The Bylaws of The Wiccan Clergy

Section I - Statement

Statement of Purpose

Section III - Coven, Circle
Structure and Leadership

The Coven and\or Ritual Circle:
Teaching Circles:
Dissolution of a Coven:
The Council of Initiates:
Initiates:
Dedicants:
Becoming a Dedicant:
Celebrants:
Guests:

Section II - Clergy

Recognition of Clergy:
Wiccan Clergy:
Appointment of Clergy:

Section IV Behavior,
Grievances, and Discipline

Behavior of Members:
Grievances and Arbitration:
Group Grievances:
Disciplinary Actions:

Section V

Banishment

Section VI

Fees and Donations


The following 'Bylaws' are established for providing a secure foundation for the Establishment, Structure, and Operation of the Wiccan Clergy within Coven and/or Circle for the perpetuation of the Wiccan Religion, Traditions and the Teachings of the Wiccan Religion and of the Wiccan and Neo-Pagan Peoples.

Section I - Statement of Purpose

Purpose:

The Bylaws have been created for the following purposes:

Section II - Clergy

Recognition of Clergy:

I present, {Name of Initiate}, as having been Initiated according to the Old Ways to the (Number} Degree, teaching in the form of the {Name of Tradition} Tradition according to the Traditions of the Wiccan Religion and the Wiccan People! I, {Name of High Priestess or High Priest} of the {Coven or Circle} of the Third Degree, and of the {Name of Tradition} Tradition as a member of the Wiccan Clergy, do hereby declare, before Goddess and God, that {Name of Initiate} is hereby duly appointed {Priestess or Priest} of the {Name of Tradition} Tradition, and is fit to represent the Path, Circle, and Craft of the Wiccan Clergy and the Wiccan People!

Wiccan Clergy:

Ideally, both the High Priestess and the High Priest shall be Initiates of the Third Degree in the Wiccan Clergy and Traditions of the Wiccan People. However, at a minimum, either the High Priestess or the High Priest must be a Third Degree initiate of the Wiccan Clergy.

Appointment of Clergy:

In the event that the office of High Priestess or High Priest is rendered vacant by desertion, death, incapacitation, or retirement of the incumbent - the remaining incumbent shall select, with the advice and consent of the Wiccan Clergy of the tradition and the Council of Initiates, another Third Degree initiate of the Wiccan Clergy who celebrates within Coven and\or Ritual Circle on a regular basis to assume the office of High Priestess or High Priest.

If another Third Degree initiate of the Coven and\or Ritual Circles' Tradition is not available to serve in this office, the High Priestess or High Priest of the Coven and\or Ritual Circle shall choose, with the advice or consent of the Wiccan Clergy of the Tradition and the Council of Initiates, another initiate of the Tradition who celebrates on a regular basis within the Coven and\or Ritual Circle to perform these duties until such time as a Third Degree initiate of the appropriate gender is available to assume the office.

In the unlikely event that the offices of High Priestess and High Priest shall by some mischance both become vacant at the same time, the members of the Council of Initiates shall convene and elect by consensus, with the advice and consent of the Wiccan Clergy of the Tradition, from among the Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with the Coven and\or Ritual Circle on a regular basis, some individual to assume the office of High Priestess or High Priest.

If it should happen that there are at that time no other third degree initiates of the tradition who celebrate with the Coven and\or Ritual Circle on a regular basis, then the Council of Initiates of the Coven and\or Ritual Circle shall petition the Wiccan Clergy for assistance in resolving the matter.

Section III - Coven and Circle Structure and Leadership

The Coven and\or Ritual Circle:

Establishing a Coven and\or Ritual Circle in accordance with the Bylaws of the Wiccan People, the Coven and\or Ritual Circle will be set forth as follows:

The Council of Initiates:

The Coven and\or Ritual Circle shall have a Council consisting of all the initiates of the Tradition and those initiates in other Traditions whose initiations have been accepted by the Wiccan Clergy, as being equivalent to an initiation (as provided for in the Bylaws) who attend the rituals of the Coven and\or Ritual Circle for at least one Season. This Council of Initiates shall assist the High Priestess and High Priest of the Coven and\or Ritual Circle concerning matters of policy.

Initiates:

Initiate members of the Council of Initiates shall be responsible for conducting the business of the Coven or Ritual Circle, under the supervision of the High Priestess and High Priest, as follows:

Dedicants:

Active Dedication is not required of celebrants for attendance at the rituals, but may be required for the use of the Covens properties at the discretion of the High Priestess and High Priest of the Coven!

Becoming a Dedicant:

The celebrant shall make her or his intention to study for Initiation clearly known to an initiate of the Craft:

Celebrants:

A celebrant shall be defined as anyone who regularly (at least quarterly) attends the Coven or circles rituals, including dedicants and initiates of any degree. All celebrants must be legally adult, unless they are in the company of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

Guests:

Any person who wishes to attend a Coven as a guest must present that desire to an initiate of the Coven. The initiate will arrange for the prospective guest to meet with the High Priestess and High Priest of the Coven - the High Priestess and High Priest may designate a member of the Council of Initiates to meet with the prospective guest in her or his place.

Section IV - Behavior, Grievances, and Discipline

Behavior of Members:

All members of the Coven or circle shall conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do as ye will", in accordance with the tradition it is just that Wiccans should deal with one another in a spirit of " Sacred Love and Trust." All members of Coven and\or Circle are expected to conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with the Essence of the Laws, the Bylaws, and the Traditions of the Wiccan community. Furthermore, each individual present within Coven and\or Circle is governed by the 'Tenets of the Wiccan Redes', the spirit of 'Perfect Love and Perfect Trust,' 'The Laws of the Craft,' and the policies of the 'Initiates Council and the Wiccan Clergy!' Misconduct and inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated on the part of any celebrant, dedicant, or initiate, as well as:

Grievances and Arbitration:

Any celebrant member of who has a grievance which cannot be either set aside or resolved in accordance with the traditions of the Wiccan community, and which interferes with her or his participation in ritual may request that the grievance be resolved in the following manner - If:

Group Grievances:

If the Council of Initiates collectively have a grievance with a celebrant(s) such that they feel unable to honor the traditions of the Wiccan community, the celebrant(s) involved may then be requested to refrain from attendance at rituals until the grievance is resolved. Grievance procedures may include:

Disciplinary Actions:

Disciplinary actions may be imposed by teachers appointed by the Council of Initiates on their Dedicants, by the High Priestess and\or High Priest of Coven or Circle on the celebrants of their Rituals, or by the Wiccan Clergy of the Tradition on any celebrant of the Tradition.

Section V - Banishment

Banishment:

Only the High Priestess and High Priest of Circle or Coven can Banish either a celebrant, dedicant, or Initiate from attending any ritual or activity, but shall not presume to exclude them from non-Wiccan rituals or activities:

Section VI - Fee's and Donations

Fees and Donations:

This Section is designated for Organizations, Churches, Institutions, or Schools requiring fees or set donations for Tax purposes only. Otherwise if there are no donations or fees required, than they will be considered a nonprofit organization!



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