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Adopted February 15, 2000

The Constitution and Bylaws
Four Quarters
InterFaith Sanctuary
of Earth Religion

A Statement of Process and Organization

As is right and proper there is much that is best undertaken by the individual, and there is much that is best done by people working together. This document outlines the structure of The Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary of Earth Religion; a group of people who have come together in their individual realizations of spirit to combine their strength and abilities towards the common goal of fostering Earth Spirited Religion. It is our intent to provide the benefits, structure and resources of the Church to those who practice in the many EarthSpirited ways and traditions of EarthReligion. Knowing that our right to join together as a Church is one of the many blessings of the great nation of which we are a part.

Section 1.0 Purpose

Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary of Earth Religion ( the Church ), is an Interfaith Church of EarthReligion, incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Pennsylvania, TIN 25-1853964; whose purpose is to foster and support the expression of all Earth Religions.

Being a country based and landed church, we also exist as an Interfaith Church Camp, making the land available for the spiritual needs of those who come here. Our focus is the Stewardship of this Land and the Stone Circle being raised upon it; held as a place of safety and respect for all Earth Religions and all people of Spirit; a sanctuary for the individuals exploration of their spiritual relationship with themselves.

1.2.0      * We do not attempt to define the belief of the individual, knowing that belief is a deeply personal matter, a part of our ongoing journey together.

1.2.2      * We do recognize, support and incorporate into the body of our experience as a Church; those practices that we perceive are commonly shared and expressed among the many indigenous and modern traditions of Earth Religion.

1.2.4      * These practices include but are not limited to; the work of Spirit as a gender duality and polarity; our honor of the Circle in its completeness and its directions; polytheism and monotheism as an accessible and understandable expressions of the divine impulse; the wheel of the year as a means of understanding ourselves and our world; and the recognition of nature as the source and endpoint, image and reflection, of ourselves and our experience of Spirit.

1.4      * Our tradition is one of public service through work; on the land and amongst the public. To foster and protect The Standing Stones as sanctuary for all.

Section 2.0 Mundane and Organizational Structure

2.2      * The Church is founded on the episcopal model; legal authority, ultimate oversight for church operations, and the functioning of the Board are voted and consensus based, but not strictly democratic; and resolution of issues rests with the President of the Church Corporation when consensus cannot be reached.

2.4.2      * As a minimum the Board of Directors shall consist of a President, Vice-President and Secretary; no less than two and no more than seven members. The President of the Board, Vice-President and Secretary are elected to three year terms. Other seats on the board may be created as seems good by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, to serve three year terms. Members of the Board shall be drawn from the membership of this church. Due consideration shall be given to maintaining the gender balance of the Board whenever possible.

2.4.4      * Resignations from the Board prior to completion of a term of service, must be tendered in person and in writing, at a scheduled meeting of the Board.

2.4.6      * The privacy and confidentiality of the deliberations of the Board must be respected by the members of the Board and of the Church, membership being contingent upon maintaining this privacy. The internal process and discussions of the Board may be opened at the determination of the Board.

2.4.8      * The decisions of the Board shall be noted in the minutes of the Board. Minutes shall be initialed by the Board members present.

2.4.10      * The Board shall appoint Members Advocates to serve as advisors to and members of the Board. They shall be treated as full Board members, with all rights and responsibilities of Board membership, excepting the right to have their vote recorded. Members Advocates shall serve one year terms.

2.6      * Financial, Minutes and organizational documents shall be freely available for review by the membership of the Church.

2.8      * The founders of this church state that the Board is to operate in such a way as to preserve the Land and the Stone Circle as a sanctuary of safe ritual space for Earth Religion; to promote the Mission Statement of the Church; the founders personal agreement; and other founding documents, all incorporated here by reference.

2.10      * The founders state that it is their hope and goal that in time the land which is the heart of the Church will pass to the ownership of such legal entity as will hold and protect the land in accordance with the values and goals stated in the founding documents of the Church. At that time the Board may elect to change the organizational structure as set forth here.

Section 3.0 Four Quarters Farm Membership

The Church functions on many levels and with accommodations made for differing degrees of participation. The Church is a practicing body of EarthSpirited people and supporters, that has chosen to organize its religious experience and legal existence. Four Quarters Farm ( the Farm ) is the land stewarded by the Church and is the InterFaith Church Camp of Earth Religion administered by the Church. The Farm is the outward reaching focus of the Church in making this land open for diverse peoples spiritual use.

3.2      * As part of our public work the Church hosts ritual, conferences and festivals on the land that are open to all. We consider the people who join us at these times to be Seekers; guests of the Church and guest members of the Farm.

3.4      * The Sustaining Members of the Farm, are those people who desire a stronger and more permanent tie to the land and have joined us as dues paying members of the Farm, having registered as such with the Church. As Sustaining members they may use and camp upon the land in accordance with the policies of the Church.

3.6      * The Family Circles of the Farm, are those groups of sustaining members who have joined together as friends and family, and who have registered themselves as members of their family circle with the Church. As such they may maintain their own permanent campsites in accordance with the policies of the Church.

3.8      * Sustaining Members may also undertake to join us as Four Quarters Farm Staff, and may do so through the formal Ritual of Honoring to the Land and the Standing Stones, to take place in the Stone Circle, after provisional staff service of a year and a day.

3.10      * Guests, members and staff of the Farm must respect the personal choices made by the membership of this church to support the Mission Statement of The Church of Four Quarters and its foundation documents. They are not liturgical bound to the Church in any way and are not considered to be members of The Church of Four Quarters.

3.12      * Membership in the Farm is subject to the consent of President of the Church, or the Board of Directors. Revocation of membership requires two consecutive votes of the Board of Directors, separated by no less than one Lunar cycle and no more than three lunar cycles.

4.0 Church Membership

The membership of the Church are those people who want to participate in the life of this Church, and have the Church available to them as a resource to assist them in realizing their own spiritual needs.

They are free to avail themselves to the ministry of the church as much or as little as they think good for themselves. For some this membership may be no more than their voice of support for the mission and work of the Church. For many it may mean attending the teaching and open ritual that is part of the work of the Church. For others it may be their earnest worship or formal preparation for study with or membership in one of the Churches Circles.

4.2.2      * Membership in the Church requires that one declare themselves as a member of this Church by registering their membership in the Church Membership Register in their own handwriting and maintaining ongoing membership in The Farm.

4.2.4      * Membership requires the public respect and support of the principles stated in the Mission Statement and constitution of this Church.

4.2.6      * Membership requires the public respect and support of the internal process of the Church and of the individual members of this Church.

4.2.8      * Membership requires a sense of stewardship of the Land and Standing Stones that are Four Quarters.

4.4      * Membership in the Church is subject to the consent of President of the Church, or the Board of Directors. Revocation of membership requires two consecutive votes of the Board of Directors, separated by no less than one Lunar cycle and no more than three lunar cycles.

4.6      * Membership in the Church does not preclude membership in any other religious organization.

5.0 Church Circles

Members of the Church may form circles specifically to explore their spiritual lives and engage in religious practice with the full support of the Church and its resources. These circles may be (as examples) Wiccan, Streghe, Native American, Eclectic, Santerian, Druidic, Shamanic, Indigenous or any other EarthSpirited path.

Church Circles may exist to explore a special interest of the Church Circle that is not necessarily religious, but which the Church chooses to support, (as examples) Drumming, Recovery, Mens or Womans Councils, Crafts or other areas of special interest.
Church Circles shall incorporate the following principles:

5.2      * The Circle must draft a prepared mission statement defining the purpose of the Circle and naming the Circle, to be reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors; and ratified by an act of the Board.

5.4      * For administrative purposes the Church considers the formal membership of a Church Circle to be those people who are members of the Church. The Circle may chose to open its membership, process and activities to members of the Farm and this is to be encouraged. The Circle may invite non-members of the Farm as guests to share in its process and activities.

5.6      * The Church Circle shall appoint two members of the Church, gender balanced if possible, to act as liaison of the Circles affairs with the Church. These persons may or may not be considered as the Priesthood of the Church Circle, depending upon the practice of the Church Circle. These persons shall speak for the Church Circle in such administrative matters as concern the Church and the Church shall look to them for an accounting of the Circles affairs.

5.8      * In as much as the Church Circle may desire to use the land, facilities and resources of the Church, the Board of Directors shall determine such fees, rights and responsibilities as it concludes may be proper to apply a Church Circle, its members and guests.

5.10      * A Circle may award degree elevations consistent with its own practice and in its own name. Although supported and encouraged by the Church, these elevations will not necessarily carry the legal sanction of the Church for Ordination.

5.12      * All public, business or legal written material referring to the Church Circle by name shall incorporate the words "of The Church of Four Quarters"

5.14      * Any tax exempt bank accounts held by the Church Circle must be opened with a church board member as one of the signatories, and after an express act of the Board of Directors of the Church

6.0 Ordination and Clergy

6.2      * The Ordination and Creation of Clergy carrying the legal sanction of this church requires a vote of the Board of Directors.

6.4      * Revocation of the Ordination of Clergy carrying the legal sanction of this church requires two consecutive votes of the Board of Directors, separated by no less than one Lunar cycle and no more than three lunar cycles.

6.6      * The creation of legally sanctioned clergy must incorporate a public ceremony of Ordination within the Stone Circle, and a public announcement of this ceremony in the Church's publications within three lunar cycles of the ceremony of Ordination.

6.8      * Although not formally structured, the process of Ordination of Clergy is best brought about through the nomination and acclimation of an individual by the membership of the Church; in recognition of their having already entered in service to the people