QREC Bylaws

Bylaws for Quaker Religious Education Collaborative (QREC)

ARTICLE I. Name

The name of this organization shall be “Quaker Religious Education Collaborative” (QREC).

ARTICLE II. Purpose

QREC is organized exclusively for religious and educational purposes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

The purpose of this organization shall be:

1. To be a grassroots network of Friends holding a sense of stewardship for lifelong Quaker faith formation through religious education.
2. To include Friends from all branches of our international Quaker family.
3. To form a community of practice to share resources, skills, gifts, questions and insights.
4. To support each other in the ministry of Quaker faith formation.
5. To welcome all involved in Quaker religious education.
6. To encourage an expansion of Quaker faith.

ARTICLE III. Membership

1. Membership shall be open to any person who supports the above purposes.
2. Membership requires a membership fee annually, an amount determined each year by the organization. 

ARTICLE IV. Organization

1. The officers of this organization shall be the Steering Circle members who shall share the positions of clerk, recording clerk and treasurer.
2. The QREC Executive Committee shall consist of the Steering Circle.
3. The Steering Circle members shall be drawn from the membership.
4. New Steering Circle members shall be proposed by the Nominating Circle to the annual collaboration.
5. New Steering Circle members shall be approved at each QREC annual collaboration by those constituent members who are in attendance.
6. Steering Circle members shall serve a three-year term beginning at the rise of the annual collaboration.
7. Steering Circle members may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
8. The Nominating Circle will propose 4-6 Steering Circle members in a staggered manner.

ARTICLE V. Nominations

At each annual collaboration the members present will select a Nominating Circle to serve for two years. Their task will be to bring forward names of new Steering Circle members to the following annual collaboration.

ARTICLE VI. Duties of the Steering Circle

1. The Steering Circle shall plan and clerk all sessions of the annual collaboration and carry on the correspondence for QREC between meetings.
2. The recording clerks will keep minutes of all meetings of the organization.
3. The treasurers shall collect dues, maintain all financial records and prepare budgets for approval. The treasurers shall arrange for the accounts to be examined by an outside party every three years and arrange to have the results reported at the following annual collaboration.

ARTICLE VII. Meetings

1. The organization will have an annual collaboration at a time to be determined at the previous annual collaboration.  
2. The organization may meet on other occasions as approved by the Steering Circle.

ARTICLE VIII. Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by the Steering Circle and reported to the constituent members present at the following collaboration.