council made up of local members to form local policy within the overall charter and Bylaws of the Church.

ARTICLE XI
SUBORDINATE ORGANIZATIONS

11.1: The Corporation, acting through the Board of Directors or its delegated authority, may organize, charter, establish, and operate such Subordinate Organizations as may be found necessary or expedient adequately to carry out the purposes of the Corporation. Chartered Subordinate Organizations shall be included under the Church's Group Exemption.

11.1.1: Subsidiaries should begin as projects or provisional Subordinate Organizations and be considered for full Subordinate Organization status only after they have been active for a year and a day.

11.1.2: Subordinate Organizations shall not have the power to incur debt in the name of the Church of All Worlds.

11.2: Reports. Each Subordinate Organization shall submit quarterly reports of its activities and financial status to the Secretary and the Treasurer at least two weeks prior to each meeting of the Board of Directors. Provisional Subordinate Organizations should send a quarterly report to the central office.

11.3: Chartering and serving as Directors of Subordinate Organizations shall be open only to Active Adult Members of the Church adn requires at least one member 4th Circle or inward.

11.4: The governance of Subordinate Organizations shall be by Directors or Councils. Should the Subordinate Organization be authorized to open a bank or checking account, there shall be three approved signatories on the account, at least one of which must be 4th Circle or inward. Directors of Subordinate Organizations must contain at least one member of 4th Circle or inward, but other members of the Subordinate Organization Councils may be any active members of the Church that the Subordinate Organization Directors wish to delegate.

11.5: Should the Board of Directors determine that a Subordinate Organization is no longer functioning in the furtherance of the purposes of the Church, the Subordinate Organization's charter may be suspended or revoked by action of the Board. All assets of a chartered Subordinate Organization revert to CAW Central upon revocation of their charter, unless said Subordinate Organization has separately incorporated as a non-profit entity, in which case assets shall be divided by mutual agreement or by arbitration.

11.6: Protecting people's life work within the church. In order for members to be willing to devote their lives, assets and resources to the church, each individual and Subordinate Organization shall have as much autonomy and freedom of action and expression as possible.

11.6.1: In case of irreconcilable conflict with the Church, the directors of a Subsidiary Organization would, subject to contractual agreement, have the option of removing their organization from the Church while retaining its name, function, corporate status and assets. In such a case, that organization would forfeit the coverage of the Church's Group Exemption, insurance, and any other privileges of affiliation with the Church of All Worlds.

11.6.2: If there is a dispute between the board of directors and a subordinate organization, or among directors or other partners in a Subordinate Organization, and if any of these parties are not satisfied with a decision of the board, they may seek binding arbitration by a mutually-agreed-upon party or parties, pursuant to CAW's conflict resolution procedure.

11.7: Should a Subordinate Organization be disbanded, either while covered by the Church's Group Exemption, or at any time up to a year after said Subordinate has been removed from the Church, any assets revert to CAW Central.

ARTICLE XII
FAMILIES AND NESTS

12.1: Families and Nests. The basic local organizational congregational units of the Church of All Worlds shall be Families and Nests.

12.1.1: A Family is a group of two or more Church members bonded together in a commitment which may be defined by an appropriate Commitment Ceremony.

12.1.2: A Nest is a small intimate group of at least three, and it is recommended, not more than 13, Church members, organized in a local area to learn about, discuss, and creatively practice the principles of the Church.

12.1.3: Families and Nests are not required to have open meetings and may

determine their own internal structure and method of participation.

12.1.4: Families and Nests shall not have the power to incur debt in the name of the Church of All Worlds.

12.2: Families shall be autonomous units of two or more Church members who publicly declare their commitment to one another.

12.2.1: Handfast Families shall be autonomous units of two or more adult Church members who publicly declare their commitment to one another and have, after participating in a commitment ceremony conducted by Clergy of the Church of All Worlds, been granted an appropriate Certificate of Sacred Union whereby they shall be recognized as handfasted by the CAW.

12.2.2: Parental Families shall be autonomous units of one or more adult Church members with one or more children.

12.3.1: Under the general category of "Nests," the Church of All Worlds recognizes several distinct forms:

12.3.1.1: Fully-Chartered Nests. Three of more Active Adult Church Members who have been meeting together as a Proto-Nest at least monthly for at least one year since initial Proto-Nest application, and have at least one Scion, may be chartered as a full "Nest" of the CAW. Such nests shall be regarded as local congregations of the CAW, and shall be so listed in Church publications and internet web sites, receive an automatic subscription to the Inter-Nest Newsletter, and be included on the electronic communications lists for Nests. Granting of a Nest Charter will be by application to and approval of the Nest Coordinating Council. Group Exemption. Fully-Chartered Nests shall be legal subordinate organizations of the Church of All Worlds as incorporated under the laws of the United States and Australia, and shall be eligible to be covered under the Church's group exemption.

12.3.1.2: Proto-Nests. Three or more Active Adult Church Members, at least one of whom must be at least 3rd Circle, who wish to form a Nest may apply to become a "Proto-Nest," which shall be a provisional CAW congregation for a least a year; after which, if a Proto-Nest has met all the requirements, the group may apply for a Full Nest Charter.

12.3.1.2.1:Proto-Nests shall be regarded as local congregations of the CAW, and shall be so listed in Church publications and internet web sites, receive an automatic subscription to the Inter-Nest Newsletter, and be included on the electronic communications lists for Nests.

12.3.1.2.2: Granting of a Proto-Nest Charter will be by application to and approval of the Nest Coordinating Council.

12.3.1.2.3: Proto-Nests shall not be eligible to be covered under the Church's group exemption.

12.3.1.3: Family Nests. Three or more active adult Church members who publicly declare their commitment to one another in a Commitment Ceremony conducted by Clergy of the Church of All Worlds shall receive an appropriate certificate of Sacred Union whereby they shall be recognized as handfasted by the CAW, and may, if they so request, be recognized as a "Family Nest" by the CAW.

12.3.1.3.1: Family Nests shall not be eligible to be covered by the Church's Group Exemption unless they also become qualified as regular Fully Chartered Nests.

12.3.1.3.2: Family Nests shall be exempt from the reporting requirements of other Nests unless they also become qualified as regular Fully Chartered Nests.

12.3.2 Cyber-Nests. Online lists, and other online activities (such as chat rooms, IRC, etc.), which serve their members in an online Nest-like capacity, may, if a majority of Active Adult CAW Members thereof (at least three, of whom at least one must be at least 4th Circle) so choose, be designated "Cyber-Nests."

12.3.2.1: Cyber-Nests shall be regarded as non-local congregations of the CAW, and shall be so listed in Church publications and internet web sites, receive an automatic subscription to the Inter-Nest Newsletter, and be included on the electronic communication lists for Nests.

12.3.2.4: Granting of a Cyber-Nest Charter will be by application to and approval of the Nest Coordinating Council.

12.3.2.5: After one year of operation, Cyber-Nests which so request shall be eligible to be covered under the Church's group exemption.

12.4: Prison Study Groups. Three or more Incarcerated Active Adult Church Members, of whom at least one is at least 2nd Circle, may form a "CAW Prison Study Group," which shall operate within said institution in accordance with the prevailing regulations governing other religious study groups.

12.4.1: Prison Study Groups shall be regarded as local congregations of the CAW, and shall be so listed in Church publications and internet web sites, receive an automatic subscription to the Inter-Nest Newsletter.

12.4.2: Granting of a Prison Study Group Charter will be by application to and approval of the Nest Coordinating Council.

12.4.3: All functions of a nest coordinator shall be the duties of the Prison Study Group coordinator.

12.2.4: Prison Study Groups shall not be eligible to be covered under the Church's group exemption.

12.5: Nest Coordinator. Each Nest shall designate an individual 3rd Circle or inward who takes on the major responsibilities of administration, contact and organization of a Nest. Such person shall be known as the Nest Coordinator, and they shall serve as contact and liaison to central headquarters and the Nest Coordinating Council in all matters of administration and/or corporate needs and concerns relative to their particular Nest.

12.6: Innovation. The Board and Clergy of the Church do not wish to impose any doctrinal constraints upon local Nests beyond the requirement that their activities be in accord with the purpose of the Corporation as stated in the Preamble and Article II of these bylaws. The Board and Clergy in fact encourage creativity and innovation on the part of all local Nests in the lawful pursuit of the goals of the Church of All Worlds.

12.7: Disbanding a Nest. The Nest Coordinating Council may accept and note the disbanding of a Nest upon written notification from that group's Nest Council and the return of all Nest materials issued by the Nest Coordinating Council. The records and materials of the Nest will go into the Nest Coordinating Council's "inactive" file, where they will remain until or unless the group may be reactivated. If no one reactivates an inactive Nest within three years, it will be declared "discorporate" and filed accordingly. Proto-Nest Charters will lapse automatically after one year from the date of their last Quarterly Report.

12.8: Suspending Charters. The Nest Coordinating Council may suspend the Charter of a Nest pending investigation of problems that may be brought to the Nest Coordination Council's attention, or if the Quarterly Reports (or lack thereof) from that group fail to indicate its continuing function. A Nest whose Charter has been suspended will be regarded as an inactive Nest, and its Charter may be reinstated if the group can resolve its problems to the satisfaction of the Nest Coordinating Council. If this does not happen within a year and a day, the suspended Nest will be declared "discorporate." This action may be appealed to the Board of Directors, whose decision shall be final.

12.9: Revoking Charters. The Board of Directors reserves the right to revoke either a Nest Charter upon the recommendation of either the Clergy Council or the Nest Coordinating Council for one of the following reasons:

12.9.1: The conduct of the Nest at its meetings and public functions or in its public statements is found to be incompatible with the purposes of the Corporation as stated in Article II of these Bylaws, or contrary to the laws of the Country, State or Province of residence of the Nest or Proto-Nest;

12.9.2: The conduct or statements of the Nest in its meetings and public functions or in its public statements, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, reflects unacceptable discredit on the Church of All Worlds, its purposes, members and Clergy; or

12.9.3: The Board of Directors has reason to believe upon investigation that the chartered group is not truly functioning as a Nest or Proto-Nest in that the contact person does not respond to queries, show evidence of membership or the holding of regular meetings or other evidence that the Chartered Nest or Proto-Nest is, indeed, functioning as a viable organizational unit of the Church of All Worlds.

12.10: All Assets of a chartered Nest revert to CAW Central upon dissolution of that group, whether by disbanding or by revocation of their Charter.

12.11: Reactivating a Nest. If within three years, at least two members of the original group and at least one other active member of the Church are willing to resume Nest activities and regular meetings, an inactive Nest may be reactivated under its original name and Charter. If there is a dispute among the members of the original Nest over the group's reactivation, the Nest Coordinating Council may request that the name of the group be changed, and a new Charter issued under the new name, while still recognizing the legal continuity of that Nest or Proto-Nest insofar as dating its inception from the original application.

12.11.1: If a Nest Charter is suspended, the group will have three months to address and resolve the issues that resulted in that action to the satisfaction of the Nest Coordinating Council. If this can be accomplished, their Charter will be reinstated and returned after their current Quarterly Report is approved.

12.11.2: If a Nest Charter has been revoked by the Board of Directors, there is no further appeal. The re-establishment of a CAW Nest in that area will require starting all over, with a new application, under a different name and with a new Nest Coordinator.

ARTICLE XIII
BRANCHES

13.1: Branches. If a chartered Nest desires, or if two or more Nests form in close proximity, the Nest councils may form a local Church of All Worlds Branch, designated with an appropriate local identification. This would then become the public body that would hold open meetings and services, be listed in Church publications and electronic media, advertise in the Yellow Pages, etc. with the original Nest or Nests taking a less public position, and no longer expected to hold open meetings.

13.1.1: Administration. The local Nest, or group of Nests, shall operate the Branch as a function of the Nest Council(s) or by an administrative body appointed by said Council(s). Members of such an administrative body must all be active members of the Church of All Worlds, and must include at least one Scion.

13.1.2: Circles. Any who attend Branch meetings may be considered 1st Circle. The Branch may conduct classes for 1st and 2nd Circle members to prepare them for moving into the RING system.

13.1.3: Membership in the international Church of All Worlds does not automatically confer membership in any local Nest or Branch.

13.2: Charters. In order to form a local Branch, at least five active members of caw representing one or more chartered Nests must apply to the board of directors for a charter. Upon receipt of a qualifying Branch application, along with application fees, the board of directors may issue a Branch charter.

13.2.1: A year and a day waiting period is required for a Branch charter. At least one scion must be a member of the Branch. During the interim period the group shall be known as a Proto-Branch.

13.3: Group Exemption. Branches chartered by the board of directors shall be legal Subordinate Organizations of the Church of All Worlds as incorporated under the laws of the United States and Australia, and shall be eligible to be covered under the Church's Group Exemption. Branches shall not have the power to incur debt in the name of the Church of All Worlds.

13.3.1: Financial accountability. Branches must submit a quarterly financial statement to the Church of All Worlds Central Board of Directors. Failure to do so for two successive quarters shall be grounds for investigation and suspension of the Branch's Charter.

13.4: Innovation. The Board and Clergy of the Church do not wish to impose any doctrinal constraints upon Branches beyond the requirement that their activities be in accord with the purpose of the corporation as stated in the preamble and Article II of these Bylaws. The Board and Clergy in fact encourage creativity and innovation on the part of all local Branches in the lawful pursuit of the goals of the Church of All Worlds.

13.5: Disbanding a Branch the board of directors may accept and note the disbanding of a Branch upon written notification from that group's administrative body. In such case, all Branch assets are to be delivered to Church of All Worlds central, unless the Branch has independently incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity, in which case assets shall be divided by mutual agreement or by arbitration.

13.6: Suspending Charters. The Board of Directors may suspend the charter of a local Branch pending investigation of problems that may be brought to the Nest Coordination Council's attention. Its Charter may be reinstated if the Branch can resolve its problems to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors.

13.7: Revoking Charters. The Board of Directors reserves the right to revoke a Branch Charter for reasons including but not limited to:

13.7.1: The conduct of the Branch at its meetings and public functions or in its public statements is found to be incompatible with the purposes of the corporation as stated in Article II of these Bylaws; or

13.7.2: The conduct or statements of the Branch in its meetings and public functions or in its public statements, in the judgment of the board of directors, reflects discredit on the Church of All Worlds, its purposes, members and Clergy; or

13.7.3: The Board of Directors has reason to believe upon investigation that the chartered group is not truly functioning as a viable organizational unit of the Church of All Worlds.

13.7.4: All assets of a chartered Branch revert to CAW Central upon revocation of their Charter, unless said Branch has separately incorporated as a non-profit organization, in which case assets shall be divided by mutual agreement or by arbitration.

ARTICLE XIV
COUNCILS

14.1: Seekers of the Second through Third Circles shall be the general laity, whose members may participate fully in the spiritual life of the Church, serve on committees, partake in open meetings, and have any other privileges and responsibilities as shall be designated by the Scion, Clergy and Priesthood Councils.

14.2: Scion Council. Members of the Second Ring shall constitute the Scion Council, which shall function in the interest of the Corporation in such matters as cannot conveniently be brought before a regular or special meeting of the General Membership. This council shall elect from its membership a Chaircreature. The Council shall also elect annually, from its membership, one to three nominees, one of whom may be the Chaircreature, for the office of Vice-President. This Council shall fulfill any other particular functions as shall be designated by members of the Third Ring and may hold such regular or special meetings as shall be found necessary to adequately carry out the purposes of the Corporation.

14.2.1: The purpose of the Scion Council shall be to create and maintain a central advisory body for the Church wherein a forum will exist to air general membership input upon policy issues; also to serve in this capacity to the Board of Directors or other Church bodies as deemed appropriate; also to serve as a peer review, support and networking Council to facilitate quality control of Scion involvement at the Nest and organizational levels.

14.2.2: In the event that an active Scion is unable to perform the duties of Scionhood, or has failed to meaningfully contribute to the progression of First Ring members, or has failed to facilitate or assist in the growth of the Church in any way whatsoever the Scion Council shall then review and if deemed necessary, recommend to the Board of Directors that the membership status of the Scion in question should be reviewed under the provisions of §8.5.

14.3: Clergy Council. Licensed Ministers, Priors, Prioresses, and members of the Priesthood combined shall constitute the Clergy Council, which shall function in the interests of the Church in such matters as cannot conveniently be brought before a regular or special meeting of the general membership or Scion Council. This Council shall have one representative sit on each meeting of the Scion Council as Counselor.

14.3.1: Duties of the Clergy Council. The Clergy Council, or its delegated authority, shall determine the qualifications for advancement inward through the First and Second Rings, and shall fulfill any other such functions as shall be designated by the Board of Directors, and may hold such regular or special meetings as shall be found necessary to adequately carry out the purposes of the Church.

14.4: Priesthood Council. Members of the Third Ring shall constitute the Priesthood Council. This Council shall advance the vision and spiritual direction of the Church. This Council shall meet as a body at least twice a year.

14.4.1: Duties of the Priesthood Council. The Priesthood Council shall determine the qualifications for Ministerial licensing and ordination, and accept, review, and approve or reject applications for Clergy; and shall issue certificates of licensing to approved Ministers, and of ordination to those Postulants who shall have fulfilled their qualifications for the Priesthood.

14.5: Executive Council. The officers of the Board of Directors shall constitute the Executive Council, which shall function in the interest of the Corporation in such matters as cannot conveniently be brought before a regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or of the Ring councils.

14.5.1: This Council may hold such regular or special meetings as shall be found necessary adequately to carry out the purposes of the Corporation.

14.6: Nest Councils. Each Nest shall establish a Nest Council, whose membership may include Nest members of any circle, and which shall function in the interest of that Nest in such matters as cannot appropriately or conveniently be brought before meetings of any of the other aforementioned Councils or the Board of Directors.

14.6.1: Duties of the Nest Councils. The Nest Councils, whose membership may include Nest members of any circle, shall deal with all those matters which are the exclusive concern of the particular individual Nests, rather than of concern to the Church or Corporation as a whole.

14.6.2: Meetings of Nest Councils shall be held at least quarterly, the frequency and dates to be determined by said councils.

14.7: Nest Coordinating Council. Aiding in the establishment of new Nests, and maintaining relations among the Nests, and between the Nests and CAW Central, shall be the function of the Nest Coordinating Council.

14.7.1: Duties of the Nest Coordinating Council. The Nest Coordinating Council shall create and disseminate Nesting information and materials, provide consultation and assistance, coordinate Clergy visitations, receive quarterly reports on Nest activities, maintain central records, and may authorize publication of an Inter-Nest Newsletter.

14.8: Regional Councils. Any three or more Nests or Branches in the same geographic area may form a Regional Council to network, pool resources, relationships, and affiliations, and to enrich the mission of the Nests. Formation, organization, frequency of meeting (although at least once a year), and composition of these councils shall be determined by the Nest Councils of the participating Nests, who shall so inform the Board of Directors via the Nest Coordinating Council.

14.9: Any of the aforementioned Councils are authorized to appoint such committees as shall be found useful in the conduct of the activities of the Corporation.

14.9.1: Any committees formed shall endeavor to include representation from all three rings unless the task specific to that committee deems otherwise.

14.10: Each of the aforementioned Councils and Committees shall elect or appoint, for any term necessary, such officers as may be found necessary to the conduct of the Councils. Such offices shall include a Secretary, whereby minutes shall be taken and notices of meetings disseminated.

14.11: Notice of regular meetings of Councils shall be sent to relevant members two weeks in advance by the appropriate Council Secretary and notices of special meetings as early as possible.

ARTICLE XV
MEETINGS

15.1: Board of Directors. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held quarterly. At each meeting of the Board of Directors, meeting dates for the following two meetings, at least, shall be determined. Special meetings may be held whenever deemed necessary by the Executive Council of the Board of Directors.

15.1.1: Notices. The Secretary of the Corporation shall send notices of regular meetings of the Board of Directors, together with proposed agenda items to members of the Board and any person directly affected by any item two weeks prior to such meetings. Notice of special Board meetings shall be made as early as possible. Notice of regular meetings shall also be made to the general membership in advance by mailed publication and by electronic publication in Church of All Worlds electronic forums. Notice of special meetings shall be made to the general membership in advance by electronic publication, and by mailed notification if time permits.

15.2: General Membership. The Board of Directors shall cause to be convened each year a general meeting of the Corporation, which shall be open to all members. At this meeting will be held the election of officers, approval of any Bylaws changes submitted by the Board of Directors, and any other business deemed necessary by the Board of Directors, Clergy Council or General Membership.

15.2.1: The entire membership shall be considered a committee of the whole, which meets once annually as required for a general Membership Meeting. At such a meeting, the membership may shedule, according to Sect. 16, other meetings. These additional meetings shall be announced to the membership in church publications and electronic fora.

15.2.2: Notice of the Annual Meeting shall be made each year at least two months in advance of the date of the meeting to all Active Members of the Church.

15.2.3: The General Membership may override any action taken by the Board of Directors which it finds objectionable.

15.3: Councils and Committees. Unless otherwise specified elsewhere in these bylaws, Councils and Committees shall meet as often as necessary to carry out the business of that Council or committee.

15.4: A quorum to conduct business at meetings of any Council or committee shall consist of a number to be determined by that particular body.

ARTICLE XVI
DECISION-MAKING

16.1: Except as specified elsewhere in this article, decision-making at any meeting shall be limited to those present who are Active Members both of the Church and of the particular body meeting.

16.2: Consensus. All formal decisions shall be passed by consensus except in exigencies as described below. Consensus is defined as the integration of all points of view into an accord sufficient that no passionate objections remain. Methods for reaching consensus shall be described by policy recommendations issued by the Board. Councils and committees may adopt such procedures as they find most effective.

16.3: Exigent Decisions. If a decision is urgently needed and thorough discussion of an issue indicates irreconcilable disagreement, the Secretary shall record a failure to reach consensus and put the matter up for a vote. In such cases, a two-thirds majority will be required for passage of the motion, and the percentage of opposing votes shall be noted in the minutes. When votes are counted, the number of votes cast by each member shall be equal to the number of the Ring (1, 2, or 3) they have attained.

16.4: Mail-In Ballots. Voting for Board of Directors members and expression of preferences on proposed Bylaw changes by mail-in ballot shall be allowed for the General Meeting. Space for brief commentary will be provided on the ballot. Items on the advance agenda of the General Meeting, such as elections of officers and amendments to these Bylaws, shall be listed on the ballot. Mail-in ballots shall be sent to all Active Members at least one month prior to the General Meeting. All mail-in ballots must be received at the CAW Central office by one week prior to the General Meeting. Mail-in votes shall be added to the in-session votes of the General Meeting.

16.4.1: Members attending the General Meeting, or choosing to vote by proxy, may not submit mail-in ballots.

16.5: Proxy Voting. Any member of any Council or committee who cannot attend a meeting of that Council may give their written proxy to another member of that Council before that meeting. Any member of any Council attending a meeting who has to leave before casting a vote may give their verbal proxy to another member of that Council who will be present for the remainder of the meeting. Any active member of the Church may give their written proxy to another member for the purpose of voting at the General Meeting. Votes cast by proxy shall be counted as if they were cast in person. Proxy-holders may be required to show proof of proxy upon request.

ARTICLE XVI
PUBLICATIONS

16.1: Communications among the various Rings of the Church shall be by means of several publications, color-coded to indicate the concentric areas of their interest and concern. The directions, purposes, policies and general operations of each of the publications are subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and the Clergy Council.

16.2: Other publications of the Church are authorized as needed.

ARTICLE XVII
AFFILIATIONS

17.1: Association. In accordance with §2.1.8, the Church of All Worlds actively seeks association and affiliation with other similarly-oriented groups and individuals. These associations and affiliations may take any of several forms:

17.1.1: Affiliation or membership in a networking or ecumenical association, either local, national or international. Local Affiliations may be made by local or Regional Nest Councils. National or International Affiliations may be proposed by any member of the Church to the Board of Directors for consideration and ratification; and

17.1.2: Alliances of mutual trust, recognition, and support with other organizations for the purpose of mutual promotion and co-sponsorship of various events. Alliances may be proposed by any member of the Clergy, acting in the capacity of Ambassadors, and presented to the Board of Directors for ratification. Appropriate "Declarations of Alliance" may be created and issued. Such Alliances will not, however, involve the CAW in "taking sides" in any disputes among allied groups, or between allied groups and others.

ARTICLE XVIII
AMENDMENTS

18.1: Amendments or changes in these Bylaws may be made by recommendation of the Board of Directors at the Annual membership meeting.

18.2: The Board shall provide reasonable opportunities for all interested members to propose amendments to the Board for recommendations, and to study recommendations passed by the Board prior to their presentation for approval at the Annual membership meeting.

And no others.

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