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The Academy of the New Church Bylaws ARTICLE I - Name and AddressSection 1.01 The name of this Corporation is THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH. Section 1.02 The place of business and principal office of the Corporation shall be at 2815 Huntingdon Pike, in the Borough of Bryn Athyn, County of Montgomery, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ARTICLE II - PurposeSection 2.01 The Academy of the New Church shall be for the purpose of propagating the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and establishing the New Church signified in the Apocalypse by the New Jerusalem, promoting education in all of its various forms, educating young men for the ministry, publishing books, pamphlets and other printed matter, and establishing a Library. Section 2.02 In furtherance of these purposes, and to make clear the relationship of this Corporation to the unincorporated General Church of the New Jerusalem, the Executive Bishop of the General Church of the New Jerusalem shall be Chancellor of this Corporation, and the ecclesiastical affairs of the Academy, including the religious instruction given in the schools, shall be placed under his supervision. ARTICLE III - Membership of the CorporationSection 3.01 If they are not elected members of the
Corporation, the Chancellor, the President, the Vice President, and the
Treasurer, and the Secretary shall be Ex-Officio members of the Corporation
for the duration of their terms of office. Other persons, who shall be
members of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, become members of
this Corporation upon receiving the affirmative vote of at least three-fourths
of the members present at any annual meeting or at a special meeting called
for that purpose. The total number of elected members of the Corporation
shall not exceed one hundred (100). Vacancies in elective members arising
from any cause may be filled by the remaining members of the Corporation
present at any annual meeting or at a special meeting called for that
purpose; provided, that no more than five (5) previously unfilled vacancies
arising from an increase in the total permitted number of elected members
may be filled in any one year. All voting under this section shall be
by secret ballot. Section 3.02 Except as provided in Sections 3.04 and
3.05, the membership of a member of the Corporation elected prior to October
31, 1983 shall continue until the Annual Meeting following the member's
attaining seventy-eight (78). Section 3.03 A member elected after October 21, 1983
may serve an initial term of six (6) years; and such a member shall be
eligible for election to additional six (6) year terms. However, if, at
the expiration of a member’s six-year term, the member is also serving
an unexpired term as a Trustee of the Corporation, then the member’s
term on the Corporation shall be extended to the Annual Meeting following
the end of the member’s term as a Trustee, except that neither elected
membership on the Corporation nor membership on the Board shall continue
beyond the Annual Meeting following the member's reaching age seventy-eight
(78), and such membership shall be subject to the termination provisions
of Section 3.04 a. – d. and 3.10 hereof. Section 3.04 Membership shall terminate prior to a member's attaining age seventy-two (72) if the member
Section 3.05 Termination of Elected Membership. In addition of the provisions of Section 3.04, membership of an elected member shall terminate if
[Adopted May 1, 2004] Section 3.06 Emeritus Membership: At the end of the
first Annual Meeting after an elected member of the Corporation reaches
the age of seventy-eight (78) years, that member shall become an Emeritus
Member of the Corporation. An elected member who is at least sixty-five
(65) years old and who has served at least six (6) years as an elected
member may choose to become an Emeritus member. Emeritus members who are
less than seventy-eight (78) years old at the time of adoption of this
section may return to elected membership, but will not count toward the
total membership authorized in Section 3.01 hereof. Emeritus members shall
have all the rights and privileges of elected members of the Corporation,
except that they shall not be considered a part of the membership for
purposes of Sections 13.01 and 13.02 and shall not have the right to vote
on any matter (including the election of members (Section 3.01) and Trustees
(Section 6.02) and on amendments to the bylaws (Sections 13.01 and 13.02)),
to serve on the Board of Trustees, to petition for the removal of members
and to call special meetings of the Corporation. Emeritus membership in
the Corporation shall continue for life unless the member is expelled
from membership in the Corporation pursuant to the provisions of Section
3.11 of this Article. Section 3.07 Associate Membership: Any member of the
General Church of the New Jerusalem (unincorporated) who has been enrolled
as a member of that Church for at least three years and who meets and
accepts such Criteria and Guidelines for Associate Membership as may be
established by Resolution of the Elected Membership may become an Associate
Member of this Corporation upon application to and acceptance by a committee
appointed by members of the Corporation. Section 3.08 Powers and Duties of Associate Members:
An Associate Member may attend and participate in the Annual and Semi-Annual
meetings of the Corporation, but they shall not be considered a part of
the membership for purposes of Sections 13.01 and 13.02 or have the rights
or duties of elected members of the Corporation, including any right to
vote on any Corporation matter (including the election of members (Section
3.01) and Trustees (Section 6.02) and on amendments to the bylaws (Sections
13.01 and 13.02)), or to serve on the Board of Trustees, to petition for
the removal of members, or to call special meetings of the Corporation.
Section 3.09 Termination of Associate Membership: The membership of an Associate Member shall terminate if the member:
[Adopted May 1, 2004] Section 3.10 Ex Officio Membership: Ex-officio members
of the Corporation shall have all rights of membership, including the
right to vote, except they shall not be counted towards a quorum for any
meeting of the Corporation or Board of Trustees. Section 3.11 Removal from Membership: Fifteen (15) elected
members of the Corporation may petition for the removal of an Associate,
Elected or Emeritus member. Such petition shall state specific reasons
for which the petitioners are requesting removal of the said member and
shall be filed with the Secretary, together with a copy to be forwarded
to the affected member, at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting
of the Corporation at which the petition is to be considered. The affected
member shall have the right to make an oral or written response to the
petition prior to or during the meeting at which the petition is to be
considered and/or may be represented at that meeting by another member
of the Corporation. A vote of a majority of the elected membership is
required for removal of any Associate, Elected or Emeritus Corporation
member. ARTICLE IV - Powers and Duties of the CorporationSection 4.01 The Corporation shall have ultimate responsibility
for carrying out the Charter purposes. It shall elect Members and Trustees
and it shall have the right to remove them, subject to the provisions
of these Bylaws. Section 4.02 The Directors or Board of Finance called
for in the Charter shall be known as the Board of Trustees. The Corporation
shall have the right to delegate to the Board of Trustees such responsibilities
and duties as it deems appropriate in connection with the business, management,
and operations of the Corporation. Certain responsibilities and duties
have been so delegated through these Bylaws. The removal of those responsibilities
and duties shall be done by amending the Bylaws. Section 4.03 The Corporation shall, by such means as
are available to it, including receipt of reports and information from
the Chancellor, the President, and the Board of Trustees, satisfy itself
that those responsibilities and duties which it has delegated are being
carried out in accordance with the Charter purposes. ARTICLE V - Meetings of the CorporationSection 5.01 The Annual Meeting of the Corporation shall
be held at such time in the month of October in each year as shall be
fixed by the President, but if the President in any year shall fail on
or before the first day of October to fix a time for the Annual Meeting,
such Meeting shall be held on the third Saturday of October at three o'clock
p.m. Section 5.02 The Semi-Annual Meeting of the Corporation
shall be held at such time in the month of May in each year as shall be
fixed by the President, but if the President in any year shall fail on
or before the fifteenth day of April to fix a time for the Semi-Annual
Meeting, such meeting shall be held on the second Friday of May at 3:30
o’clock p.m. Section 5.03 Special Meetings of the Corporation may
be held at the call of the Chancellor, the President or any five (5) elected
members. No business shall be transacted unless it shall have been specified
in the written notice of the meeting. Section 5.04 Annual Meetings, Semi-Annual Meetings or Special Meetings of the Corporation may be held at the principal office of the Corporation or at such other place within or without the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as shall be specified in the notice of the meeting. Section 5.05 A written or printed notice of each Annual
Meeting and Semi-Annual Meeting, setting forth the time and place of the
meeting and signed by the President or Secretary shall be mailed to the
last known address of each member of the Corporation, at least twenty
(20) days prior to the day of the meeting. Section 5.06 A written or printed notice of each Special
Meeting, setting forth the time and place of and business to come before
the meeting and signed by the Chancellor, the President or Secretary,
shall be mailed to each elected and ex officio member of the Corporation,
as provided in the case of notices of Annual Meetings. Section 5.07 One third of the elected members of the
Corporation shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business
at any Annual, Semi-Annual, or Special Meeting. Section 5.08 Any member of the Corporation who is unable
to attend any Annual or Semi-Annual Meeting may cast his or her vote for
the election of Trustees or on any proposed bylaws amendment by absentee
ballot in accordance with such procedures as may be established by resolution
of this Corporation. ARTICLE VI - Membership of the Board of TrusteesSection 6.01 The Board of Trustees shall consist of
eighteen (18) elected members, unless a vacancy shall occur pursuant to
Section 6.03 and no more than two priest advisory members appointed under
the provisions of section 10.01.g. All of the elected Trustees shall be
elected members of the Corporation. In addition, if they are not elected
Trustees, the Chancellor, the President, the Vice President, the Treasurer,
and the Secretary, shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees
for the duration of their respective terms of office. Anyone elected as
a Trustee after October 31, 1983, who becomes an employee of this corporation
shall, upon such employment, automatically be terminated as an elected
Trustee. Section 6.02 The elected Trustees shall be divided into
three (3) groups with six (6) Trustees in each group. At each Semi-Annual
Meeting, the elected members of the Corporation shall elect, for terms
of three (3) years, six (6) Trustees as successors to that group of Trustees
whose terms expire at that time, and may fill any vacancy in any other
group for the unexpired term of that group. All elections under this Section
shall be by secret ballot. Any elected Trustee shall continue in office
until his or her successor has been elected, subject to the provisions
of Section 6.03. Section 6.03 The term of an elected Trustee shall terminate when that Trustee
[Amended May 4, 2002; Amended May 1, 2004 to add the requirement that a Trustee be an elected member and to create a removal procedure that parallels that which applies to members]. Section 6.04 The Board of Trustees may at any meeting
of the Board fill any elected Trusteeship then vacant in any group for
whatever reason, and any Trustee so elected shall hold office until the
next Semi-Annual Meeting. Section 6.05 No elected Trustee who has served for nine
(9) or more consecutive years shall be reelected unless and until that
Trustee shall have had a break in service at least until the next Semi-Annual
Meeting. This section shall not apply to reelection of any Trustee who
in the judgment of the Nominating committee is providing some important
service to the Corporation that would be harmed by that Trustee's removal
as an elected Trustee. Section 6.06 A Trustee of this Corporation shall cease
to be eligible to serve as a Trustee immediately following the Semi-Annual
Meeting of this Corporation after the Trustee reaches the age of seventy-eight
(78) years. ARTICLE VII - Power and Duties of the Board of TrusteesSection 7.01 Subject to the provisions of Article IV
hereof, dealing with Powers and Duties of the Corporation, the business
of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board of Trustees. Priest Advisory
Members of the Board of Trustees shall have all rights and privileges
of Trustees except the right to vote. Section 7.02 The Board of Trustees shall elect all officers
of the Corporation except the Chancellor. Section 7.03 Subject to any directions in the trust
instrument by which any real or personal property, money or other funds
are given, granted, conveyed, bequeathed, devised to, or otherwise vested
in, this Corporation, the Board of Trustees shall at all times have full
power and authority to invest the funds thus received, or the proceeds
of any property thus received, or any other funds of the Corporation,
in bonds and mortgages, real estate, bonds, debentures, stocks or securities
of any description which are authorized investments for fiduciaries. Section 7.04 The Board of Trustees of the Corporation
by a resolution approved by two-thirds of the Trustees present at a regular
or special meeting duly convened upon proper notice of such meeting, may
at any time purchase or acquire real estate on behalf of the Corporation
and by like resolution may at any time sell, lease or otherwise dispose
of, in whole or in part, any real estate of the Corporation not used for
the Corporation's educational purposes, and any real estate of the Corporation
used for the Corporation's educational purposes which shall not have a
value in excess of $50,000. Section 7.05 At its meeting immediately before or after
the Semi-Annual Meeting of the Corporation, the Board of Trustees shall
annually elect a Vice Chair from its members. The Vice Chair shall perform
such duties as may be directed by the Board, including presiding at any
meeting of the Board in the absence of the Chancellor and the President,
assisting the President in the appointment of Committee chairs, chairing
the Executive Committee, serving ex officio on Board committees, and carrying
out, at the request of the President, such non-religious and non-educational
duties as may be assigned to him or her. In addition, the Vice Chair shall
annually provide the Board with a report setting goals and assessing progress. Section 7.06 Nominations for Vice Chair shall be conducted
pursuant to written resolution of the Board. A Board member in his/her
first year of service shall not be eligible to serve as Vice Chair. A
Vice Chair may not serve in that position for more than three years out
of any nine year period where the Vice Chair has continuously served as
a Trustee. Section 7.07 Following the Semi-Annual Meeting of the
Corporation, the Board of Trustees shall either appoint members of the
Corporation to a nominating committee or delegate to the President or
some other officer the appointment of a nominating committee. The Nominating
Committee shall serve for one year and shall consider and nominate persons
eligible for election to the Corporation and to the Board of Trustees.
The composition of the Nominating Committee and the procedures to be used
by it shall be established by resolution of the Corporation. ARTICLE VIII - Meetings of the Board of TrusteesSection 8.01 Regular meetings of the Board of Trustees
shall be held on such days as shall be fixed by the President. Written
notice of each regular meeting shall be mailed to each Trustee at least
five (5) days prior to the meeting. This requirement may be satisfied
by sending in one or more advance mailings a schedule of more than one
meeting, provided that such mailing or mailings shall be sent to each
Trustee at least five (5) days prior to the first meeting listed on such
schedule. Section 8.02 Special Meetings of the Board of Trustees
may at any time be held at the call of the Chancellor, the President,
or any five (5) members of the Board of Trustees. Written notice of each
Special Meeting, specifying the business to be transacted at such meeting,
shall be given to each Trustee by any commercially reasonable means, including:
(1) by regular mail at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting; (2) by
facsimile or electronic mail at least five (5) days prior to the meeting
or (3) by delivering the notice to the Trustee or reading it to the Trustee
at least three (3) days prior to the meeting. Section 8.03 Seven (7) members of the Board of Trustees
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. Section 8.04 Meetings of the Board of Trustees may be
held at the Corporation's principal place of business or at such places
as the Board of Trustees may hereafter from time to time determine. Section 8.05 Any objection to or defect in the notice
of any regular or special meeting shall be deemed waived by the Trustee
if the Trustee appears at the meeting or fails to object at the next regular
meeting to any actions taken at the meeting for which the Trustee asserts
that proper notice was not given. ARTICLE IX - Nomination, Election and Removal of OfficersSection 9.01 All officers of the Corporation shall be
members of the General Church of the New Jerusalem. In addition to the
Chancellor, the officers of this Corporation shall include a President,
a Vice President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. The Board of Trustees
may also elect such additional officers and agents as it shall deem necessary,
who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall have such authority
and shall perform such duties, as from time to time may be fixed and prescribed
by the Board. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person,
except the offices of Chancellor, President and Secretary. Section 9.02 A candidate for the office of President
shall be nominated by the Chancellor. The candidate shall be a priest
of the General Church of the New Jerusalem unless a suitable candidate
is not found among the priesthood. Upon election by the Board of Trustees,
the President shall serve for a term of three years. Upon re-nomination
and reelection the President may serve for two additional terms of three
years each. If the Chancellor shall determine that the interests of the
Corporation will best be served by extending the President's term of office
beyond the third consecutive three-year term, the Chancellor may re-nominate
and the Board of Trustees may reelect the incumbent President for a term
of one additional year, which may be further extended by similar process
at yearly intervals. Prior to making the initial nomination the Chancellor
shall take counsel from a committee of the Corporation appointed by him
for this purpose. Prior to each re-nomination of a candidate for the office
of President, the Chancellor shall take counsel from the Board of Trustees
in Executive Session chaired by the Chancellor. Section 9.03 Candidates for the offices of Treasurer
and Vice President shall be nominated by the President. Upon election
by the Board of Trustees, the Treasurer and the Vice President shall each
serve for a term of three years. Upon re-nomination and reelection the
Treasurer and the Vice President may each serve for additional terms of
three years each. Prior to making the initial nomination and each re-nomination
of a candidate for either the office of Treasurer or the office of Vice
President, the President shall take counsel from the Chancellor and from
a committee of the Board of Trustees appointed by the President for this
purpose. Section 9.04 At its first meeting following the Annual
Meeting of the Corporation, the Board of Trustees shall elect a Secretary,
who shall serve for one year and until a successor is elected. Section 9.05 Any officer other than the Chancellor may
be removed from office at any time by request of the President upon a
majority vote of all elected Trustees, or by a two-thirds vote of all
elected Trustees upon the motion of a Trustee. The President may be removed
from office by the Chancellor, as provided in section 10.01.e. The Vice
President may be removed from office by the President, as provided in
Section 10.02.h. Vacancies occurring in any office because of such removal
or for any other reason shall be filled in accordance with the applicable
procedures of this Article. ARTICLE X - Duties and Powers of OfficersSection 10.01 The Chancellor shall:
[Amended May 4, 2002; Amended May 1, 2004 to substitute trustee for director] Section 10.02 The President shall:
Section 10.3 The Secretary shall perform the duties usually assigned to such an office. Section 10.04 The Treasurer shall act as financial manager
for the Corporation and shall oversee for the receipt and disbursement
of its funds. The Treasurer shall be responsible for ensuring that the
money of the Corporation is deposited with such financial institutions
as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees, that proper books of account
are kept, and that the money so deposited shall be in the name of the
Corporation and shall be withdrawn by checks with such signature or signatures
as may be directed from time to time by the Board of Trustees. The Treasurer
shall cause proper receipts or vouchers to be kept for all disbursements.
The Treasurer shall at each Annual Meeting of the Corporation and at any
other meeting thereof, when requested so to do, pursuant to the Bylaws
and rules of the Corporation, or by special direction of the Board of
Trustees, submit a written statement of account. The books of account
shall at all times be open to the inspection of the officers and members
of the Board of Trustees. If the Board of Trustees shall in its discretion
so require, the Treasurer shall give a fidelity bond or bonds in such
amount and with such surety as the Board of Trustees may prescribe. Section 10.05 The Vice President shall have oversight
and management responsibilities for administrative and business affairs
and perform such duties as may be assigned by the President. ARTICLE XI - IndemnificationSection 11.01 Personal Liability of Trustees. A Trustee
of the Corporation shall not be personally liable for monetary damages
for any action taken, or any failure to take any action, as a Trustee
except to the extent that by law (including the Director's Liability Act,
42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Sec. 8361 et seq.) a Trustee's liability for monetary
damages may not be limited. Section 11.02 Indemnification. The Corporation shall
indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made
a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding,
including actions by or in the right of the Corporation, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that
such person is or was a Trustee or officer or member of the Corporation,
or is or was serving while a Trustee or officer or member of the Corporation
at the request of the Corporation as a trustee, Trustee, officer, employee,
agent, fiduciary or other representative of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) judgments, fines, excise taxes and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person
in connection with such action, suit or proceeding unless the act or failure
to act giving rise to the claim for indemnification is determined by a
court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness. Section 11.03 Advancement of expenses. Expenses incurred
by an officer or Trustee or member of the Corporation in defending a civil
or criminal action, suit or proceeding described in Section 11.02 shall
be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such
action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf
of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined
that the person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. Section 11.04 Other Rights. The indemnification and
advancement of expenses provided by or pursuant to this Article shall
not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification
or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the Corporation's Articles
of Incorporation, any insurance or other agreement, vote of members or
Trustees or otherwise, both as to actions in their official capacity and
as to actions in another capacity while holding an office, and shall continue
as to a person who has ceased to be a Trustee or officer or member of
the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors
and administrators of such person. Section 11.05 Insurance. The Corporation shall have
the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who
is or was a Trustee, officer, member, employee or agent of the Corporation,
or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a trustee, Trustee,
officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against any
liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in
any such capacity, or arising out of any status as such, whether or not
the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against
such liability under the provisions of these bylaws. Section 11.06 Security Fund; Indemnity Agreements. By
action of the Board of Trustees (notwithstanding their interest in the
transaction) the Corporation may create a fund, a trust fund, or fund
of any nature, and may enter into agreements with its Trustees, officers,
members, employees and agents for the purpose of securing or insuring
in any manner its obligation to indemnify or advance expenses provided
for in this Article. Section 11.07 Modification. The duties of the Corporation
to indemnify and to advance expenses to a Trustee, officer or member provided
in this Article shall be in the nature of a contract between the Corporation
and each such Trustee, officer or member and no amendment or repeal of
any provision of this article, and no amendment or termination of any
trust or other fund created pursuant to Section 11.06, shall alter, to
the detriment of such Trustee or officer, the right of such person to
the advance of expenses or indemnification related to a claim based on
an act or failure to act which took place prior to such amendment, repeal
or termination. ARTICLE XII - MiscellaneousSection 12.01 Corporate Seal. The seal of the Corporation
shall be in such form and shall bear such words or symbols as the elected
members of the Corporation may determine. The seal, a facsimile of which
is hereto affixed, has been adopted as the corporate seal of this Corporation.
It shall be used for all acts of the Corporation requiring its seal and
shall be attested by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation. Section 12.02 Fiscal Year and Audit. The fiscal year
of the Corporation shall commence on the first day of July in each year
and end on the thirtieth day of June the following year. At least once
a year, or more often if required by the Board of Trustees, an audit of
the books and accounts of the Corporation shall be made by certified public
accountants to be designated by the Board of Trustees. ARTICLE XIII - AmendmentsSection 13.01 These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed by a vote of a majority, except as set forth in Section 13.02, of the membership of the Corporation at any Annual, Semiannual, or Special Meeting, provided that notice of the proposed change shall have been included in the notice of such meeting. Section 13.02 A vote of 75% of the membership of the Corporation shall be required to alter, amend, or repeal Article II of the Bylaws, Sections 3.01 or 3.04 of Article III, and any of the three Sections of Article XIII. Section 13.03 Inasmuch as Section 2.01 of Article II
of the Bylaws is taken verbatim from Article II of the Charter, a vote
of 75% of the members of this Corporation shall be required to alter,
amend, or repeal Article II of the Charter of the Academy of the New Church.
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