Guidelines for Relationship with the Order of Saint Luke®

In response to members’ need to feel connected, and the desire of The Order that a member be in formation with others, the following structure shall exist:

CORPORATE RELATIONSHIP There shall be the following categories of corporate relationship: Local Chapter, Association with The Order, and Covenant Community.  The following sections define these terms and describe their functions for members, and in relationship to the General Chapter.  Members of Chapters, and Associations, shall first be members of the General Chapter (The Order of Saint Luke). Participants in Covenant Communities need not be members of the Order.

CHAPTER – Chapters carry out the mission and Rule of Like and Service of The Order, under the guidance and encouragement of General Officers.  The following are guidelines for the creation and structure of a chapter of The Order of Saint Luke.

MEMBERSHIP – No fewer than five members of The Order of Saint Luke shall generally be required to form a chapter.  This number is considered the minimum for the establishment of order and accountability.

CHARTER – A chapter may be established whenever the minimum number of members of The Order desires to be formed in this way.  Exceptions to the minimum number rule must be approved by the Council of the General Chapter (hereinafter ‘the Council’).

APPLICATION – Application for a Chapter Charter shall be made to the Council through the Provincial Companion.  Interim approval may be granted by the Abbott (or Provincial General acting on the Abbott’s behalf), subject to final approval of the Council.

PLAN OF ACTION – Application shall include a plan of action detailing how the proposed chapter intends to serve the needs of members, and meet the goals and objectives of The Order.

OFFICERS – Officers shall be Prior (President), and sub-Prior (Vice-President).  The offices of Chancellor (Secretary/Treasurer), Chaplain, and Formation Officer are optional, but encouraged. Chapters may establish such other offices as may serve their needs.

REPRESENTATION – The Chapter may send one voting member to the Council.  This may be an existing officer, or one selected especially for the purpose.

TRAVEL EXPENSES – Expenses for the representative to the Council are the responsibility of the local Chapter, with the exception that the Council may determine certain reimbursements for the representatives, in order to encourage participation.

CONSTITUTION – Each Chapter shall abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of the General Chapter, and are encourage to develop a written Constitution and By-laws patterned after those of the General Chapter, submitted to the Council, and maintained by the Provincial General.

• • MEETINGS – Chapters shall meet as a body at least twice a year.  Chapters are encouraged to meet quarterly or more often as is appropriate for each Chapter’s circumstances.

• • MEETING AGENDA – Each meeting of a Chapter shall include worship (with Holy Eucharist, if at all possible), and may include business concerns, spiritual formation concerns of the members, and a study of some issue or concern as deemed appropriate by the Chapter.

• • REPORTING – The Chapter shall report on its activities as requested by the Provincial General.

• • EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – An executive committee may be formed within each Chapter to encourage and plan the work of the Chapter.

• • SPIRITUAL FORMATION – Each Chapter shall develop a plan for the spiritual formation of its members and its chapter.  This plan should be distributed to all members of the Chapter for the purpose of mutual accountability.

• • DUES – Each Chapter may assess dues to assist in the work of the Chapter.

• • CONTINUATION OF RELATIONSHIP – The Council shall evaluate Chapters as may be required to insure that needs of members and of The Order continue to be served.

REFORMATION – Should changing circumstances dictate, the Council might recommend that a Chapter be re-chartered as an Association, or dissolved.  In either of these events, the Council, through the Provincial General and Provincial Companions, shall work closely with chapter members, providing encouragement and guidance through these difficult times, and overseeing the continuing spiritual formation of members.  Upon dissolution, any remaining financial assets of the Chapter will revert to the General Chapter.

RIGHT OF PETITION – A Chapter may petition the Council, through the Provincial Companion, to be reconstituted as an Association.  Similarly, they may petition for a review of a Council decision for reconstitution or dissolution.

ASSOCIATION WITH THE ORDER – An Association may be chartered whenever at least

two members of The Order of Saint Luke desire to be in formation together, and where no Chapter exists.  Additionally, where distance and circumstance prevent or hinder physical meeting, Associations may determine to meet by electronic means.  The purpose of an Association shall be to offer support and encouragement to persons who are a part of The Order, but not of sufficient number to create a Chapter.

MEMBERSHIP – Except in unusual circumstances, an Association shall have no more than six members, six members being deemed sufficient to form a Chapter.  Application for exception to this provision must be made to the Council through the Provincial Companion.

CHARTER – An Association must be chartered with the consent of the Council of The Order. Application for the charter for an Association must be made to the Council through the Provincial Companion and must include a proposed plan of meeting and structure.  Interim approval may be granted by the Abbott (or by the Provincial General acting on the Abbott’s behalf), subject to final approval of the Council.

STRUCTURE – An Association shall be led by a Prior.  It may establish such other officers as may meet its needs. An Association shall be defined by the following provisions:

MEETINGS – An Association must meet at least once a year and report that meeting to the Provincial Companion in whose Province they reside.

ORGANIZATION – The organization of an Association shall be determined by its members, consistent with the goals and purposes of The Order.  This plan of organization shall be presented to the Council for review.

REPRESENTATION – An Association shall be entitled to voice and vote representation on the Council of The Order.

TRAVEL EXPENSES – Expenses for the representative to the Council are the responsibility of the Association, with the exception that the Council may determine certain reimbursements for the representatives, in order to encourage participation.

REPORTING – The Association shall report as requested to the Provincial General.

CONTINUATION OF RELATIONSHIP – The continued existence of an Association shall depend upon periodic review and approval by the Council, as it shall deem appropriate, particularly when changed circumstances seem to indicate the formation of a Chapter.

REFORMATION – Should changing circumstances dictate, the Council might recommend that an Association be re-chartered as a Chapter, or dissolved.  In either of these events, the Council, through the Provincial General and Provincial Companion, shall work closely with members to assure their continuing spiritual formation.  Upon dissolution, any remaining financial assets of the Association will revert to the General Chapter.

RIGHT OF PETITION – An Association may petition the Council, through the Provincial Companion, for chartering as a Chapter, following the guidelines established for Chapter chartering.

C. COVENANT COMMUNITIES – From time to time there may be established groups, composed of members of the Order (and, depending on circumstances, including also non-members), developed for specific purposes. Examples of Covenant Communities include (but are not limited to) the Cyber Chapter, and/or other presence of the Order on the Internet, the organization of Lifevowed members, and groups that gather, in person or by electronic means, for worship, study and/or spiritual formation. Leaders of these organizations are known as Conveners. Since members of the Order who participate in Covenant Communities are already represented in the General Chapter, and the Nominations Committee, Conveners of these organizations are not included as representatives, unless they serve based on some other position held in the Order.

INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIP – In certain circumstances it will be impossible for any type of corporate relationship to exist.  For members living in such circumstances, it is understood that their spiritual formation will become the responsibility of the Provincial Companion for the Province in which they reside. Further, it is understood that such persons will seek to affiliate with a Chapter or Association whenever changed circumstances permit.

IMPLEMENTATION – The following guidelines are for the purpose of assisting members of The Order of Saint Luke with determining best meets their needs, and initiating that relationship.

NEW MEMBERS – Upon receiving affirmation of a new member, the initial determination of relationship shall be made by the Chancellor General, who will initiate the following contacts:

PROVINCIAL COMPANIONS – Should the new member live in an area not served by a Chapter or Association, the Provincial Companion assumes primary responsibility for the spiritual formation and guidance of the member.

FORMATION OFFICER OF CHAPTER – If a Chapter exists in the area of the new members residence, the Formation Officer of that Chapter shall have the responsibility for inviting the new members participation in the life of the Chapter.

PRIOR OF ASSOCIATION – If the new members residence is within an area served by an Association, the person responsible for the Association shall have responsibility for the new member.

NEW CORPORATE BODIES – In addition to assisting individual members with their spiritual formation, the Provincial Companions shall maintain contact with members in geographical proximity to each other with the goal of assisting them in forming Associations or Chapters (these need not be along judicatory boundaries).  Such contact may be initiated by the Provincial Companion, or may be in response to contact by individual members.