Bylaws

The name of this organization is The Association of Stated Clerks, Inc.

This organization exists to promote the office of stated clerk within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), to advocate for the office of stated clerk, to provide training to embark on that office, and to provide continuing education for stated clerks and mentoring and mutual support among clerks.

This organization and its members are bound by the provisions of the most recent edition of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Members shall be:

1. 1.

   Voting Members: Voting members are those currently in active service as stated clerks who have paid current dues.

2. 2.

   Affiliate Members: Affiliate members are those not currently in active service as stated clerks, but who support the purposes of the organization, who serve as instructors in polity, or who wish to embark upon training preparatory to election as a stated clerk, and who have paid current dues. Affiliate members will have voice but not vote at Association meetings.

3. 3.

   Honorary Members: Honorary members are other persons elected to that status by the organization, ordinarily upon nomination by the Executive Committee. Dues are optional with the member. Honorary members will have voice but not vote at Association meetings.

1. 1.

   The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Regional Representatives. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by this organization. Only those who are voting members at the time of election are eligible to be officers of the Association.

2. 2.

   The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected at the Annual Meeting by voice vote of the voting members present. If there is more than one nominee for a particular office, the vote for that office shall be by ballot. They serve for one two-year term or until their successors are elected. Their terms of office shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting at which they are elected.

3. 3.

   The nominating committee shall present the slate of nominees for President and Treasurer in odd years and Vice-President and Secretary in even years.

4. 4.

   The Regional Representatives shall be elected at the Annual Meeting by voice vote of the voting members of each region of this organization. Their terms of office shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting at which they are elected. The Representatives representing the odd-numbered regions shall be elected in the odd-numbered years and those representing the even-numbered regions shall be elected in even-numbered years. In the event of a resignation in a region, the Executive Committee shall appoint a replacement until the region can elect a representative.

5. 5.

   The regions of this organization, and their constituent synods, are:

   1. 1.Northwest: Alaska-Northwest, Pacific, and Rocky Mountains.
   2. 2.Southwest: Southern California and Hawaii, and Southwest.
   3. 3.Northcentral: Covenant, Lakes and Prairies, and Lincoln Trails.
   4. 4.Southcentral: Mid-America, and Sun.
   5. 5.Northeast: Boriquen en Puerto Rico, and Northeast.
   6. 6.Eastcentral: Mid-Atlantic, and Trinity.
   7. 7.Southeast: Living Waters, and South Atlantic.
6. 6.

   In electing officers, the principles of participation and representation set forth in the Book of Order shall be followed. Ordinarily at least one officer shall be a stated clerk whose tenure in office is less than five years. Ordinarily at least two officers shall be stated clerks who are ruling elders. Ordinarily at least one officer shall be a synod stated clerk. To fulfill these goals, the Executive Committee may annually appoint up to four additional Representatives, apportioned among the regions.

7. 7.

   No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible to serve by election or appointment more than one two-year term in the same office, except Regional Representatives may serve up to two two-year terms.

8. 8.

   The President shall be the presiding officer of the Executive Committee and the chief administrative officer. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President. The Treasurer shall collect the dues and maintain the records and financial accounts. The Secretary shall maintain the written records for the Association.

9. 9.

   The Vice-President shall become President, whenever the office of President becomes vacant. Whenever there is a vacancy in the offices of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Nominating Committee, the Executive Committee may appoint an interim person until such time as the Association meets and elects a successor.

1. 1.

   The Annual Meeting shall be held in conjunction with the annual training conference for stated clerks sponsored by the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In any year that such training conference is not held, the Annual Meeting may be held in conjunction with the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

2. 2.

   Special meetings shall be held at the call of the Executive Committee or upon the written request of one quarter of the voting members. The business to be conducted at special meetings shall be limited to those items listed in the call of the meeting.

3. 3.

   A Quorum shall be at least two officers and one member from at least five regions.

1. 1.

   The Executive Committee shall be the officers as defined in Article IV, Section 1 and the chairperson of the Nominating Committee or its designee.

2. 2.

   The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association between its meetings, fix the hour and place of meetings, make recommendations to the Association, and perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the orders of the Association, and none of its acts shall conflict with action taken by the Association.

3. 3.

   Executive Committee meetings shall be held at the call of the President or at the written request of three members of the Executive Committee. Electronic meetings may be held by the Executive Committee in conformance with Robert's Rules of Order.

4. 4.

   The Executive Committee shall nominate the three members of the Nominating Committee to be voted on at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Stated Clerks.

5. 5.

   The Association of Stated Clerks may hire an Executive Secretary. The method of engaging, term, duties, accountability, and reimbursement of the Executive Secretary shall be set forth in a position description approved by the Executive Committee.

1. 1.

   Nominating Committee: A Nominating Committee shall consist of three members, one of whom ordinarily will be the immediate Past President who shall chair this committee. The Nominating Committee shall be elected at the Annual Meeting. No member of this Nominating Committee may serve more than two years.

2. 2.

   Program Committee: A Program Committee shall be appointed by the President to plan the program of the Association's Annual Conference. This committee's report shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for its approval.

3. 3.

   Such other committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the President or by the Executive Committee as it shall from time to time deem necessary to carry on the work of the Association. The President shall be ex officio a member, without vote, of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), these bylaws, and any special rules of order this organization may adopt.

The Executive Committee shall annually set the amount for dues to support the purposes and work of the Association.

1. 1.

   These bylaws may be amended by a majority of the voting members, either at the Annual Meeting with advance written notice or by written mail ballot.

2. 2.

   Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee on its own initiative.

3. 3.

   The Executive Committee shall transmit to the voting members within one hundred twenty days of receipt, unchanged but accompanied by comment or by a counterproposal, any proposal for amendment which is initiated by a petition from any twenty voting members.