Bylaws of Southwest Virginia Emmaus Community
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of the Community shall be THE SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA UPPER ROOM EMMAUS COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as the Community.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
Section 1: The purpose of the Community shall be to inspire, challenge and equip church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, places of work and the world community through the Emmaus experience.
Section 2: The Community is affiliated with The Upper Room Emmaus Offices, Nashville Tennessee.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: All persons who have completed an Emmaus Ministry event sponsored by an Upper Room Emmaus Community shall be members of the Community.
SECTION 2: Persons who have completed a recognized three day movement experience may become members by participation in the activities of the Community and asking the secretary or registrar of the Community to include their names on the electronic mailing list.
ARTICLE IV: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
When selecting any Board of Directors or any Leadership Role for the Community the nomination committee must choose candidates based of how they follow God’s edicts as found in the scriptures. We all fall short of the Glory of God, no person lives without sin in their life. We do not stand in judgement of anyone. However, those willfully defying God’s commands without remorse, repentance and abandonment of those sins and plan on returning to a lifestyle leading to sin should not knowingly be placed in a leadership position (appointed position) within the community. An Appointed Position is any person who is asked by name to serve in any capacity throughout the weekend. In the purpose of building up Church leaders, a person who is living an immoral lifestyle or in persistent, unrepentant sin as defined in the Holy Scriptures would be seen as legitimizing that lifestyle or sin. While we cannot address every sin in the document, we are addressing the marriage covenant.
The Biblical principles for marriage transcend time and culture. Marriage, according to scripture, is a covenant commitment to the exclusive, permanent, monogamous union of one man and one woman (as assigned at birth), and thus it cannot be defined as a flexible contract between consenting human beings, (whether with or without any formal form of contract). Rather, the strong and enduring bond of marriage, pledged in the presence of God Himself, is enriched by the couple’s unconditional love for the acceptance of one another.
Believers must resist any claims of legitimacy for sexual relationships that biblically have been declared illicit or perverse lest they fall prey to an accommodation to the spirit of the age. Deviation from God’s plan for sex and marriage mars the image of God, distorts the oneness God intended in the sexual union and allows evil to obtain a foothold of sin within our community. For this reason, we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female. GENESIS 1:27, GENESIS 2:24, MATTHEW 19: 5-6, MARK 10: 6-9, ROMANS 1: 26-27 & 1 Corinthians 6:9
SECTION 1: PURPOSE
Direction of the Community shall be vested in the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2: COMPOSITION
A Full Board will consist of (15) elected lay members and the Community Spiritual Director and two (2) additional Clergy / Spiritual Directors.
SECTION 3: TERMS of OFFICE
a) Laypersons on the board shall be approved by the Community members in three (3) year classes. Each Class having 5 members.
b) Clergy / Spiritual Directors shall serve a three (3) year term. The Community Spiritual Director shall serve a one (1) year term inside the three (3) year term.
c) Board members cannot succeed themselves in consecutive terms, a term being three (3) years.
d) Terms of office shall begin January 1 and shall terminate December 31, except for the officers who shall serve until the election of new officers in January as provided in Article V.
SECTION 4: ELECTIONS of BOARD MEMBERS
a) Board members are expected to be active in their local church, reunion groups, and gatherings.
b) Board members are approved by the Community
c) The Nomination Committee shall submit to the board a slate of nominees from which to elect five (5) board members.
d) New members will be approved at the December community gathering. e) The immediate past Lay Director of the board shall serve on the board one additional year or the normal period of the term, whichever is greater.
The Board may elect persons upon nomination by the Community Lay Director; to fill vacant term until the next regular election for that term. Such persons are eligible for approval to a full term.
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS OF THE BOARD
SECTION 1: OFFICERS
Officers shall be the Community Lay Director, the incoming Lay Director, Secretary and Treasurer, and in the case of absences will chair meeting in this order. The Incoming Lay Director must be eligible to serve an additional year on the board and serve as the Community Lay Director if elected to that post. Officers may accept responsibility for a work area in addition to an elected position on the board.
SECTION 2: ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Officers shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at the January meeting for one (1) year term of office effective with the close of the January meeting.
SECTION 3: SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
The Spiritual Director of the Community shall be selected annually by the Board of Directors. Term of the office shall begin January 1. The Spiritual Director may be replaced during the term by ten (10) affirmative votes with cause.
ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS
SECTION 1: REGULAR MEETINGS
The board shall meet monthly in regular meeting unless otherwise ordered by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the board in a regular meeting.
SECTION 2: QUORUM
Ten (10) members of the Board of Directors present at a duly called meeting shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 3: SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special board meetings may be called by the chair or when requested in writing by ten (10) members of the board.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
SECTION 1: The Board of Directors shall name board members to chair committees as determined by the Board of Directors: Gatherings, Registration, Transportation, Facility Set-up/Breakdown, Agape Acts, Group reunion/ Follow-up, Kitchen, Literature/ Clothing, Team Selection, Newsletter, Music/Entertainment, Candle Light / Sponsors’ Hour and Community Training.
SECTION 2: The Community Lay Director will hold a seat on all standing committees.
ARICLE VIII: WALK TO EMMAUS
SECTION 1: The Community shall follow the guidelines The Upper Room Emmaus Ministries Community Manual, hereinafter referred to as the Manual/Manuals for programs in the presentation of any Emmaus Ministries event.
SECTION 2: The Board of Director shall have general oversight in all matters relating to the local Emmaus Ministries Community. The Board of Directors shall have oversight as described in the Manual related to the three-day Walk to Emmaus Ministry. This shall include appointing Board Representative for each Walk. The responsibilities of the Board Representative are described within the Manual. The Board Representative shall be a prior Lay director and will be a current or recent member of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3: The Board of Directors shall choose a Lay Director for each Community Walk.
SECTION 4: The Board of Directors shall choose a Spiritual Director for each Community Walk.
SECTION 5: The Board shall establish a Team Selection Committee. The Team Selection Committee shall consist of a board member who serves as Chair, the Community Spiritual Director, the Past Community Lay Director, the next Walk Lay Director, and the upcoming Walk Lay Director(s) and others with knowledge and experience within the Community and should have broad awareness of the Community membership and a solid understanding of the team needs.
Community members are appointed by the board chair. When forming a team, the committee must choose prospective team members based on how they follow God’s edicts, as found in the scriptures and applying the same standards as in Article IV pertaining to the selection of board members. A person living an immoral lifestyle or in persistent unrepentant sin as defined in the Holy
Scriptures shall not be considered for a leadership role in SWVA Emmaus Community Walks.
ARICLE IX: AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1: Proposed amendments must be presented to the board by any member of the Community one (1) month in advance for consideration by the board.
SECTION 2: For amendment(s) to be considered for change, amendment(s) must be affirmed by a two-thirds (2/3) of the board members present and constituting a quorum.
SECTION 3: If the board then wishes to submit the amendment to the entire Community for a vote it may do so. A majority or plurality of votes cast by the members will decide the matter.
SECTION 4: The Community will be informed of the changes in the most efficient and effective manner through electronic communication or any other appropriate form.
ARTICLE X: RATIFICATION
The Bylaws take effect immediately upon certification of the Board.
The Community shall use its funds only to accomplish the purposes specified in the Bylaws and its Chapter, and shall take no action that would not follow these Bylaws. If dissolution of the Community in any manner or any reason becomes required, its assets (any remaining funds, after payment of all liabilities) shall be distributed by the Board of Directors. The funds should be distributed to another organization with preference being given to another organization or activity that is involved in Presenting “The Walk to Emmaus” or similar experience.
Approved: May 2025
