Handbook of Procedures of the Family International

Procedure I: New Members

Article 1

An individual who wishes to become a member of the Family International should:

  1. Fulfill “Chapter II: Membership, Article 2” of the Charter of the Family International.
  2. Complete the reading of a pre-membership interim reading list in order to gain a basic understanding of the Family International, its core purpose, core values, core beliefs, membership, and history.
  3. Read the Charter of the Family International and its supporting documents, and accept his or her membership responsibilities as articulated in “Chapter II: Membership, Articles 4–5.”
  4. Apply for a TFI member account at http://members.tfionline.com.

Procedure II: TFI Member Works

Article 1

A member starting a new TFI member work:

  1. Determines and defines his or her work’s basic purpose and statutes of operations, ensuring that the work is in alignment with the “Mission Statement of the Family International.”
  2. Commits to abide by the “Professional Standard for TFI Member Works.”
  3. Notifies other TFI member works operating in the city or metropolitan area of his or her planned work. Notification can be made by listing the new TFI member work on http://works.tfionline.com.
    1. If planning to start a new TFI member work in a restricted country, the member must wait for approval from the regional shepherds before proceeding.
  4. Lists as a TFI member work on http://works.tfionline.com.

Article 2

To initiate the procedure to disassociate a TFI member work from the Family International in accordance with “Chapter IV: TFI Member Works, Article 2” in the Charter of the Family International, a member or another TFI member work must:

  1. Approach the members of the TFI member work in question personally or in writing to address and attempt to resolve the disputed conduct.
  2. If the matter is not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, the member(s) or other TFI member work(s) may lodge a formal written complaint with the regional shepherds, with a copy to the TFI member work concerned, outlining the infraction(s) and what action has been taken to try to resolve the issue(s).
    1. The TFI member work in question may, within 30 days, defend its position in writing to the regional shepherds, with copies to the member(s) and other TFI member work(s).
  3. After reviewing the case, the regional shepherds will determine whether the TFI member work should be disassociated from the Family International.
    1. A work that has been disassociated from the Family International will not be considered a TFI member work and will be removed from the TFI member works site, and asked not to operate in the name of or in association with the Family International until the matter in question has been resolved.
    2. The regional shepherds’ decision will be final and the case will be officially closed.
  4. The outcome of the decision and a letter of explanation stating the reason(s) for the decision will be sent by the regional shepherds to the TFI member work in question with copies to all those directly involved.

Article 3

If a TFI member work that has been disassociated from the Family International has rectified the issues that led to its disassociation, the member(s) conducting the work may apply to the regional shepherds to be listed again as a TFI member work.

Procedure III: City Mission Forums

Article 1

  1. A city mission forum may be formed by two or more TFI member works that are active within a city or metropolitan area.
  2. All members involved in mission activities or TFI member works within a city or metropolitan area may participate in the city mission forum.
  3. More than one city mission forum may be established within a metropolitan area to meet the needs of the members and their works within that metropolitan area.
  4. Participating members of the city mission forum will decide how often to meet, and determine the structure and order of the forum.

Procedure IV: Mission-Activity Restricted Countries

Article 1

Due to the political, religious, or otherwise sensitive nature of a country, the regional shepherds may request mission-activity restricted status for that country.

  1. The regional shepherds must apply to the Family International directors specifying the reasons for requesting mission-activity restricted status for a country.
  2. After reviewing the request, the Family International directors will determine whether mission-activity restricted country status will be granted.
    1. If granted, mission-activity restricted country status will automatically expire in two years, unless application for renewal has been submitted and approved before that time.

Article 2

To establish mission-related guidelines within a mission-activity restricted country, the regional shepherds must conduct a referendum of all members living in the country requesting that some mission-related activity be restricted.

  1. The referendum must be agreed to by a majority of members within the country to become binding.
  2. If the referendum does not receive a majority vote, the mission-related activity may not be restricted within the country.
    1. A new referendum requesting the restriction of the same mission-related activity may not be issued for six months.

Article 3

To initiate the procedure for repealing the restriction on a mission-based activity in a restricted country before its expiry date, the regional shepherds must conduct a referendum of all members living in the country requesting that the restrictions on the mission-based activity be repealed.

  1. The referendum must be agreed to by a majority of members within the country to become binding.
  2. If the referendum does not receive a majority vote, the restriction on that mission-based activity will not be repealed.
    1. A new referendum requesting that the restrictions on the same mission-based activity be repealed may not be issued for six months.

Article 4

Two or more members living within a mission-activity restricted country may petition the regional shepherds to conduct a referendum to request or repeal the restriction of a mission-related activity(ies) within the country.

Procedure V: Revocation of Membership

Article 1

A member may have his or her membership revoked, resulting in loss of membership and services, and loss of access to members-only websites, for an infraction listed in “Chapter II: Membership, Article 10” in the Charter of the Family International.

Article 2

In order to initiate the procedure for revocation of membership, a member must first communicate with the member whose actions are in question to bring the issues of concern to his or her attention.

  1. If the matter is not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, the initiating member should again communicate with the member in question to address the conduct at issue, stating that this communication has initiated the procedure for revocation of membership.
  2. If the matter is not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, the initiating member should bring the conduct to the attention of two other members who have firsthand knowledge of the situation.
    1. If the other members agree that the conduct is grounds for revocation of membership, they should also communicate with the member in question to address the disputed conduct.
  3. If the matter is still not resolved within a reasonable amount of time, a “Recommendation for Revocation of Membership” form must be filled out by the members making the recommendation and be sent along with verification that there has been communication according to Articles 2.1–2 between the parties to the regional shepherd responsible, who will forward copies to the member in question.
    1. The member in question may within 30 days defend his or her position to the regional shepherd responsible, and include letters of recommendation on his or her behalf. The regional shepherd will forward copies to all those involved.
  4. After reviewing the case, the regional shepherd responsible will determine whether the case warrants revocation of membership.
    1. If the regional shepherd responsible determines that the case does not warrant revocation of membership, the case will be officially closed.
    2. If the regional shepherd responsible determines that the case does warrant revocation of membership, he or she must communicate with his or her counselor, passing on all documentation pertinent to the case.
    3. If, after reviewing the case, the counselor agrees that the case warrants revocation of membership, the decision to revoke the person’s membership is final.
    4. If the counselor does not agree that the case warrants revocation of membership, the case will be closed and the individual’s membership will not be revoked.
  5. The outcome of the decision and a letter of explanation stating the reason(s) for the decision will be sent by the regional shepherd responsible to all those directly involved.

Article 3

An individual who has lost his or her membership is eligible for reinstatement if the matter for which that individual lost his or her membership is resolved and it is deemed by the regional shepherds that the individual is eligible for membership.

  1. The applicant must submit a reinstatement request, and include references from two individuals who can vouch for his or her change or repentance from whatever it was that caused the individual to lose his or her membership.
    1. Those submitting the references would need to be aware of the reason(s) for the loss of membership and should state their relationship to the person requesting reinstatement.
  2. If the regional shepherd responsible determines that the applicant is eligible for membership, he or she will be reinstated.
  3. If the regional shepherd responsible determines that the applicant is ineligible for reinstatement, he or she must communicate with his or her counselor, passing on all documentation pertinent to the case.
  4. If, after reviewing the case, the counselor agrees that the applicant is ineligible for reinstatement, the decision to deny reinstatement is final.
  5. If the counselor does not agree that the applicant is ineligible for reinstatement, the application will be approved.
  6. The outcome of the decision and a letter of explanation stating the reason(s) for the decision will be sent by the regional shepherd responsible to the applicant.

Procedure VI: Excommunication

Article 1

A member will be excommunicated, resulting in permanent loss of membership and services, including loss of access to members-only sites; disallowance from participation in community events, gatherings, and TFI member works; or from distributing TFI/Aurora products, for an offense listed in “Chapter II: Membership, Article 11” in the Charter of the Family International.

Article 2

To initiate the procedure for excommunication of a member:

  1. Substantiated evidence supporting the accusation must be submitted to the regional shepherd responsible to determine whether the action warrants excommunication.
    1. Substantiated evidence includes, but is not limited to, the accused having been found guilty by law, confession of the offense, physical evidence, or eyewitness accounts.
  2. The regional shepherd responsible may further investigate the allegations, if he or she feels it is warranted.
  3. If the evidence is deemed conclusive by the regional shepherd responsible and his or her counselor, they will send an official recommendation for excommunication to the administrative counselor assigned to adjudication, who will review the case in conjunction with another administrative counselor.
    1. If it is determined that there is substantiated evidence, the individual will be excommunicated and the case will be officially closed.
    2. If it is determined that there is insufficient evidence, the individual will not be excommunicated and the case will be officially closed.
    3. If officially closed, a case will not be reopened unless new evidence is provided that could overturn the decision.
  4. The outcome of the decision and a letter of explanation will be sent by the regional shepherd responsible to the member in question with copies to all those directly involved.
    1. If the member in question has been excommunicated, the regional shepherd responsible will inform the members living in the country where the excommunicated individual resides.

Article 3

An individual who has been excommunicated will not be eligible for reinstatement of membership to the Family International at any time.

Procedure VII: Succession of Family International Directors

Article 1

In the event of the incapacitation, retirement, or death of Peter Amsterdam or Maria Fontaine, the other would take on the full duties of Family International directors.

Article 2

In the event of the incapacitation, retirement, or death of both Peter Amsterdam and Maria Fontaine, the procedure for selecting a new body of Family International directors shall be:

  1. The formation of an interim council consisting of the administrative counselors, one delegate from each region’s regional shepherds, and others predetermined by the Family International directors.
  2. The interim council will manage the affairs of the Family International directors, making decisions by a simple majority, until such time as the new Family International directors are in office.
  3. The Family Policy Council will, within 45 days, determine by a two-thirds majority the new body of Family International directors.

Addendum

Recommendation for Revocation of Membership

(To be filled out by those initiating recommendation for revocation of membership, and emailed to the regional shepherds.)

Name of initiator(s), city of residence, and contact information:

Name of second signer, city of residence, relationship to the initiator, and contact information:

Name of third signer, city of residence, relationship to the initiator, and contact information:

Name and contact information of the person in question:

Description of the individual’s activity that warrants loss of membership, including how the person is contravening the responsibilities of TFI members, and/or how his or her conduct is damaging to TFI communities or works.

Did the initiator(s) take action to rectify the matter prior to initiating this procedure? Please explain.

What action has been taken to fulfill “Procedure V: Revocation of Membership, Article 2.1” in the “Handbook of Procedures for the Family International,” and when was the action initiated?

What actions have been taken by the three parties to fulfill “Procedure V: Revocation of Membership, Article 2.2” in “Handbook of Procedures for the Family International”? (List the actions of the three parties.)

Additional/relevant information for consideration:

Signatures of the three parties:

Notes

Small Communities: If there are an insufficient number of co-signers to follow “Procedure V: Revocation of Membership, Article 2.2” in the “Handbook of Procedures for the Family International,” the person(s) initiating the procedure should inform the regional shepherd responsible of his or her extenuating circumstances when submitting this form.

Confidentiality: It is understood that the information contained on this form and all documents pertaining to it will be handled confidentially and with discretion by all parties involved. (Confidentiality by legal definition means “known or conveyed only to a limited number of people—confidential disclosure.”)

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