PYV Constitution
(Last amended Council Meeting, 24 March 2007)
1 NAME
1.1 The youth organization of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in the state of Victoria, subject to the authority of the General Assembly and its Christian Education and Nurture Committee (CENC), shall have the name Presbyterian Youth in Victoria (PYV)
2 BASIS
2.1 PYV accepts:
a) The Word of God as its supreme standard in all matters of life and faith.
b) The Westminster Confession of Faith, read in the light of the Declaratory Statement 1901, as its subordinate standard as an expression of the sense in which we understand and accept the Holy Scriptures.
2.2 No withstanding anything contained in this constitution, PYV is subject to the rules and procedures of the codebook of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria.
2.3 PYV operates under the authority of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, which has delegated oversight to its Christian Education and Nurture Committee (CENC).
3 AIMS
3.1 PYV aims to glorify God by assisting the congregations of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in the development and nurture of youth for the service of Christ Jesus.
3.2 Specifically PYV’s objectives are:
a) To provide support and nurture for youth in their Christian development and outreach.
b) To provide opportunity, influence and assistance to youth to make a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
c) To promote unity of the youth within the Presbyterian Church of Victoria through providing opportunities fro socializing and fellowship.
d) To encourage and provide the opportunity for the equipping and training of youth leaders with the skills necessary to serve and lead.
e) To adequately represent the needs of the youth within the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in the courts of the Church.
4 THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
4.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of PYV shall be held annually at such a time and place as the preceding AGM or the PYV Council may determine. Such a meeting shall take place within 13 months of the preceding AGM.
4.2 Delegates to the AGM shall consist of a maximum of three people from each parish who are appointed annually in writing by their local Session. Such appointments are to be presented to the President by the commencement of the AGM. Delegates are to be communicant members of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and shall not be less than 18 years of age.
4.3 Each delegate shall have one vote. Any person who does not meet the requirements of 4.2 above, or is not physically present at the AGM will not be entitled to vote on any matter considered at the AGM.
4.4 Notice of the proposed business of the AGM shall be given in writing to each Session in Victoria at least 14 days before any such meeting.
4.5 The quorum for the PYV AGM shall be 10 voting delegates representing parishes in at least 3 Presbyteries.
4.6 The business of the PYV AGM shall be conducted as far as possible under the standing orders of the code of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and shall meet to:
a) Consider the PYV Annual Report.
b) Endorse the PYV Budget for the financial year following the year reported in the Annual Report.
c) Consider any proposed amendments to the PYV Constitution.
d) Deal with any other business as the AGM deems fit.
4.7 The procedure for the election of office bearers to PYV Council shall be as follows:
a) All positions on the PYV Council shall be declared vacant and the CENC’s delegate to the PYV AGM shall preside over the election.
b) Candidates for election must fulfill the criteria for being a delegate to the PYV AGM as in 4.2 above. Nominations will be accepted in writing in absentia where the nominee demonstrates that they meet the criteria in 4.2 above and 4.7.3 below
c) Save with the consent of CENC, candidates for election shall have a demonstrated history of recent and regular attendance and involvement in PYV events.
d) Nominations shall be called for President.
e) Nominations shall be called for Secretary.
f) Nominations shall be called for Treasurer.
g) Nominations shall be called for any other office-bearing positions as deemed necessary by the PYV AGM.
h) Nominations shall be called for non-office bearing positions on PYV Council.
i) Each delegate shall receive a purpose designed sequentially numbered voting form (approved by the CENC).
j) Where the number of nominations exceeds the number of positions available for each office-bearing or non office-bearing position, each delegate shall indicate their order of preference for those nominated.
k) No results of the election will be announced at the PYV AGM.
l) The CENC’s delegate to the AGM shall collect the completed voting forms and delegate nomination forms and present them at the next meeting of the CENC. At this meeting the CENC will:
m) Verify results against returned voting forms,
n) Check the suitability of the nominees,
o) Check that the nominees have appropriate member status and their sessions’ approval and;
p) Inform all nominees by mail as to the success of their nomination.
q) Where any nominee is judged unsuitable, the CENC shall personally inform the nominee of their unsuccessful nomination and the reasons for their lack of suitability.
r) The CENC may – after discussion with the outgoing PYV Council – substitute an unsuitable nominee with the next suitable nominee.
5. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
5.1 A ‘Special’ General Meeting of PYV may be convened by:
a) PYV Council or the CENC at any time, or
b) The Secretary who shall convene a ‘Special’ General Meeting, within one month, on receipt of a requisition in writing signed by at least 8 voting delegates representing parishes in at least 2 Presbyteries.
5.2 Except as noted in 5.1 above, the announcement and conduct of a ‘Special’ General Meeting of PYV shall be subject to the same procedures as those of the AGM.
6. PYV COUNCIL
6.1 The PYV AGM shall delegate the oversight of the affairs, business and property of PYV to the PYV Council.
6.2 Save with the consent of the PYV AGM, the CENC and the General Assembly, neither PYV Council nor any of its sub-committees shall:
a) Borrow money (whether on security or otherwise) or mortgage any assets of PYV: or
b) Enter into any contract or arrangement for the acquisition or disposal of any real estate or for the erection of, or substantial alterations to, buildings or property
6.3 The positions within PYV Council will be:
a) President
b) Secretary
c) Treasurer
d) Up to a maximum of seven additional Councillors including such other office bearers as the PYV AGM deems necessary
e) A representative of the CENC
6.4 The quorum for a PYV Council meeting shall be at least the number of members of PYV Council less two.
6.5 In absentia, elected members of PYV Council may not vote, have a proxy vote or initiate action at PYV Council. Each member of PYV Council present at a meeting of PYV Council shall have one vote.
6.6 Members of PYV Council are to be given at least ten days notice of all meetings.
6.7 PYV Council meetings shall be chaired by the President, or in his/her absence, a member delegated by the president.
6.8 Should an elected member of PYV Council not regularly attend PYV Council meetings and other PYV events the CENC may remove the member from office, following consultation with the member regarding their non-attendance at such meetings and events.
7. TENURE
7.1 No person may be a member of PYV Council for more than ten consecutive years.
8. SPEAKERS AT ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY PYV COUNCIL
8.1 The names and addresses of proposed speakers at PYV events should be given to CENC for approval before the proposed persons are asked to speak.
9. AMMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION
9.1 This Constitution may be amended by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of a PYV AGM or ‘Special’ General Meeting, provided that the amendment be submitted in writing before the commencement of the meeting, subject to final approval by the CENC.