WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP

OF HOME MORAVIAN CHURCH

Guiding Principles

Mission

Women’s Fellowship’s mission is to deepen relationships with God and one another through Christian fellowship and service to all.

Members

Organization

All women of Home Moravian Church over the age of 18 together with friends who desire to participate.

Leadership

The Leadership Team consists of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Coordinator and Events Coordinator.

Standing Committees

• Candle Tea        ●     Day of Prayer    ●    Women’s Retreat

Four Areas of Opportunity to Fulfill Our Mission

Circles - Small groups of women who meet regularly for:

• Fellowship and development of relationships with other women,
• Spiritual growth through study and discussion,
• Service,
• And much more.

Community Events - Events offered to the community including:

• Candle Tea and its supporting activities,
• Ash Wednesday Day of Prayer Service,
• Yearly Women’s Retreat,
• Topical workshops,
• Social activities, fun and fellowship events,
• And much more.

Interest Groups - Groups that gather due to their collective interest in:

• Bible study and/or discussion about other books,
• Faith development,
• Life stages seminars,
• Health and wellness presentations and activities,
• Environmental studies,
• And much more.

Service Projects - Groups that work together to provide particular services within and outside Home Moravian Church:

• Meal “trains,”
• Crisis response,
• Diggs-Latham Elementary School volunteering,
• Sunnyside Ministries assistance,
• And much more!

Leadership Team

The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer are elected by the membership and they appoint the Communications and Events Coordinators. These six comprise the Leadership Team and all are members of Home Moravian Church. Three members of the Leadership Team constitute a quorum.

Throughout the biennium, the Team:

1. Manages the work of Women’s Fellowship and communicates with Women’s Fellowship members;
2. Meets quarterly, except in matters of urgency and time limitations, and communicates with each other via phone, email, virtual video meeting platform and/or in person;
3. Envisions activities and plans for the next year, with input from the membership, at the spring meeting; and
4. Refers to the membership all matters specified in the Guiding Principles that require membership approval.

As needed, the Leadership Team:

1. Appoints any replacement for the Leadership Team or committee chairs, if a vacancy occurs, and that woman serves the remainder of the biennium;
2. Creates and/or terminates Standing Committees, with approval of the membership;
3. Creates ad hoc committees as needed, determines the responsibilities of the specific committees, and provides oversight for these committees;
4. Consults the President of the Provincial Women’s Board and the Pastors, when needed;
5. Determines participants to Women’s Conference as needed; and
6. Facilitates an annual evaluation each spring by soliciting feedback from the membership to enable beneficial changes to be made to the organization.

President

At the beginning of each biennium, the President:

1. With the assistance of the Leadership Team, appoints Standing Committee Chairs and ad hoc committees, as needed, for Women’s Fellowship; and
2. Ensures that leaders of various committees and groups have access to the

Guiding Principles concerning their duties and responsibilities.

Throughout the biennium, the President:

1. Presides at meetings and events of Women’s Fellowship and the Leadership Team and performs all duties required by the office; and
2. At the end of each biennium, presents to the membership a report of the work of Women’s Fellowship.

Vice-President

The Vice-President:

1. Performs all duties of the President, in the President’s absence;
2. Conducts all total fellowship correspondence, as determined by the Leadership Team;
3. Serves as the liaison to the Provincial Women’s Board and facilitates Women’s Fellowship participation in activities, projects and events with the Board; and
4. Each spring, contacts the four area leaders to determine if Provincial Women’s Board devotion books are requested and facilitates their distribution. Offers equivalent funds toward an alternate devotional book (when funds are available.)

Secretary

The Secretary:

1. Keeps full minutes of the Leadership Team meetings and any total fellowship business meetings;
2. Records the results of any elections by the membership; and
3. Acts as custodian of records and maintains an electronic archive of these.

Treasurer

The Treasurer:

1. Sends a letter (from the Leadership Team) to all members of Women’s Fellowship requesting annual support for the budget and collects this;
2. Develops the annual budget with the Leadership Team and submits to the total membership for approval each spring;
3. Receives all funds of Women’s Fellowship;
4. Makes all disbursements;
5. Reports to the Leadership Team regarding each quarter’s expenditures;
6. At the end of the second year, reports any budget excess so the membership can vote on its disbursement; and
7. Provides updates and reports to the Communications Coordinator for distribution to Women’s Fellowship.

Communications Coordinator

The Communications Coordinator:

1. Is responsible for setting up consistent communications about Women’s Fellowship events and information;
2. Serves as editor of Women’s Fellowship section of Home-to-Home;
3. Develops and maintains a webpage/website for Women’s Fellowship that highlights circles, community events, interest groups, and service projects and communicates news items and/or about any other activities;
4. Regularly makes updates on the webpage/website of Women’s Fellowship and Home Moravian Church with information received from Events Coordinator;
5. Creates announcements for email, print, Sunday bulletins, Weekly News from Home, monthly Home to Home newsletter, and/or the webpage/website of Women’s Fellowship and Home Moravian Church; and
6. Communicates special events, projects and activities information to the fellowship members as well as the church family.

Events Coordinator

The Events Coordinator:

1. Is the initial contact for any of the four areas who are planning meetings, projects, events, etc. to keep the Leadership Team updated on future plans and to confirm dates available on the Women’s Fellowship and church calendars;
2. Develops and updates the biennial calendar to be posted by the Communications Coordinator on webpage/website of Women’s Fellowship and Home Moravian Church and keeps the Leadership Team current regarding this calendar;
3. Facilitates implementation of new activities, works with circles, community events, interest groups, service projects and all other committees of the fellowship to coordinate, provide leadership, scheduling assistance and room reservations, when needed;
4. Provides notice of all meetings and Women’s Fellowship events for church publications, to the Communication’s Coordinator; and
5. Plans any meetings or activities that involve the total membership.

The Four Areas:

Circles, Community Events, Interest Groups, and Service Projects

The four areas offer new and continuing opportunities for connection and mission and are organized around the focus, interest and/or function of the particular area. Circles are small groups of women who meet together regularly. Community Events, Interest Groups, and Service Projects will be initiated and led by women with others from the church and community participating.

Leaders are selected by the group and reported to the Leadership Team. Circle leaders serve for the biennium. Other area leaders serve for the longevity of the project or activity.

All area leaders should contact the Events Coordinator to share information about future meetings, events, groups and projects being planned. The Coordinator can inform the Leadership Team, assist with any planning details, and check and reserve dates on the Women’s Fellowship and church calendars.

Circles are:

• Self-guided — choosing their meeting time and place(s), their devotional topics or study.
• Responsible for determining if they need additional leadership and designating those individuals.
• Welcome to plan and/or suggest activities to the Events Coordinator that can be offered to all women, all church members, and/or the community and seek her assistance for scheduling, reserving rooms, organizing and/or planning.
• Encouraged to invite and attract new members at any time.

Circle Leaders

1. Lead Circle meetings and help coordinate activities and responsibilities;
2. Provide the Circle’s monthly meeting schedule to the Events Coordinator; and
3. Report any information or summary of discussions which Circle members would like reported to the Leadership Team.

Community Events are:

• Planned and organized by Women’s Fellowship members and occur on a particular date or dates.
• Planned to include women, Home Moravian Church members and others in the community who would like to participate in organizing and planning this event.
• Organized to reach the larger community.

Community Event Leaders

1. Lead and coordinate the meetings of their group and communicate the appropriate information to participants;
2. Seek assistance from the Events Coordinator for scheduling, reserving rooms, organizing and/or planning the event, as needed;
3. Provide specifics about the Community Event to the Events Coordinator; and
4. Report any items the Community Event organizers would like to share with the Leadership Team including a final report of the event.

Interest Groups are:

• Topic-, study -, or activity- driven groups who agree to focus on their particular interest for a self-determined period of time.
• Responsible determining if they need additional leadership and designating those individuals.
• Seek assistance from the Events Coordinator for scheduling, reserving rooms, organizing and/or planning, as needed.
• Encouraged to invite and attract new members at any time.

Interest Group Leaders

1. Lead the group’s meetings, coordinate the group’s schedule and communicate the appropriate information to the participants;
2. Provide specifics about the Interest Group activity to the Events Coordinator; and
3. Report items the group would like to share with the Leadership Team including a final report when the interest group concludes.

Service Projects are:

• Projects that fill a particular need in the church or greater community;
• Projects that enable participants to select their leaders, determine persons in charge of various aspects of the project, and plan how to attract participants needed for the longevity of the project.
• Encouraged to invite and attract new members at any time.

Service Project Leaders

1. Lead meetings and coordinate the group’s activities toward completion of the project;
2. Develop communication methods that provide needed information to facilitate the project’s planning, scheduling and participants’ work;
3. Seek assistance from the Events Coordinator for scheduling, reserving meeting space or other organizational help needed;
4. Provide specifics about the project to the Events Coordinator; and
5. Report information and/or updates the project leaders would like to share with the Leadership Team including a final report at the end of the project.

Standing Committees

Committees

Standing Committees for Women’s Fellowship include: Candle Tea, Day of Prayer and Women’s Retreat. The committees plan and conduct the activities that are their responsibility and report to the Leadership Team on their work via virtual meeting platforms, written minutes of the committee meetings, phone calls or in-person meetings.

Candle Tea Committee

The Candle Tea Committee is responsible for Candle Tea presented to the community yearly. The Committee:

1. Membership includes the two (2) most recent chairs of Candle Tea, the current Candle Tea Chair and Co-Chair, the President of Women’s Fellowship and the Candle Tea Treasurer. The immediate past Candle Tea Chair serves as the Committee Chair. At-large members are appointed by the Candle Tea Chair and serve two years (and may continue for an additional year at the request of the Committee Chair);
2. Serves year-round beginning in January, to ensure continuity and the completion of late spring and summer Committee activities;
3. Is under the supervision of the Leadership Team. The Candle Tea Chair refers all major changes to the Leadership Team for consideration and approval;
4. Selects the co-chair of the Candle Tea by the end of February who serves as chair the succeeding year; and
5. Appoints a treasurer for the Candle Tea.

Day of Prayer Committee

Plans and coordinates the Ash Wednesday Day of Prayer Service. The Committee Chair:

1. Selects the committee to oversee the planning of the Ash Wednesday Day of Prayer service; and
2. Recruits volunteers for hosting, hospitality (if a pre- or post-service reception is provided), special music, guest speakers, and those who lead the service or assist in other ways.

Women’s Retreat Committee

Organizes, plans and carries out an annual retreat for the women of Home Church and their friends. The Committee Chair:

1. Selects committee members from current and former retreat participants who will periodically rotate off the committee;
2. Recruits members or additional volunteers to assist with registration, refreshments, planning and the worship service; and
3. Recommends the new Chair to the Leadership Team, as needed.

Governance

Voting Procedures, Election and Installation of Leadership Team

Quorum

The members of Women’s Fellowship who participate in any vote taken constitute a quorum.

Voting Procedures

The voting information will be distributed via as many communication methods as possible including, but not limited to, email, bulletin, newsletter and the Women’s Fellowship webpage/website. To enable the greatest number of members to participate, voting may be conducted using an electronic voting platform. Provisions will be made for those who are unable to receive information or vote electronically.

Election

Members of the Leadership Team, who are not appointed, are elected in March of the second year of the biennium. In early February, the Leadership Team will solicit suggestions of potential Team members from the membership. The slate will be determined by early March so that voting can be completed by the end of March, allowing a minimum of two weeks for voting. At the conclusion of the election, the new Leadership Team will be announced.

Terms of Office

Leadership Team

The Team serves for a term of two years, beginning July 1 of the year in which elected. Newly elected team members participate in transition activities beginning immediately following installation. Out-going team members participate in transition activities following the end of their respective term.

Standing Committees

• Serve a term of two years after being appointed by the Leadership Team, beginning July 1, with the exception of the Candle Tea Committee.
• If a committee chair position vacancy occurs, the Leadership team will appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the biennium
• Chairs may appoint additional committee members at any time during the biennium.
• Committees may be asked to help transition new personnel during the months of July and August following the end of the term.