Order of WhiteOak Constitution

ARTICLE I-NAME 1.1. The name of this corporation shall be;

'The Order of the White Oak' - World Druid Council (Ord na Darach Gile - Comhairle Domhanda na nDraoí)

Our guiding motto shall be;

'What we do for ourselves dies with us - what we do for others is immortal' (Éagann an ní a dhéanaimid dúinn féin - Maireann an ní a dhéanaimid do chách go síoraí)

1.2. The principal addresses of the corporation shall be:

c/o E. E. Hopman P.O. Box 219, Amherst, MA 01004 USA

or such other location as the Council of Elders may, from time to time, establish by resolution and place.

ARTICLE II-CORPORATE PURPOSES

2.1. This organization is formed exclusively as a religious and/or Church Corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person or persons.

2.2. The Corporation has a specific and primary purpose to foster and practice the spiritual and cultural teachings of Celtic Earth based religions and Druid traditions and teachings, and to facilitate communications with and between different Celtic Earth Based Religions and Druid Orders worldwide..

2.3. The Corporation shall have power to establish, modify or dissolve schools and other affiliated religious Orders, Lodges, Groves and groups, as determined by the Council of Elders. In keeping with the rules of the Order, every initiated Whiteoak Druid is a Grove of one.

2.4. The Corporation shall have power to authorize, bestow, convey, grant, issue or revoke certificates, charters, degrees, credentials, diplomas, franchises, licenses, memberships, initiations, dedications, or ordinations through the church corporation, or any subsidiary corporation created by this church Corporation, including cemeteries, as determined by the Council of Elders. Such determination by the Council may be made when a Member or Initiate or Grove is a clear danger to themself or to others.

2.4.1. In accordance with the Litany which ultimately governs the spiritual/philosophical portion of the Corporation, the Order will in no manner prevent a member from leaving of their own accord. Should a member in good standing choose to leave the Order, and should they be part of an existing Chapter or Grove; they shall notify first their own Grove of their intent, at the same time copying any communications with regards to their intent to the Co-Chiefs, Officers, or Council of Elders for consideration and notification. Further, should a member in good standing choose to leave the Order, their name and records will not be expunged from the membership roles but rather moved to an inactive membership role function in the event they wish to return to the Order and Corporation.

2.5. The corporation shall have power to publicize, publish, promote, celebrate, teach, research, and explore any and all material which may bear upon its beliefs, philosophies, theology, and religious, history, ancient or modern.

2.6. The corporation shall have the power to apply for and receive grants, accept bequests and to establish and maintain an endowment fund.

2.7. The corporation shall have the power to own property, for the purpose of carrying out the above.

2.8. Not withstanding the above statements of purpose and powers, the corporation shall not engage in activities that in themselves are not a furtherance of the purposes set forth in this article.

2.9. The corporation shall conduct its activities in accordance with Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

ARTICLE III-PECUNIARY GAIN

3.1. No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, Trustees, Officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof.

3.2. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. While the Order encourages members to be politically active within their communities, in their conscience and work, they may not speak or write or in any manner disseminate information or promotional material for a candidate which may endorse a candidate under the name or auspices of the Order of the Whiteoak, nor any permutation of that name as listed in the agreed naming in Section I.

3.3.The Order of the Whiteoak encourages its members to be politically knowledgeable and to follow their conscience. Members are encouraged to discuss political, scientific, environmental, and historical issues in order to develop strong personal ethics and to motivate themselves and others to do good in the world. The Order may, from time to time, issue opinion statements and writings on global ethical issues such as war, global warming, environmental emergencies, and other important social concerns.

3.4. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

ARTICLE IV-DURATION

4.1. The period of duration of this corporation shall be perpetual.

ARTICLE V-PERSONAL LIABILITY

5.1. Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the officers and/or board, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the corporation, the remaining Church corporation properties and assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. Said distribution shall be in keeping within a basic harmony of the church Corporation beliefs.

5.1.1. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are operated exclusively for such purpose.

5.2. The members, Officers, Trustees and founders of the corporation shall have no personal liability for the debts of the corporation.

ARTICLE VI-CAPITAL STOCK

6.1. The corporation shall have no capital stock and shall have no authority to issue shares.

ARTICLE VII-COUNCIL OF ELDERS

7.1. All theological direction for the Order of the Whiteoak shall be from the Council of Elders which shall be composed entirely of initiates. The Council of Elders supersedes and can override all Groves, Initiates and members in matters that are deemed by the Council Elders to be of a spiritual nature or may inappropriately impact the beliefs and philosophies of the Order.

7.2 The Council of Elders shall be a permanent body that shall consist at all times of an odd number of participants. The odd number is necessary to prevent "splits" in the event of a vote.

7.3 If there is a concensus that an Elder is not fullfilling their role a "vote of confidence" may be taken by the Council and the resulting vote will result in the order that the seat become vacant and that a pro-tem Elder be selected until such time as a new Elder is elected.

7.4 The Council of Elders is empowered to remove any member from the membership roles for cause as stated in these bylaws.

7.5 the Council of Elders shall consist of these and other titles; The first title is Taoiseach - Chosen Chief (to speak publically for the Order) There shall always be two Chosen Chiefs - one based in the US and another based in Britain, Ireland, or any other non-US territory. The second title is Buachaill - cow herder - (to manage the finances) The third title is Draoi - magician - (to manage the website and other internet tasks) The fourth title is Brehon - peace keeper/law keeper - (moderator for the public Druid/Pagan discussion list) The fifth title is Mu/inteoir - teacher - (to supervise the group training of Dedicants) The sixth title is Drui - Three Druids shall be elected from the Initiates to provide philosophical advice to the counsel. They will have the responsability of keeping the list serve alive by posing philosophical, ethical, mundane, and religious questions and by encouraging discourse on the list. They will bring articles of interest to the list. The number of Druids may vary from time to time in order to keep an odd number of members on the Council of Elders. In the event that the Council has an even number, one of the Druids shall step down to preserve an odd number. 7.6 There shall be a three year term for the Officers; President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Any Officer who is not performing their function in the opinion of the majority of the Council of Elders, will be asked to step down. Upon vacating of the office by said officer, a pro-tem officer will be selected by the remaining officers to serve the duration of the term. This person may be nominated to succeed the officer replaced for an additional term, but should not be incumbent in the office. Nomination for this office will be based on an adjudication of the Council with regards their service given the office. If the officer whom has been order to vacate, refuses to step down, procedures as outlined below will be required.

7.6.1 In the event that an officer of the Order is requested to step down and said officer challenges the order. The Officer has the right to a Dlíthiúil Eisteacht (Judicial Hearing) by the attending officers plus at least three members of the Order in Good standing who are non-partisan to the issue. Non-partisan means that they are in no way connected with the issue with regards to any personal involvement. The Hearing will require a concensus vote giving each officer 1 full vote and the three members 1/3 vote each. There must be no less than a 75% concensus for action to be taken. The action which may be taken at that point is as follows:

7.6.1.1 The officer failing to secure at least a 75% concensus shall have their seat vacated and their office declared vacant with an immediate enquiry to the membership for a nomination to replace the former officer. Said member shall be recorded in the records as having been vacated from their office and shall not be permitted to be nominated for an office until a full term has expired.

7.6.1.2 The officer successfully gaining a 75% concensus shall be permitted to resume activities within the Order for the duration of their office term.

7.7. The number, election, and appointment process to the Council of Elders shall be prescribed in the Council's working documents.

7.8. The primary authoritative spokespersons for the theological direction of the Order shall be known as the Co-Chiefs who shall be selected from the Council of Elders by the Council of Elders and shall hold the position for as long as they remain on the Council. The co-Chiefs shall preside over meetings of the Council of Elders.

7.9. The Council of Elders may, on a case by case basis, approve waivers to requirements for Levels of Achievement when it believes that such a waiver is in the best interests of the Individual, their Grove, and/or the Order.

ARTICLE VIII BOARD OF TRUSTEES

8.1. The initial Board of Trustees will consist of the founders (Craig Melia, Ellen Evert Hopman, Daibhaid O'Broder, Shane Novy) being appointed for a period of nine (9) years and one Trustee elected from the membership for two years with subsequent elected terms of three (3) years. This to provide a consistent direction during the early years of the Order. At the end of nine (9) years, board tenure will convert to a Board of Trustees consisting of at least three (3) members of the corporation, each elected for the term of three (3) years at the regular annual meeting of the corporation. No more than two thirds of the Board may be elected at any one given annual meeting.

8.2. All of the members of the Board shall be members in good standing. Should any vacancy occur in the Board, the vacancy may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board. Trustees may serve concurrently as officers with one vote per person, not per seat. There is no limit to the number of terms a Trustee may serve.

8.3. The names and addresses of the Board of Trustees are available from the Order Office.

8.3.1. All Trustee positions are elected

8.3.2. The business of the Order shall be conducted by a Board of Trustees. The size of the initial Board has seven seats. The corporate officers: President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer and three (3) Trustees.

The terms of office for the Trustees shall be staggered so that no more than two-thirds of trustees shall be elected in one election. Increases in the number of Trustees may increase with membership.

8.3.3. The Board shall have the responsibility of establishing policy to achieve the objectives of the Order as stated in Article II of these bylaws.

8.4. The Board of Trustees shall meet at least bi-annually.

8.5. A simple majority of Board members shall constitute a quorum for conducting business at any meeting of the Board of Trustees. Teleconferencing (or the use of any technological medium) is acceptable to create a quorum.

8.6. Board members shall receive electronic notice, written notice, or a telephone call from the secretary informing them of each Board meeting. Notice shall be given no less than ten (10) days prior to each meeting.

8.7. The Board shall hold such meetings as may be necessary for conducting business of the Corporation. Meetings of the Board may be called by the Co-Chiefs, the President, in his/her absence, by the Vice-president and any two trustees..

8.8. The Board of Trustees shall be empowered to employ or dismiss (replace) for administrative oversight an Executive Director whose duties will be determined by the Board of Trustees in a written policy and duty statement. The Executive Director may hire a staff to carry out the goals and policies of the Board of Trustees.

8.9. The Board shall appoint members of the Order to fill an un-expired term which may become vacant on the Board of Trustees. Should a Trustee be absent from a majority of board meetings during the year, the office may be declared vacant and a new Trustee appointed by the Board.

8.10. The Trustees may be compensated for their services as authorized by the membership or bylaws.

8.11.The Board of Trustees are responsible for the development of a personnel policy when necessary, a long range plan and whatever other policies are needed to carry out the purposes of the Order, as stated in the bylaws. These policies should be reviewed annually and revised as needed.

8.12. The Board of Trustees may remove any member of the Board of Trustees or Officer who is found to be acting in a manner that is detrimental to the Order and its mission. A two-thirds(2/3) vote of the Trustees is required for such action and it must be confirmed by a majority vote of the membership.

Notice of the proposed removal will be given to the members prior to meeting or of a special meeting called for this purpose. The person involved shall be given the opportunity to be heard at the meeting where his or her removal is considered.

ARTICLE IX-OFFICERS

9.1. The officers shall consist of: a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer (Buachaill - cow herder). (see section 7.6)

9.2. Officers with the exception of the Treasurer, shall be elected by the membership and shall serve terms as established in the corporation's Bylaws. Any officer may be removed for cause by the board and, upon any vacancy, the board may fill such vacancy by a majority vote for the un-expired term of the officer.

9.3. The Officers with the Board of Trustees shall manage the affairs of the Order, subject to such regulations and restrictions as may be prescribed by the Order and within these bylaws.

9.4. The Officers, and the Board of Trustees shall be elected every three years by ballot of initiates whose votes shall be counted as "1" and by non intiate members and students whose vote shall count as "1/2", with three consecutive terms as a limit and shall hold their office until their successors have been elected.

No person shall hold the same office of President or Secretary, for more than three consecutive terms. In case of vacancy arising in any office it may be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term through selection by the Board of Trustees.

9.5. The retiring President (and Co-Chiefs of the Order) shall automatically become ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees (non- voting) to act in an advisory and consultative capacity for a three-year period. The retiring President (and Co-Chiefs) may also be elected to a voting trustee position.

9.6. The Treasurer is to be appointed by the Board of Trustees. There shall be no limitation to the length of term the Treasurer may serve, if so appointed.

9.7. Elections will be held every three years and will be done by electronic ballot.

9.8. The Order of the WhiteOak - World Druid Council is and shall be an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate based on race, color, age, national origin, marital status, disability, creed, religious or political affiliation, sex or sexual preference. All vacancies whether paid or volunteer will be filled on the basis of qualifications the applicant has in relation to the job requirements.

9.9. Duties and Qualifications of Officers of the Order:

9.9.1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Order and its officers. If the President is absent at any meeting, the Executive Director shall assume his/her duties. The President will act as the liaison between the board and the Executive Director. The President with the help of the Executive Director shall determine the agenda for all meetings. The President must be capable of administering the workings of the entire church Corporation, including but not limited to the following:

9.9.1.1. act as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees;

9.9.1.2. act as Chairperson of the general membership meeting;

9.9.1.3. administer operations of the entire Order Corporation;

9.9.1.4. delegate responsibility to ensure smooth operation of the Corporation as a whole;

9.9.1.5. issue an annual State of the Order Report to the membership;

9.9.1.6. orchestrate the planning and scheduling for the implementation and operation of all major Corporate projects;

9.9.1.6.1. oversee the disbursement and use of all Corporate funds and;

9.9.1.6.2. all other powers and duties delegated by the bylaws.

9.9.2. The Executive Director (Vice President) shall assume the office of President should the President be unable to execute his/her duties. The Executive Director shall also be in charge of activities directly related to the membership, i.e., programs for the membership and membership recruitment.

9.9.2.1. Must be able to take over the administration of the Order Corporation in the event that the President is unable to continue in that capacity, and;

9.9.2.1.1. substitute for the President at any corporate event, meeting, or function in the event the President is unable to attend; and

9.9.2.1.2. any other duties or responsibilities as delegated in the Bylaws or by the Board of Trustees.

9.9.3. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Order and of the board of trustees. The Secretary shall keep a roll of the members, and give a report on both at the annual meeting. The Secretary shall maintain a current membership list in electronic and hard copy and will have a current membership list present at all Order meetings. The Secretary shall work with the office of Treasurer to maintain accurate and up to date membership rolls.

The Secretary shall also conduct the correspondence of the Order, give notice of all meetings, notify committee members of their appointments, and carry on such other correspondence as may be necessary for conducting the affairs of the Order.

The Secretary shall be responsible for notifying members of expiration of membership and default of active status. The Secretary shall be responsible for the annual registration of the Order with the (Massachusetts) Secretary of State's Office. Said duties may be delegated with board approval.

9.9.3.1. The Secretary must be capable of handling and organizing a large amount of paperwork. Should be proficient in all clerical skills necessary to fulfill the position. The Secretary will supervise any staff member that has been approved by the Board of Trustees to assist with carrying out the responsibilities of this office.

9.9.3.2. take minutes of all Corporate meetings (in person or by delegation). Record all minutes taken and present latest minutes at current meetings;

9.9.3.3. keep and file copies of all corporate minutes, correspondence, and other paperwork; and

9.9.3.4. any other duties or responsibilities as delegated in the Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

9.9.4. The Treasurer (Buachaill - cow herder) shall collect the dues of members and all subscription donations and allocations of money to the Order. The Treasurer shall work with the office of the Secretary in maintaining accurate membership rolls. The Treasurer shall keep an account of the same and shall make a report thereof at the annual meeting and whenever required by the Order or the board of trustees. All Order money is to be kept in an Order bank account. The Treasurer is empowered to open any financial account deemed neccesary with any financial institution (such as a bank) for the Order, provided that at least one other Officer is a co-signer.The Treasurer shall pay out moneys of the Order upon presentation of bills approved by the board of trustees as attested to by the secretary.

At the close of each fiscal year the books shall be audited and a report submitted to the membership.

The Treasurer (Buachaill - cow herder) at the discretion of the Board of Trustees may make disbursements on behalf of the Order without prior approval up to a dollar level specified by the Board.

9.9.4.1. The Treasurer must be capable of handling the financial aspect of the Order Corporation and provide oversight of any contracted accounting services or Order employees.

9.9.4.2. keep a clear and accurate record of all corporate finances;

9.9.4.3. provide regular reports on the financial condition of the Order Corporation for all Corporate meetings, and provide a copy of the record to the Secretary for inclusion in the minutes;

9.9.4.4. prepare and complete all required reports to the Internal Revenue Service, as set forth by IRS guidelines and requirements;

9.9.4.5. audit all Corporate checking, savings, escrow, trust, or any other accounts on a periodic basis as determined by the Board of Directors;

9.9.4.6. audit all Corporate financial records of any coordinators who are in custody of Corporate moneys, and compile a quarterly report for the Board of Directors; and

9.9.4.7. any other duties as mandated in the Bylaws or assigned by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE X-INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP

10.1. Membership shall consist of those persons who understand the principles of Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, Initiates, students, and list members, who have made written application, paid their annual dues and have been accepted by the Board of Trustees or its delegated authority. The form of application shall be that approved by the Board of Trustees or its delegated authority.

10.2. Honorary Life members may be elected by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting of the corporation. The honorary members shall not be required to pay annual dues.

10.3. Voting and other rights and privileges of members are set forth in these bylaws. An individual membership fee covers basic administrative costs and entitles the member to any informational or emergency mailings made that year.

10.3.1. An associate membership is available to the second adult individual at the same address. Households with a Member and an Associate Member will receive one set of informational mailings

10.4. The Order shall be composed of active and honorary individual members.

10.4.1. Change of dues for membership shall be proposed and approved by the board of trustees. Policies for prorating of dues for the first year of membership is at the discretion of the board of trustees.

10.4.2. Active membership shall include the following categories:

10.4.2.1. Individual membership - any person may become a member of the Order by payment of annual dues.

10.4.2.2. Honorary Life membership.

10.4.2.3. Associate Membership - An Individual which is the second membership at the same address and who does not receive mailings. Associate Members may vote at the annual meeting as Individual Members.

10.4.3. No person shall be qualified as a member and entitled to vote in regular, special or annual meetings unless his/her annual dues have been paid to the treasurer and his/her name inscribed on the membership list at or in advance of any meeting.

10.4.4. Members failing to pay their dues for more than 60 days after they become payable shall be regarded as inactive members. Inactive members shall have no voting privilege, shall not receive any other benefits of membership until such time as they renew their memberships with payment of their annual dues and such payment is processed as normal.

10.4.5. Honorary life members shall not be required to pay dues; they may attend all membership meetings, but they shall not have the right to vote unless they are also paying members. Any individual, in recognition of achievements or for services rendered in line with the purposes of the Order may be elected a honorary life member by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting.

10.5. Members are presumed to have read and understood the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, and any other such documents, manuals or handbooks delineating policy or procedures which are by reference hereby included in and made a part of these Bylaws, and that the applicant agrees to abide by the same; Copies of these documents are available through the Secretaries office.

10.6. Any member who violates the code of ethics of the Order or otherwise puts the Order, its members and or the Pagan community at large in a disreputable light may be removed from the membership by the Council of Elders. Such removal may be appealed in writing within 30 days of removal to the office of the Secretary. Notice of Appeal will be distributed to The Council of Elders within ten days of receipt.

10.7. Youth Memberships. Minor children under the age of 18 may join the Order as Youth Members upon filing a Youth Membership Application which includes a signature of parent or guardian granting permission and approval. Dues for Youth Memberships shall be as determined by the Board of Trustees. Youth Members shall not have the ability to vote in Henge business and Youth Members may not hold office nor be listed in the Membership Directory.

ARTICLE XI-THE GROVES

11.1 Each Grove within the Whiteoak system is semi-autonomous with regards to their adherence to the Litany as proscribed by the Order, and every Whiteoak initiate is a Grove of one.

11.2 Groves must abide by Whiteoak beliefs as outlined in the Litany, ethics, bylaws and religious methodology. Groves are encouraged to gather and interact with other Groves in their area or the membership at large.

11.3 Every initiate is qualified to start a Grove which may include identification of a designated individual who takes on the major responsibilities of administration of the Grove who will act as contact and liaison to the list and the Order. Such person shall also be known as the Grove Founder. The Grove Founder must be an Initiate of the Order.

11.4 Other Grove officers may be appointed such as Scribe and Pursewarden.

11.5 A Grove of any type must submit at least one annual, "State of the Grove" report to the Whiteoak list indicating the current Officers of the Grove, location of Grove Meetings (City and State) and a contact point. Every Whiteoak Grove shall submit a geographic location and a contact person so that the grove may be listed on the Whiteoak private website.

11.6 Groves of any type shall not have the power to incur debt in the name of the Order

11.7 When a Grove decides to disband it shall send written notification from the Grove's Founder to the Officers indicating that the Grove intends to disband.

11.8 A Grove may be suspended by the Council of Elders pending an investigation of problems brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees. A Grove may also be suspended based upon the Grove's Annual report or lack thereof .

11.9 A Grove may be suspended if the Board of Trustees has reason to believe that the Grove is not functioning as a viable organizational Unit of the Order.

11.10 A suspended Grove of any type may reinstated if the Grove can resolve its problems to the satisfaction of the Board of Trustees pursuant to the recommendation of the Council of Elders within one year of suspension.

11.11 A Grove may be revoked by Council of Elders based upon religious theological issues.

11.12 A Grove may be revoked by the Board of Trustees based upon secular issues. These issues include, but are not limited to the following: Conduct found to be incompatible with the purpose of the Corporation or contrary to the Laws of the State or Country the Grove is located in, conduct or statements of the Grove in its meetings or statements that discredit the Order its purposes, or members.

11.13 A Grove may be revoked by the Board of Trustees if three months after suspension, a Grove has not made adequate corrections to the issues involved which were the cause of the suspension.

ARTICLE XII-MEETINGS

12.1. There shall be an Annual Meeting of the membership of the Order held each year. Due to the international nature of our membership, the meeting shall take place online. The Board of Trustees shall set the date of the meeting. Six weeks notice must be given to all known members of the date of the annual meeting.

12.2. Special meetings of the Order may be requested by the Co-Chiefs, the Council of Elders, or the President, in his/her absence, by the Vice President, and any two trustees at any time and by ten members of the Order. Such written request is to the Office of the President. If the request is approved by the Board of Trustees, the Board shall set the date of the meeting.

12.3. A simple majority representing at least 50 percent of the membership of the Order must be present, or represented by proxy to constitute a quorum for annual and special meetings. Present is hereby defined as the virtual presence of a voting member.

12.4. There shall be three types of votes possible concerning any proposals before the Corporation: affirmative, abstention, and negative.

12.5. The Order shall operate on a fiscal year, running from 1 November through 31 October.

12.6. All eligible voters may cast one vote. Voting will be done by e:mail. Voting by proxy is allowed. Proxies must be given to a member in good standing.

12.7. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Revised Rules of Order or accepted future standards of Rules of Order for a non profit corporation

12.8. The Board of Trustees and Officers shall meet at least annually and privately on-line, on an as needed basis. The meeting dates shall be determined by the President. The as-needed meetings are open to generally interested parties at the Boards pleasure, or they will be assumed to be closed meetings.

12.9. The Board of Trustees is a voting entity in and of itself.

ARTICLE XIII-COMMITTEES, BOARDS, AND BUREAUS

13.1. The President shall appoint, or cause the Board of Trustees to appoint, such standing Committees as are deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the Order. Chairs of such Committees, shall, insofar as possible, be appointed from members of the Board of Trustees or Officers. Such Committees may include regular members and Initiates of the Order.

13.2. All standing Committees, Boards, and Bureaus shall be appointed to serve until a particular project is completed or until the next annual meeting, whichever occurs first. All Committees, Boards, and Bureaus may be appointed annually. There shall be no limit to the number of annual terms to which a member of a Committee, Board, or Bureau may be re-appointed. Insofar as possible, all committees and boards should represent geographically the areas served by the Order.

13.3. The President, or in his/her absence the Vice President, shall be an ex-officio member of all Committees, Boards, and Bureaus. The Co-Chiefs may serve on these Committees, Boards and Bureaus at their pleasure.

13.4. The Chairs of all Committees, Boards, and Bureaus shall represent their respective Committees, Boards, or Bureaus at meetings of the Board of Trustees when requested to attend by the Board.

ARTICLE XIV-INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

14.1. The Order shall indemnify any Officer, Trustee, employee, or volunteer who is sued for actions done in good faith for the benefit of the Order and in the performances of his or her duties for the same. This shall not cover criminal actions that result from unlawful conduct.

14.2. Indemnification maybe covered through the purchase of insurance or by any means the Order chooses.

ARTICLE XV-AMENDMENT

15.1. Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed in writing and filed with the Secretary by any three members.

15.2. A special meeting of the Officers, Trustees, and Elders may be called within ten days upon receipt of the proposed amendment, the office of the Secretary will have informed the Officers, Board of Trustees and members of The Council of Elders. The office of the President will respond to the parties acknowledging receipt of the proposed amendment within 5 days of receipt. The Council of Elders will examine and judge the proposed amendment to insure its passage would not weaken the theological foundations of the Order.

15.2.1. The Board of Trustees shall then review the amendment and may veto sending any amendment to the membership if they believe it to be inappropriate or undesirable. The Board shall have 45 days to consider the amendment. The Secretary shall inform the amendment's submitter of the Board's decision. The submitter shall then have an opportunity to address the Board concerning the proposal.

15.2.3. After the Council of Elders and the Board of Trustees both rule upon the proposed amendment The secretary shall notify the membership in writing of the proposed amendment(s), and they may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the annual meeting if a quorum is present and provided six weeks have elapsed since the sending of the notice.

ARTICLE XVI-ELECTIONS

16.1. Election of Board members shall occur at regular intervals as specified in these Bylaws.

16.1.1. A clear majority comprising of a 10% margin over the opposing candidates of the tallied votes shall be required to elect any eligible member to any position on the Board or any other elective position in this Corporation, except as specified in these Bylaws. A person who fails to receive a clear majority but does receive a plurality shall be considered elected to a one year term of office.

16.1.2. Replacements to vacancies in elected or appointive positions under the Board's direction, shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve until the next election date. The Board is not required to fill a vacant Trustee position. Said appointments may not exceed 13 months.

16.1.3 All elected officers who serve their time in good standing may be considered for re-election, term limits not to exceed three consecutive terms in said office .

ARTICLE XVII - ETHICS

We adhere to the following:

17.1. The Order does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, sex, or sexual preference. Individual Groves with a 'cult focus' (such as the women who tended Bridget's fire at Kildare) may be exclusionary on the basis of sex only, with periodic review and approval of the Council of Elders. As the notion of same sex or single focus cult worship is not unprecedented in Celtic society, we have concluded that individual Groves may be exclusionary on certain issues, so long as the tradition as a whole maintains balance. At NO TIME, however, may a Whiteoak Grove discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

17.2. At NO TIME shall a Grove or member of the Order espouse or engage in the practice of blood sacrifice; nor shall they, as part of their religious practice participate in the torture, mutilation, enslavement, or abuse (physical or emotional) of any sentient creature for the purpose of enjoyment or spiritual gain. Any taking of life for the purpose of meeting physical needs shall be done only in accordance with civil law, and shall be conducted as humanely as possible.

17.3. Each member shall keep confidential the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and places of employment of other members of the Order, except where expressed permission has been given to publicize said information; or in such a case as a person is deemed to be a public threat (in which case confidential information may only be revealed to those authorities under whose jurisdiction the matter of conduct falls.)

17.4. We view our ordained and lay clergy (Grove leaders, Officers, Elders, and Trustees) as professionals and, as such, demand professional behavior equal to that of secular and other religious professionals.

Our clergy are expected to be honest, to abide by the law (except in cases of certain "victimless crimes" or civil disobedience), to respect the rights and privacy of others, to maintain a professional profile while "on duty," and to respect certain sexual taboos placed upon virtually all professionals in our society, rules which have been instituted for the protection of the client. Therefore, Whiteoak clergy will refrain from engaging in sexual activities with their Grove "clients" when acting in the following capacities: teacher, healer, therapist, or divinatory counselor. (The above restrictions do not apply to sexual relationships that existed prior to the onset of the professional relationship.)

We accept that those of us who are adults are capable of making our own choices; however, extreme discretion in any sexual interlude between clergy and lower ranking Grove members is advised.

17.5. It shall be the custom of this tradition to work robed or clothed at any public ritual. Private rituals may be conducted skyclad at the discretion of the individual Grove.

17.6. Manipulation or coercion of a sexual nature will not be tolerated in Whiteoak ritual.

17.7. At NO TIME shall firearms or explosives be brought to or used during an official Whiteoak ritual.

17.8. Groves may chose to induce altered states of consciousness through meditation, chanting, etc. While psychoactive substances of various sorts have been used by traditional societies for this purpose, only legal psychoactive substances are permitted in official Whiteoak rituals.

17.9. We will not tolerate bigotry, slander, perjury, or other forms of harassment leveled against our members or against other members of the Neopagan community.

17.10. Initiates shall abide by their initiatory oath and shall respect the confidentiality of any oathbound material from our tradition or any other.

ARTICLE XVIII-LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT

18.1. Whiteoak Druidism is an initiatory mystery tradition. Prior to initiation a person must study and prepare for initiation. The uninitiated may go through three phases on the way to initiation.

18.1.1. The Seeker is a person who is investigating Celtic Spirituality or Druidism in its many and varied forms. A Seeker typically first contacts the public Whiteoak list, seeking to know and understand what forms of Celtic Neopagan spirituality are available.

18.1.2. The Member is a person who is interested enough in Whiteoak Druidism to join the organization.

Members are considered general laity and may participate in all public rituals, serve on committees, partake in open meetings and have any other privileges and responsibilities as shall be designated by the Order or their local Grove.. A Member is not required to enter into a study program. A Member will pay dues.

18.1.3. The Dedicant has committed him/herself to the study of Druidism and has demonstrated this commitment by seeking and establishing a relationship with a Foster. Dedicants may be called upon to assume lesser roles in public rituals should their services be needed.

18.2. Being a Member in no way infers a right to initiation or advancement to the status of Initiate. Initiation and advancement requires the approval from a Foster who has been trained and fostered by a Whiteoak Initiate.

18.2.1. Family members or "partners" to be elevated or initiated require the approval of an Initiate of the Order not related or sexually involved with them .

18.2.2. Upon initiation, the member will publically announce their initiation , along with a description of their vigil and oath taking. This will be done by publishing their account to the Whiteoak list. Elders should keep track of these announcements and enter them into their Books of Write. In this way a firm and legitimate lineage of fosterships will be preserved.

18.2.3. After initiation each Initiate shall declare a Druid Specialty and join the Druid Guild.

SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR TRANSFERS

18.3.1. Persons entering the Order with a good grounding in Celtic language and scholarship may be waived the requirement to do the basic reading providing they can demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge. This position will be awarded on a probationary basis at the discretion of their Foster. However, they will still have to perform the usual tasks required towards initiation.

18.3.2 Initiates who are already well trained in their chosen discipline may be similarly advanced within the Whiteoak Guild system. The procedure for such advancement is outlined within the Whiteoak private web pages.