CHARTER Draft 6/2/06
Notes
OF THE
CONGREGATION OF THE GODDESS, INC.
No. ____________, Filed __________, 2005
We, the undersigned, hereby associate ourselves together
for the purpose of being incorporated under Chapters 617, and
other applicable sections of the Statutes of the State of Florida
for Corporations not for profit, under the following proposed
Charter:
ARTICLE I - Name
A. The name of the Corporation shall be the CONGREGATION
OF THE GODDESS, INC.
ARTICLE II - Purposes
A. The purposes for which the Corporation is organized are
exclusively religious, charitable, and educational within the
meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 2004
or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal
Revenue law, and shall be as follows:
B. The general nature and purpose of this Corporation
shall be to bring people in closer acquaintance and reverence
with the Goddess and our Planet Earth. We will worship, teach,
sing, educate, ordain clergy, and build community.
ARTICLE III - Existence and Affiliation
A. This Corporation shall have perpetual existence. We are
the successor to the Congregation of the Goddess, an
unincorporated association founded in 1998.
B. The initial Principle Office shall be located at
________________________, and its initial Registered Agent shall
be _________________, located at _____________________.
ARTICLE IV - Membership
A. The membership of this Corporation shall consist of the
undersigned Incorporators and any other persons, regardless of
race, color, national origin, previous religious affiliation, or
sexual orientation, who are in sympathy with the objectives and
purposes of this organization. Persons not now Members may
become Members by signing the Membership Roll, thereby signifying
their intent to become a Member. Qualifications for membership
shall be further determined in the Bylaws.
B. No Member of this Corporation shall have property
right, interest, or privilege in or to the assets, functions,
affairs, or franchises of the Corporation or any right, interest,
or privilege which may be transferable or inheritable, or which
shall continue after his or her membership ceases.
C. No part of the net earnings of this corporation shall
inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members,
trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the
corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable
compensation for services rendered and to make payments and
distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article
III.
ARTICLE V - Board of Trustees and Officers
A. The Board of Trustees of this Corporation shall be
composed of at least three (3) persons, each being a member of
this corporation, consisting of a President, Secretary, Treasurer,
and other Officers and Trustees as set forth in the Bylaws.
Procedures for the nomination, election, and removal of all Officers
and Trustees, as well as their duties, shall be defined in the Bylaws.
B. The names and addresses of the Officers and Trustees
who are to manage the affairs of this Corporation until the first
election under this Charter are as follows:
President/ - _________________
Trustee _________________
_________________
Secretary/ - _________________
Trustee _________________
________________
Treasurer/ - _________________
Trustee _________________
_________________
ARTICLE VI - Meetings
A. The Annual Meeting of this Corporation shall be held on
a date to be determined as stated in the Bylaws. Procedures for
the Annual and other meetings shall be defined in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII - Charter Amendments
A. Amendments to this Charter must receive a three-quarters
(3/4) vote of the Board Members and at a meeting called for that
purpose on proper notice and with a copy of the proposed
amendment having been mailed to the membership. Charter
amendments must be filed with the Florida Secretary of State
before becoming effective.
ARTICLE VIII - Bylaws
A. The Bylaws (Covenants) of this Corporation shall
further define the procedures for this Corporation. The Board of
Trustees shall adopt initial Bylaws by two-thirds (2/3) vote
within ninety (90) days of the formation of this corporation.
These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the
Board of Trustees and at a meeting called for that purpose on
proper notice and with a copy of the proposed amendment having
been mailed to the Board membership.
ARTICLE IX - Tax-Exempt Status
A. This Corporation is organized exclusively for
religious, charitable, and educational purposes, including, for
such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that
qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 2004, or the corresponding section of
any future tax code.
B. No part of the net earnings or assets of this
Corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable
to, its Officers, Trustees, Members, or other private persons,
except that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to
pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make
payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set
forth in this Charter.
C. No substantial part of the activities of this Corporation
shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to
influence legislation, and the Corporation shall not participate
in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of
statements), any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition
to, any candidate for public office.
D. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles,
this Corporation shall not carry on any other provision of these
Articles, this Corporation shall not carry on any other activities
not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from
Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future Federal
tax code, or by a corporation, contributions to which are
deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue
Code, or the corresponding section of any future Federal tax
code.
ARTICLE X - Dissolution
A. In the event of dissolution, the residual assets of
the Corporation shall be distributed for one or more exempt
purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal
tax code, or to the Federal, State, or local government for
exclusive public purpose.
B. Upon dissolution of this Corporation, all of its assets
remaining after payment of all costs and expenses of such
dissolution and of all outstanding obligations and debts, shall
be distributed to a religious organization with similar
principles which has qualified for exemption under Section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section
of any future Federal tax code, or failing that, to the Federal
Government or a State or local government for a public purpose in
Florida.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Incorporators have
hereunto subscribed their hands and seals at ___________, _______
County, Florida, this __th day of _______, 2_____.
_________________ ____________________________
_________________ ____________________________
_________________ ____________________________
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF _______
On this day, personally appeared before me, the undersigned
authority, _________________, _______________, and _______________
known to me as individuals described in and who executed the foregoing
Articles of Incorporation (Charter), and they acknowledge that
they subscribed the said instrument for the uses and purposes
therein set forth.
WHEREFORE, it is requested that the same be filed in the
Office of the Secretary of State at Tallahassee, Florida.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Having been named to accept service of process for the
above stated corporation, at place designated in these Articles
of Incorporation, I hereby accept to act in this capacity, and
agree to comply with Sections 607.034 and 607.037 of the Florida
Corporations Act relative to keeping open said office.
BY: ________________
WITNESS my hand and the official seal at ___________, in
said County and State, this __th day of _______, 2___.
______________
Notary Public
STATE OF FLORIDA