MISSIONARY INDEPENDENT SPIRITUAL CHURCH
Newsletter Vol. 2 No. 6
11-30-07
DR. CHRISTOS KIONI AT MISSIONARY INDEPENDENT SPIRITUAL CHURCH
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Missionary Independent Spiritual Church Board Meeting, was convened on 8/21/07, 4pm-7pm, in Forestville, CA.
=======================================================
Attending were Board Members: Dr. Christos Kioni, catherine yronwode, and nagasiva yronwode. Also present were guests: Marilyn Fuller, Robin York, and Kelly Evans.
Resolutions confirmed at that meeting follow.
1) NAME
It is resolved that the name of our religious non-profit organization is Missionary Independent Spiritual Church and that the date of its founding was 6/6/06.
2) CHURCH REPORT
catherine yronwode, Minister of Missionary Independent Spiritual Church, reported that:
- between 6/6/06 and 5/11/07, the church building was completed and painted in red, green, and gold (the 'Church Colours') and its altars were installed;
- this building has been provided to the church rent-free for a period of one year, in order to allow the organization time to secure sufficient income to pay a modest yearly lease;
- research has disclosed that with 4096 square inches of floor space this building is very likely "The Smallest Church in the World" and some Board Members are actively seeking official recognition of this status;
- the church's web site, which went online in 2006, is http://www.missionary-independent.org/ the church also has a Yahoo group, accessible to the public at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/missionary-independent and at present there are 183 internet-based church affiliates and supporters;
- the institution of daily candle services commenced on May 12, 2007; readings and spiritual counselling sessions are offered to the public in the building now as well.
- a standardized method of conducting candle services for clients has been described in the 16 page booklet titled "Candle Service Manual for Missionary Independent Spiritual Church", which has been provided to all Practitioners, Deacons, and Ministers engaged in setting lights at the church;
- donations amounting to about $150.00 have already been made and are waiting deposit; most of these donations came from visitors who wish to see and photograph the "World's Smallest Church".
3) BOARD
It is resolved that the Board of Directors for this non-profit religious and educational organization shall include catherine and nagasiva yronwode, Dr. Christos Kioni (aka Kenneth Fuller), Ferne Aycock, and John Michael Greer. [Later ammended to replace Ferne Aycock with Fred Burke, and thus submitted for incorporation -- c.y.]
4) CLERICAL STRUCTURE AND ORDINATION
It is resolved that the structure for MISChurch shall be directed by formal ritual admission ("ordination") within a 7-part hierarchal body of the Church:
- Deacons -- laypersons who assist the Practitioners and Ministers of the Gospel in various functions, including Candle Services.
- Practitioners -- those authorized to perform religious functions in the church.
- Ministers of the Gospel -- those who engage in preaching and dissemination of church doctrines, through speaking, publishing, training, educational, and missionary work.
- Missionaries -- those authorized to travel abroad to spread the doctrines of the Church through evangelization.
- Apostles -- those who pioneer new areas for church development and consecration.
- Bishops -- those qualified to assume charge of a diocese of the church, and who have received the highest ordination available within it. The governing Board of Directors of the church are all Bishops.
- Elders -- officers of the church, having pastoral teaching, and accreditation functions who are qualified in part by being 50 years of age or older. The examiners of the Union of Independent Spiritual Practitioners are all Elders.
5) CONVOCATION AND CONSECRATION
Dr. Kioni, having been formerly consecrated as an Apostle, offered to consecrate catherine as a Bishop at a future event to be known as a "Convocation". Thereafter a succession of consecrations could proceed from them, admitting the Board and the rest of the congregation to their level as participating and qualified members.
6) CHURCH ACTIVITIES/FUNCTIONS
a) Candle Service Manual
Copies of the Candle Service Manual were distributed to Board Members and it will be used by church Practitioners to keep a standard form throughout our chapels and affiliates.
b) Apostolic Chapels
It is resolved that the means by which apostolic chapels of Missionary Independent Spiritual Church will be established shall include required conformance with the standards established by our US federal qualification, as well as commitment to the construction or procurement of a small building, such as a garden shed, painted appropriately in the "Church Colours" so as to function as one of the "World's Smallest Churches".
c) The Union of Independent Spiritual Practitioners (UISP)
It is resolved that one part of the activities of MISChurch, to be conducted by the church Elders, shall be the examination, credentialing, endorsement of, and oversight of those who function as Practitioners, issuing recommenations and guidance to them, as well as facilitating a recourse for clients who feel that they have been ill-served by spiritual workers of any type.
- This body shall incorporate all creeds and doctrines, making its affiliations truly ecumenical in the widest sense.
- All participants in this Union shall be graduates in good standing of catherine yronwode's Hoodoo Rootwork course, and at a minimum shall demonstrate their proficiency by giving a spiritual "test reading" for an authorized examining Elder, and providing client references as to their quality.
- The evaluation of prospective participantss shall include the "test reading", a separate oral examination, and a visible inspection (on the premises or via photographic relay) of the altars employed.
- The Union shall maintain a web directory of all endorsed Practitioners for the use of the general public.
- Yearly dues shall be charged to participant Practitioners in order to sustain the administration of the endorsement program and web directory site.
- It is recommended that a 10% Prosperity Tithing (optional) shall become a standard recommended practice for support of one's own ministry, and a clear example of one's confidence in the ministry's relationship to the divine.
- Any tithed monies and freewill donations collected will be deposited in the church's bank account, at Bank of the West, 6661 Front Street, Forestville, CA.
d) The Crystal Silence League
It is resolved that the Crystal Silence League network of prayerful individuals shall be re-created and the publication formerly available from Claude Alexander Conlin, which described a previously-functional network of similar capacity and with the same name, will be published by the Missionary Independent Spiritual Church and put forth in PDF or other format for distribution and cultivation of the League's continued existence.
If so, please click on the Paypal Secure Server logo to make a
small donation to Missionary Independent Spiritual Church
for the creation and maintenance of this site, or to dedicate
your offering to any of our Committees or fund-raising projects.
OUR WEB SITE
Missionary independent Spiritual Church can be found on the world wide web at