Maternity
Religious Hierarchy
Your religious hierarchy may include the same people who serve in the secular officers, be a completely different group of people, or some combination.
Normally the secular officers answer to the religious hierarchy, although you can do things the other way around.
A coven typically has a high priest and/or high priestess. Some covens have degrees of priesthood, often three degrees (with third degree usually being the highest). Many covens give an actual religious job and title to every member of the coven. There can be a person who is the guardian of each of the four cardinal direcitons or four magickal elements. There can be a specific person (or more than one) who are designated to recite important rituals. if you want a religious job for every member of your coven, you can keep dividing up the ritual tasks until everyone has a religious title. Many covens have a religious title for every member other than new ones.
A group built on the traditional kemetic (ancient Egyptian) model will have a high priest and/or high priestess. Hem (male) and hemet (female) were the primary ancient Egyptian words for priest and priestess. The web priest (or priestess) was responsible for the purity of the ritual and the cleanliness of sacred rooms, tools, paraphenalia, and priesthood. The kher heb was the priest or priestess who recited the liturgy and magick spells. The sesh per ankh were the learned priesthood (including mathematicians, doctors, and scientists). The sesh ked were the artists of the priesthood.
Other religious traditions based on the Kemetic have other structures. If you belong to another tradition, you can research the historical religious structure of your tradition.
By-Laws
The By-Laws are among the most important structure documents each child church will need to have in play BEFORE opening their doors to the public as it will play a major role in how said child church will operate and function. Therefore, You as said child church will need such AND to include some method for the creation, amendment, and modification of your by-laws.
KM have spent more than 15 years perfecting our internal core structure including our By-Laws, Constitution, Proclamation and etc. to ensure maximum protection for the whole of the KM spiritual tribal family, however each child church needs to take the time to customize their own so to ensure it fits your churches individual needs and to safeguard against ending up in a questionable situation if you can at all help it.
A simple version:
The board of directors shall write the by-laws of (name of child church) at its first meeting. The initial by-laws and all amendments, modifications, and changes to the by-laws shall be approved by a majority of the ( supreme council /board of directors or etc. as deemed by the Founders of said child church).
Note that you may also want to give your religious hierarchy (Founder's Council) power to veto, approve, or otherwise control the by-laws and to also include stipulation as to the shifting of such powers to another high council upon the passing of the final founder..
As a child of KM you have the right and permission to duplicate and alter/ implement our internal core root structure as you deem applicable for Your child church so long as your moral compass remains to the true north of KM's all should remain golden.
Other Provisions
You can add other provisions as you see fit. It is best to keep your constitution simple and put detailed rules into your by-laws.
Amendements: You may want a special section discussing how your constitution amended.
Prohibitions: You may include specific prohibitions to limit the activities of your group. A common one is forbidding any assets going to the benefit of any individual person. A common wording:
No part of the net earnings of name of group shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that name of group 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 Two hereof (the purpose article).
Indemnification: Some groups indemify their officers and board of directors' form being sued. If there is a lawsuit over something done by the officers or board of directors, the group is agreeing to be legally responsible. This level of protection can attract higher quality officers and directors. This can be backed with the purchase of insurance to pay any settlements or court decisions.
Your state may have additional provisions that are required, espeically if you incorporate.
Constitution
In order to open a bank account you will need a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is similar to a personal social security number, except it is used by organizations (including businesses) rather than individuals.
You will need to fill out IRS form SS-4 to get your EIN. Once the form is filled out properly, you can call the IRS and obtain the EIN over the phone for free (with a letter mailed out in a few weeks).
The link for downloading the PDF of the form is www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf.
The link for downloading the PDF of the instructions on filling out form SS-4 is www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1635.pdf.
The IRS also provides a quick reference gudie for churches and relgiious organizations at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf.
Proclamation
The purpose of a proclamation for your child church is among the most important foundational documents you will have created as it clarifies, declares and affirms your individual purpose and intent operating as your own church.
Example: The purpose of the church shall be to unite likeminded fellow human beings in fellowship for spiritual development and for the winning of all people to greater knowledge and service to our fellows.
Section 2. In order to achieve this purpose, the church, in the unity of minds, shall use the gifts that God, Goddess, and the Universe have given it.
WHERE DOES THE CHURCH COME FROM AND WHY DOES IT EXIST?
An example: KM is a spiritual religion (Church, as defined by U.S. law) for any enlightened persons who have a sincerely held religious belief in, of, and/or about any variation of Ntr (Ntr, Neter, Netjer, Netcher, Divine, Great Creator, Deity, God, Goddess, Bast, Sekhmet, Isis, Aset, Amon-Ra, Hapi, Horus, Heru, Osiris, Ausur, Bes, Set, Geb, Shu, Nwt, Nuit, Mwt, Hekate, Selket, Anpu, Anubis, etc.).
WHAT DOES YOUR CHURCH BELIEVE
An example:
The principles of (Child Church name) of KM are these:
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We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. Since all form (matter) is created by vibration, the world is made of sound. And not just random noise, but musical harmony. This means that harmony is one of the great Truths. And disharmony is distance from Truth. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
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We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called “supernatural”, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
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We recognize both outer worlds and inner or psychological worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.-and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
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We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity as masculine and feminine and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other.
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We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
WHERE IS THE CHURCH GOING AND WHAT SHOULD IT BE DOING HERE AND NOW?
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH?
An example:
The Mission of The (Child Church name) of KM is to:
• Provide fellowship and worship opportunities and to provide a safe meeting place and space for the KM spiritual community
• Provide a common ground to the community
* Operating Educational Training to provide spiritual, religious and specialty healing instruction and ministerial training for our members.
• Maintain a confidential roster of members for the purpose of affirmation/ confirmation of valid membership and for referrals within the KM spiritual tribal family, to maintain a current database for membership and referrals and keep such updated with the KM Master Roll.
• Promote information exchange and raise public awareness.
* Provide spiritual counseling. authorize
• Maintain communications with the KM community at large for benefit of all members in and beyond the (Child Church name) of KM.
• Provide safe beneficial access to ceremonial rituals for members involving sacred medicines
WHAT DOES THE CHURCH OFFER AND WHY?
Surely you have some ideas as to what sort of service and/or ceremonial service offerings your individual child church intends to offer as well as strive to offer. This is where you would include such. Keep in mind that no matter how great or small your own personal resources are that you have a large spiritual tribal family waiting and anxious to connect and network with you and your church which will include service offerings exclusively to you and your members as well, and KM encourages that to consistently flow both directions as you evolve as well.
An example:
We practice traditional and New Age ceremonial rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.
We offer community services including network and support resources & ceremonies to members and non- members alike including basic pastoral and crisis services and referrals for local community resources.
We Provide access to the KM School and reference library for spiritual studies of members. including exclusive opportunities for specialty credentials to be attained.
We maintain a permanent temple/ ceremonial site and host traditional & New Age specialty services.
We operate quarterly Newsletter, print flyers, maintain social media platforms, and host/ co-host public and private events and ceremonial services.
EIN
Whether or not you remain a 508 (c)(1)(a) tax- exempt non-profit FBO or choose to constrict yourself (in KM's opinion) and go the route of a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit church with or without taking the second knee and going state incorporation, In order to open a bank account, as well as to otherwise affirm your a validly operating church, you will need a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is similar to a personal social security number, except it is used by organizations (including businesses) rather than individuals.
You will need to fill out IRS form SS-4 to get your EIN. Once the form is filled out properly, you can call the IRS and obtain the EIN over the phone for free (with a letter mailed out in a few weeks).
The link for downloading the PDF of the form is www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf.
The link for downloading the PDF of the instructions on filling out form SS-4 is www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1635.pdf.
The IRS also provides a quick reference gudie for churches and religious organizations at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf.
KM are happy to personally walk each registering child church through the process if and when they choose to do so online which we personally highly recommend as the EIN number is assigned instantaneous and you can print or email the confirmation letter instantly. We recommend that you do both and that you keep a copy handy in your email in case you need quick easy access to print it at a later time. If you are interested in this please reach out and contact us.
To learn more about the differences between the 501 and the 508 statuses for a CHURCH, please click the link button immediately below.
Keep YOUR Moral Compass Right to the true North in Alignment to the Great Divine with your elders and ancestor unless or until you can freely stand as you own independent Adult church and everything will be and stay golden... don't, and ya better expect some consequences and repercussions from momma And whoever the hell you've gotten your asses stuck in the mud with... legally or other! ~Mom (KM)
