Constitution

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Major Policies of Sikh Society of Dayton

 The objective of establishing these policies is to insure that the resources of the corporation are managed properly and its day-to-day affairs are planned, organized and conducted in a fair and orderly manner. These policies are reviewed, amended (if necessary), and approved by the sewadars prior to March 31 of each year.

 I.      Definitions

  1. Gurdwara – a place leased, designated, or purchased for holding discourses of Gurbani and Sikh doctrines in the holy presence of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (The Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs)
  2. Sikh – the ardent follower of the Sikh Religion who has full faith in one God, ten Sikh Gurus (Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Guru Gobind Singh Ji), the present Guru (the Guru Granth Sahib Ji), the Amrit (method of Baptism) as enunciated by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and none else. A Sikh must abstain from the following four Kurahits (forbidden acts):
  3. Sewa – the voluntary performance of duties related to the conduct of a religious service (e.g. Gurdwara) and receive no monetary compensation for his/her service to the corporation.
  4. Sewadar – Humility implies negation of egoism through sewa, therefore, it is considered as one of the highest values in Sikhism. All members of the Board of Directors are generally refered to as Sewadars in this document. A chairperson may be designated among Sewadars to conduct meetings and serve other such purposes.
  5. Secretary – the only officer of the corporation who shall be designated by the Sewadars among themselves. The Secretary shall sign documents for the corporation as approved by the Sewadars and shall perform other duties as may be delegated.
    1. II.      Duties
    2. The Sewadars have the overall responsibility for planning, organizing, and conducting all affairs of the corporation.
    3. The Secretary has the specific responsibility of planning the activities of the corporation and shall serve as the focal point for coordinating activities with other organizations. Any activity other than regular monthly Gurdwara services requires majority approval of the Sewadars.
    4. The Sewadars will assign duties among themselves each year, and will also assign to the interested participants and membership as needed (see attachment I for list duties) to insure smooth and successful conduct of all corporation’s approved and planned activities.
    5. The Secretary will maintain the list of duties. The Sewadar must review, update if necessary, and approve the list of duties each year prior to March 31. Additional duties may be added subsequently with the Sewadar’s approval only.
  1. Removing or cutting hair from any part of the body (Sabat Surat Dastaar Sira)
  2. Committing Adultery
  3. Eating Kutha meat (slaughtered by slow torture)
  4. Using tobacco

 

  1. III.      Interested Participants

The Secretary will maintain a list of all interested participants and insure all persons on that list receive notices of planned activities of the Gurdwara.

  1. When a person of the Sikh Religion or anyone who believes in the teachings of the Sikh Gurus moves it or around the Dayton area (i.e. suburbs of Dayton and it’s surrounding communities to include Xenia and Springfield) he/she will be contacted by the Secretary to familiarize that person with the Corporation’s activities. Upon his/her consent, that person’s name will be added to the list of interested participants.
  2. Any other person who resides outside of the above mentioned areas and is interested in attending the Gurdwara activities organized by the Corporation, his/her name will also be added to the list of interested participants, but only upon that person’s request.

 

  1. IV.      Membership

The list of membership (Attachment II) will be maintained by the Secretary. The Sewadars will review and approve the membership in January and June of each year. The following criteria will be used to determine qualification for and removal from membership:-

  1. The minimum age for a member is eighteen (18).
  2. Membership in the Corporation is restricted to people who believe in the definition of a Sikh and who promise to take positive steps to conform to it.
  3. Membership in the corporation is restricted to those who will pledge to serve the corporation and maintain the Gurdwara through service in the form of Tan, Man and Dhan Sewa (Physical, Intellectual and Momentary Service). Some evidence, within the last year, in one of the following areas must exist to prove that a person has been loyal to the Corporation and has kept his/her pledge to be worthy of membership:
    1. 1.         Physical Sewa

a)      Attended six or more of the Corporation’s planned activities,

b)      or regularly performed the duties listed in attachment I (i.e. 6 or more times per year).

  1. 2.         Intellectual Sewa

a)      Regularly recited Gurbani at the Gurdwara,

b)      or regularly performed Kirtan (sing Hymns),

c)      or regularly performed Ardas, Prayer,

d)      or regularly conducted Katha (explained the essence of the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs).

  1. 3.         Dhan Sewa

a)      Donated twenty-five dollors ($25) or more.

  1. A majority of the Sewadars may remove any person from the membership if that person’s activities were considered detrimental to the Corporation’s existance or its objectives.

 

  1. V.      Sewadars

The maximum number of Sewadars will be five. No Sewadar will serve for more than (5) continuous years. After serving as a Sewadar, a member shall be eligible to be a Sewadar again after one year. Each year, in February, two Sewadars are expected to resign voluntarily who shall be replaced. If there are no two volunteers, then the persons, who will cease to serve shall be designated by drawing lots. If a person has been a Sewadar for less than two years of his current period of service, then that person will not be among those who will draw lots to see who will resign. The procedures below will be followed to qualify, select replacement, and remove (if it becomes necessary) Sewadars.

  1. Any member who lives in Dayton area as defined above, has voluntarily served the Corporation for at least one year by performing the duties (Attachment I) and has been in good standing of the Corporation during the past year is a potential candidate to be a Sewadar.
  2. The Sewadars will review the records of the entire membership and encourage eligible persons to be the candidates for the Sewadar positions to be filled.
  3. If there are more than two persons who are eligible and interested to be Sewadars, the names will be drawn by a lottery in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji at the congregation held in February of each year.
  4. A majority of the members may recommend the removal of any Sewadar if that person’s activities are considered detrimental with respect to the basic objectives of the Corporation. Such recommendation shall be subject to the approval by the Sewadars after the person sought to be removed from the Sewadars has been given an opportunity for an explanation of his/her defense.
  5. The Sewadars may fill vacancies. Those persons filling vacancies may serve untill the next February when the replacement Sewadars will be selected according to the procedures described above.

 

  1. VI.      Property

The Sewadars have the overall responsibility for acquiring maintaining, and controlling the Corporation’s property.

  1. Acquisition of new property for the Corporation under one-thousand dollars in value requires a majority approval of the Sewadars. Any property over one-thousand dollars requires ¾ majority approval of the membership in addition to the approval by a majority of the Sewadars.
  2. The Sewadars may assign the control responsibility of each item to the members (including Sewadars).
  3. Any alterations and improvements of the Corporation’s property must be approved by a majority of the Sewadars.
  4. The property of the Corporation will be used only for the activities approved or endorsed by the Sewadars.
  5. If an interested participant or a member requests to use the Corporation’s property for an individually planned, but Sewadar’s endorsed religious activity, before he/she will be allowed to use the Corporation’s Property :
    1. Must turn over all “offerings” from the congregation to the Secretary of the Corporation as a compensation for use of the property.
    2. Return the property in a condition ready to be used at the next approved activity.

 

  1. VII.      Funds

The Sewadars have the oversight responsibilities for managing and controlling funds for the Corporation. The Secretary shall sign documents for the Corporation and manage the funds as approved by the Sewadars.

  1. The Secretary shall collect and receive all funds for and on behalf of the Corporation.
  2. The Secretary shall, with prior approval of the Sewadars, execute all expenditures of the Corporation and maintain necessary records of collections, deposits and expenditures.
  3. The Sewadars will review the records of collections, deposits and expenditures annually.
  4. The Sewadars will review and adopt a yearly budget.
  5. The Secretary has the authority to expend money for utensils and other necessities for conducting monthly religious services and other Corporation planned affairs provided the total expenditures for the month do not exceed two-hundred fifty dollars.
  6. Any expenditure over two-hundred fifty dollars requires the majority approval of the Sewadars.
  7. Contributions for a Corporation’s endorsed cause (e.g. disaster and other such relief funds etc.) will be strictly on voluntary basis. Contributions collected for such a specific cause shall be used for that purpose only. No additional Corporation funds shall be expended to augment those contributions without the approval of a ¾ majority of the members and the majority of the Sewadars.

 

  1. VIII.      Attendance

Every person (irrespective of caste, creed, color, race, sex, religion, or nationality) is welcome to attend the Gurdwara provided he/she complies with the basic rules of the congregation.

 

  1. IX.      Petitions

A petition to change the conduct of the Corporation’s affairs can be initiated by a majority of the members in writing. The majority approval by the Sewadars constitutes immediate adoption of the petitioned change. If the majority of the Sewadars disapprove the petition, then the matter will be brought before the members for disposition. Then the Secretary will schedule a meeting of the members to consider the petition and insure that notices are sent thirty days prior to the meeting date. The change must be approved by a ¾ majority of the members for it to become binding.