Bylaws

Dancing Lights Grove, A.D.F. Bylaws

As written on July 7, 2007 C.E.
Amended on April 14, 2009 C.E.
Amended on January 13, 2010 C.E.

Article 1. Grove Purpose
Article 2. Guiding Principles and Compliance with Secular Regulations
Article 3. Categories of Membership and Membership Process
Article 4. Calendar
Article 5. Rituals and Meetings
Article 6. Committees and Other Subgroups
Article 7. Voting
Article 8. Election of Officers
Article 9. Leadership Council
Article 10. Financial Records
Article 11. Membership Dues and Allocations
Article 12. Discrimination and Inappropriate Behaviour
Article 13. Expulsion, Suspension, or Resignation of Members and Officers
Article 14. Exceptions to the Bylaws and Amendments

Relevant A.D.F. Documents
A.D.F. Bylaws
A.D.F. Constitution
A.D.F. Subgroup Charter Manual
Council of Senior Druids (CoSD) Bylaws

Article 1. Grove Purpose

To serve the spiritual needs of the Durham Region community through public Druidic ritual and religious support of the community in the Druidic way (e.g. counselling, blessing, advising, environmental activism, et cetera). To provide opportunities for the worship of deities of the land and our folk within the context of Pan-Indo-European traditions, with a Celtic focus.

Article 2. Guiding Principles and Compliance with Secular Regulations

As a local congregation of Ár nDraíocht Féin, A Druid Fellowship, Inc., Dancing Lights Grove, A.D.F. shall follow the A.D.F. Bylaws and A.D.F. Constitution. In the event of a conflict between the bylaws of Dancing Lights Grove, A.D.F., and the A.D.F. Bylaws, the A.D.F. Bylaws shall take precedence.

Dancing Lights Grove, A.D.F. shall strive to comply with the regulations of secular government and where the legislation of various levels of such governments conflict, shall accord higher priority to the United Nations, the Canadian Federal Government, Canadian Provincial Governments, and local governments, in that order.

Undue pressure on any person to participate or donate funds clearly falls outside the purpose and goals of Dancing Lights Grove, A.D.F.

Article 3. Categories of Membership and Membership Process

1. Rights, Expectations, and Obligations. Dancing Lights Grove recognises the following Categories of Membership — Guest, Applicant, Local Member, and Full Member — and the associated rights, expectations, and obligations that are appropriate to each, where:

Rights are defined as that to which a member of a particular category is entitled and which s/he may not be denied as long as s/he remains a member of this category.
Expectations are defined as actions which a member is encouraged to take, but the failure of which will not incur a penalty.
Obligations are defined as actions that a member is required to take, and the failure of which to perform may incur penalties, up to and including loss of membership.

Age Restrictions for Membership. No person under the age of 18 years may apply to become a Member of Dancing Lights Grove. Persons attending as Guests between the ages of 14 and 17 must provide a signed letter of informed consent from a parent or legal guardian prior to attending their first event. Children under 14 years of age must be accompanied by at least one parent or legal guardian.
Member in Good Standing. A Member in Good Standing is considered a Full or Local Member who is current with their dues, and is not suspended or banned.

2. Guest.

Rights:
Expectations:
Obligations:

3. Applicant.

Rights: Applicants shall have all the rights of a Guest, plus the following:
Expectations:
Obligations:

4. Local Member.

Rights: Local Members shall have all the rights of a Guest, plus the following:
Expectations:
Obligations:

5. Full Member.

Rights: Full Members shall have all the rights of a Local Member, plus the following:
Expectations:
Obligations:

6. Affiliates. An affiliate is defined as an A.D.F. member who has selected Dancing Lights Grove as their affiliated grove during the A.D.F. registration process. This person does not hold any level of Grove membership, does not represent Dancing Lights Grove in any way, and does not hold any additional Rights, Expectations, or Obligations. Dancing Lights Grove does, however, recognise these affiliates as respected kin. An affiliate is welcome to attend any open Grove events as a Guest, and may request to begin the standard Membership Process outlined below at any time.

7. Membership Process – Local Member. The Membership Process shall begin at the point where an interest in joining the Grove is expressed to, and then acknowledged by, the Membership. This Application Period shall continue until the Applicant has attended at least four High Day rituals. The Applicant may then submit a written request to become a Local Member of Dancing Lights Grove. This request will be read and voted on at the next Grove business meeting, and following approval, they will gain applicable rights. Applicants who have been denied membership may continue to attend public Grove events, and may reapply for membership after attending four of the next six additional High Day rituals.

Exemption From Application Period. If a Guest has attended seven out of the last eight High Day rituals, and can obtain Sponsorship from a Member in Good Standing, they may be considered to have already completed their Application Period and must only submit their written request to continue the Membership Process.

8. Membership Process – Full Member. A Local Member may apply to become a Full Member under the conditions that they have been a Member of Dancing Lights Grove for a period of at least one year, are currently a Member in Good Standing, are currently a dues-paying member of A.D.F., and can obtain Sponsorship from a current Full Member. Once the conditions are met, the applicant must submit a letter of intent, and their Sponsor must present the application during a business meeting at which time it will be heard and voted upon.

Article 4. Calendar.

1. Ceremonial Year. The ceremonial year of A.D.F., and Dancing Lights Grove, begins on November 1 and runs to October 31 of every year.

2. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year for Dancing Lights Grove begins on January 1 and runs to December 31 of every year.

3. High Days. The High Days of A.D.F. and the Dancing Lights Grove calendar are the solstices, equinoxes, and points equally between them. For legal purposes, these High Days occur on:

Quarter Day: Samhain	…	November 1
Winter Solstice	…	December 21
Quarter Day: Imbolc	…	February 1
Vernal Equinox	…	March 21
Quarter Day: Bealtaine	…	May 1
Summer Solstice	…	June 21
Quarter Day: Lughnasadh	…	August 1
Autumnal Equinox	…	September 21

For ceremonial purposes and keeping with A.D.F. Constitution Article 4.2, Dancing Lights Grove shall celebrate these High Days within one week prior to or one week after the aforementioned dates, or, as an exception, at some other time as determined by the Membership.

Article 5. Rituals and Meetings

1. High Day Rituals. Dancing Lights Grove shall hold eight High Day rituals per year in accordance with Article 4. These rituals shall be open to the public and advertised on local mailing lists and in other appropriate publications [A.D.F. SCM Groves: 4.1; CoSD Bylaws V.2.B.5; CoSD Bylaws V.2.B.8].

2. Other Rituals. Dancing Lights Grove may hold other rituals throughout the year which may or may not be open to the public.

3. Business Meetings. Business meetings must occur at least once per month [CoSD Bylaws V.2.B.6]. At these meetings, the administrative and organisational aspects of the Grove shall be taken care of, such as planning charity work and scheduling rituals and other events. All business pertaining to the international organisation of A.D.F. will take place at these meetings. The Senior Druid will chair these meetings, and the Scribe shall take all minutes. Local and Full Grove Members are welcome to attend these meetings.

4. Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) occurs once a year. At this meeting, the status of the Grove shall be examined with reports from the Senior Druid, Scribe, and Pursewarden on membership, events, and monetary status over the past year. Elections take place at this meeting with the Electoral Triad presiding over that section of the meeting. The business meeting following the Autumnal Equinox will be considered the Annual General Meeting.

5. Fellowship and Study Meetings. Fellowship and/or study meetings must occur at least once per month. A Fellowship meeting can take the form of a games night or other such fun event where the purpose of the meeting is friendship and entertainment. A Study meeting can take the form of either a presentation by a Grove member or a discussion group, where the purpose of the meeting is to explore concepts relevant to our druidry and paganism as a whole. These meetings may be open to the public in order to facilitate a connection with the pagan community and provide forums for camaraderie and education.

6. Other Meetings. Specific study groups, such as a Dedicants group, and Guilds can be formed within the Grove and hold their own meetings. Due to their content, these meetings shall not be open to the public and therefore are not classified as Fellowship or Study Meetings as per Article 5.5. These meetings are governed by Article 6 of these bylaws.

Article 6. Committees and Other Subgroups

1. Committees. Committees may be formed by a vote of the Leadership Council at any business meeting. Upon formation, each committee shall have a defined purpose (e.g. Outreach) and shall be defined as either standing or ad hoc. Standing committees shall continue to operate until dissolved by a vote of the Leadership Council. Ad hoc committees must be renewed at each Grove business meeting. Each committee must include a designated liaison for the purposes of reporting activity at the monthly Grove business meetings.

2. Guilds. A guild is defined as a group within the Grove that provides a specific service to the Grove (e.g. An Artisan’s Guild would provide training to artisans within the Grove and items would be produced by the guild for use by the Grove). These bylaws and this definition only relate to local guilds, as such groups are separate entities from A.D.F. Guilds. Any member may initiate the formation of a guild, and will henceforth be known as a Guild Organiser. The Guild Organiser will publish an announcement of guild formation to the general membership inviting the participation of interested persons. The Guild Organiser will submit proposed guild bylaws for the approval of prospective guild members and the Grove Leadership Council. At minimum, these bylaws will contain a defined role within the Dancing Lights Grove community, including specified service to the same, provisions for leadership elections, guild entry requirements, and due process.

3. Study Groups. Study groups may be formed during any business meeting but must have a written statement of purpose. Membership in these subgroups may be restricted. Study groups are not required to submit reports.

4. Membership and Restriction. In accordance with A.D.F. Bylaws [CoSD Bylaws, V.4.B], no subgroup of Dancing Lights Grove shall contain more than 50% of the current membership of the Grove. Membership in these subgroups may be restricted depending on the nature of the group, e.g. a women’s mysteries group.

Article 7. Voting

1. Voting For Purposes of Business. A Voting Member for purposes of business is defined as either a Full or Local Member in Good Standing. Business decisions are those with regards to charity work, donations in the community, et cetera.

2. Voting for Purposes of Membership. A Voting Member for purposes of membership is defined as a Full Member in Good Standing. Membership decisions take place when an applicant wishes to join the Grove as a Local Member, or wishes to obtain Full Membership status.

3. Voting for Purposes of Elections. Refer to Article 8.3.

4. Referendum. A member may appeal for a referendum by written request to the Senior Druid outlining their reasons for their concern with the outcome of the vote. The Senior Druid can then decide to hold a referendum based on these concerns or not. If a referendum is held, it shall be held at the next business meeting. The Senior Druid shall preside over the referendum. In the case of a conflict of interest, the written request may be submitted to the other members of the Leadership Council, and the Leadership Council shall appoint an impartial person to preside over the referendum.

5. Quorum. Except as otherwise noted in these Bylaws, a quorum for voting purposes shall consist of those voting members representing 50% of the total Grove Membership. The results of any elections or vote shall be calculated upon the basis of the total votes cast. Unless otherwise specified, all decisions of the general membership shall be passed by a majority rule. In the event of a tie, the members of the Leadership Council shall each cast one additional vote.

Article 8. Election of Officers

1. Electoral Triad. No earlier than four weeks prior to the Autumnal Equinox, the Leadership Council shall appoint an Electoral Triad consisting of three Full Grove Members. In the absence of enough Full Grove Members, Local Members may be nominated to the committee, though at least one member should be a Full Grove Member. These individuals may not be intending to run as candidates or know of a conflict of interest with someone intending to run in the election. The Electoral Triad will preside over the duration of the election from preparing the slate to counting the ballots.

2. Nominations. The list of available positions must be presented to the Grove no later than two weeks prior to the Autumnal Equinox. Members who wish to be placed on the ballot must notify the Electoral Triad and the Grove by the Autumnal Equinox. The Electoral Triad will compose the slate of candidates for the various positions and present the slate in written format to the voting members of the Grove, in addition to their ballots.

3. Voting For Purpose of Elections. A Voting Member for the purpose of Elections is defined as a Full Grove Member in Good Standing [CoSD Bylaws V.4.A]. Each member shall have one vote. All decisions of the voting membership shall be made by written ballot. Grove members may also return their votes to a designated member of the Electoral Triad by telephone or electronic means.

4. Quorum for Election of Officers. Quorum with regards to elections must be 50% plus one of Full Grove Members. There are no proxy votes in Elections. All votes must be returned by the member who possesses the vote to the designated member of the Electoral Triad.

5. Winning Candidates. Winners shall be determined by a majority of 50% plus one of those voting. In the event of a tie, another round of voting will take place with only the candidates who have received the highest number of tied votes. The term for newly elected candidates shall begin at Samhain.

Article 9. Leadership Council

1. Function of the Leadership Council. The Leadership Council is responsible for oversight of all Grove affairs, for sustaining the general welfare of the Grove and the harmonious functioning of any other Grove committees and subgroups. The Leadership Council shall arrange, by election, replacements in the event of a vacant office with the consultation of the Membership. They will also set the precise timing for the marking of the eight High Days and other Grove events, with the consultation of the Membership at the monthly meetings.

The Leadership Council consists of three individuals who fill the positions of Senior Druid, Scribe, and Pursewarden. No amendment of this article can remove the current requirement that these three officers be members of A.D.F. eighteen years of age or older, and that the election of these officers be by Full Grove Members only [CoSD Bylaws V.4.A].

2. Requirements for Office. A candidate for office must currently be a Full Grove Member, and have been a Member in Good Standing over the last year.

3. Senior Druid. The Senior Druid shares in the responsibility for the maintenance of the spiritual harmony, vitality and well being of Dancing Lights Grove. S/he ensures that all appropriate meetings are held and that an agenda is ready in advance of such meetings. S/he will chair such meetings in a spiritual and organised manner, seeking to obtain the unfettered and unforced participation of each person at such meetings. S/he will review the reports of the Scribe and Pursewarden and any subgroup or committee. S/he is the primary representative of Dancing Lights Grove to other bodies within Ár nDraíocht Féin, the general NeoPagan community and all other bodies, organisations and publics outside of Dancing Lights Grove. S/he will oversee all liturgical activities within Dancing Lights Grove, as well as any Dancing Lights Grove educational endeavour. S/he is also required to complete an annual report regarding the membership of Dancing Lights Grove for submission at the Annual General Meeting. In general, s/he will perform in a spiritual, moral and ethical manner the duties consistent with the post of president. The term of the office of Senior Druid shall be two years.

4. Scribe. The Scribe shall be responsible for recording minutes of all general meetings and of all Leadership Council meetings and for maintaining these records in an orderly fashion; s/he is also responsible for maintaining records of the proceedings of other committees and subgroups (to be submitted by those committees and subgroups). S/he is responsible for compiling, through consultation with the members and participants of Dancing Lights Grove including by means of Dancing Lights Grove’s online group, a quarterly report of Grove events to be sent to the Mother Grove of Ár nDraíocht Féin. S/he is also required to complete an annual report regarding the events of the past year for submission at the Annual General Meeting. In general, s/he will perform in a spiritual, moral and ethical manner the duties consistent with the post of secretary. The term of the office of Scribe shall be two years.

5. Pursewarden. The Pursewarden is responsible for keeping Dancing Lights Grove’s financial records according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for non-profit organisations, for handling the monies of Dancing Lights Grove, and for maintaining the bank account(s) of Dancing Lights Grove. S/he is responsible for providing written financial reports to the Leadership Council and at each monthly Dancing Lights Grove general business meeting, for compiling a quarterly financial report to be sent to the Mother Grove of Ár nDraíocht Féin after review by the members and participants of Dancing Lights Grove, including by means of Dancing Lights Grove’s online group. S/he is also required to complete an annual report, including financial statements, for submission to the Leadership Council and the Grove at the Annual General Meeting, A.D.F., and such government agencies as have reason to request it. In general, s/he will perform in a spiritual, moral and ethical manner the duties consistent with the post of treasurer. The term of the office of Pursewarden shall be two years.

6. Other Officers. Other positions for leadership can be created if the need arises, however, the Leadership Council will only consist of the Senior Druid, Scribe, and Pursewarden. If the position created is to be a permanent addition, an amendment of the bylaws to add this position will take place in accordance with Article 14.

Article 10. Financial Records

As a non-profit organization, the Grove accounting records are to be made available by the Pursewarden for review with reasonable notice. Quarterly Grove financial reports must be compiled and published to the membership, to the Mother Grove, and to interested government departments, after the close of each quarter. Annual financial statements, including a balance sheet, statement of profit and loss, and an income statement must be compiled and ratified by the Leadership Council, before being sent to the Mother Grove, Dancing Lights Grove members and such government departments as request it.

Article 11. Membership Dues and Allocations

Each year at Samhain, all Local Grove Members and Full Grove Members are to pay dues to the Grove in accordance with the Schedule of Fees. At the discretion of the Leadership Council and the voting business members, a portion of these dues may go towards the international A.D.F. organisation. The Leadership Council shall allocate funds for Grove events and activities, and the Pursewarden shall disburse these funds.

Article 12. Discrimination and Inappropriate Behaviour

Membership and rank in Dancing Lights Grove, A.D.F., and attendance at public or semipublic Grove activities, shall not be denied to any person on the basis of race, ancestry, disability (except as mentioned elsewhere in this article), age, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. Attendance at gender specific activities may be denied on the basis of sex or gender identification.

Openly hostile communication or behaviour prejudiced against or directed towards either an individual or a group on any basis shall be grounds for punitive action by the Leadership Council, including expulsion and banning. General statements of personal opinion, when not done in a hostile or destructive way, and when not considered discriminatory on the basis of the criteria above, are permissible.

Behaviour deemed by any Member to constitute sexual harassment, intimidation or threat shall be grounds for punitive action by the Leadership Council, including expulsion and banning.

Organisers of public and semipublic activities have the right to ask an individual to leave if, at the organiser(s)’s sole discretion that individual is deemed to be acting in an inappropriate manner. Also, anyone deemed or perceived to be a threat to the Grove, any Member of the Grove, or a Guest at a Grove event may be asked to leave any Grove event.

All organisers of public and semipublic Dancing Lights Grove activities shall make efforts to facilitate the participation of differently-abled individuals. Nonetheless, all aspirants to any given rank or position must be able to meet all the relevant qualifications previously determined for said rank or position, unless the Leadership Council shall rule otherwise in a particular instance.

Article 13. Expulsion, Suspension, or Resignation of Members and Officers

1. Resignation. Members may resign from membership at any time and may be eligible to rejoin Dancing Lights Grove at a later date. Any member who fails to renew their dues within three months of membership expiration shall be deemed to have resigned and will no longer receive Grove literature. Any officer may resign from office at any time by submitting a letter of resignation to the Leadership Council. In the case of the resignation of the Senior Druid, the letter of resignation must also be submitted to the Archdruid of A.D.F.

2. Removal from Office. An officer who is not fulfilling the requirements of office may be removed by a majority vote of all Full Grove Members. Said officer shall be sent a formal written notification, including the location and time of the vote, 30 days prior to the vote. Individuals who have been removed from office by this process may not run for any Grove office for three years unless the Leadership Council deems otherwise. Once the Leadership Council rescinds its prohibition, the individual can run for any Grove office. The requirements of office are considered to include behaving in a manner that exemplifies the standards of behaviour placed on any member of Dancing Lights Grove, as expressed elsewhere in these bylaws.

3. Suspension and Expulsion. A member may be suspended or expelled from Dancing Lights Grove by a majority vote of the entire Leadership Council. Suspensions or expulsions can occur if a member is deemed acting and/or behaving inappropriately as a representative of Dancing Lights Grove. Suspensions shall be for a period of a year and a day, unless otherwise specified by the Leadership Council, with reviews occurring quarterly throughout. A member under consideration for suspension or expulsion must be notified in writing outlining the reasons for the consideration, as well as the location and time of the vote, 30 days prior to that vote. Suspended or expelled members may not hold office or act in any way as representatives of Dancing Lights Grove, and have no right to receive any Grove publications.

Members who have been suspended or expelled may be banned permanently or temporarily from attending Dancing Lights Grove activities, including public worship, by a majority vote of the entire Leadership Council. Such bans may be announced in Grove and A.D.F. publications. Lifting of ban, expulsion, or suspension is contingent upon the member in question making restitution to the Grove as determined by the Leadership Council.

At the time of suspension or banning, the Leadership Council shall state the specific conditions under which (at the future determination of the Leadership Council) the suspension or ban shall be revoked. These may include, for example, the restitution of a specified sum of money, or a demonstration on the part of the person in question that they have understood the nature of their offence and have ceased the specified objectionable behaviours that provoked the action.

Article 14. Exceptions to the Bylaws and Amendments

1. Notwithstanding Clause. The Leadership Council of Dancing Lights Grove reserves the right to bypass sections of articles in these bylaws with a unanimous consensus of all Leadership Council members in the event of unusual circumstances. Leadership Council members cannot bypass any bylaws where the result would be in conflict with A.D.F. bylaws, secular regulations, or sections of these bylaws that cannot be amended such as Articles 2, 6.4, 9.1, 10, 12.

2. Amendments. Amendments to these bylaws may be made by the following procedure: The proposed change is submitted in writing to the Leadership Council, at least 1 week prior to the next business meeting. This letter must be signed by at least 25% of the Membership supporting the proposed change. The Leadership Council may recommend modifications to the proposal. At the business meeting, the revised proposal shall be read for the Membership and is then posted until the next business meeting. At that business meeting, the proposed change is read again, and then is voted on by both Local and Full Grove Members. If a tie happens, the members of the Leadership Council will each receive one more vote. Amended bylaws will go into effect at the end of the business meeting.

Dancing Lights Grove, A.D.F. Bylaws

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