KM Coven Bylaws
By-Laws of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea
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ARTICLE I Membership
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Section 1. Admission into membership.
a) Application for membership.
A written application for membership shall be placed with the Chancellor or the secretary of the council. Applications need only state the name by which the member wishes to be known and acceptance of the constitution, by-laws, and Rede of the church.
b) Transfer of membership.
Applicants from other Wiccan churches shall submit letters of transfer when available, to the Chancellor and/or the secretary of council, who shall act upon the application according to the requirements of paragraph a) of this section.
c) Reception of new members.
New members of the coven shall be welcomed at the next service or business meeting of the church and shall make public confession of their acceptance of the Wiccan Rede as a guide to live by.
d) Classes of membership.
Officers and members of council of this coven or any congregation of this church will be known as Church Elders. Elders of the church are charged with the overall business management of the church under the leadership of the Chancellor. The spiritual and educational needs of the membership are attending by the Clergy known as Priest or Priestess who are ordained in accord with the provisions of these by-laws. From among the Clergy, the council will appoint one Priest and one Priestess to serve the congregation at the leisure of the council in the position of High Priest and High Priestess. Together the High Priestess and High Priest are known as the senior clergy, each equally responsible for the spiritual and educational needs of the church and community. All other members, accepted by the council for membership and in good standing will be known as initiates. Initiates may ascend to any office of the church in accord with the provisions of these by-laws.
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Section 2. Children of members.
Children of the members of the church and its constituency shall be nurtured under its spiritual care when so desired by the child's parents. At the time they choose to do so, children may make application for membership as specified in Article I1,a) above
Section 2.1 Associate membership.
Any person desiring an association with the church yet not wishing to be a full member, make application in the manner of Article I1a above for associate membership. Associate members are granted all rights and privileges of members with the sole exception that they may not ascend to the clergy and may not hold office in the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea or the KM Church.
Section 3. Responsibility of membership.
All members accept responsibility for their own actions as they reflect upon the name of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and the KM church. Members are responsible for living life in a manner that inspires respect for the coven and church. Members respect the faith of all people and the right of all to choose a path which is correct for them.
Section 4. Discipline.
a) Negligent members.
Members who willfully neglect their duties as outlined in Section 3 above shall be admonished by the council. If this admonition is not heeded, they shall be dealt with as erring members.
b) Erring members.
Any member known to err in conduct which brings discredit on the church shall be counseled. If he or she does not heed this counsel, the matter shall be brought to the attention of the council. If he or she fails to heed the counsel of the council, the error shall be brought before a congregational business meeting. Discipline shall then be administered with due regard for the welfare of the individual as well as the church.
c) Dismissal of members.
Dismissal of a member under paragraphs a) and b) of this section must be acted on by the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and the KM church, which alone have the authority. A two-thirds vote of those present and voting at a congregational business meeting is necessary for such action.
d) Forfeiture of rights.
A member who has been properly dismissed from the church, or has withdrawn membership, has forfeited all rights and privileges of membership in the church.
e) Non-active members.
The church council shall have the responsibility of contacting non-active members prior to each annual meeting to determine their intention with regard to membership. Further action may be taken at the annual meeting. All members of the church are required to have contact with the church at least once each year.
Section 5. Transfer of members.
Members who move to another community should soon thereafter identify themselves with the local KM church. If there is no local KM church, they should identify themselves with the mother church. Application for transfer of membership shall be made in writing to the chancellor , who shall issue the transfer to the coven and/or church with which a member is joining. Withdrawal of such membership shall be reported through the council to the next congregational business meeting, where it shall be made a matter of record.
Section 6. Removal of membership.
Request for withdrawal from membership in the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and the KM church shall be made in writing to the chancellor or the council. All requests for removal from membership of any member will be verified with the member and will be so honored. Membership may also be withdrawn from non-active members who have not had contact with the church for a period greater than one year, per section 4e above.
Section 7. Nonmember friends.
The Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and local KM church as a part of its total constituency shall enroll nonmember friends. The church and its clergy shall serve them in all their spiritual needs, and they shall be encouraged to consider this as their church home. They shall be kept informed of the activities of the church.
Section 8. Minors
Minors under 13 shall not be admitted as members of the church without parental or guardian consent. Minors under 16 should NOT be separted from members. No persons under the age of 18 should be admitted into ANY FORM of medicine ceremony Without pre-signed consent from their legal guardian and with supervision.
ARTICLE II Clergy
Section 1. Qualifications.
The clergy of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea shall include those members that have studied within the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and/or the KM church for a period of one year and one day, or whose experience, within the church or as an individual, is deemed by the council to be sufficient, and have accepted a calling to the clergy. On request of any member of the coven and/or church that meets that requirement, the Chancellor or the council may give an examination. Such examination may be written or oral and may include any such material as the council may from time to time establish as requisite knowledge of the clergy of this church. Any member requesting admission to the clergy that does not meet the requirements of the examination will be guided and aided by the Chancellor until they are accepted. They shall by virtue of their call be members of the church and will be known as Priest or Priestess.
Section 2. Duties.
The clergy shall be devoted to the service of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and the KM church, teaching what they know, administering ceremony, and faithfully giving themselves to the needs of the church. They shall provide the coven and church with an accurate record of their ministerial acts and present a written report to the congregational annual business meeting. They shall practice good administrative procedures and cooperate with the church council. They shall be ex officio members of the council and all committees of the coven. All clergy of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea are expected to perform those rites and services normally expected of ministers whenever asked to do so.
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Section 3. Co-operation.
The clergy shall, both in word and precept, work in harmony with the Chancellor, the council, and the membership of the coven and church.
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Section 4. Ordination.
The clergy shall be ordained at a regular or special coven/church business meeting or service, the purpose of which shall be announced two weeks in advance. The clergy shall be nominated and accepted by council.
Section 5. Charges against a Priest or Priestess.
Charges against a clergyman shall be submitted in writing to the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and KM church council, charging a clergyman with indiscretion, immorality, doctrinal error, unethical behavior, or disloyalty to the church. If in the judgment of the church council there is substance to the charges, the council will offer a hearing where the accused and accuser may state their points. Once the case is stated by each the accused and the accuser and any available witnesses or testimony is heard, the Council will make a decision regarding what action to take. The decision of the council will be final.
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ARTICLE III Officers
Section 1. Qualifications.
Officers of the church shall be members in good standing who are active in the support of the total works of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and KM church. They shall serve both as corporate officers of the church and of the church council.
Section 2. Duties.
a) Chancellor.
The chancellor shall preside at all business meetings of theGrand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and of the council. The chancellor shall take care to confer with the senior clergy in preparing the agenda for such meetings, and to utilize the counsel that the clergy may give by virtue of training, experience, and calling. The chancellor shall be responsible for leadership of the coven services.
b) Vice-chancellor
The vice-chancellor shall assume the duties of the chancellor in his or her absence, assist in his or her duties, and undertake other tasks as assigned by the chair, the council, or the clergy.
c)Secretary.
The secretary shall keep and preserve the minutes of all congregational business meetings of the coven and church and meetings of the applicible councils, and shall conduct and preserve all official correspondence as shall be delegated. The secretary shall also be responsible for the official seal and documents of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea as well as the records of membership.
d)Treasurer.
The treasurer shall be responsible for all funds committed to him or her and shall make disbursements as authorized by the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea or the council. The treasurer shall also present a written report of the receipts and expenditures to each regular meeting of the council and to each congregational business meeting.
Section 3. Election and tenure.
The chancellor, vice-chancellor, secretary, and treasurer shall be elected at an annual congregational business meeting for terms of three years. They shall not be elected to serve more than two consecutive full terms in the same office.
Section 4. Vacancies.
Such vacancies as occur among the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea officers may be filled by appointment of the chancellor, with the concurrence of the council. The appointee will serve until the next annual congregational business meeting; if an un-expired term continues beyond the date of that meeting, the position will be filled by election as under Section 3 above. Such appointive service will not disqualify a person from serving two full terms under the terms of Section 3.
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Section 5. Discipline.
Should an officer neglect his or her duties or become a hindrance to the works of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea, that officer shall be admonished by the council and/or the chancellor in a manner consistent with Article I, Section 4 of these bylaws. Should such admonition not be heeded, a vote of two-thirds of the council, with the concurrence of the senior clergy, will be sufficient to remove that person from office, the vacancy to be filled as under Section 4 above.
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ARTICLE IV Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea Council
Section 1. Qualifications
Members of the council shall be members in good standing who are active in the total works of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea.
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Section 2. Size, composition, election, and tenure.
The council shall consist of up to thirteen (13) members, not including the clergy, who are ex-officio members. Those members shall include the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea officers, elected in accordance with Article III, Section 3 of these bylaws, and other members, elected as the chairs of administrative committees as defined elsewhere in these bylaws. Members shall serve for terms of three years in such a manner that the terms of approximately one-third of the members shall expire each year. They shall not be elected to more than two consecutive full terms.
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Section 3. Duties.
The council in its administrative responsibility in co-operation with the clergy shall fulfill the functions defined by the constitution and bylaws, including the following:
a) Supervise Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea membership, in conjunction with the senior clergy.
b) Assist the clergy in nurturing the spiritual life of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea, in cooperation with the chair of the council.
c) Establish administrative and program policies in conformity with the spirit of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea constitution.
d) Evaluate the total Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea program on a continuing basis.
e) Recommend the annual budget, as proposed by the executive committee, and review stewardship opportunities for the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea.
f) Review and approve the schedule of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea activities and personnel.
g) Appoint administrative committees and Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea workers as defined by the bylaws and as the council may deem appropriate.
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Section 4. Administrative committees.
Implementation of policies and programs established by congregational or council action may be accomplished through the following administrative committees, each of whose chairs shall be a member of the council as established under Section 2 above:
a) Ritual Committee.
b) Finance Committee.
c) Outreach Committee.
d) Community Service Committee.
e) Long-Range Planning Committee.
The council member who serves as chair of a committee assumes responsibility for directing all congregational activities that fall within that functional category, in cooperation with the clergy.
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ARTICLE V Committees
Section 1. Executive committee.
The executive committee, consisting of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea chancellor, the vice chancellor, the secretary, and the treasurer, together with the senior clergy, shall strive to promote effective working relations and communication in the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea. The committee shall have no legislative power, but shall function in an advisory capacity to the council, unless the council or the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea shall have assigned specific responsibilities to it.
Section 2. Nominating committee.
The nominating committee shall consist of not less than three (3) members, including at least one member of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea council and one non-member of the council. These members shall be elected at the quarterly business meeting prior to the annual meeting. The senior clergy shall be ex-officio members of the committee. After being convened by the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea chancellor, committee members shall elect their own chair and secretary. The responsibility of the committee shall include the following:
a)Prepare a ballot for the annual meeting of the congregation listing at least one qualified candidate for each office to be filled.
b)Confirm the willingness of each candidate to serve before listing his or her name on the ballot.
c)Present a complete ballot to the annual meeting of the congregation. This shall constitute completion of the committee assignment, unless it be given specific responsibilities at said annual meeting.
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Section 3. Ritual committee.
The Ritual committee shall consist of the clergy members of the executive committee and two members of the congregation selected by the council. It shall meet at least annually in keeping with the program and purpose of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea. The appointive members shall serve terms of two years.
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Section 4. Special committees and task forces.
Special committees or task forces for specific purposes may be appointed by any duly constituted business meeting of the congregation or by the council according to need, but shall be automatically terminated at the next annual meeting unless specifically extended by said annual meeting.
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Section 5. Long-range planning committee.
The long-range planning committee shall consist of at least one member of the council's executive committee who is designated by the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea chancellor. The committee chair shall be a voting member of the council, and the senior clergy shall be an ex-officio member of the planning committee.Its designated representative from the executive committee shall serve no more than three years.
The responsibilities of the committee shall include the following:
a)Annually formulate, update, and/or revise a five-year plan for the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea, presenting a report and plan to the congregation for its review and approval at the annual meeting or at a special meeting that has been called for the purpose.
b)After such approval has been obtained, annually prepare an implementation strategy for the then-current five-year plan, delivering it to the semi-annual meeting of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea for its review and concurrence.
c)Provide advice and support to the council and to the other committees of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea, which shall have the responsibility for implementation; and incorporate into each subsequent review of the five-year plan such changes as have been deemed necessary or undertaken by those other committees.
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ARTICLE VI Meetings
Section 1. Public services.
Public services shall be conducted regularly when deemed appropriate.
Section 2. Celebrating the Sabbats and Esbats
The congregation of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea will come together as a whole on each of the Sabbats for the purpose of celebrating the day. The Ritual Committee is charged with planning the location, activities and liturgy of the celebration. The celebration of Esbats will be co-ordinated by the Ritual Committe and will occur at the council's discrestion at such time and place as determined by the Committee.
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Section 3. Congregational business meetings.
Congregational business meetings shall be held regularly and not less than annually, as specified in Article VIII of the constitution. The chancellor of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea in consultation may call special business meetings with the senior clergy or by the council.
Section 4. Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea council and administrative meetings.
Regular meetings of the council shall be held not less than quarterly. Administrative committees, special committees, and task forces shall meet not less than at a frequency specified by the council. Their respective chairs may call special meetings of the council, the executive committee, the administrative committees, and the task forces.
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Section 5. Organizational meetings.
Meetings and activities of the organizations of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea shall be planned and conducted regularly under the direction and supervision of the council.
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ARTICLE VII General Provisions
Section 1. Quorum.
a) Fifteen percent of the membership present and voting at a business meeting properly called shall constitute a quorum.
b) The quorum for the council, committee, and task force meetings shall be a majority of their respective memberships.
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Section 2. Rules of Order.
All business meetings of the Grand Coven of Kautantowit's Mecautea and of the boards, committees, and organizations of the church shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order.
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ARTICLE VIII Amendments
Section 1. Amendments.
Amendments to these bylaws not in conflict with the constitution may be adopted at any regular congregational business meeting, or at a special business meeting called for that purpose, by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, providing that such amendments have been presented in writing to the council and at a preceding regular congregational business meeting.
TEMPLE BRANCH STRUCTURES
Definition of Vision As a Branch of the Temple of KM Coven, the vision is to create and maintain a sustainable ministry similar (though with local distinctions) to the Temple’s Main Ministry structure in a region agreed upon by the Board. Branches are to be a stable point of distant community working cooperatively with the main body and structures of the Temple and to caretake long-term resources for that regional community.
Branches are envisioned only for locations where participation is so robust a hub for the local community is both practical and necessary. The imagery of a tree is used to emphasize the interconnection and interdependence among all Temple of Witchcraft communities with the main trunk, or body, of the Temple organization. The branches are supported by the trunk and the trunk and branches are supported by the roots of our traditions and teachings. Together we grow to greater heights while simultaneously sinking deeper into the wisdom of the Earth.
Three Core Ministers work together in a structure similar to the three founders, holding and rotating through the three rays of Will, Love, and Wisdom, working with the board, lead and other ministers, and community. The three Core Ministers of the branch hold the primary responsibility of organizing and sustaining its community. This section is a guiding document only. Each application for Branch Status can bring its own regional challenges to be worked out on a case-by-case basis as needed, under the auspices of the Board of Directors.
Purpose of a Branch Community
The greater purpose of the Branch Community is to evolve a shared culture across the Temple that is common to the core Temple tenets and teachings while allowing regional variations to evolve, and regional services to develop. At a minimum, the Branch will offer ministerial services through the Sagittarius and Pisces ministries, hosting KM Mystery School Classes and Sabbats respectfully. There is potential to include of all twelve of the KM Zodiacal Ministries as local resources, with Regional Ministry Directors working under the Lead Ministers, acting as the National/Global Directors of those ministries, as agreed upon by the current KM Lead Ministers and the Board. The Branch will help to both build a sense of local community as well as an awareness of the greater Temple of Witchcraft community.
The Branch will provide a structure inclusive of Temple Ministers who wish to work either within an existing local Branch or within a Branch’s Territory. Other Temple ministers within a Branch’s territory are not required to work with an existing Branch and the Branch exerts no authority over them. A Branch participates with the TOW non-profit status and is governed by the TOW Board, TOW Bylaws, and Policies. It is not an independent legal entity nor is it a charter. The Branch may be the caretaker of resources, but ownership of any such resources falls under the Temple of Witchcraft as a legal entity.
Structures and Development of a Branch
Requirements of each phase are what is to be completed during the phase before applying to the next phase of growth. Applications detailing the work of each level must be submitted and approved for each level. Duties and education must be evenly shared between the three Core Ministers (i.e. One minister cannot be the 1 of 3 in all three rays education.)
Phase 1: Application for Branch Status Overall Vision: • Three approved Core Ministers work together to fulfill the requirements of Phase 1. • Commensurate with the Phase of the Temple where ministers gathered for initial vision and plans for community work. Community Requirements: • 1 of the 3 Core Ministers must be an official Mystery School Teacher who has successfully taught W1 through W5 to completion for at least three students. • 1 of the 3 Core Ministers must have officially lead all eight sabbats for Pisces Ministry in the region
ETHICAL GUIDELINES FOR PASTORAL CARE AND SPIRITUAL COUNSELING The Temple of Witchcraft ministerial members provide various spiritual services to the community. Spiritual counseling and guidance is one aspect of these services. This document is to serve as a guide in these encounters to assist ministers with ethical boundaries and to protect them and the community members they serve.
Definitions
Pastoral Care includes the activities of informal conversations and more formal counseling sessions which involve communicating concern or reassurance during times of difficulty, hospital visits and helping with spiritual advice by providing a ritual or meditation in response to events (i.e., Scorpio ministry write up on an altar to set up upon the death of a loved one). Spiritual counseling falls under the pastoral care umbrella but denotes more time and care with the community member. This means establishing an appointment in a private office where one on one (or a couple or family) spiritual counseling or healing services occur for a fee.
Spiritual counseling should be brief, supportive, and limited to spiritual techniques versus psychological techniques, unless the minister is trained in mental health techniques. Spiritual techniques include rituals, meditations, flower essences and other techniques that are part of the minister’s training. The minister should maintain a referral database for situations where the client needs deeper psychological care or extended long term care is required which would create a dual relationship with the client if they regularly attend Temple events in which the minister is involved. Pastoral care is provided by ministers in other faiths as part of their employment.
The Temple ministers provide a fair amount of their services on a volunteer basis so delineation of services they would charge for versus do as part of their volunteer role need to be clearly defined with the clients they serve in order to maintain appropriate boundaries. These services vary depending on which ministry and minister is involved.
Other Professional Identities
If a minister is also a member of another service or healing profession such as Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Social Worker, Life Coach, Reiki practitioner, etc., then the minister is responsible to the Ethical Guidelines of that profession in addition to the guidelines detailed here. If the community member requires mental health counseling, the minister should consider whether these needs are better served by an outside referral to avoid developing a dual relationship.
Relationship Dynamics
Ministers should be mindful of the imbalance of power in professional/client relationships and refrain from exploitation of that imbalance. Relationships with clients should be maintained on a professional basis. Ministers should avoid all derogatory language with clients. Accurate and respectful communication is required between Minister and client.
Self Determination
Ministers are required to promote and respect the client’s right to self-determination and empowerment. Ministers should not impose their own values, judgments and decisions upon their clients, but encourage clients to identify, clarify and implement their own goals. Ministers may only limit a client’s right to self-determination when in the Minister’s professional opinion the client’s actions pose a serious, foreseeable and imminent risk to themselves or others.
This is in alignment with the tenet in most pagan beliefs systems that the client has a direct connection to the divine and that the minister’s role is to help empower and guide the client in fostering that connection.
Conflicts of Interest
Ministers should be alert to, and whenever possible, avoid, conflicts of interest that could impair judgment or professional services. Ministers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients where there is risk of potential harm or exploitation of the client. A dual relationship is one where the minister has contact with the client in another setting or the client is a friend.
In case where that is unavoidable, the Minister is responsible for maintaining clear, appropriate and culturally sensitive boundaries. Appropriate multiple relationships within the Temple of Witchcraft would include ministering to a client who is also a current or past student. Ministers should not take unfair advantage of any client or use undue influence upon the client. The Minister is responsible for informing the client of all potential conflicts of interest. Ministers are responsible to clarify with all parties when ministering to multiple people who have a prior relationship, such as couples, family members, siblings and covenmates.
Minors
When working with minors, always insist that a parent or guardian be present in the room with you. Do not minister to minors alone. Whenever possible, have a signed release form from both parents, particularly when the parents are divorced unless only one parent has sole custody. Physical Contact Ministers should only engage in appropriate physical contact with clients and are responsible for setting clear, appropriate and culturally sensitive boundaries for such physical contact.
Ministers are allowed to perform physical contact in the case of hands on healing, energy work, ceremony, anointing and ritual in an appropriate manner.
Sexual Harassment/Contact
While Witchcraft is a sex-positive religious tradition, Ministers should not engage in sexual contact with clients, whether consensual or forced, nor sexually harass clients in any way. Sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favors, and other inappropriate verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Any engagement in tantric rituals, skyclad (i.e. nude) ceremonies or energetic healing of a sexual or pseudo-sexual nature (such as the Body Electric Techniques) should only be performed by certified Ministers in a professional context and within appropriate boundaries.
Confidentiality, Privileged Communication, and Privacy
Ministers should respect the client’s right to privacy. Ministers should not solicit for personal information unless necessary to provide services. Once private information is shared within the context of a session or ritual, professional standards of confidentiality apply. Ministers may only disclose personal confidential information when written consent is obtained from the client or a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of the client. Standards of confidentiality should only be lowered for compelling professional or legal reasons, such as to prevent serious, foreseeable and imminent harm to the client or another identifiable person.
These exceptions include: Intention to harm him/herself or another person; When there has been report of abusive actions toward a minor child or a vulnerable (i.e.: elderly) adult. Only the information necessary to achieve the desired purpose of safety, or relevant to the purpose for which the disclosure is made, should be revealed. When counseling family, couples or groups, the Minister must seek an agreement among all those involved concerning issues of confidentiality, and inform all participants to honor all agreements jointly.
Informed Consent
Ministers are required to inform their clients that if the client states they will cause harm to self or others, the minister must contact the proper authorities. This is part of the ministers legal responsibility of the “duty to warn”
Payment for Services and Bartering Policy
Ministers should set fees that are appropriate, fair and reasonable for the services provided. While Ministers should be considerate of a client’s ability to pay for such services and their immediate needs, Ministers are discouraged from bartering arrangements whenever possible, as such arrangements tend to create conflicts of interest, exploitation and inappropriate boundaries. The Temple suggests instead, the use of sliding scales based upon income and ability to pay. Bartering services should only be performed in limited circumstances when other options are not available, and done
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Length of Treatment
Ministers are encouraged to provide brief, solution focused, referral based services to community members whom they see in regular esbat or sabbat rituals. If a client requires long term intensive healing services, a referral may need to be made to assist in alleviating the possibility of dual relationship which would make it difficult for the member to continue to come to the public rituals. The welfare and best interest of the client/community member should be the priority in these decisions.
Termination of Services
Ministers should terminate services when services are determined no longer necessary for the client. While ideally such relationships should be mutually agreed upon, Ministers are within their right to determine the relationship is no longer beneficial to the client and/or adversely affecting the Minister. For termination or interruption of services, the Minister should make all best efforts to suggest alternative services, ministerial, social or medical, or make referrals on a case-by-case basis.
Unethical Conduct
Ministers should make every effort to discourage, prevent, expose or correct unethical conduct among other ministerial colleagues in the Temple. Ministers who feel a colleague is acting unethically should report such individuals to the Sagittarius Lead Minister, the head of the Seminary Program. Setting Ministers are responsible for establishing an appropriate setting in all consultations, including setting clear, appropriate and culturally sensitive boundaries and a setting conductive to confidentiality and spiritual work. Ministers are required to keep their own records of sessions to the level they feel is appropriate for the spirit work of the Minister. In ministerial context outside of the normal professional setting (hospital visits, prison visits, pre-post ritual settings),
Ministers should strive to maintain all appropriate behavior and boundaries in such circumstances. Impairment Ministers should not allow their own personal issues, problems, psychological distresses, legal issues, substance abuse issues or mental health difficulties to interfere with their professional services or spiritual and ethical judgment. Those with such difficulties should seek immediate help in whatever venues are appropriate for the situation, making adjustments to their spiritual counseling practice and workload to be able to provide quality service to clients. If such aid and adjustments are not possible, the Minister should interrupt or discontinue services, referring the client to other appropriate services. Competence Ministers in the Temple of Witchcraft must be graduates of the Temple of Witchcraft Seminary Program, in good standing. Ideally those providing spiritual counsel should be ordained ministers in the Temple of Witchcraft’s ordination program.
Only ordained ministers are considered legal ministers, i.e. recognized by state governments to perform legally binding ceremonies and have the credentials to make hospital and prison visits. Ministers are encouraged to gain additional education, training and skills to facilitate professional spiritual counseling services
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Misrepresentation
Ministers should make every effort to accurately portray themselves, their role as Minister, their role in the Temple of Witchcraft and the Temple of Witchcraft itself. Clear distinctions must be made between actions and statements as a private individual and those representing the Temple of Witchcraft. Steps must be taken to correct inaccuracies or misrepresentations.
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TEMPLE BUSINESS: TEACHERS, RITUALISTS, AND PASTORAL CARE
Essentially as an ordained minister in the Temple, you are an independent contractor who is self employed as a legal designation, and not an employee of the Temple. The Temple cannot manage the finances and logistics of your work.
The Temple can support your official Temple events through social media and mailing list promotion, referrals, and our website, as well as personal support in difficult situations from peers and mentors, teaching materials, encourage you to consecrate general members of the community, and offer the support of the spiritual current running through our work. Each of these levels of support can be requested by the appropriate ministry. If the Temple is involved in an event as an official host, providing space or other resources, the Temple takes on the role of a store or center in this model.
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Event Models As an independent minister working in the modern metaphysical world, the general models for events (classes and rituals), as well as independent consultations usually falls under the following categories:
• Store-Center Based: A local metaphysical shop, community center, or otherwise public and commercial business will host you for the event. You work in partnership with them, sharing duties and responsibilities of promotion and administration. Usual splits between presenter and host run from 50/50 to 70/30 of the door in favor of the presenter.
• Group-Based: A local group with resources to host you (place, membership, advertisement) will host your event, and either offer a percentage split of the profits, or pay you a specific set speaking fee. • Renter-Based: You find a facility that will rent room space for your needs, and pay a fee per event, often based upon hours, or days. This rent becomes one of your expenses. Often for Pagans a Unitarian Universalist Church is willing to rent space to Pagan groups.
• Home (Owner) Based: You host an event on property you own. Small gatherings might happen in your home or upon your land. No split or renters fee is applicable unless you co-own with someone who requires this. Please make sure that wherever you hold your events, appropriate Liability Insurance is set. Most public centers and meeting spaces have this already as a part of their insurance, but if you are hosting events in your home, make sure your own home owners insurance covers any liability.