ILLINOIS PRAIRIELAND WALK TO EMMAUS

COMMUNITY BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I. NAME

Community Name: The name of this community shall be the Illinois Prairieland Walk to Emmaus hereafter referred to as the "community".

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

Section 1. Goal: The goal of the community shall be to inspire, challenge, and equip church members for Christian action, in their homes, churches, places of work and the world community through the Emmaus experience.

Section 2. Affiliation: This community is affiliated with the National Emmaus Movement; Upper Room, Nashville, Tennessee.

Section 3. Date of Incorporation: July 7, 2000 - Date of Incorporation granted by the State of Illinois. The corporation is a charter, 501(c) 3 status through IRS

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Members: All persons who have completed an Illinois Prairieland Walk to Emmaus weekend shall be members of the community.

Section 2. Alternate Method for Membership: Persons who have completed a Walk to Emmaus weekend, Cursillo, Tres Dias, Chrysalis, or any other 3 day weekend program recognized by the Upper Room may become members by participating in the activities of the community and requesting the secretary of the Community to include their names on the mailing list.

Section 3. Ecumenical: The community will be ecumenical in all aspects.

ARTICLE IV. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Purpose: Direction of the community shall be vested in a Board of Directors, consisting of twenty-one (21) members of the community.

Section 2. Composition: There shall be sixteen (16) lay representatives and five (5) Clergy representatives. Each of those persons has one vote.

Section 3.

A. Terms of Office: All Directors shall be elected for three (3) year terms. Three (3) classes of seven (7) persons each that consist of both lay and clergy will be elected by the community at an annual meeting in November of each year. Pre/Post walk lay directors of one (1) year shall be involved in the board and each has one vote.

B. Succession of Offices: Board members cannot succeed themselves in consecutive terms. Exceptions may be in order for clergy leadership.

C. Effective Dates: Terms shall begin on December 1 and shall end December 31 of the following year.

Section 4. Election Process: The nominating committee shall meet in September to determine the number of nominees that shall be determined and placed on a ballot. In addition nominees will be brought forth. These nominees will then be brought before the Board of Directors, who may, at that time, add to this list. At the October gathering other nominations will be taken from the floor. At the November gathering a ballot will be presented, voted and gathered. Three (3) individuals, one (1) from the nominating, one (1) from the board of directors and one (1) from the community will tally the ballots with the results announced at the end of the November gathering. Those receiving the highest number of votes will be elected. In case of a tie the Community Lay Director will cast the deciding vote. Voting by absentee ballot will be available by contacting the Community Lay Director.

Section 5. Meeting: The board shall meet monthly at a time and day established by each new board by a 3/4 majority. A special "Board Meeting" may be called by the Community Lay Director or by 11 of the directors, by written notice of the secretary three (3) days prior to such meeting. Discussion of only the items contained in the request for the meeting will be discussed.

Section 6. Quorum: Eleven (11) members of a Board of Directors present at a duly called or stated meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 7. Past Community Lay Director: The Past Community Lay Director will serve on the board one (1) year after his/her term has ended. (S)he will have a vote.

Section 8. Vacancies: The board may elect persons to fill vacancies created until the next annual election. Upon the community lay director declaring an office vacant the community lay director will then nominate a person for the vacant position and the board will vote on the nomination. The elected person will be eligible to a full term when the current seat is up for re-election.

Section 9. Standing Committees: The Board of Directors shall name members to chair the following committees: Gatherings, Group Reunions/Chrysalis, Registration, Facility/Set-up, Agape, Newsletter, Literature & Procurement, Candle light/Sponsors Hour, and Fourth Day. Special committees may be named as deemed necessary by the leadership of the community.

Section 10. Team Selection Committee: Shall be chaired by the Assistant Community Lay Director. It shall consist of the Community Spiritual Director, the upcoming Walk Lay Directors, Spiritual Directors, the Assistant Lay Directors, the past Walk Lay Directors, and seven (7) experienced community members. The seven (7) experienced community members will be assigned the first of every year by the executive committee. For a quorum three (3) of the experienced community members must be present along with the community spiritual director and the chair. These will be the only members with voting power. This committee also serves as the team selection committee.

Section 11. Nominating Committee: Shall be chaired by the Assistant Community Lay Director. It shall consist of the Community Spiritual Director, Secretary, and the upcoming and past Walk Lay Directors. For a quorum, three (3) of the committee must be present along with the chair.

Section 12. Community Lay Director: The Community Lay Director of the board shall be an ex-offico member of all standing committees.

Section 13. Compensation: No member of the Board shall receive monetary or other compensation for performing his/her duties and obligations as a member of the Board, with the exception of being reimbursed for expenses incurred by him/her on behalf of the community.

ARTICLE V. OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers of the Board of Directors: Officers of the Board of Directors, also known as the Executive Committee, shall consist of: Lay Director, Assistant Lay Director, Community Spiritual Director, Secretary, and Treasurer. Officers serve successive terms for length of tenure.

A. Board Function: Executive committee is to decide if a topic is a board function and that the item will be placed on the agenda for the next board meeting. Otherwise the executive committee will refer the topic on to a standing committee.

B. Executive Committee Authority: Executive committee will function as the board between meetings. It will have full power and authority of the whole board. This should occur in extreme or expedient occasions.

Section 2. Election of Officers: New officers shall be elected at the December board meeting. Newly elected members and those whose term expire that month are all voting delegates. All officers are to be elected for a one (1) year term. Attention should be paid not to elect on incoming director to chairperson; rather, consideration should be focused on the most experience, gift, and graces. Officers are to be elected only out of those elected to the board. Prayers are in order before and after each election.

Section 3. Compensation: No Officer of the Board shall receive monetary or other compensation for performing his/her duties and obligations as an Officer of the Board, with the exception of being reimbursed for expenses incurred by hi/her on behalf of the community.

ARTICLE VI. WALK TO EMMAUS WEEKENDS

Section 1. Weekend Model: The community will conduct the three (3) day, seventy-two (72) hour experience according to the model as defined by the International Director of Walk to Emmaus as presented in the Upper Room Handbook.

Section 2. Weekend Format: The board of directors shall have a general oversight in all matters relating to the local community, the team, its formation and execution of the Weekend. The Board, prior to implementation by the Weekend Lay Director, must approve any changes to the weekend’s format.

Section 3. Weekend Spiritual Director Selection: The Community Spiritual Director will select the Weekend Spiritual Director of the walk after consulting with the Lay Director and approval of the Board.

Section 4. Weekend Lay Director Selection: The Board of Directors shall select the Weekend Lay Director upon the action of the nominating committee.

Section 5. Team Selection: The Weekend Lay Director will place the team members with the assistance of the Weekend Head Assistant Lay Director and Head Spiritual Director once the team selection committee has approved them.

Section 6. Compensation: The Lay Director nor any member of the Emmaus team shall receive monetary or other compensation for performing his/her duties and obligations as a member of the team, with exception of being reimbursed for expenses incurred by him/her on behalf of the community for purposes of implementing the weekend walk.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Proposed Amendments: Proposed amendments may be presented to the Board by any member of the Board, one (l) month in advance of any consideration or discussion by the Board.

Section 2. Adoption: After discussion and/or investigation, the Board will vote by secret ballot, a three-fourths 3/4 majority is needed for passage. The community then shall be informed and allowed two (2) months to bring a petition signed, of at least twenty-five (25) community members, objecting to the new amendment. If no petitions are brought forward in the following month the amendment shall be considered adopted. Any objections/petitions received after the sixty (60) days of the mailing of the notification of the purposed amendment will be considered voided. If the board then wishes to submit the amendment to the entire community for a vote, paper ballots will be circulated at the next regular gathering after the amendment and ballot is printed in the newsletter. A majority or plurality of votes cast by the membership will decide the matter.

ARTICLE VIII. RATIFICATION

Section 1. Effective Timeframe: These by-laws will take effect immediately upon certification of the board that the prescribed majority described ARTICLE VII, Section 2 has been met.

Adopted: July 2000

Amended: May 2001

Amended: August 2001