Constitution

Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa

 This constitution was approved at the first meeting of the Governing Board of NECCSA on 20 May 2002 and adapted on 23 August 2005.

1. Vision and aim

The Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa (NECCSA) provides an information and communication network for local Christian congregations, communities, groups and organi­sa­tions as well as interested individuals to engage with one another on environmental concerns.

The purpose of this network is to stimulate a concern for the environment and, more specifically, for environmental justice amongst Christians in South Africa. It will provide a communication network to share information, visions, stories, resources and creative suggestions with one another in order to support, encourage and inspire others to address environmental concerns effectively and from within a Christian orientation. The focus of the network on "earthkeeping" suggests that Christian ministry includes the responsibility to attend to (to "keep") the well-being of the whole earth community (which includes but also transcends human well-being).

2. Governing Board

2.1 The Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa will be governed by a Governing Board. The activities of the network and the functioning of the Governing Board will also be monitored by a group of national Christian leaders who will act as the patrons of the network. These patrons will be invited by the Governing Board to act in this capacity.

2.2 The Governing Board will consist of the following persons:

a)      Chairperson

b)      Deputy-Chairperson

c)      Treasurer

d)      Executive Secretary (ex officio)

e)      A number of regional correspondents 

f)        Co-opted members

2.3 The chairperson, deputy-chairperson, and treasurer will be nominated and elected on a democratic basis by the Governing Board for a term of two years. Persons nominated for the positions of chairperson, deputy-chairperson, and treasurer will not necessarily come from members of the current Governing Board. Nominations for these positions may be received during the meeting of the Governing Board, with the prior consent of the person nominated.

2.4 The Executive Secretary will be appointed by the Governing Board for a term of two years. The Executive Secretary will report to the Governing Board at each meeting of the Board.

2.5 Regional correspondents will be co-opted on the Governing Board on a volunteer basis.

2.6 The Governing Board will have the right to co-opt further members as it deems necessary.

2.7 Any member of the Governing Board may serve for more than one term.

2.8 The Governing Board will meet at least on a biannual basis. Meetings of the Governing Board will take place in the form of a telephone conference where possible in order to reduce costs. The Executive Secretary will inform members of the Governing Board of any meetings at least two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. A quorum for meetings of the Governing Board will be constituted by 50% of its members. Decisions of the Governing Board will be taken by a majority vote.

2.9 The Governing Board will have the following functions:

a)      To plan, discuss and oversee the functioning and activities of the network;

b)      To ensure the financial health of the network;

c)      To appoint an Executive Secretary to ensure that its decisions are implemented.

2.10 The Chairperson, Deputy-Chairperson, Treasurer and Executive Secretary will form the executive committee. The executive committee will deal with any urgent matters and will report to the Governing Board in this regard.

3. Executive Secretary

3.1 The Executive Secretary will have the following responsibilities:

a)      To act as secretary for the Governing Board and to make minutes of the meetings of the Governing Board available to members at least one week before the next scheduled meeting;

b)      To develop material to advertise the network and to invite groups, families and individuals to become members;

c)      To process all applications for membership administratively;

d)      To maintain a database of all members;

e)      To attend to correspondence with members where necessary;

f)        To oversee the production and the electronic distribution of the monthly NECCSA Update.

g)      To oversee the maintenance of the NECCSA website;

h)      To oversee the production and distribution of a printed NECCSA Newsletter where this is authorised by the Governing Board.

3.2 The Executive Secretary will report to the Governing Board and will be accountable to the Governing Board in this regard.

3.3 The Executive Secretary may, with the approval of the Governing Board, make use of co-opted members of the Governing Board or administrative assistants to attend to these responsibilities.

4. Membership of the network

4.1 There will be three categories of membership of NECCSA:

a)      Group membership;

b)      Family and individual membership;

c)      Associate membership.

The category of group membership is aimed at local Christian congregations, dioceses, Christian communities, Christian organisations, women's groups, youth groups and school groups. Provision is also made for regional (or even national) denominational structures that were specifically established to address environmental concerns. The category of family and individual membership is aimed at people who wish to promote the vision and aims of NECCSA in their own local Christian congregations, communities, dioceses and organisations. Associate membership status is aimed at people or groups who do not qualify for membership, for example because they are living outside South Africa or because they do not necessarily share a Christian orientation.

4.2 The Network of Earthkeeping Christian Communities in South Africa will expect its members to commit themselves to the following:

a)      To celebrate Environment Sunday on an annual basis (the Sunday closest to 5 June);

b)      To include environmental concerns in programmes for Christian education;

c)      To cultivate an environmental sensitivity in the management of church land and church property;

d)      To seek to live in harmony with the totality of God's creation and to encourage others to do so too.

Since the adequate functioning of a network is dependent on regular communication between its members, the members of the Network of Earthkeeping Churches in South Africa will also be expected to report to the network on the following:

e)      Any environmental projects that the particular Christian community, Christian organisation, denominational structure or individual initiated or participated in.

f)        Any relevant celebrations, comments, concerns, events, news, or publications regarding the environment.

4.3 Applications for membership may be submitted to the Executive Secretary on the application forms available from the NECCSA website.

4.5 Membership of NECCSA will be considered to be a life-time commitment unless a member may wish to discontinue her or his membership or unless the functioning of the network is terminated.

4.6 A register of NECSSA membership will be maintained by the Executive Secretary who will report to the Governing Board in this regard.

5. Finances

5.1 In order to ensure the viability of the network in the long term, the operational costs of maintaining the network will be minimised as far as this is possible. The aim of the network will be to sustain itself financially through donations from its members and other available financial resources.

5.2 The Governing Board will determine the remuneration of the Executive Secretary where this is appropriate.

5.3 The treasurer will submit a financial report to the Governing Body on an annual basis by 28 February.

6. A system of regional correspondents

6.1 The Governing Board of NECCSA will invite persons from as many geographic regions in South Africa as may be deemed appropriate to act as regional correspondents.

6.2 The responsibilities of such regional correspondents will include the following:

a)      To promote the vision and aims of NECCSA in the relevant region;

b)      To invite Christian communities, families and individuals to become members of NECCSA;

c)      To gather various forms of information which may be included in NECCSA’s monthly Updates, the website and newsletters and to forward such information to the Executive Secretary;

d)      To assist in the development and maintenance of a database of the email addresses of persons who may wish to receive communication from NECCSA.

6.3 Regional correspondents will be invited to serve on the NECCSA Governing Board for a term of two years.

7. Changes to the constitution

The Governing Board will have the right to change the constitution. Changes to the constitution have to be forwarded to members for comment at last one month before the next scheduled meeting of the Governing Board and have to be approved on the basis of a two-thirds majority.

8. Termination

The Governing Board will have the right to terminate the network. This has to take place at a special meeting of the Governing Board. It has to give at least 3 months notice to all members of its intention to terminate the network. The Governing Board would dispose of any assets by giving them to another non-profit organisation that has similar objectives.