The Interfaith Council accepts donations as a non-political, charitable organization under Section 501 (c) (3) (application pending) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Through our belief in God, the Interfaith Council holds up the following values:

• We value the participation of persons who model and communicate a vision of expectancy and hope for the future.
• We intend to create a climate of respect for each other's traditions and acceptance of members and guests as people of religious faith.
• We aspire to develop spiritual connections through education about the beliefs and practices of the world's religions.
• We welcome non-members as participants in our activities.
• We work cooperatively and interdependently to support the achievement of peace and harmony in our community.
• We value opportunities to recognize youth who work for unity and reconciliation in the community.
• We reach out to help meet the needs of less-fortunate children in our community.

Membership in the Interfaith Council is open to religious organizations in the Greater Richmond area, as well as to individuals, willing to support the purpose and promote the values of the Interfaith Council. Past Presidents of the Interfaith Council shall remain members for life.

A member religious organization is represented on the Board of Directors by an Organizational Representative. An organization interested in membership shall be invited to review the ICGR Constitution and Bylaws and submits its Bylaws and Statement of Faith and/or Practices to the Officers of the Interfaith Council for review. After this review and the organization's consistent participation in the programs of the Interfaith Council for two years, the organization shall be invited to become a member and participate in the affairs of the Interfaith Council.

An individual member, who does not have an Organizational Representative, is listed as “Member at Large” and is represented on the Board by the Second Vice President. A person interested in membership shall be referred to the Second Vice President for information concerning purpose, values and activities of the Interfaith Council.

The business of the Interfaith Council shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of the officers, the representatives of member religious organizations and chairs of committees. Past Presidents shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors (non-voting).
a) One third of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of carrying out the business of the Council.
b) The Parliamentarian, who is a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, shall serve as advisor to the Board. c) The officers, as defined in Article IV, Section 1, shall constitute the Executive Board.

The Fiscal Year shall begin on June 1st and end on May 31st of the following year.

General meetings of the Council shall be held each month from September through May.

Officers shall be elected by the general membership at the April meeting. They shall be installed at the May meeting.

After prior notification to the members of the Board and to the members of the Council, this Constitution may be amended by a motion passed by the Board of Directors and by a vote of a majority of Council members present at a monthly meeting.

The General Meetings of the Council shall be held each month between September and May. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the following guidelines:

1. Interfaith consideration shall be given to all procedures, programs, practices, and dialogues, to be adapted as needed.
   
2. The location for meetings shall be given interfaith consideration and rotated on a regular basis.
   

The Nominating Committee shall recruit candidates for offices. It will present the recommended slate to the Board and publish it to the General Membership in March. The slate will then be presented at the General Meeting in April, when the election of officers is held. Each term of office will be for one year (June 1 through May 31 inclusive); however, the Vice President for Finance, Treasurer and Secretaries may serve consecutive terms.

1. The organizational meeting of the new Board shall be held within two weeks after the close of the Council year or as soon as possible thereafter. During the Council year, Board Meetings shall be held monthly on a regular schedule. The President may schedule special Board Meetings which must be announced to all Board members by telephone and mail or e-mail at least one week in advance, giving date, time, place and agenda of the meeting. Board members who are not able to attend must designate a proxy in writing for that special meeting. One third of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of carrying out the regular business of the Council. Board Meetings are open to all members of the Council.
2. Board members who received less than a week’s notice of a special meeting shall sign a waiver of notice. The Waiver of Notice form will be provided by the Recording Secretary.
3. Payment/compensation will not be paid to any member of the Board of Directors or Executive Board or his/her family for goods and services by which they directly profit. No board member, affiliate, or member of the organization shall benefit monetarily from any activity sponsored by or participated in by the organization, without prior approval of a majority of the Board.
4. Violations of this policy will result in the expulsion from the organization of the individual and restitution to the organization of any funds gained.

Section 1. Duties of the President

It is the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Council and the Board of Directors, to administer the affairs of the Council according to the Constitution and Bylaws, in consultation with the Board.

It is also the President's responsibility to be aware of cultural and religious sensibilities of member religious organizations. He/she will ensure that, consistent with the purpose of the Council, Board members and program participants accept responsibility for maintaining respect for our various religious faiths and traditions in all programs, prayers, and other public expressions.

The President shall also:

1. Recommend the yearly program theme to the Board.
2. Be responsible for the Yearbook and act as Chair of the Yearbook Committee.
3. Serve as member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
4. Sign checks in the absence of the Treasurer.
5. Represent the Council at public functions or designate an alternate for these occasions.
6. Appoint Chairs for the standing committees and such other committees as may be appropriate.
7. Appoint members to serve as Specialists (see ARTICLE VI).
8. Ensure that annual reports from Committee Chairs are filed with the Recording Secretary.
9. Provide an annual report at the end of the year which shall be included in the final Newsletter of the year and shall present a summary of this report at the Annual Meeting.
10. Be responsible for the Annual Meeting and President's Luncheon in May.

Section 2. Duties of the First Vice-President (Program)

The First Vice-President shall chair the Program Committee and perform the duties of the President in her/his absence.

The First Vice-President shall also:

1. Arrange for meeting space for Board Meetings and General Meetings.
2. Plan the programs for the year consistent with the selected theme.
3. Submit program topics for approval at the organizational Board Meeting.
4. Secure speakers and/or participants for monthly meetings.

Section 3. Duties of the Second Vice-President (Membership)

The Second Vice-President shall chair the Membership Committee. He/she and the Committee shall work with the Board in all matters pertaining to the Membership of the Council.

The Second Vice-President shall also:

1. Provide orientation for Organizational Representatives, so that they understand their responsibilities and functions within the Council.
2. Maintain regular contact with committee members during the year to offer support and to encourage their active involvement in the responsibilities of the Committee.
3. Cooperate with Hospitality Chair in providing food for the February meeting.
4. Work with the Committee to identify and greet new members and visitors at meetings.
5. Assist the Information Services Manager, with the help of the registrar, in maintaining the updated records of the membership.
6. Inform officers and members of illnesses, deaths, and other crises in the lives of members of the Council. This information should be shared with the members of the Board for appropriate action such as cards, flowers, and visits. The information may be announced at the regular monthly meeting of the Council.
7. Encourage participation by member organizations and Members at Large in Council activities. If the record shows that a member organization or Member at Large (see constitution, Article III) has become inactive (not attending meetings, not communicating with the Organizational Representative, etc.), the Second Vice President shall contact the Organizational Representative of that faith or the Member at Large to find out the reason and then report the finding to the board for consideration and further action.
8. Train Organization Representatives in effective procedures for soliciting new memberships.

Section 3-a Duties of the Vice President for Finance

The Vice President for Finance shall chair the Finance Committee. He/she shall be responsible for monitoring contributions and developing recommendations regarding the investment assets of the organization. He/she and the Committee shall work with the Board in matters pertaining to financial planning, responsible use of the organization's funds, obtaining of grants and oversight of other fundraising projects. Appropriate reports of these activities are to be submitted to the Board periodically and to the Council membership at the Annual Meeting.

The Vice President for Finance shall also arrange for an independent, outside financial review at the end of the fiscal year and shall, prior to the organizational meeting of the new Board, work with the outgoing and incoming treasurers on the development of the budget for the new fiscal year.

Section 4. Duties of the Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary shall:

1. Keep an accurate and permanent record of all Board and Council meetings.
2. Record the monthly minutes.
3. Deliver copies of the minutes to the Corresponding Secretary.
4. Receive and file all annual reports.

Section 5. Duties of the Corresponding Secretary

The Corresponding Secretary shall:

1. Assist with Council correspondence as requested.
2. Supervise the production and distribution of the Newsletter on a regular monthly schedule. Announcements or appeals of member organizations or community organizations must have the President's approval to be printed in the Newsletter.
3. Obtain an updated mailing list from the Information Services Manager.
4. Recruit assistants as necessary.

Section 6. Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall chair the Finance Committee and manage all funds received and maintained by the organization. The check authorization card shall be issued in the names of the Treasurer and the President.

In addition the Treasurer shall:

1. Receive and acknowledge contributions.
2. Pay all bills and keep accurate financial records.
3. Present a written financial report to the Board and membership monthly and a final report at the end of the fiscal year.
4. Arrange for an outside financial review at the end of the fiscal year.
5. Coordinate the preparation of an annual budget and propose the budget to the incoming Board at the organizational meeting.

It is expedient for the outgoing Treasurer to work together with the new Treasurer prior to the organizational meeting of the new Board to acquaint her/him with the financial workings of the Council and to prepare the Budget for the following year.

Section 7. Duties of Organizational Representatives

Each Organizational Representative shall represent her/his entire faith organization on the Board of Directors and serve on the Membership Committee.

In addition the Organizational Representatives shall:

1. Attend Board Meetings and fulfill Board assignments under the direction of the President.
2. Attend an orientation conducted by the Second Vice-President for the Membership Committee.
3. Secure a representative for each congregation in her/his faith organization.
4. Orient Congregational Representatives in their duties.
5. Inform the Corresponding Secretary of changes on the membership list throughout the year.
6. Cooperate with the Hospitality Chair by reminding Congregational Representatives to provide refreshments, greeters, and clean up when assigned.
7. Cooperate with Nominating Committee Chair by identifying potential nominees for offices when requested.

Section 8. Duties of Congregational Representatives

Each Congregational Representative shall represent one congregation in the Interfaith Council and does not serve on the Board, but may serve on Council committees.

In addition the Congregational Representative shall:

1. Report to her/his Organizational Representative any membership changes.
2. Notify her/his congregation to send an annual membership contribution to the Council Treasurer in September.
3. Report back to the congregation on monthly Council programs and activities and encourage participation.
4. Recruit volunteers from the congregation for participation in Council activities such as Meals on Wheels, clothing and miscellaneous collections, Chaplaincy Fund, holiday card donations, etc.
5. Provide refreshments for meetings when it is that faith organization's turn to do so, as specified in the Yearbook.
6. Designate an alternate if he/she can not always be active.
7. Inform the Organizational Representative if he/she is no longer able to continue in this position.

Nominating Committee:

The President shall appoint the Chair of the Nominating Committee at the beginning of the organizational year. The Nominating Committee Chair should be a member of the Council who is familiar with the goals, policies, and philosophies of the organization. The Nominating Committee shall consist of members from three different religious organizations, in order to enable fair representation of all member organizations in the administration of Council affairs. The Committee should begin work immediately after the fiscal year begins in order to become familiar with the requirements for the various jobs.

The Committee shall recruit candidates for offices for the coming year. The Chair shall obtain job descriptions for the various offices to share with the prospective candidates. Qualified candidates for Recording and Corresponding Secretaries and Treasurer shall be recruited with attention paid to involving a variety of member organizations.

In recruiting a candidate for Second Vice-President the Committee shall follow the guidance of the organizational rotation list as closely as possible in order to provide for fair representation for all members in the affairs of the Council.

ROTATION AMONG MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Baptist	United Church of Christ
Catholic	Unity
Salvation Army	Islam
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints	Greek Orthodox
Judaism	Hinduism
Methodist	Episcopal
Disciples of Christ (Christian)	Sikhism
Bahá'í Faith	Lutheran
Eckankar	Buddhism
Zoroastrianism	Presbyterian
Unitarian Universalist	Jainism

New organizations and former member organizations will be placed in the rotation immediately preceding the organization which is presiding during the year when they join.

At the beginning of the organizational year, the Chair shall immediately notify the next organization on the rotation list of its responsibility to present a candidate for Second Vice-President for the following year. If a religious organization is unable to present a candidate for Second Vice President at the December Board meeting, the selection shall then go to the next organization on the rotation list. If the omitted organization wishes to present a candidate for the following year, this intention should be submitted in writing at the April Board Meeting for next year's Nominating Committee.

Qualified candidates for Recording and Corresponding Secretaries and Treasurer shall be recruited with attention paid to involving a variety of member organizations.

Constitution and Bylaws Committee:

The President shall appoint a Chair for the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. The Committee Chair, after consultation with Board members, shall choose committee members representative of the member religious organizations. The Parliamentarian shall be a member of the Committee. The Committee shall then act in an advisory capacity to the Board and Council.

The Chair shall make herself/himself available whenever requested to provide information related to the Constitution, Bylaws, policies, goals, and philosophies of the organization.

The Committee shall review the Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies and Procedures and propose appropriate changes to the Board for its consideration and action (see Article VIII). If the changes are accepted, the Board will then notify the Council by including the changes in the Newsletter before the next meeting.

The Board shall recommend the changes to the Council and call for a vote. A simple majority of the members present at a regular meeting shall be sufficient to carry the motion.

The Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall be responsible for the following: 1. Distribute copies of the Constitution and Bylaws to members of the Board. 2. Keep the copies of the Constitution and Bylaws up-to-date. All copies shall be dated. 3. Be a member ex-officio (non-voting) of the Nominating Committee. 4. Provide job descriptions of all offices as requested. 5. Be responsible for holding a Board orientation meeting for the new Board as soon as possible after the beginning of the Council year, in order to inform the Board as to its responsibilities and the philosophies of the Council.

Finance Committee:

The Vice President for Finance shall chair the Finance Committee. The Committee shall consist of Organizational Representatives and others as appropriate. It shall be responsible for all matters related to income and expenses for the Council and shall help the Treasurer develop the Budget. The Treasurer and the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee shall be members of the Finance Committee.

Ways and Means Committee: The President shall appoint the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. The Chair is also a member of the Finance Committee.

The Ways and Means Committee shall have responsibility for developing opportunities for fund-raising as required to supplement the Operating Fund. The Chair shall consult with the Finance Committee as to the financial advantage or feasibility of the projects suggested by her/his committee. Upon completion of the planning phase of the project, the Chair shall present the project to the Board of Directors. The Board shall have the final word on any project.

The Chair is responsible for all monies collected or disbursed and shall report all transactions to the Treasurer in writing with documentation.

Membership Committee:

The Second Vice-President shall serve as Chair of the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall consist of Organizational Representatives and others, as appropriate. Members of the Committee shall endeavor to increase membership in the Council. They shall assist the Hospitality Chair as requested. The members of the committee shall help the Second Vice-President to keep track of changes in the representatives of the member organizations so that the mailing list may be kept current.

Program Committee:

The First Vice-President shall serve as Chair of the Program Committee, which should be composed of a broad representation of member organizations. The Committee shall confer with the President on the theme for the year and shall develop appropriate programs. The Chair shall present the suggested programs to the Board for its approval. It shall secure speakers and coordinate the program presentations. It shall work with the President in the preparation and distribution of the printed programs and any other program items.

The Committee members shall assist the President with the meetings, as requested.

Community Service Committee:

The President shall appoint one or more Chairs of the Community Service Committee. The Committee shall coordinate contacts and responses with associated agencies. It shall notify member organizations of the needs of community agencies. It shall be responsible for the collection and distribution of donations.

Community Service donations shall be collected only at regular monthly meeting locations, e.g. none in February or May.

Yearbook Committee:

The President shall serve as Chair of the Yearbook Committee. The Yearbook Committee shall work with the President to develop and produce the Yearbook.

Hospitality Committee:

The President shall appoint the Chair of the Hospitality Committee. The committee shall coordinate the monthly refreshment/fellowship period (which precedes the meeting). The members of the Committee shall be responsible for setting up the table, providing the beverages, receiving the food from the designated member organizations, and cleaning up after the meeting.

The Chair shall work with the Second Vice-President to notify the assigned Organizational Representatives each month of their responsibilities. The monthly rotation list of member responsibility for refreshments shall appear in the Yearbook.

Members of the Council should be reminded to provide a sufficient variety of foods to accommodate the preferences and food restrictions of those present, and to label foods before placing them on the table.

Other Committees:

The President and the Board of Directors may decide the appointment, duties, and responsibilities of other committees as appropriate.

The President shall appoint Specialists as needed for specific functions. These positions shall include, but not be limited to, Parliamentarian, Information Services Manager, Registrar, Historian, Virginia Chaplaincy Fund Manager, and Media Representative.

The Parliamentarian shall advise the Board and the Council on the conduct of meetings in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.

The Information Services Manager shall keep an up-to-date mailing list, with the help of the Second Vice-President, the Corresponding Secretary, and the Registrar. Announcements or appeals of member organizations or community organizations must have the President's approval to be distributed through the e-mail list.

The Registrar shall record attendance and report to the membership at each meeting the number of religious organizations represented, and the number of members and guests present. After each meeting he/she will notify the Second Vice-President of the names, addresses, and religious affiliations of new members.

The Historian shall prepare an annual Scrapbook to reflect the activities of the organization for the year. The Scrapbook shall include monthly minutes, programs, news clippings, photographs, and other memorabilia. The Scrapbook will be displayed at monthly meetings.

The Virginia Chaplaincy Fund Manager shall serve as the Interfaith Council Representative to The Chaplain Service of Virginia, Inc. The Chaplaincy Fund Manager shall collect contributions from members and send acknowledgments to donors. He/she shall keep records of collections and report to the Board and Council monthly.

The Media Representative shall be responsible for keeping in touch with representatives of the media so that information about the Council will be brought to the attention of the public, including notices of meeting dates, programs, and special events.

The Telephone Answering Service Manager shall be responsible for keeping the current outgoing messages up to date regarding upcoming events. He/she shall also regularly check incoming messages and forward them to the appropriate member of the Board of Directors for response.

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for this organization in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order which the group may adopt.

After prior notification to the members of the Board and to the members of the Council, these Bylaws may be amended by a motion passed by the Board of Directors and by a vote of a majority of Council members present at a regular monthly meeting.