Building Relationships
for Interfaith Dialogue,
Goodwill, Education
and Service
Building Relationships
for Interfaith Dialogue,
Goodwill, Education
and Service
The name of this association shall be Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES.
Section 1. Statement of Purpose. The purpose of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES (LIB) is to bring together communities of different faiths to collectively address common challenges, and to build bridges of understanding and respect between diverse religious and ethnic entities.
Section 2. Accomplishment of Purpose. In the accomplishment of this purpose, Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES shall endeavor to build relationships in interfaith dialogue, goodwill, education, and service.
Section 1. Principal Office. The principal executive office of the corporation will be fixed by the membership. Said office shall be in the County of Loudoun, State of Virginia, or at such other place within the State of Virginia as the membership hereafter shall designate.
Section 2. Official Records. Records of membership, finances, donations, minutes, and other records required by law shall be maintained at the principal office of the corporation.
Section 1. Qualifications. A member of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES will uphold the mission of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES and further it's work through active interest and support.
Section 2. Election of Members. Anyone desiring membership in Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES will file an application for membership with the Secretary of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES . The application will be presented to the congregational membership at the next regular meeting. A consensus decision of the congregational members present and deliberating will be required for the applicant will become an active member. The applicant will be notified of the board's action by the LIB Secretary.
Section 3. Classes of Members. There shall be two classes of members of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES: Congregational and Associate.
A. Congregational Members.
1. Loudoun County faith communities that desire to join Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES (LIB) and agrees to uphold the mission statement of LIB may apply for membership as Congregational Members by completing the application form. The Spiritual Leader and/or the organization's presiding officer will sign the form and list up to three (3) representatives. Upon acceptance into LIB, each congregational membership shall be entitled to three representatives and one vote.
2. Congregations are local meetings, gatherings, or worshipping assemblies of faith communities.
B. Associate Members.
1. Any individual (from not-for-profits, clergy without congregations, governmental representatives or individuals) that desires to join Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES (LIB) and agrees to uphold the mission statement of LIB may apply for membership as an Associate Member (AM) by completing the application form and signing the form. Upon acceptance into LIB, each associate membership shall be entitled to one nonvoting representative.
C. Removal of Membership for Cause. LIB shall make rules governing procedures for removal of members and associate members.
Section 4. Powers of Congregational Members. Each congregational member of Loudoun Interfaith Bridges shall have the following powers:
A. Votes in the consensus process at any meeting at which the member is present.
B. Serves on program and activities teams; speak in the discussion at any meeting according to the rules provided for discussion;
C. Offer suggestions as may seem advisable for the good of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES;
D. Participates in all activities and programs of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES.
Section 5. Powers of Associate Members. Each associate member of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES shall have the following powers:
A. May not vote in the consensus process but may participate in the discussion of the consensus process at any meeting at which the member is present;
B. Serves on program and activities teams; speak in the discussion at any meeting according to the rules provided for discussion;
C. Offer suggestions as may seem advisable for the good of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES;
D. Participates in all activities and programs of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES.
Section 1. Meetings
A. There shall be one membership meeting each month or as determined by the membership of LIB.
Section 1. Officers.
A. The recognized officer of LIB shall be that of secretary.
Section 2. Term of Office.
A. The term of office for the Secretary shall be for one (1) year beginning at the first meeting in April of the calendar year and extending until the first meeting in April of the following year at which time the membership shall select another Secretary.
Section 3. Quorum.
A. Internal: A majority of the total number of Congregational Members present at the regularly scheduled meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of internal or program business.
B. External: For external business or Public Positions by LIB a quorum to validate the consensus process is the totality of all Congregational Members.
Section 4. Duties and Responsibilities of Officers.
A. Secretary.
1. Shall orchestrate the details of the membership meetings:
a. Shall appoint a facilitator for all membership meetings;
b. Shall secure a location for all membership meetings;
c. Shall prepare or cause to be prepared all monthly agendas;
d. Shall keep or cause to be kept, an accurate record of the membership
meetings;
e. Shall send or cause to be sent the meeting minutes within a week of the
cataloged meeting, including action items and goals;
2. Shall Keep, or cause to be kept, an accurate calendar of proposed events and activities;
3. Shall hold in custody and be responsible for all reports, contracts, other legal papers, and the minute books with respect to archiving them to maintain the institutional memory;
4. Shall keep or cause to be kept accurate congregational and associate membership lists.
5. Shall keep or cause to be kept an accurate contact list of the membership, making this list available to all members;
6. Shall manage or cause to be managed media and outside relationships;
7. Shall manage or cause to be managed the collection and forwarding of mail.
Section 1. Administration. The administration office of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES shall reside at the mailing address of the current Secretary.
Section 1. Teams/Committees. Teams/committees may be appointed by the Secretary with the concurrence of of the membership.
Section 1. Decision Making. All questions before the membership of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES shall be decided by consensus, determined by a vote, where the goal is unity, not necessarily unanimity.
Section 1. Amendment. Any amendment(s) to or general revision of these bylaws may be adopted at any special membership meeting provided that written notice or e-mail setting forth the exact wording of such proposed amendment(s) or general revision has been mailed to all members at least ten (10) days prior meeting at which they will be considered. Amendment to these bylaws will be by consensus of the totality of the Congregational Membership.
Amendment 1. Covenant of Interfaith Engagement. Members of BRIDGES recognize that interfaith engagement has the potential to organize participants around commonly held values, to encouraging a deep respect for diversity, to promote a climate of understanding and tolerance, and to provide channels for deepening relationships. To achieve these ends we covenant to affirm and promote interfaith engagement that:
Explanations:
BRIDGES members covenant to affirm and promote interfaith engagement that respects the uniqueness of distinct traditions. We hope, that by building trusting relationships we may be able to address common challenges. This does not necessitate assimilation but encourages us to experience the world via the perspectives enabled by our diverse traditions, faiths, and experiences. The history of interactions between people of faith has seen both movements of syncretism and resistance to assimilation. Some of our faiths owe much to borrowing and combining faith traditions, oftentimes into a new formulation of faith. Others have shown enduring value because they kept their distinctiveness, resisting pressure to be absorbed into the predominant religion of a culture or land. At Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES, we wish to recognize the unique value of our various faith traditions without any agenda of proselytizing or of assimilation. We see diversity as a gift and an opportunity.
BRIDGES members covenant to affirm and promote interfaith engagement that welcomes participants to deepen their appreciation and understanding of their own traditions. Sometimes the best way to learn about your own tradition is by sharing it with others. Our conversations with one another should be characterized by mutual respect and curiosity, perceiving that we may well learn more about our own particular tradition, as we understand it comparatively with those holding to a different tradition. At root, our dialogue should be "testimonial," suggesting that each participant speaks their own "witness" of faith, while the others receive that "testimony" without assuming that the "witness" should or will be held universally.
BRIDGES members covenant to affirm and promote interfaith engagement that encourages critical dialogue. At times Interfaith engagement will have the good end of helping one to clarify one's own distinctive perspectives. In that clarifying process, one might also discover new challenges to the adequacy of one's formulations. Certainly, each distinctive tradition has its own intra-faith dialogue, complete with disagreements and conflicts. Interfaith Dialogue is an opportunity to bring some of those disagreements and conflicts to the surface – welcoming participants to individually or collectively work toward insight or transformation. This aspect of intra-faith / interfaith engagement may provide a very helpful ingredient needed for addressing social conflicts that arise from religious commitments.
BRIDGES members covenant to affirm and promote interfaith engagement that welcomes insight and transformation. The evocative nature of Interfaith engagement may lead to new understandings, appreciations, and friendships. Our shared concern for Loudoun County has brought us together in dialogue. Continued engagement may birth new shared or individual insights or commitments. Though we realize that change is often uncomfortable we recognize transformation as a positive result of our interfaith engagement.
