Serra Club Happenings

SERRA CLUB OF JOHNSON COUNTY BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

Name and Territorial Limits

Section 1. This organization shall be known as the Serra Club of Johnson County, hereafter referred to as “the Club.” A name other than the “Serra Club of Johnson County” may be used provided that the name chosen clearly establishes the organization as a member of Serra International and that the Board of Serra International approves the proposed name.

Section 2. The territorial limits of the Club shall be within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

ARTICLE II

Objectives and Purposes

Section 1. The objectives and purposes of the Club shall be:

1. To prayerfully foster, support, and promote vocations to the ministerial priesthood in the Catholic Church as a particular vocation to service, and to support priests in their sacred ministry; and

2. To prayerfully foster, support, and promote vocations to consecrated religious life in the Catholic Church; and

To assist members in their recognition and response to God’s vocational call to holiness in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

ARTICLE III

Governance/Board of Directors

Section 1. Board of Directors. The governing body of the club shall be the Board of Directors, hereafter referred to as “the Board.” The Board shall determine the policies and exercise supervision over all officers, members, and committees. The Board’s decision can be overruled only by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at a General Membership meeting.

Section 2. Board Membership. The Board shall consist of the Club’s President, President-elect, four Vice Presidents, Secretary, treasurer, the immediate Past President, and at least one Trustee.

Section 3. Meetings and Quorum. The Board shall meet monthly at a time and place designated by the President at minimum eleven (11) out of twelve (12) calendar months each year. These meetings shall be at a time or place separate from General Membership meetings. A simple majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any Board meeting.

Section 4. Special Meetings. Any three members of the Board shall have the right to call a special meeting of the Board on five days’ written notice to all members of the Board.

ARTICLE IV

Officers and Their Duties; Elections

Section 1. Officers. The officers of the Club shall be a President, a President-elect, four Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer, the immediate Past President, and Trustees. The Board may elect additional officers at its discretion, and such officers shall perform the duties prescribed by the Board.

Section 2. President. The President or designee shall preside at all meetings, appoint all committees, and shall have further duties as ordinarily pertain to the Office of the President.

Section 3. President-elect. The President-elect shall perform such duties as assigned by the President and shall preside and take over the duties of the President in his or her absence or in the event of a vacancy in the Office of the President.

Section 4. Vice President, Programs. The Vice President, Programs shall manage all programs presented at Club meetings.

Section 5. Vice President, Membership. The Vice President, Membership shall manage all membership activities, including member recruitment, member retention, and orientation and induction of new members.

Section 6. Vice President, Vocations. The Vice President, Vocations shall manage all vocations activities.

Section 7. Vice President, Communications. The Vice President, Communications shall manage internal and external communications, public relations, and oversee the Club’s website and website activities.

Section 8. Secretary. The Secretary shall record all proceedings of Club meetings and meetings of the board. He or she shall maintain a current roster of members, and shall be the custodian of the records, maintain the Club’s Bylaws, and shall have further duties as ordinarily pertain to the office of the Secretary.

Section 9. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall collect all dues, keep the books and accounts and have custody of all funds of the Club. He or she shall render periodic reports of the financial position of the Club as directed by the Board, attend to the payment of all bills and obligations, and have such further duties as ordinarily pertain to the Office of Treasurer.

Section 10. Trustee(s). At least one (1) Trustee shall be nominated and elected to serve on the Board. A maximum of three (3) Trustees may be nominated in any year. Qualifications of the Trustee shall include prior experience in another Club leadership role. The Trustee shall contribute to the direction of the Club through active participation in Board meetings.

Section 11. Terms of office. All officers shall be elected for a term of one (1) year, with the exception of the Trustee(s) who shall be elected to a term of three (3) years. If more than one (1) Trustee is nominated/elected, the terms of the Trustees shall be staggered to promote continuity of historical knowledge of Club functions. Election of officers shall be held at the April meeting each year. Officers and Trustees shall be inducted at the May meeting each year marking the beginning of their terms of office. Respective terms of office shall end when successors have been elected and inducted. Officers may be re-elected for a second consecutive one (1) year term. In the event of a vacancy in any office or on the Board, the Board shall have the power to fill such vacancy for the balance of the remaining term.

Section 12. Nominating Committee. A Nominating Committee appointed by the President shall make nomination for election of the Officers and Trustees at the March Board meeting, in anticipation of the April election. The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least three members and shall present its report at the annual March Board meeting. It shall nominate one candidate for each office. Further nominations may be made from the floor at the time of election. Election shall be by secret ballot for any contested office. Each member present shall be entitled to one vote and the candidate receiving the majority votes shall be elected.

Section 13. Leadership Education. Once elected, Club leaders agree to participate in either 1) an optional District Leadership Conference, or 2) the review of Serra International recorded leadership videos specific to the leadership role, or both.

ARTICLE V

Membership

Section 1. Eligibility/responsibility. Membership shall be available to practicing Catholic lay persons, including permanent deacons. An active member should be able and willing to attend club meetings and to perform any committee club assignments.

Section 2. Membership Meetings. Regular General Membership meetings should be held monthly, at such time and place as shall be determined by the Board, at minimum eleven (11) out of twelve (12) calendar months each year. Every active member is encouraged to attend every meeting.

Section 3. Associate Member status. If a member has been active in the affairs of the club for a period of at least three years but can no longer be active because of age or work requirements, he or she may be excused from the responsibilities identified in Article III, Section 1 by the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors. Such a member shall be designated as an associate member. An associate member shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of this club except the right to vote and the privilege of holding office. Associate members shall be required to pay Serra council, if applicable, and Serra International dues. Club dues shall be assessed by club policy.

Section 4. Recommendation for membership/induction. Any member can propose a qualified person for membership by submitting a sponsor’s recommendation form to the membership committee. He or she shall become a member immediately following the induction ceremony and upon payment of dues and initiation fee, if any.

Section 5. Reinstatement. Any former member may be reinstated by the approval of a simple majority of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI

Termination of Membership

Section 1. Voluntary resignation. Any member may resign his or her membership by notifying the Secretary in writing, but every member will be expected to pay all dues accrued prior to such resignation.

Section 2. Expulsion. The Board may expel any member from membership should he or she commit conduct reflecting discredit upon the club, activity, or nonpayment of dues.

ARTICLE VII

Chaplain

The Club shall have a chaplain, a priest appointed by the Ordinary of the Diocese. His duties shall be advisory on Church and spiritual matters.

ARTICLE VIII

Relationship to Serra International, Council, Regions, and Districts

Section 1. The Club is an affiliate of Serra International and shall in all things cooperate with Serra International and, where applicable, the Serra council, region and district organizations. It is the express intent of the Club to maintain its relationship in good standing with Serra International and to be permanently bound by the Serra International Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. The Board shall elect a delegate, and an alternate delegate, or, if necessary, a proxy delegate, to represent the club at the annual convention of Serra International. Such an election shall take place at least 35 days in advance of the opening meeting of the annual convention. The credentials of such delegate, alternate delegate, or proxy delegate shall be evidenced by the signature of the President and the Secretary of the club and shall be mailed (or emailed) to Serra International not less than 30 days prior to the opening date of the conference.

ARTICLE IX

Revenue

All members shall pay an initiation fee to SERRA INTERNATIONAL, which is 25% of the Serra International dues. The annual dues shall be in an amount decided by the Board and be paid to the club Treasurer.

ARTICLE X

Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees. There shall be no Standing Committees of the Board.

Section 2. Special Committees. In addition to the Nominating Committee, there may, from time to time, be such special committees as may be designated by the President, which shall serve at the will of the President. These may include a Vocations Committee, a Communications Committee, and/or a Membership Committee, for example. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

ARTICLE XI

Fund-Raising to Promote the Objectives and Purpose of Serra

While no Serra club may devote itself to fund-raising as an objective, each club, at its discretion, may conduct activities to raise funds to assist it in promoting the objectives and purposes of Serra International. All net income raised from such fund-raising activities shall be utilized solely for the purposes of directly supporting vocations in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and furthering the objectives and purpose of SERRA INTERNATIONAL as determined by the Board of Trustees of Serra International.

ARTICLE XII

Review/Revision/Amendments

Section 1. Review/Revision. These Bylaws shall be periodically reviewed by the Board, with periodicity established at no longer than five (5) year intervals. Revisions shall be documented in a Revision Log, to be kept with these Bylaws.

Section 2. Amendment. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the active members of the Club present and voting at a General Membership meeting. Proposed amendments shall be filed with the Secretary in writing and shall be introduced for consideration at a General Membership meeting with action thereupon deferred to the following meeting. Following the introduction, written notice is to be sent by the Secretary to all active members, incorporating a copy of the proposed resolution and advising that the same will be acted upon at the next meeting. Such amendments shall not become a part of the bylaws until the same have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Board of Trustees of Serra International.

RATIFICATION

These foregoing Bylaws were adopted by a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting at a General Membership meeting on December 7, 2023 to certify which witness the signature of the President and Secretary of said club, this 7th day of the month December, 2023.

President:  Dale Romme

Secretary:  Judy Rielley

Revision Log