The St. Innocent Orthodox Church, located in Olmsted Township, Ohio, is a parish in the autocephalous Orthodox Church in America, and incorporated as a religious (not-for-profit) corporation in the State of Ohio, on September 10, 1993.

As the local community of the Church, the Parish exists for the purpose of worshiping God according to the Holy Scriptures and Tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church, to encourage union with God among the members of the Parish, to provide religious education and charitable aid for its members, and to defend and promote the Orthodox Faith in America.

It is the goal of this Parish to promote Christian Stewardship as the primary form of financial support. This is not meant to exclude other types of non-gambling fund-raising activities. However, in no event is any form of gambling, including Las Vegas nights, bingo, raffles, or lotteries to be used by the Parish or any of its affiliates as a means for raising funds.

In the Spirit of Christian unity and love, and realizing that in all cases the voice of the majority rules in our decision making, it is our hope that the consensus of the Parish membership is felt in our decision making process and thereby aid our future growth and unite ourselves with one another in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Parish is part of the Orthodox Church in America, and therefore, its organization and administration are subject to the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, adopted by the Second All-American Council of October 19-21, 1971, and amended by subsequent All-American Councils, and to the decisions of the Diocesan Assemblies of the Diocese of the Midwest.

The Parish is primarily a spiritual body recognized by the canons and traditions, disciplines and regulations of the Orthodox Church in America. Its adoption of a civil corporate existence is done to allow it recognition in the secular world. If a discrepancy exists between the civil Certificate of Incorporation or civil Bylaws and ecclesiastical canons, traditions, disciplines, regulations of the then current Statute of the Orthodox Church in America, such discrepancy shall be eliminated. Until the Certificate of Incorporation of the Bylaws actually may be amended, the Parish meanwhile shall be bound to the canons, traditions, discipline, regulations of the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America with the same force and effect as if the same were fully recited therein. All other provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws not in conflict shall remain in effect as written.

The Parish shall be regulated by the following Bylaws which are intended to express the spirit of the Holy Orthodox Tradition, as interpreted by the Orthodox Church in America, on a practical level in the life of the Parish as a whole, so that the Parish might fulfill its divinely appointed mission in a peaceful and orderly way.

A voting member of the parish shall fulfill the following requirements,
    a)     be a Baptized and Chrismated Orthodox Christian, and
    b)     be at least 18 years of age, and
    c)     partake of the Sacraments of Private Confession and Communion in one’s home parish at least once a year, and
    d)     have been a member of the Parish for a prior consecutive six month period, and
    e)     participates in the Parish’s financial stewardship pro-gram by offering, and maintaining to the best of their ability, an annual written pledge, for the current year, for the maintenance and growth of the Parish, the Diocese of the Midwest, and the Orthodox Church in America.
    f)     has no canonical impediments to Parish membership.

A person who was a “voting member” in another Parish of the Orthodox Church in America and who has transferred into this Parish, in accordance with the authorized transfer form, or those persons who were voting members in another Parish belonging to one of the members of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) and who has transferred into this Parish with writ-ten transfer or acknowledgement from their former Rector, shall have full “voting member” status in accordance with Article I - Section I of these Bylaws.

Voting membership in two or more parishes either of the Orthodox Church in America or other Orthodox jurisdiction is not permitted.

Each year the Parish shall remit to the Diocesan Treasurer its financial obligation to the Diocese and to the Orthodox Church in America as stipulated by the Diocesan Assemblies and the All-American Councils.

The Parish, through its Council and Secretary, is responsible for submitting annually the census and membership information to the office of the Diocesan Bishop, in accordance with the form as determined in current Diocesan Directives. The Secretary will maintain a membership book containing names and addresses, and date of admission to membership as per Ohio Revised Code Section 1702-13A.

The Parish Council together with the Rector shall, within its jurisdiction, initiate action to remove from voting membership that person who:
    a)     directly or indirectly defies the Dogma or Canons of the  Orthodox Church; or
    b)     directly or indirectly obstructs those decisions rendered by the majority of the Parish or the Diocesan Bishop; or
    c)     directly or indirectly causes such disruption so as to affect adversely the spiritual life of the Parish.
Action to remove rights of voting membership shall be referred to higher Diocesan authority in the manner set forth in the current Diocesan Directives.

Upon the death, retirement, or transfer of the Rector, the vacancy in office may be filled on a temporary basis by the Diocesan Bishop until the office is filled on a permanent basis.
 

The Rector is assigned, transferred or removed by the Diocesan Bishop by virtue of the authority of his office and in accordance with the Canons, ecclesiastical procedure and the needs of the Parish and of the Diocese. The Rector cannot be removed or leave his assignment without the specific permission of the Diocesan Bishop. The Parish shall be responsible for the support and welfare of its Rector until such time as he is removed from his position by the Diocesan Bishop.

The Rector of the Parish shall:
    a)     serve the liturgical and sacramental needs according to the order of the Typikon of the Orthodox Church in America;
    b)     instruct members of the Parish in the tenets of the Orthodox Faith and piety;
    c)     implement and be responsible for the religious education of the Parish and stimulate church growth;
    d)     strive to raise the level of spirituality and morality of the members of the Parish;
    e)     preside at all Parish Meetings;
    f)     keep the Parish records of baptisms, chrismations, receptions into the faith, marriages, and burials; issue copies of the same, and report the statistics annually to the Diocesan Bishop;
    g)     report as may be required by law to civil authority marriages performed;
    h)     be the intermediary between the Parish and the Dean and the Diocesan Bishop;
    i)     keep the church seal;
    j)     be responsible for the well-being of the Parish;
    k)     implement the decisions of the All-American Councils, of the Diocesan Assemblies, of the Diocesan Bishop, of the District Dean, of the Annual and Special Meetings of the Parish, and of the Parish Council;
    i)     check and sign the Minutes of the Annual and Special Meetings of the Parish and of the Parish Council meetings;
    m)     be responsible for the supervision of additional clergy who are appointed or assigned by the Diocesan Bishop;
    n)     be an ex officio member of all Committees and of the Parish Council.

To be free from material preoccupations and wholly committed to his sacred ministry, the Rector must be compensated by the Parish, the amount and terms of such compensation shall be determined prior to the time of his assignment and thereafter on an annual basis, which shall conform to the then current Diocesan Guidelines concerning compensation and benefits for the clergy.

Additional clergy as appointed by the Diocesan Bishop shall assist the Rector. The provisions of Article II, Sections 1, 2 and 4, shall be applicable to them. In addition to the general pastoral duties, such additional clergy shall be responsible for those specific duties in the assignment in concurrence with the Rector and Parish Council as approved by the Diocesan Bishop.

    a)     Annual Meeting: An annual meeting of the voting members of the Parish shall be held on the third (3rd) Sunday in the month of February of every year (following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy) for the purpose of electing members of the Parish Council and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the Meeting. Should circumstances preclude having the annual Parish Meeting at its regularly appointed time, then an alternate date agreed upon by the Rector and the Parish Council can be selected. The alternate date for the Parish Annual Meeting must be on a Sunday no earlier than three Sundays before the appointed date, and no later than three Sundays after the appointed date.
    b)     Special Meetings: Special Meetings of the voting members of the Parish may be called by the Rector, the Parish Council, the Diocesan Bishop or his designee, or by not less than 10% of the voting members of the Parish. When 10% of the members of the congregation shall call a Meeting, they shall file with the President of the Parish Council at least 4 weeks prior to the date of said Meeting a written request signed by them stating the object of such Meeting. Arrangements shall then be made for notice to be given as per subsection d) hereof.
    c)     Place of Meeting: The Annual Meeting and any Special Parish Meeting shall be held on the Parish premises.
    d)     Notice of Meetings: Notice of the Annual and any Special Parish Meeting shall be given by the Rector from the ambo at the Divine Liturgy on three (3) consecutive Sundays prior to the Meeting and published in the Church bulletin and written notice shall be mailed to all voting members not later than eight (8) days prior to the date of the Meeting. The agenda of any Meeting shall be included in the notice. In the case of Special Meetings, or when the Annual Meeting shall have as part of its agenda capital expenditures, the purchase, sale, mortgage, lease or encumbrance of real property of the Parish, or the amendment of these Bylaws, the notice shall specify the matter or matters to be acted upon at said Meeting.

The quorum for all Parish Meetings shall be 33% of voting members pledged for the current year as of December 31 of the calendar year preceding the date of the Meeting. In the absence of a quorum at the Annual Parish Meeting, that Meeting may be adjourned to a time determined by the majority of voting members present at that Meeting. (At the Adjourned Meeting those in attendance shall constitute a quorum at that Meeting.) These provisions for an Adjourned Meeting shall not apply either to any Special Meeting or to any subject matter at an Annual Meeting pertaining to the amendment of these Bylaws or the  acquisition or alienation of Parish property or capital expenditures. In those instances the quorum requirements outlined in this Section must be applied.

    a)     A simple majority vote by those voting members shall determine the decision of any Parish Meeting except as provided in subparagraph b) below, and in Article V, Section 2, and in Article Vlll, Section 1 concerning amendments to these Bylaws.
    b)     A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members present shall be required in connection with any capital expenditures, including the purchase, sale, mortgage or lease of Parish property, but in no event may such expenditure be made with the approval of less than 51% of all voting members of the Parish.
    1)    A capital expenditure as indicated above is any individual or related collective expense in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)
    2)    In instance where funds in excess of $5,000 are donated for the purchase of specific articles, the council has authority to spend those funds without a special meeting and specific approval of the parish.

    a)     Officers of the Parish Meeting
        1 )     The Rector is the Chairman and presiding officer at the Parish Meeting unless the Rector designates a substitute chairman .
        2)     The Vice-Chairman, will be the President of the Parish Council or a person elected at the Parish Meeting in the event of his/her absence, and may conduct portions of the Meeting as designated by the Rector.
        3)     The Secretary, will be the Secretary of the Parish Council or a person elected at the Parish Meeting in the event of his/her absence, and shall record the Minutes of the Parish Meeting.
        4)     The Election Committee will consist of three members, appointed by the Chair at the Annual Meeting. The Committee will act as tellers for the purpose of tallying ballots.
    b)     The Agenda of the Annual Meeting
        1)     Opening Prayer
        2)     Determination of a Quorum
        3)     Appointment of Election Committee
        4)     Minutes of Previous Meeting
        5)     Reports
        6)     Financial Statement and Auditor’s Report
        7)     Adoption of Parish Budget
        8)     Election of the Parish Council, Auditing Committee, Nominating Committee
        9)     Unfinished Business
      10)     New Business
      11)     Adjournment
      12)     Closing Prayer
    c)     Agenda of the Special Meeting
        1)     Opening Prayer
        2)     Determination of a Quorum
        3)     Statement of Purpose of Meeting
        4)     Resolutions
        5)     Adjournment
        6)     Closing Prayer
    d)     Record of a Parish Meeting
        Two copies of the Minutes of a Parish Meeting, Annual or Special, signed by the Secretary of the Meeting and the Rector, including financial data and attached re-ports, if any, shall be sent to the Diocesan Bishop with an additional copy to the District Dean within no more than twenty-one (21) days of such Meeting.
        1)     In case of disagreement with one or several decisions of a Parish Meeting, a statement of dissent may be submitted in writing by the Rector, the Pa-rish Council, or one-tenth (1/10) of the voting members present at a Parish Meeting, and attached to the Minutes.
        2)     After review of the Parish Meeting Minutes the Diocesan Bishop shall approve or disapprove the decisions and resolutions, including elections, in those Minutes. If approved, those decisions and resolutions, including elections, shall become effective as of the date of approval by the Diocesan Bishop. If disapproved, those decisions and resolutions, including elections, shall be remanded back to the Parish for correction or amendment. No decisions or action of a Parish Meeting shall become effective until approved in writing by the Diocesan Bishop

    a)     The Parish Council shall function as the Board of Trustees and shall be composed of the Rector, ex officio with vote, and seven (7) elected members.
    b)     The election of members of the Parish Council shall take place at the regular Parish Meeting on an annual basis.
    c)     Eligibility of Elected Members
Voting members of the Parish are eligible for election to the Parish Council with the following exceptions:
        1)     any full-time employee of the Parish is not eligible to serve on the Parish Council;
        2)     only one member of any household, including the Rector’s household, is eligible to serve at the same time as a member of the Parish Council.
        3)     persons who have been members of the Parish for less than two (2) years
        4)     that person under ecclesiastical interdict, who is in violation of moral standards, who is married outside the Church, who is a member of anti-Church and/or secret societies.

    a)     The term of office for members of the Parish Council, officers as defined in Section 8 and trustees, shall be two (2) years and shall begin on April 1 and end on March 31.
    b)     The term of office of the elected officer, as defined in Section 8, shall be two (2) years.
    c)     Council members are limited to three (3) terms of office after which they may not serve on Parish Council for at least one (1) year.  They may however serve as members of the Auditing Committee or the Nominating Committee.
    d)     Officers of the Parish Council shall be elected in alternating years with the President, Secretary, and two Trustees being elected in one year and the Vice President, Treasurer and one Trustee in the next.

    a)     The officers of the Parish Council shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer and three (3) Trustees.
    b)     The Annual Parish Meeting shall elect Parish Council officers and then the open balance of the members of the Parish Council to be elected as Trustees at the meeting.

    a)     The Secretary of the Annual Parish Meeting shall attest by signature to the election of the Parish Council, and supply the data and list of officers and members of the Parish Council on the “Confirmation of Parish Council” form.
    b)     The Rector shall validate the “Confirmation of Parish Council” form by affixing the Parish Seal and his signature and shall forward the form to the Diocesan Bishop.
    c)     Only upon the confirmation of the election of the Parish  Council by the Diocesan Bishop can the Parish Council be installed. It is then installed in accordance with the “Office of Installation of Parish Council”, and its members can begin their term of office. Incumbents shall hold office until new officers or members are actually installed.

    a)     All Parish Council members must continue to fulfill the qualifications for membership in the Parish Council during their entire tenure of office. Failure to retain membership as described in Article I and Article IV, Section 1 c), will bring automatic dismissal from the Council.
    b)     All Parish Council members are expected to attend all Council Meetings during their tenure of office. The unexcused absence of any Council member for three (3) consecutive meetings will render him subject to dis-missal by the Parish Council.
    c)     The Parish Council initiates all dismissal procedures. However the Diocesan Bishop through the District Dean may intervene in cases in which a Council member becomes subject to dismissal for causes stated in a) or b) of this Section 5.

Any vacancy which occurs shall be filled by the Parish Council by electing a successor therefor with confirmation by the Rector, for the remainder of the vacated term.

    a)     The Parish Council shall establish regular times for its monthly meetings, to be held on the Parish premises.
    b)     While the Rector is the head of the Parish, he does not have to be Chairman. A lay member of the Parish Council may be Chairman.
    c)     The Parish Council shall conduct its business from a pre-established agenda.
    d)     A simple majority of the Parish Council shall constitute a quorum.
    e)     A majority vote of council members in attendance can decide issues brought before the Parish Council.
    f)     All decisions of the Council must be submitted to the Rector for confirmation before becoming effective.
    g)     The Minutes of the Parish Council meetings shall be signed by the Secretary, President, and the Rector. The original of the Minutes is the property of the Parish and becomes part of the Parish Archives.
    h)     Parish Council meetings are open for attendance to all members of the Parish. An open forum may be held, at which time a member of the Parish, recognized by the Chair, may speak on an issue. However, only members of the Parish Council may make a formal resolution or vote on any issue.
    i)     Closed Meetings
        At its discretion the Parish Council may hold a Closed Meeting, i.e. one that is restricted to Council members and accordingly noted in the Minutes.
    j)     In the event that a matter is brought before the agenda of the Parish Council, which in the opinion of the Rector is in violation of the Canon Law of the Orthodox Church, The Statute of the Orthodox Church in Ameri-ca, or the Diocesan Directives including, but not limited to matters of
        1)     Doctrine, or
        2)     Canon Law, or
        3)     Liturgical practice, or
        4)     Sacramental observance, or
        5)    Ecclesiastical discipline,
        the Rector has the right to veto both discussion and vote on said matter within the Parish Council. Any appeals from this decision shall be handled as provided in Article IV, Section 10 c).

    a)     President
        The President shall:
        1)     be an ex officio member of all Standing Commit-tees; and
        2)     represent the Council on all appropriate occasions.
        3)     work in harmony with the Rector on implementing the overall goals of the Parish’s total ministry; and
        4)     perform such other duties as may be imposed by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, or as may be prescribed from time to time by the Parish Council.
    b)     Vice-President
        The Vice-President shall:
        1)     act in the place of the President during the latter’s absence;
        2)     automatically succeed to the office of President in the event of its vacancy; and
        3)     act as Parlimentarian
        4)     perform such other duties as may be imposed by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, or as may be prescribed from time to time by the Parish Council.
    c)     Secretary
        The Secretary shall:
        1)     keep an accurate record of the transactions of all meetings of the Parish Council;
        2)     be responsible for posting notice of all Meetings of the Parish and of the Parish Council;
        3)     maintain a membership list, in conjunction with the Treasurer, of the Parish which shall contain the address and voting qualifications of each member, and shall record therein the fact and date of termination, if any, of the membership of any such member;
        4)     be responsible for cataloguing all adopted resolutions by date, subject and number. Resolution numbers are to be consecutive followed by the year:
        5)     submit to the Diocesan Bishop and the District Dean copies of all appropriate reports, lists and Minutes; and
        6)     perform such other duties as may be imposed by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, or as may be prescribed from time to time by the Parish Council.
    d)     Treasurer
        The Treasurer shall:
        1)     receive and safely keep all money and securities of the Parish and shall invest and disburse the same under the direction of the Parish Council;
        2)     render a statement at the Annual Parish Meeting and at such other times as may be requested by the Parish Council. The annual statement shall be audited and certified;
        3)     keep a complete account of the finances of the Parish which shall be and remain the property of the Parish and which shall be open for inspection at any reasonable time by the Parish Council;
        4)     prepare and distribute confidential, individual statements of giving to each appropriate member semi-annually or when otherwise requested;
        5)     prepare and submit, in conjunction with the Parish Council, a proposed budget to the annual meeting for approval;
        6)     prepare all appropriate financial reports and statements which are to be submitted by the Secretary to the Diocesan Bishop and District Dean; and
        7)     perform such other duties as may be imposed by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, or as may from time to time be prescribed by the Parish Council.

    a)     Audit Committee
        1)     The Audit Committee is composed of three members who shall be elected for a term of two (2) years.
        2)     The Chairman of the Audit Committee is appointed from the three elected members by the Rector and the Parish Council
        3)     the Audit Committee shall audit the financial accounts and records of the Parish quarterly and report its findings, in writing, to the Parish Council and to the Annual Meeting.
    b)     Nominating Committee
        1)     The Nominating Committee is composed of three members who shall be elected for a term of two (2) years.
        2)     The Chairman of the Nominating Committee is appointed from the three elected members by the Rector and the Parish Council
        3)    Early in December, the Nominating Committee shall request that parish members wishing to be a candidate for office on the council submit their name for consideration.  They will also request nominations for the various offices.  The names thus submitted shall be reviewed by the committee and the pastor, to determine their eligibility to hold office according to Article IV, Section 1.  The committee will then contact each nominated person to verify their willingness to serve and remind them of the requirements for holding office.  The names of all persons meeting this criteria shall be submitted to the parish for their consideration without limiting the number of candidates for each office.
        4)    In the event no names are submitted for an office, and committee shall seek a candidate or candidates for that office from the membership, keeping in mind the requirements set forth above.
        5)    The Nominating Committee shall present the slate of candidates to all members at least one month prior to the Annual Meeting.
        6)    Presentation of the slate by the Nominating Committee does not exclude additional nominations from the floor.  These nominations shall be made with the full knowledge that they must also meet the requirements of Article IV, Section 1.

    a)     The Rector as head of the Parish, by virtue of the ecclesiastical authority vested in him, shall guide and oversee the total Parish program, and is ultimately responsible with the Parish Council to the Bishop for the life and activity of the Parish.
    b)     The Parish shall be administered by the Rector and the Parish Council cooperatively.
    c)     If a problem should arise between a Rector and the Parish Council, the matter shall not be brought before the Parish at a Parish Meeting. The Rector or the Parish Council shall have the right to refer the matter to the District Dean according to the then current “Deanery Guideline”. However, in matters of appeal the decision of the Diocesan Bishop shall be deemed final.

The Parish or Parish corporation is the sole owner of all Parish property, assets, and funds, subject to the following Sections of this Article and the Statutes and provisions of the Orthodox Church in America.

The Parish may purchase real property, or sell, mortgage, lease or otherwise encumber its real property upon approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the voting members of the Parish in attendance at the Annual Parish Meeting or a Special Meeting convened for that purpose, at which a quorum is present, due notice having been given, on a resolution presented by the Parish Council and Rector, and subject to final approval of the Diocesan Bishop. However, in no event may such action be taken with the approval of less than 51% of all voting members of the Parish.

As far as possible all special bequests, gifts and devises should be used by the Parish for the purpose for which they were made. In the event the purpose of such gift, devise, or bequest is not feasible or practical, as so determined by the Parish Council and Rector, an alternate use may be determined by the Parish Council and Rector upon consultation with the donor or the estate representative.

The Parish is an integral part of the Orthodox Church in America, therefore in the event the Parish were to decide to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America, the Orthodox Church in America shall be entitled to full title to all the Parish assets and property. In the event that a group in a Parish decides to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America, that segment of the Parish which remains loyal to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America shall retain full title to all the Parish assets and property.

A Parish may be dissolved by the decision of the Parish subject to the ratification of the decision to dissolve by the Diocesan Bishop. Only the Diocesan Bishop shall have the power to declare the Parish dissolved. Upon the dissolution of a Parish, the sacred and untouchable items, such as the Holy Antimension, the Tabernacle and the Sacred Vessels, shall be delivered directly to the Diocesan Bishop. After all encumbrances have been satisfied, all the remaining property, whether real, personal or mixed, or the proceeds from the sale thereof, shall be distributed by the District Dean, subject to the approval of the Diocesan Bishop, to  institutions or charities of the Orthodox Church in America, preferably within the state of incorporation, or within the local Deanery.

    a)     From time to time individually affiliated Parish Organizations may be established or recognized by the Parish for specific purposes deemed compatible with Parish life. Such Organizations shall have the approval of, and are accountable to, the Parish Council. The Bylaws of such Organizations shall be consistent with these Bylaws, the regulations of the Parish, the directives of the Diocesan Bishop, and the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America. Such Organizations shall make an annual report of activities and accountability, and shall make an annual financial statement available to the Parish Council. This section shall not apply to any chapter of a nationally affiliated organization, unless that chapter so provides in its own Bylaws.
    b)     In the event that any such Organization is dissolved, its assets shall be turned over to the Parish.
    c)     In the event that the Parish is dissolved, the Organizations which were subsidiaries of that Parish likewise shall be dissolved, with all of those Organizations’ assets to be disposed pursuant to Article V, Section 5 of these Bylaws.

The parish, through its Rector and Parish Council, shall:
    a)     assign persons to be representatives within the Parish for the Departments of the Deanery established by the Diocese.
    b)     appoint representatives and chairpersons for the various Parish ministries. Appointments are based on a member’s demonstration of conviction, skill, knowledge, and the willingness to devote his/her time and talent to such ministries as religious education, stewardship, building maintenance, evangelization/outreach, youth ministry, Parish financial advisor, or any other ministry which may be established for the maintenance and growth of the Parish and for the carrying out of the Parish’s overall program and comprehensive ministry.
    c)     All appointments for Parish Ministries and Parish Representation shall be for a period of one year.

    a)    Delegates to the All-American Council and the Diocesan Assembly shall be the Rector and the President.
    b)    The opportunity to be an alternate or additional delegate to both the All-American Council and the Diocesan Assembly shall be offered to Council members first in this order, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, then Trustees.  In the event none of the above is able to attend, a delegate who is able to attend will be chosen from the membership.
    c)    Final selection of the delegates will be subject to the appropriate provisions of the statutes of the Orthodox Church in America.

These Parish Bylaws may be altered or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the voting members of the Parish in attendance at the Annual Parish Meeting at which a quorum is present or a Special Meeting convened for that purpose at which a quorum is present, provided that timely written notice is given to the membership specifying the proposed addition, change or amendment. All amendments, changes or additions so proposed shall not take effect unless approved by the Diocesan Bishop.

For matters not covered by these Bylaws the Parish may enact procedures and regulations to meet the need of a particular situation in the Parish. Such additional procedures and regulations must be presented to the Diocesan Bishop for his approval before they become effective.

Notwithstanding any provisions contained herein or any provisions that might be assumed from the civil law concerning not-for-profit or religious corporations, nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to have granted any individual parishioners or group of parishioners any rights, as members of the present corporation, that are in conflict with, or at variance with, or superior to those recognized in the Statute of the Orthodox Church in America.

    a)     For all purposes the English text of these Bylaws shall be deemed to be the official text.
    b)     In these Bylaws the word “Diocese” shall refer to the Diocese of the Midwest of the Orthodox Church in America, and the words “Diocesan Bishop” and “Diocesan Authority” shall refer to the Bishop of the Diocese of the Midwest and those persons or groups duly appointed by him for the governance of the Diocese, respectively.
    c)     In the appropriate context the singular use of a word may refer to the plural, and the masculine may refer to the feminine.

These Bylaws were accepted at a Parish Meeting held on the 23rd day of February, 1992, at which the appropriate quorum was present, the Parish members having been duly notified, and have become effective on the 23rd day of February, 1992, by the approval of the Diocesan Bishop. They revoke, supplant and replace any and all Parish Bylaws, whether corporate or not, previously in use.

Amended:
These Bylaws were amended at a Parish Meeting held on the 29th day of January, 1995, at which the appropriate quorum was present, the Parish members having been duly notified, and have become effective on the 6th day of March, 1995, by the approval of the Diocesan Bishop. They revoke, supplant and replace any and all Parish Bylaws, whether corporate or not, previously in use.

Amended:
These Bylaws were amended at a Parish Meeting held on the 16th day of February, 1997, at which the appropriate quorum was present, the Parish members having been duly notified, and have become effective on the 21st day of March, 1997, by the approval of the Diocesan Bishop. They revoke, supplant and replace any and all Parish Bylaws, whether corporate or not, previously in use.

Amended:
These Bylaws were amended at a Parish Meeting held on the 9th day of February, 2003, at which the appropriate quorum was present, the Parish members having been duly notified, and have become effective on the 21st day of March, 2003, by the approval of the Diocesan Bishop. They revoke, supplant and replace any and all Parish Bylaws, whether corporate or not, previously in use.