G52 Churches Together
Constitution

Name:  The name of the organisation will be G52 Churches Together.

Objectives:  The purpose of the organisation shall be to encourage and to enable the Christian congregations to act together in the communities of Hillington, Penilee, and Cardonald with particular regard to the following areas of activity
To promote inter-church co-operation and encourage active participation in all congregations within the localities mentioned.
To initiate and co-ordinate joint activities in service, mission
and worship.
To provide a forum for discussion on matters of common interest.
To provide members for appropriate committees and voluntary organisations on an ecumenical basis.
To promote better understanding and to break down the barriers between local churches

Membership:  This is open to all Christian bodies within the areas served. At present it shall consist of the following congregations:  
Church of Scotland: Cardonald Parish Church, Hillington Park Church, Penilee St Andrew Parish Church, St Nicholas Cardonald Parish Church.
Scottish Episcopal Church : Church of the Good Shepherd
Roman Catholic Church: Our Lady and St George’s Penilee, Our Lady of Lourdes Cardonald.

Each church shall appoint up to three members along with their priest/minister in charge and any assistants serving at any time.  Voting rights are for the church representatives and permanent clergy only. Assistant ministers, priests, and deacons have no voting rights.

Officebearers:  The main officebearers shall be - Chairperson,  Vice Chairperson,  Secretary, Minutes Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Treasurer.  They shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting at which time the accounts shall have been audited by an outside examiner and approved by the membership. Each officebearer shall serve for a maximum period of three years and shall stand down on rotation and be re-elected on rotation such that one officebearer is replaced each year.

Meetings:  There shall be an Annual General Meeting in October to receive and approve the accounts. At this meeting officebearers will be appointed as required. The meeting shall take place as decided by the Group and will normally rotate round the congregations in turn. Any congregation can call an extra meeting for any point of interest or importance.  A quorum for any meeting will be five members from at least three churches. The group will meet when required, normally nine times per annum.

Finance:  The treasurer shall keep account of the finances. The auditor should be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting.  The financial year shall run from 1st July until 30th June each year. The bank account shall be operated on by any two of the three signatures of the Chairperson, Treasurer and Vice Treasurer. The Group has the power to seek subscriptions.

Amendments to the Constitution:  Any amendments must come from any member of the group and should be in writing fourteen days before the meeting to the Secretary who will bring these to the next meeting of the Group.

Dissolution: The group may be dissolved on a majority vote at the AGM or any special meeting arranged to do the same.