Rules for Groves

Please read over all of the information below very carefully.

The Grove is the basic local organizational congregational unit of Church of the Spiral Tree. A Grove is a small intimate group of at least three, and we recommend not more than 13, paid CST members, organized in a local area to learn about, discuss, and creatively practice the purposes of the Church. Groves are largely autonomous units which agree to adopt and practice the values and purposes of CST and are, after applying to the Board of Directors (BOD), granted a charter by the BOD. The year-long Incipient status is to ensure that the Grove is fully committed and has long-term goals.

Groves are not required to have open meetings and may determine their own internal structure and method of participation. Groves have the autonomy to decide how new members are approved to join the Grove. Membership in the Grove does not automatically confer membership in CST.

Charters: In order to form a Grove, a group of at least three paid CST members must apply to the BOD for a charter as an Incipient Grove. These three paid members cannot also be members of any other CST Groves, if the other Grove(s) depend upon their membership for their continued existence, and each of the three forming members must have a place of residence within 200 miles of the main Grove address (residence is defined as a physical street address where the member owns, leases, rents and/or resides at least part of the year and can receive mail at that address). Upon receipt of a qualifying Incipient Grove application, along with application fees, the BOD will issue an Incipient Grove Charter. In order to be granted a full Grove Charter, an Incipient Grove must have been meeting at least monthly for at least one year and submitting quarterly activity and financial reports. Granting of an Incipient or full Grove Charter is by approval of the BOD.

Administration: Each Grove shall choose a person who takes on the major responsibilities of administration, contact and organization of either a Grove or an Incipient Grove. Such person shall be known as the Grove Steward or President, and they shall serve as contact and liaison to CST's central headquarters and the BOD in all matters of administration and/or corporate needs and concerns relative to their particular Grove or Incipient Grove. The Grove President or Steward is not required to be an ordained minister or initiated priest/priestess in any specific tradition.

Governance: The governance of Groves shall be by Stewards, Directors or Councils. Should the Grove be authorized to open a bank or checking account, there shall be three approved signatories on the account. Chartering and serving as administrators or officers of Groves is open only to paid members of CST.

Membership: A Grove must maintain a minimum of three paid CST members. These three paid members cannot also be members of any other CST Groves, if the other Grove(s) depend upon their membership for their continued existence, and each of the three paid members must have a place of residence within 200 miles of the main Grove address (residence is defined as a physical street address where the member owns, leases, rents and/or resides at least part of the year and can receive mail at that address). The Grove may have other members who may or may not be paid CST members, but any officers in the Grove, including the Grove Steward, must be paid CST members. Membership in CST does not automatically confer membership in any local Grove or Branch.

Reports/Financial Accountability: Each Grove, whether Incipient or full status, must submit quarterly reports of its activities and financial status to CST's Board of Directors (BOD) at least two weeks prior to each meeting of the BOD. Due dates for reports are April 30 (for January-March period), July 31 (for April-June period), October 31 (for July-September period), and January 31 (for October-December period). Failure to submit such reports for two successive quarters shall be grounds for investigation and suspension of the Grove's Charter.

Group Exemption: Groves chartered by the BOD shall be legal Subordinate Organizations of CST as incorporated under the laws of the United States, and shall be eligible to be covered under CST's group exemption. Groves do not have the power to incur debt in the name of Church of the Spiral Tree.

Innovation: The BOD and Clergy of CST do not wish to impose any doctrinal constraints upon local Groves beyond the requirement that their activities be in accord with the purpose of the Corporation as stated in the Preamble and Article III of the bylaws. We in fact encourage creativity and innovation on the part of all local groves in the lawful pursuit of the goals of CST.

Protecting People's Life Work Within the Church: In order for members to be willing to devote their lives, assets and resources to the church, each individual and Grove shall have as much autonomy and freedom of action and expression as possible within accordance with CST policies as well as local, state, and federal laws.

Disbanding a Grove or Branch: The CST BOD may accept and note the disbanding of a Grove or Incipient Grove upon written notification from that Grove's administrative body and the return of all Grove materials issued by the CST BOD. In such case, all assets including equipment, supplies, and remaining monies provided by the CST BOD to the said Grove are to be returned to a designated CST BOD member(s). Assets including monies acquired through Grove fundraisers, direct donations to the specific Grove, and items purchased with Grove funds shall be divided by mutual agreement or by arbitration by the existing officers of the Grove. If there are no existing Grove officers left during or after the disbanding of the Grove, then fair and orderly distribution of Grove assets will be assigned to the CST BOD or their designated representative(s). The records and materials of the Grove will go into the BOD's "inactive" grove file, where they will remain until or unless the Grove may be reactivated. If no one reactivates an inactive grove within three years, it will be declared "discorporate" and filed accordingly. Incipient Grove charters will lapse automatically after one year from the date of their last quarterly report.

Suspending Charters: The CST BOD reserves the right to suspend the charter of a Grove for the following reasons:

• To investigate problems brought to the BOD's attention that indicate conflict with the stated CST mission, bylaws, or policies, or with local, state or federal laws;

• If the quarterly reports (or lack thereof) from that Grove fail to indicate its continuing function;

• If reports for two successive quarters are not submitted;

• If the annual renewal fee of $20 is not paid by February 28.

A Grove whose charter has been suspended will be regarded as an inactive grove, and its charter may be reinstated if the Grove can resolve its problems to the satisfaction of the BOD. If this does not happen within a year and a day, the suspended Grove will be declared "discorporate." This action may be appealed to the BOD, whose decision will be final.

Revoking Charters: The BOD reserves the right to revoke a Grove's charter for reasons including but not limited to:

• The conduct of the Grove at its meetings and public functions or in its public statements is found to be incompatible with the purposes of the Corporation as stated in Article III of the Bylaws, or contrary to the laws of the country or state of residence of the Grove;
  

• The conduct or statements of the Grove in its meetings and public functions or in its public statements, in the judgment of the BOD, reflects unacceptable discredit on CST, its purposes, members and Clergy; or
  

• The BOD has reason to believe upon investigation that the chartered Grove is not truly functioning as a Grove in that the contact person does not respond to queries, show evidence of membership or the holding of regular meetings or other evidence that the chartered Grove is, indeed, functioning as a viable organizational unit of CST.

Removing Grove From CST: In case of irreconcilable conflict with CST, the directors of a Grove, subject to contractual agreement, have the option of removing their organization from CST while retaining its name, function, independent corporate status (if any) and assets. In such a case, that organization would forfeit the coverage of CST's group 501(c)(3) exemption, insurance, and any other privileges of affiliation with CST.

If there is a dispute between the BOD and a Grove, or among Directors or other partners in a Grove, and if any of these parties are not satisfied with a decision of the BOD, they may seek binding arbitration by a mutually-agreed-upon party or parties, pursuant to CST's conflict resolution procedure.

Assets: All Assets of a chartered Grove provided by CST BOD including equipment, supplies and remaining monies will be returned to a designated CST BOD member upon dissolution of that Grove, whether by disbanding or by revocation of their charter. Assets acquired specifically by the designated Grove to include all equipment, supplies, and monies will be retained by that group or distributed or reassigned by the existing officers of the Grove in the case of disbanding of that Grove. If there are no existing officers left, then the CST BOD will assume responsibility for the fair distribution of the assets.

Should a Grove which has removed itself from CST be disbanded at any time up to a year after leaving CST, any remaining assets will revert to CST Central.

Reactivating a Grove: If within three years, at least two members of the original Grove and at least one other active member of CST are willing to resume Grove activities and regular meetings, an inactive Grove or Incipient Grove may be reactivated under its original name and charter. If there is a dispute among the members of the original Grove over the Grove's reactivation, the BOD may request that the name of the Grove be changed, and a new charter issued under the new name, while still recognizing the legal continuity of that Grove or Incipient Grove insofar as dating its inception from the original application.

If a Grove's charter is suspended, the Grove will have three months to address and resolve the issues that resulted in that action to the satisfaction of the BOD. If this can be accomplished, their charter will be reinstated and returned after their current quarterly report is approved.

If a Grove's charter has been revoked by the BOD, there is no further appeal. The re-establishment of a CST Grove in that area will require starting all over, with a new application, under a different name and with a new administrative body.