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BY - LAWS

 

NAME

The name of the Body shall be THE METHODIST LAY MOVEMENT hereinafter called THE LAY MOVEMENT in this Bye-Law.

 

AIMS

The Methodist Lay Movement is recognized by Conference as a body whose aim shall be to:

1. Mobilize all lay people to assist in the implementation of the Church’s decisions at the various levels of the church namely the Connexion, Diocese, Circuit and Society and,

2. Co-ordinate the activities and programmes of all Organizations in the service of the Church.

 

MOTTO

The Motto of the Lay Movement is: “I WILL SERVE THE CHURCH”

 

MEMBERSHIP

All Lay members of the Methodist Church Ghana are members of The Lay Movement. 

 

ORGANIZATION 

For organizational purposes, The Lay Movement shall operate at the Connexional, Diocesan, Circuit and Society levels.  Principles and Practices outlined under the Connexional Lay Movement shall also apply to the Movement at the other levels.

 

COUNCILS

 

THE CONNEXIONAL LAY MOVEMENT COUNCIL

The Connexional Lay Movement Council shall be made up of the following:

 

1. All Connexional Officers of the Lay Movement.

2. All Connexional Chairmen and Secretaries of the Organizations.

3. All Chairmen and   Secretaries of the Diocesan Lay Movement Councils.

4. Past Vice Presidents/Lay Presidents of Conference.

5. General Directors of Boards and Directors of Divisions who are Lay Persons.

6. The Director, Lay Ministries Division (in attendance if a minister).

7. The Director, Youth Ministries Division (in attendance if a minister)

 

THE DIOCESAN LAY MOVEMENT COUNCIL

The Diocesan Lay Movement Council shall be made up of the following:

 

1. All Diocesan Officers of the Lay Movement.

2. All Diocesan Chairmen and Secretaries of the Organizations.

3. The Circuit Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasures of the Lay Movement.

4. Past Diocesan Chairmen of the Lay Movement.

5. All Connexional Officers of the Lay Movement as well as Connexional Executive Members of the Organization resident in the Diocese.

6. All Circuit Stewards.

7. Lay Members of Conference resident in the Diocese.

8. Past Vice President/Lay Presidents resident in the Diocese.

9. The Secretary to the Lay Ministries Sub-Committee at the Diocesan level.

10. The Diocesan Youth Organizer (in Attendance, if a minister).

11. The Diocesan Women’s Coordinator.

 

THE CIRCUIT LAY MOVEMENT COUNCIL

The Circuit Lay Movement Council shall be made up of the following:

 

i.All Circuit Officers of the Lay Movement.

ii.All Circuit Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers of the Organizations.

iii.The Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers of the Society Lay Movement Councils.

iv.The Connexional and Diocesan Officers of the Lay Movement resident in the Circuit

v.Past Chairmen of the Circuit Lay Movement Council.

vi.All Connexional and Diocesan Executives of the Organizations resident in the Circuit.

vii.The Circuit Stewards.

viii.The Lay members of Conference in the Circuit.

ix.The Secretary to the Circuit Lay Ministries Sub-Committee.

x.The Connexional and Diocesan Officers in the Circuit.

xi.One Society Steward from each Society in the Circuit.

xii.The Lay members of Synod in the Circuit.

     

THE SOCIETY LAY MOVEMENT COUNCIL

The Society Lay Movement Council shall be made up of the following:

 

1.  The Officers of the Society Lay Movement Council.

1. All Stewards of the Society.

2. The Society Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers of the Organizations.

3. The Connexional, Diocesan and Circuit Officers of the Lay Movement Council who and members of the Society.

4. The Past and Current Connexional, Diocesan and Circuit Officers of the Organizations who are members of the Society.

5. Any Lay members of Synod in the Society.

6. Any Lay members of Conference in the Society.

7. A representation of not more than seven (7) Class Leaders of the Society.

 

MINISTERIAL REPRESENTATION

The Reverend Ministers in charge of the various levels shall be in attendance at Lay Movement meetings to provide relevant information and clarify issues when necessary.

 

OFFICERS

The officers of the Lay Movement shall be the following:

 

1. Chairman.

2. Immediate Past Chairman.

3. Vice Chairman.

4. Secretary.

5. Assistant Secretary.

6. Treasurer.

7. Organizing Secretary.

And such other officers as the Council may decide. The officers may co-opt/appoint persons to serve on committees

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DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

 

Chairman 

The Chairman shall preside at all General Meetings, and meetings of the Executive Committee. In addition to his/her voting right as member, he/she is also entitled to a casting vote in the event of a tie in the voting.

 

Vice-Chairman

The vice-Chairman shall assist the Chairman in the performance of his/her duties and in the absence of the latter shall act as Chairman.

 

Secretary

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all General Meetings, and all meetings of the Executive Committee. He/she shall handle the correspondence of the Movement and take such action on them as may be directed by the Executive Committee or the Chairman or, in special circumstances, act on his/her own initiative and report at a subsequent meeting. He/she shall perform such other duties of secretarial nature as may be assigned to him by the Executive Committee.

 

Assistant Secretary

The Assistant Secretary, who will act as Secretary in the absence of the latter, shall assist him/her in these duties.

 

Treasurer 

The Treasure shall receive all monies payable to the Movement and issue official receipts for them. He/she shall make payments on behalf of the Council, subject to the terms and conditions of the Executive Committee. He/she shall also keep and maintain a full and complete record of all the financial affairs of the Council; prepare and present a monthly statement of account and balance sheet as soon as possible after the end of the financial year.

 

Organizing Secretary

The Organizing Secretary shall be responsible for liaison and public relations work of the Council, as well as organizing and handling its social functions.

 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

1. All Officers except the Connexional Chairman who is the Lay President of Conference shall be elected at the Biennial General Meeting.

2. When the 3rd year of the Officers fall within a non-Biennial General Meeting year, election of Officers shall take place at the Preceding Biennial General Meeting with the view that the newly elected officers shall take office beginning October 1st of the following year.

3. All Officers except the Diocesan Chairman who is the Diocesan Lay Chairman shall be elected, at the Annual General Meetings of the Diocese, Circuit and Society Levels.

4. If a person has been in office for three (3) years in succession, he/she shall not be eligible to the same office without an intervening period of at least one year.

 

Procedure for Election

The accredited delegates will make nomination at the elections and voting shall be by secret ballot.

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Qualification for Office

 

1. The Vice Chairman and all other officers at the Connexional and Diocesan levels and all officers of the Circuit and Society levels shall be elected from amongst the delegates of the General Meeting and shall satisfy the requirements of SO, 742(3) (C).

2. Should any organizational Chairman be elected to any office of the Movement, his/her place on the Council shall be filled by his/her vice or any other elected person by the Organization.

 

GENERAL MEETINGS

 

Date & Venue

The General Meeting shall be held at the time and place determined by the previous General Meeting.

 

Functions

The functions of the General Meeting shall be to:

 

1. Receive the Report of the Council and to approve or amend any decisions taken by the Council during the year.

2. Receive the Financial Report for the year.

3. Elect officers and other committee members for the ensuing year.

4. Appoint an Auditor for the ensuing year.

5. Approve the budget and dispose of any other competent business brought before it.

      

Quorum

One third (1/3) of the expected number of people at a particular meeting shall form a quorum.

      

Chairman for General Meetings

All General Meetings of the Lay Movement shall be presided over by the Chairman or in his/her absence the Vice Chairman, or in the absence of both, a protem Chairman shall be appointed by the members present.

 

The Chairman shall have a casting vote in case of a tie.

 

Emergency Meeting

The Chairman shall for good reasons or on the motion of the Executive Committee have the power to convene an Emergency Meeting of the Lay Movement.

                                                                                                                                                 

BIENNIAL GENERAL MEETING

 

Membership

The Biennial General Meeting shall be made up of:

 

1. All officers of the Connexional Lay Movement Council.

2. Two representatives from each Circuit in the Connexion preferably the Chairman and one other.

3. Representatives of Diocesan Lay Movement Councils.

4. One Connexional Officer from each of the Organizations.

5. The Director, Christian Education Division and Directors Lay Ministries Division.

6. Observers shall be welcome but shall have no voting rights.

 

The Diocesan Annual General Meeting

The Diocesan Annual General Meeting shall be made up of the following:

 

1. All officers of the Diocesan Lay Movement Council.

2. All Circuit Stewards.

3. The Chairmen, Secretaries, Treasurers of all organizations at the Diocesan level.

4. Two representatives from each Circuit Lay Movement Council preferably the Chairman and one other.

5. Observers shall be welcome but shall have no voting rights

 

The Circuit Annual General Meeting

The Circuit Annual General Meeting shall be made up of the following:

 

1. All officers of the Circuit Lay Movement Council.

2. The Circuit Steward(s).

3. The Societies’ Stewards.

4. Two representatives from each Society Lay Movement Council in the Circuit preferably the Chairman and one other.

5. The Chairmen, Secretaries, Treasurers of all organizations at the Circuit level.

6. Observers shall be welcome but shall have no voting rights

 

The Society Annual General Meeting

The Society Annual General Meeting shall be made up of the following:

 

1. All officers of the Society Lay Movement Council.

2. The Society Steward/Stewards.

3. All Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers of Organizations.

4. The Minister-in-Charge of the Society shall be in attendance.

5. Observers shall be welcome but shall have no voting rights.

 

Society General Meeting

Apart from the AGM, the Executive shall convene Society General Meetings as and when necessary.

 

FUNDS

The funds of the Lay Movement Council shall be by:

 

i.Assessment on the Diocesan Councils for the Connexional Council, assessment on the Circuit Councils for the Diocesan Councils, and assessments on the Society Councils for the Circuit Councils.

ii.Third Sunday Collections at the Societies.

iii.Quarterly appeals shall be made for funds.

iv.Special appeals on Lay Movement Sunday.

v.Donations from within and outside the church.

vi.Levies.

vii.Other sources.

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REPORTS

Reports of the Diocesan Lay Movement Councils and the Connexional Councils of the Organizations, and the Circuit Lay Movement Councils, Circuit Organizations and Society Lay Movement Council and Society Organizations shall be presented by the Secretaries concerned at the last Executive Meeting preceding the General Meetings at the various levels respectively.

 

AMENDMEENT

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1. All Amendments to the Bye Laws shall be effected through the vote of two-thirds majority of the members present and voting at the Biennial General Meeting. The Amendment(s) shall be communicated to the Law and Policy Committee through the Administrative Bishop for the approval of Conference.

2. Any Amendment proposal should be lodged with the Connexional Secretary three months before any Biennial General Meeting.

 

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I Will Serve The Church