Cult-Proof Your Coven: Charter Template With Egalitarian Structure

Article VIII – Coven Rights and Responsibilities:

Participation in any [Coven Name] event is of your own free will and thereby you participate at your own risk.
[Coven Name] is not responsible for the magickal consequences of spells performed at [Coven Name] gatherings.
[Coven Name] reserves the right to alter the charter by the majority vote of [Coven Name] members. Revisions are to be presented to members for review between Samhain and Yule, and at least a week prior to voting on the revisions.
[Coven Name] is not responsible for lost or stolen items at any gatherings hosted or co-hosted by [Tradition Name].
[Coven Name] will not be held responsible for the conduct or safety of children in attendance of our events.
[Coven Name] will not tolerate nor condone any dangerous, illegal, irresponsible behaviors or any actions infringing upon the sovereignty of others.
[Coven Name] reserves the right to disband and dissolve with a three-quarter vote of [Coven Name] members.

Article IX: Business Meetings

Section 1: Conducting Business Meetings

A. Coven business meetings will be held quarterly during the week following each Equinox and Solstice.

All coven members may attend.
Any outer-court member of [Tradition Name] who wishes to bring up new business should contact their leadership council representative no less than forty-eight hours before a scheduled business meeting in order to be added to the agenda. Their attendance is required to present their idea or concern at the beginning of said meeting.
All Leadership Council members are required to attend business meetings.
1. When life events occur that require  council members to miss business meetings, notify the council in advance and submit your reports to the air minister to present in your stead.
2. Ministry Reports will be presented at each meeting and a copy given to the Air minister for the minutes.
Business meetings will be audio recorded for reference, and meeting minutes will be prepared by Air Minister and made available to entire coven membership.

B. Agenda: An agenda of the business meeting will be written and presented at the start of each meeting. The agenda will consist of the following outline:

Date of Meeting.
Estimated start time of meeting.
Lighting of Spirit Candle.
Evocation Prayer
Presenting of New Business.
Review of of previous Meeting Minutes
Presentation of Ministry Reports.
Old Business.
New Business.
Announcements
Devocation Prayer
Closing Meeting by snuffing Spirit Candle.

C. Meetings will be conducted by High Priest and High Priestess according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

Time allotted for discussions will be determined and monitored by the Fire Minister.
Attendees will demonstrate respectful decorum at all times; waiting to be recognized before speaking, listening respectfully, and not interrupting; or distracting the meeting, etc.
Any coven member may make a motion, or second that motion.

D. Motions made for any reason should be seconded and then informally  voted upon.

An informal vote is a show of hands in favor of passing the motion.
A majority vote passes the motion.

Article X – Hiving A New Coven within the Tradition

Section 1: Method

A. Any Third Degree Initiate member of [Coven Name] can peaceably hive off a new coven with affiliation to [Tradition Name] maintained.

Member will submit a letter of Intent to hive off an affiliated coven within [Tradition Name] to the Leadership Council by Samhain of that year with schedule to separate after Yule.
Letter will include list of those member’s who will be joining new coven.
Letter will include new coven’s proposed name and mission statement.
Leadership Council will discuss and vote upon acceptance of the affiliated coven’s proposal.
Majority vote is required to maintain affiliation within the Tradition.

B. Independent covens affiliated with [Tradition Name] will establish their own charters, leadership councils, and dues  for their own coven members.

1. To maintain official affiliation to [Tradition Name] the new coven’s charter should include the following standards:

Article IV, Section 2: Non-discrimination
Article IV, Section 6: The Individuals Bill of Rights
Article VII, Section 1: Sabbat Gathering Procedures, Subsection F

C. Any member of [Coven Name] may submit to the Leadership Council a written letter of intent to transfer membership, and leave in peace to join the hiving group.

Section 2: Dual Memberships

A. Initiated members of any [Tradition Name] affiliated covens may participate,  with permission, in other affiliated [Tradition Name] covens.

B. [Coven Name] Members may hold dual memberships in other spiritual groups, training programs, and affiliated covens; however, they will only fill a leadership position in one group at a time.

Section 3: Intellectual Property

A. Distribution rights for the utilization of the [Tradition Name]’s intellectual property are retained by the creators of those materials. These may include, but are not limited to: their original training program materials, Book of Shadows, Spells, course work, rituals, chants, songs or other liturgy, and may not be sold or distributed through any medium without express written permission and compensation of their creators. (List specific names, contact information and copyrights…)

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