Understanding the Three Abrahamic Faiths:This is the constitution of the Dunedin Abrahamic Interfaith Group (DAIG).
The Dunedin Abrahamic Interfaith Group is a voluntary community-based organization bringing together people from Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths (commonly known as "the Abrahamic faiths"). The group exists to promote religious tolerance, understanding, diversity and the enhancement of the common shared values within the wider community.
The objectives for the DAIG, operating within Aotearoa New Zealand, are:
To provide a forum for its members to consult and discuss matters of inter-faith concern;
To promote understanding of and respect for each other's faith among religious leaders and representatives of all religious communities;
To promote co-operative relations among diverse religious communities;
To promote the elimination of religious discrimination, racism and other forms of prejudice;
To promote a more just, informed, and tolerant society;
To liaise and consult with the media, local and national governmental bodies, and other community groups and organizations;
To promote the appreciation and understanding of the distinctive beliefs and practices, and a sympathetic awareness of the unique heritage, of our religious communities within our society;
To promote themes, values, ethics, and norms common to all religions, but especially those of the Abrahamic faiths; and
To conduct and perform all such acts and deeds as are incidental or conducive to the attainments of the Statement of Purpose, and allied to the objectives, of the DAIG.
In carrying out or performing the objectives and the administration of the DAIG the following limitation of actions, speech, and conduct shall apply:
Where controversial differences exist between and amongst religious communities and the traditions represented by DAIG, all discussions relating to such controversies shall be conducted with all due respect and care for each other.
Attempts to use DAIG involvement to convert members of one religion to another are inconsistent with the objectives of the DAIG.
The DAIG shall not be aligned with any political party.
Only those authorised by an Annual General Meeting (AGM) or a Management Committee (MC) of the DAIG shall be empowered to make public statements on behalf of the DAIG.
The DAIG shall be open to voluntary membership. Application for membership of the DAIG shall be taken to indicate that the applicant endorses the Statement of Purpose, Objectives and Limitations of the DAIG.
Applications for membership should be submitted in writing to the Secretary, and will be considered by the next MC meeting. The Secretary will communicate the acceptance of an application in writing.
In the event of a membership application being denied by the MC:
The secretary shall provide a written statement to the applicant and all members, indicating the reasons for denying the application.
Within thirty (30) days of receiving this written statement denying a membership application, the applicant may request in writing that their application be considered by a special general meeting of the DAIG. In the event of such a request being received, a special general meeting, to consider and determine the application, shall be called by the secretary no later than 30 days after the written decision of the MC has been forwarded to the applicant by registered AR post. The secretary shall advise the applicant and all members in writing of the time and place of this special general meeting.
A quorum at this special general meeting shall be at least 12 members. The decision, after reviewing the reasons for rejecting the application for membership and any other relevant matters, shall be made by consensus of the members present at the meeting. If consensus is not reached, then the decision will be made in the manner set out in Section 5.3 of this Constitution.
The chair of each special general meeting will revolve in the manner set out in Section 5.4 of this Constitution.
A member of the DAIG shall cease to be a member:
Upon notice by the member in writing to the secretary; or
If the DAIG, by a majority of two thirds of members present at its next Management Committee meeting resolves that the person's membership be discontinued. In this event, the review process identified in Section 4.3 above shall be available to that former member.
The Secretary shall keep a register of all members, containing the following information for each member
Date on which he or she joined the DAIG;
Contact details; and
The member's religion or religions, as indicated by the member.
This information may be made available to other members unless the member concerned has requested otherwise.
The Annual General Meeting of the DAIG shall be held when it is possible for the Treasurer to present a balance sheet, and not later than the end of April.
The secretary shall ensure that all members are notified of the meeting, either verbally or in writing.
A quorum for the annual general meeting will be at least six members, with at least one from each of the Abrahamic faiths being present.
All matters raised at an annual general meeting shall be decided by consensus. However, if it is determined by the chairperson of a meeting that consensus cannot be obtained, and no other course of action is feasible, a simple voting majority shall determine a decision. In the event of a tie the chairperson has a second casting vote.
Annual General Meetings will be chaired by a member of each of the three Abrahamic faiths in turn. Should the faith group responsible to chair in succession not have chosen such a chairperson in a manner suitable to themselves prior to that meeting, the annual general meeting itself will choose its chair, in such a way that this rotation provision is honoured.
At least fourteen (14) days notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all the members stating the time, venue and business for consideration. The business to be transacted at the meeting shall include:
At the Annual General Meeting, a Management Committee, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected.
All members are eligible to be elected to the Management Committee, and to act as Secretary or Treasurer.
At the AGM, all members of the Management Committee, Secretary and Treasurer shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.
Nominations for membership of the Management Committee, Secretary and Treasurer shall be called from the floor of the AGM.
If there are more than twelve nominations for the Management Committee and one nomination for Secretary and Treasurer, the AGM shall decide by secret ballot which nominated persons shall be elected to the Management Committee and elected as Secretary and Treasurer. Otherwise the nominated person or person shall be declared duly elected.
The ballot for Management Committee will take place first, followed successively by those for Secretary and Treasurer.
A member may serve on the Management Committee and be Secretary or Treasurer concurrently, but the Secretary or Treasurer may not act as chair of the Management Committee (as provided in Section 5.4 of this constitution).
Two tellers will be appointed in one ballot by the meeting for all elections. If the votes are tied, the chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
The Management Committee shall consist of not less than six (6) and no more than twelve (12) members, elected at the AGM in such a way that there will be at least two (2) members of each constituent faith on the committee.
The chair of each meeting of MC shall revolve in the manner provided in Section 5.4 of this constitution.
The management committee shall carry out the ordinary business of the DAIG.
It shall meet at least four times a year at a time and place to be designated by the Secretary when giving at least one week's notice of that meeting.
Any member may suggest in writing to the secretary an item for the ordinary business of the MC and this shall be considered at the next meeting of the MC.
Any member suggesting an item for business of the MC shall be entitled to come and speak at the meeting of the MC at which that item is considered. The Secretary will inform them of this right, and the details of the next meeting.
The minutes of each meeting of the MC shall be forwarded to every member, if possible by email.
No amendment, addition or alteration to the Constitution shall be valid unless:
A proposal for such an addition or alteration is submitted at an Annual General Meeting of the DAIG;
The proposal is agreed by consensus or, failing that, by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at the meeting, and 6.
The amendment, addition or alteration will become effective after registration with the Registrar of Incorporated Societies.
PROVIDED ALWAYSthat such changes do not affect the exclusively charitable nature of the DAIG.
A current account shall be kept with such bank as may be decided upon by the DAIG, into which its funds shall be paid, and upon which cheques shall be drawn for the payments of accounts on the authority of the DAIG. All cheques will be signed by the Treasurer of the DAIG, plus one or two members appointed for that purpose. As and when required, monies may be disbursed as directed by the DAIG. The budget, and the method of raising funds, shall be formulated by the DAIG at its Annual General Meeting.
All funds and assets of the DAIG shall be applied within New Zealand towards furthering exclusively the charitable objectives, aims and purposes of the DAIG.
No private pecuniary profit shall be made by any person involved in the DAIG, except that:
A member may receive full reimbursement for all expenses properly incurred in connection with the affairs of the DAIG; and
Any member may be paid all usual professional, business or trade charges for services rendered in connection with the affairs of the DAIG, as an individual or by any firm to which he or she is associated.
The financial year for the DAIG will run from January 1st to 31st December each year.
The address of the registered office of the DAIG will be that of the secretary for the time being.
If upon winding up or dissolution of the DAIG, whether voluntary or by the Registrar of Incorporated Societies or otherwise, there remains after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid or distributed among members of the DAIG but shall be given or transferred to another organization within New Zealand having objectives substantially similar to those defined in Rule 3, such gift to be determined by the DAIG at or before the time of dissolution and in default thereof by the High Court of New Zealand.