Objects of the Guild

  1. To raise the spiritual tone of altar servers.
  2. To promote a conscientious performance of the duties of altar servers.
  3. To encourage more frequent attendance at the Holy Eucharist, in addition to times of duty.

​OBLIGATIONS

  1. Every member and associate shall say the Guild collect on all Sundays and red letter days.
  2. All members shall say the appointed offices before and after serving, except at churches where another office is in use.
  3. Guild medals shall remain the property of the Guild, and in all cases be returned when anyone ceases to be a member or associate.

​RECOMMENDATIONS

For the better carrying out of the objects of the Guild members are recommended:-

  1. To make confession to a priest as conscience may require.
  2. To communicate, with special intention for he Guild, at the time of the annual festival.
  3. To make the objects of the Guild a matter of special self-examination on serving days.
  4. To attend, if possible a celebration of the Holy Eucharist each week, in addition to times of duty and obligation.
  5. To be ready to help a fellow server whensoever, wheresoever and howsoever opportunity may occur.
  6. To endeavour to take part in the annual festival, and as far as possible to attend meetings of the local chapter.

​MEMBERSHIP

The Guild shall consist of altar servers of the Church of England and of Churches in communion, subject to the following conditions:-

  1. Any communicant unreservedly accepting Catholic faith and practice, being at the time of application , engaged as an altar server, is eligible to become a member of the Guild.
  2. Such altar servers desirous of becoming a member of the Guild shall make application to any officer of the Guild on form No. 1.
    All applications for membership shall be submitted to the General Council or District Council for approval for full membership. This authority will then be given on Form 4 and a Guild medal issued.
  3. In every case the application for membership shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee to the funds of the Guild (of which payment one half may be retained by the District Council, where the application is made to a District Council) in return for which the applicant shall receive an acknowledgement from the Secretary- General, District Secretary or other appointed officer of the Guild, and such acknowledgement shall entitle the applicant to attend meetings of the Guild, but shall confer no voting powers.
  4. Admissions may be made by any priest officer of the Guild or by any priest duly authorised to act on his behalf.
  5. The General Council reserves to itself, and to District Councils the power of removing from the roll of the Guild the name of any member, associate or probationer whose conduct is in the opinion of the General Council or District Council inconsistent with the objects of the Guild, without reason given.

​ASSOCIATESHIP

Bishops, Priests and Deacons who are ordained within the male apostolic succession of The Church of England may be elected Associates on being proposed and seconded by members of the Guild and their names being submitted to the Council, by whom they are elected. Associates pay the same subscription as members, but have no voting powers. Members ceasing active duty may retain their connection with the Guild as Associates.

ORGANISATION

  1. District Councils may be formed in such places outside the British Isles as the General Council may from time to time determine, and shall remain in being subject to the approval of the General Council. The constitution and government of District Councils shall be determined by the General Council at their discretion in accordance with the needs of the District and after consultation with the bishop and/or clergy and members in the District. District Councils may make bye-laws for the area under their jurisdiction, subject to the approval of the General Council, but any bye-laws (not being inconsistent with the constitution) made by a District Council shall be effective in the District until the General Council has formally notified disapproval thereof. District Councils shall submit their bye-laws (and any additions to or alterations thereof) to the General Council without delay. District Councils may admit probationers and members to the Guild in accordance with the constitution of the Guild, and may form local chapters within their respective areas, but they shall not have power to do anything inconsistent with the constitution of the Guild.
    District Councillors shall be entitled to attend meetings of the General Council, on application being made to the Secretary-General, and shall have the voting powers thereon, provided they produce to the satisfaction of the General Council a commission from their respective District Councils for the exercise of such powers.
  2. Without legal obligation each District Council shall be expected to contribute to the funds of the General Council such sum as may represent in the opinion of the General Council expenses incurred by the General Council on behalf of the District, but otherwise the subscriptions of members in the District shall be controlled by the District Council. The General Council shall cause a statement of accounts to be sent to each District Council annually when making a claim for contributions under this provision.
  3. Local chapters of the Guild shall be formed as the General Council or District Council shall from time to time determine.
  4. Members leaving one locality for another shall be transferred by the Secretary-General, who will advise the chapters concerned to make the required alteration in the Roll.
  5. Members not residing within the limits of a local chapter shall be attached to and in correspondence with central office or district headquarters.
  6. All applications for membership within the area allotted to a local chapter, which have not been submitted under the auspices of the local chapter, shall be notified to the secretary of the local chapter, for the information of the local chapter.

GOVERNMENT

  1. The Guild shall be governed by a General Council constituted as follows: Warden, Chaplain-General, Chaplain of the Candidates Ordination Fund, Secretary- General, Treasurer-General, Grand Councillors, Honorary Councillors and not less than 15 elected members as Councillors, the number of the latter to be determined by the General Council from time to time, together with such District Councillors as may be commissioned under the provision of this constitution. The Secretary of the Candidates Ordination Fund, the Editor and Distributor of ”The Server” shall be ex-officio members of the General Council. The Warden, Chaplain-General and the Chaplain of the Candidates Ordination Fund shall be priests.
  2. The Priest Officers of the Guild with the Secretary-General and the Treasurer-General shall constitute an executive committee to assist the General Council.
  3. The Warden, Chaplain-General, Chaplain of the Candidates Ordination Fund, Secretary-General and Treasurer-General shall be elected annually by the General Council, subject to confirmation by the annual general meeting.
  4. For the purpose of election to the General Council, each District Council shall be entitled to return one member and local chapters not within the areas allotted to District Councils shall be divided into electoral groups as may be determined from time to time by the General Council, each group returning one member. Members elected to the General Council, other than representatives of District Councils, shall be elected at the time of the annual general meeting for a period of three years, shall retire in rotation and be eligible for re-election. General Councillors elected by District councils shall serve on the General Council for such periods as the respective District Councils shall determine.
    Nominations for the election of General Councillors from electoral groups shall be communicated to the Secretary-General in writing.In default of any nomination or election from any electoral group or any District Council the General Council may nominate a member to represent any such electoral group or District Council. Nominations for representatives of any electoral group may be made by any local chapter within the area allotted to such Electoral Group by vote at a duly convened chapter meeting, or by any ten members of the Guild within such area acting together. The General Council is prepared to pay second class return fares to officers and councillors for attendance at Council meetings.
  5. Any proposal to alter the constitution of the Guild must first be approved by the General Council.
  6. While the government of the Guild is absolutely in the hands of the General Council, no change shall be made in the constitution of the Guild without the consent of a general meeting of the Guild. At a general meeting of the Guild a minority of at least one-third of those voting, either in person or by letter, may demand that any proposed alterations in the constitution of the Guild shall be submitted to the whole Guild by a process of referendum, a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes recorded in the referendum being necessary for the proposal to be carried into effect.
  7. All services in connection with the Guild must receive the sanction of the General Council.
  8. A member who has been serving on the General Council for twelve consecutive years (in the case of a Priest Officer five consecutive years) may be elected by the Council as a Grand Councillor and shall have the right to receive a copy of all official publications, agenda of council meetings, etc., and may attend and vote at meetings of the General Council, but need not regard it as a duty to be present.
  9. Any member of the Guild who, in the opinion of the General Council, has rendered service to the Guild deserving special recognition, may be elected by the General Council an Honorary Councillor for such period as the General Council may determine, not exceeding five years, with power to re-elect for a further similar period thereafter, such Honorary Councillor to be entitled to the same privileges as other members of the General Council, provided that the total number of Grand Councillors and Honorary Councillors together shall not exceed twelve at any one time.