LADIES GUILD OF OUR LADY OF THE CEDARS MARONITE CHURCH

This organization shall be known as the Ladies Guild of our Lady of the Cedars Maronite Church

Section 1—General

The purpose of this organization shall be to foster in its members an ardent devotion and filial love toward the Mother of God and thereby help them in becoming good Maronites intent upon sanctifying themselves and their neighbors and in promoting spiritual renewal and a renewed awareness of the Maronite Tradition.

Section 2—Specific

1. To learn the liturgical, spiritual, and theological aspects of the Maronite Tradition.
2. To promote Maronite Marian Devotion.
3. To sponsor annual Spiritual activities such as retreats, pilgrimages, and days of recollection.
4. To receive Holy Communion at least once a month.
5. To further religious education  within our parish family and especially to understand more fully the Word of God in the Scriptures.
6. To foster civic and humanitarian activities within the community of the Greater Akron Area.
7. To aid in the promotion of wholesome reading materials, movies, and television programs.
8. To sponsor activities to aid the financial needs of the parish family.

Section 1: All women whose applications for membership have been approved by the Spiritual Moderator (pastor/administrator) shall be members of the Guild. Upon approval of the pastor, the board of directors  may admit to membership of the Guild non-parishioners and honorary members; non-parishioners and honorary members may vote and work on any committee but may not hold office.

Section 2: New members shall be invested by Spiritual Moderator during the monthly meeting.

Section 3: Members should strive earnestly to attend monthly meetings.

Section 4: Members who are active (that is, attend meetings regularly or participate in person only, in the Guild projects) shall be allowed to hold office.

Section 5: To have the right to vote and receive benefits of the Guild, a member must have her dues paid to date.

Section 1: There shall be a regular meeting every month of the year. At the discretion of the spiritual moderator, meeting may be omitted during the months of June and July.

Section 2: The entire executive board shall meet at least one hour prior to each regular monthly meeting, and board meetings shall be called by the president. Meetings of the board may be scheduled at a time other than on the regular meeting date but must be held prior to the regular meeting.

Section 3: Special Meetings of the Guild and executive board shall be held upon call of the president, or as she may be instructed by the moderator.

Section 1: Officers of this Guild shall be the spiritual moderator, president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. These officers plus the past president and the chairpersons of standing committees shall form the executive board.

The following bylaws are based upon Alice Sturgis, Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (McGraw-Hill, 1950).

Section 1—Elections

1. Candidates for office shall be selected by a nominating committee. No two members of one family can be eligible for office in the same year. All nominations must have the consent of each candidate before her name is placed in nomination. The nominating committee will present a slate of two people for each office. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.
2. The nominating committee shall be appointed at the regular meeting in the month of February. The spiritual moderator shall be, ex-officio, a member of this committee. The nominating committee shall consist of the past three  presidents.
3. The nominating committee and any person contacted as a candidate for office shall be sworn to secrecy.
4. The president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer shall be elected by a secret ballot at the regular meeting in April.
5. A majority of secret ballots cast decide the elections.
6. Officers shall be elected consecutively in the following order: president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.
7. The officers pending their consent, if necessary, shall assume office at the regular meeting in May. Investiture of officers shall take place on the first Sunday of the Month.
8. The tenure of the office shall be two years.
9. In the event of death or resignation of an officer, a successor shall be appointed by the executive board.

Section 2—Appointments

1. The chairperson of standing committee shall be appointed by the president, subject to approval by the spiritual moderator.
2. The tenure of office of the standing committee shall be two years.

Section 1: The spiritual moderator shall direct and approve all actions of the Guild.

Section 2: The president shall preside at all meetings of the Guild and executive board. She shall be, ex-officio, a member of all committees, except the nominating committee, and she shall appoint chairpersons of all standing committees and be responsible for reports from chairpersons of all Guild functions. She shall be, ex-officio, a non-voting member of the Parish Advisory Council.

Section 3: The vice-president shall act as aide to the president and shall perform the duties of the president in her absence. In case of death, resignation or other disability  of the president, the vice-president shall fill out the unexpired term.

Section 4: The secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Guild and the executive board. She shall read the minutes of the previous meeting. She shall perform such other secretarial/correspondence duties as may be delegated to her.

Section 5: the treasurer shall collect and receive monies of the Guild and shall place the funds in suitable accounts, approved by the executive board. She shall make a complete report and statement of account at each meeting of the Guild and at other times when requested to do so. The treasurer shall not expend any funds without the consent and approval of the executive board.

Section 6: All officers and standing committee chairpersons shall submit an annual report at the end of their terms. These shall be kept as a permanent record. Copies of such reports should also be transmitted to the parish advisory council.

Section 1: The executive board shall consist of the spiritual moderator, officers of the Guild, past president, and chairpersons of the standing committees. They shall serve for two years.

Section 2: The duties of the executive board shall be to transact necessary business in the intervals between Guild meetings, to supervise all the affairs of the Guild, and to approve routine bills.

Section 3: The board shall have the power to fill vacancies within its own body with the approval of the moderator, except in the case of the president, which is cared for in Article II, Section 3 of the bylaws.

Section 1: The Guild shall have the following standing committees: spiritual development, publicity, hospitality, and communication.

Section 2: 

1. The spiritual development chairperson, in conjunction with the spiritual moderator, shall plan religious activities (such as retreats, pilgrimages, days of recollection, devotional services), and shall arrange educational or entertainment programs for the meetings.
2. The publicity chairperson shall disseminate news of the activities and meetings of the Guild in various media. She will also keep a document of all events of the year.
3. The hospitality chairperson shall arrange for refreshments  for meetings or for special receptions when deemed necessary.
4. The communication chairperson shall select a committee to inform members of upcoming events.

Section 1: Dues shall be twenty dollars per year, payable annually in the first quarter of the year.

Section 2: The Guild shall maintain a checking account and savings account  requiring two signatures, that of the Pastor/Administrator and that of the treasurer.

Section 3: A sum of $5,000 will be retained in the Guild checking account at the beginning of  each term, along with $500 in petty cash to be used for the needs of the Guild. Any money above and beyond this amount will be placed in the church's account during the term.

Section 4: Accurate financial records shall be kept by the treasurer. These reports, open to inspection by the membership at any time, shall be audited prior to the year-end financial report.

Fifteen members of the active membership shall constitute a quorum.

The order of business shall be: 

1. Marian devotion or prayer,
2. Call to order,
3. Reading of the minutes,
4. Treasurer's report,
5. Standing committee reports, 
6. Old business, 
7. New business, 
8. Spiritual discussion, 
9. Program, 
10. And closing prayer.

Amendments may be made by a two-third majority votes; due notice must be given.