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Policies And Procedures PDF Print E-mail

HOLY ORDER - SIN SITY SISTERS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

Philosophy and Statement of Purpose

We exist as an order of 21st century nuns dedicated to the promulgation of omniversal joy and the expiation of stigmatic guilt. Our ministry is one of public manifestation and habitual perpetration.

  1. Freedom of Expression There are few restrictions on our individual artistic creativity. The rules that do exist are in place to enhance the overall effectiveness of our order. At certain events, all members of the Holy Order - Sin Sity Sisters (SSS) will be required to wear the traditional habits designed and approved by our general membership (GM) coordinated with the "white face" developed by and for each member and accessorized in a manner which allows members their right of self-expression. It is mandatory for members appearing in habit or uniform at public events to be "in face" unless otherwise approved by the GM.
  2. Diversity We are a family. As a family, we are allowed to be individual within a close-knit group. Our membership is open to men and women, young and old, rich and poor, gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual and transgender. Our organization is open to masculine, feminine and androgynous persona. We have no need to separate different people into affiliated organizations. To do so would be both hypocritical and contrary to our statement of purpose. Our rules may be bent and stretched. They are guidelines which sometimes must be enforced strictly and other times applied loosely . Each member is an individual and each situation is unique. Our lengthy application process is in place so that the existing general membership can ensure that all new members share the same basic philosophy, have the ability and desire to work with and for other people and wish to learn and grow.
  3. Social Activism As an order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc. (SPI), the SSS are 21st century nuns who are free from the guilt associated with many traditional religions. Our sub-committees plan actions and events affecting various social issues, happenings or fund-raising efforts and we will appear in support of those actions or events when our GM deems it APPROPRIATE.
  4. Social Service We will educate, promote safer sex, visit the sick, feed the hungry and generally service the community.
  5. Spiritual Development The Sin Sity Sisters have no affiliation with any specific religion. Each member is encouraged to explore their own spirituality whether it be traditional or non-traditional and share that spirituality with any other consenting members. All members must keep open minds and respect different points of view. Certain behaviors while in habit are not tolerated. These include offensive drunkenness, inappropriate hostility, demeaning attitudes, inappropriate sexual behavior, etc.. We suppress our individual egos in order to expiate the bitchy and uncooperative impulses that permeate so many aspects of gay culture.
  6. Commitment The Order requires its members to demonstrate commitment to the ideals of the Order, the community at large and to the individuals that comprise the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Membership

  1. Aspirants Aspirants are non-members seeking any position with the Order. The Aspirant process begins with an interview with the Mistress of Novices. If satisfied that the individual could be compatible with the Order and its doctrines, the Novice Mistress will introduce the Aspirant at the next regularly scheduled GM meeting and request a vote of acceptance by the membership. A simple two-thirds majority vote is required to start the Aspirant process. The Aspirant period will last no less than two months. During this period, the Aspirant will attend at least two GM meetings as a non-member and attend as many functions as possible. This will allow them to become personally acquainted with the membership and observe our missionary work while retaining their own individual persona. Any deviations from their standard attire must be approved by the Mistress of Novices. No imitation of Sister "face" is permitted during this period. They will maintain a record of all their activities in order to present a resume to the Mistress of Novices at the completion of their aspirancy period.
  2. Postulants Postulants are considered to be members in training. They will be under the direct supervision of the Mistress of Novices. The Postulant training period will be no less than four months and no more than six months. They will attend a minimum of 50% of GM meetings during this period and may speak to SSS issues but cannot vote. They may not be an officer and cannot chair a committee or event. unless done in conjunction with a "Big Sister". Each Postulant should request that a "Big Sister" be assigned to them and they may work with the GM on approved projects. The FPM will train them in areas of attire, behavior and safety, etc. and will familiarize them with the workings of the Order. They must participate in at least 1of the monthly events of the Order during their Postulant period. They will be in appropriate attire for each event as designated by the Mistress of Novices without jewels or lips. This will signify that they may not speak for the Order in any way and are present only to observe, learn and serve. No imitation of Sister "face" is permitted during this period. They will maintain a record of all their activities in order to present a resume to the Mistress of Novices at the completion of their Postulant period.*
  3. Novices Novices are members of the order but have no voting rights and cannot be officers. They must attend a minimum of 50% of the meetings of the order during the novitiate period which is a minimum of six months and are allowed to have input on SSS issues. All attendance issues must be coordinated through the Mistress of Novices. Novices must be sponsored by an FPM during the novitiate period. They may not sponsor an official SSS event, may not appear in public in habit without an FPM and must defer all public or press interviews to an appropriate FPM. They may not speak for the Order. Novitiates are expected to be well-versed in the rules and regulations of SSS. When participating at an event, Novice Sisters are required to be "in face" and wear the SSS traditional coronet with white veil only. They will be in appropriate attire for each event as designated by the Mistress of Novices without jewels or lips. They must maintain a traditional Novice habit (white) and at least one "festive" habit. They must participate, in habit, in a minimum of 2 of the monthly events of the Order during this period. SENTRYs must be sponsored by an FPM during the novitiate period. They may not sponsor an official SSS event, may not appear in public in uniform without an FPM and must defer all public or press interviews to an appropriate FPM. They may not speak for the Order. Sentrys are expected to be well-versed in the rules and regulations of SSS. Sentry training period will be a minimum of four months. When participating at an event, Sentrys are required to be in Guard uniform as designated by the Mistress of Novices. They must attend a minimum of 50% of GM meetings and must participate, in uniform, in a minimum of half (50%) of the events of the Order during this period and may not appear in public without the presence of FPMs. Duties of Sentrys will be defined by the Mistress of Novices. Novitiates are required to present for approval to the Mistress of Novices and successfully organize and stage an official SSS project under the supervision of an FPM. Upon meeting these minimum requirements, they may request that their sponsor propose them for elevation to full profession at a regularly scheduled meeting of the SSS. At that meeting, they should be prepared to present to the GM a written statement of what they have learned, what they hope to accomplish and why they wish to be a member of the SSS.
  4. Fully Professed Members (FPM) Fully Professed Members are voting members for life except for resignation, excommunication or temporary loss of voting privileges as explained in the Bylaws of SSS. They may chair SSS sponsored events, hold office and assist in formulating the direction the order will pursue. FPMs may speak for the order but may not commit the order individually, contractually or in any manner whatsoever. Commitments for the order can only be done by approval of the GM. When representing the order, they are required to be "in face" and wear the designated habit including traditional coronet and veil (color of veil may be varied as deemed appropriate for habit). There should be a minimum of two (2) FPMs for all manifestations, unless approved by the GM. Fully Professed Members must attend SSS meetings as directed in Bylaws. They may sponsor novices, sentrys or postulants.
  5. Guards Guards are members of the Order who do not wish to become nuns but still have a desire to serve the Order. If at any time a guard wishes to become a Sister, they must revert to the beginning Novitiate period. They may not represent the Order to the press. Guards may speak for the order but may not commit the order individually, contractually or in any manner whatsoever. Commitments for the order can only be done by approval of the GM. Guards escort FPM's, ensure their safety and can be considered as a member for purposes of manifestation. Their "face" is to be black makeup, a mask or other configuration they may find representative of themselves. Their standard uniform is to be leather or military attire unless a special event dictates otherwise. They may attend meetings and have input on issues deemed pertinent but have no voting rights.
  6. Members Emeritus (Retirement) FPM's who wish to keep ties with the Order may retire with the title of Member Emeritus rather than resign completely. They are not expected to attend meetings or pay dues but are encouraged to participate at events and to share their wisdom end experience as an FPM with others. Members Emeritus are not agents of the order, may not represent the order to the public and have no voting rights. They must petition the order to regain FPM status and must receive a simple majority vote at a regularly scheduled meeting of the GM to return to FPM status.

Friends of the Order

  1. Saint A Saint can be any person who performs duties in support of the Order or whose life and accomplishments are exemplary and in keeping with the Order's philosophy and statement of purpose. Any FPM may nominate a person for Sainthood by presenting a resume or biography at any GM meeting. At the following GM meeting, the membership will vote on the nomination. A simple majority vote is required to approve Sainthood.
  2. Angel Angels are those who contribute materials or money to the Order. They have no rights within the Order and are not considered members.
  3. Archivist The Archivist takes care of all historical records, documents, props, photos, artwork, etc., for the Order. As this is a very trusted and demanding position, it should be an FPM in good standing and ratified by the SSS board.

Officers

Officers serve one year terms and are elected at the annual meeting. There are no term limits for officers

  1. Mistress /Master of Ceremonies (President) The Mistress/Master of Ceremonies notifies members of GM meetings and serves as the Chair of GM and Officer meetings and prepares the Agendas for those meetings. S/He is responsible for seeing that an accurate attendance record is kept and that all other Officers are fulfilling their duties. The Mistress/Master of Ceremonies is the official Chief Executive of the Order and is the official spokesperson for the Order when no other is specified.Other duties mat be determined by the Bylaws, the Board of the GM or in accordance with non-profit law as necessary.
  2. Mistress / Master of Novices (Vice-President) The Mistress/Master of Novices interviews Aspirants, Postulants and Novices and answers questions presented regarding SSS rules, history, etc.. S/He makes reports at GM meetings regarding progress and status pending new members, distributes official SSS sanctioned attire requirements and all training instruments. S/He maintains communication with GM and tracks sabbaticals, etc.. S/He shall host Novice Teas as needed to educate and is ultimately responsible for ensuring that Aspirants, Postulants and Novices know the rules, policies, behavior and dress codes of the SSS.Other duties mat be determined by the Bylaws, the Board of the GM or in accordance with non-profit law as necessary.
  3. Mistress / Master of Communications (Secretary) The Mistress/ Master of Communications is responsible for all official worldwide Order communication. S/He takes minutes of all GM meetings and presents same for approval and archiving, maintains the official mailing list of the Order and is the official Secretary for the Order.Other duties mat be determined by the Bylaws, the Board of the GM or in accordance with non-profit law as necessary.
  4. Mistress / Master of Collections (Treasurer) The Mistress /Master of Collections is the official Financial Officer/Treasurer for the Order. S/He handles all banking functions, ensures that all State and Federal rules and regulations are followed, including filings and reports, and makes quarterly reports to the GM covering all financial matters. Other duties mat be determined by the Bylaws, the Board of the GM or in accordance with non-profit law as necessary.

Meeting Procedure An Agenda is prepared and followed. Roberts Rules of Order and consensus are both used as guidelines during meetings. The SSS meeting Chair decides when and if stricter adherence to Roberts Rules of Order should be applied in order to expedite the agenda. A motion is proposed and seconded only by voting members. A simple majority vote is required on any and all motions. All non-members wishing to address the board should request to be scheduled on the Agenda. A committee may be designated to investigate and report on any issue. Committees will follow basic parliamentary procedure and consensus . Non-members may participate in committees with approval of the committee Chair.

Transfer of Members from Other SPI Houses When any Member of any other recognized SPI Order moves into our area or will be spending a great deal of time in our area and wants to become a voting member of the SSS, the following are the procedures that must be met satisfactorily: 1. They will transfer from their SPI Order at the same level (FPM, Novice, Postulant, etc.) if they are a member in good standing in their Order. 2. The SSS voting membership must be presented with the transferring members current resume and a letter of recommendation and status from their current Order. 3. The SSS voting membership votes at a regularly scheduled meeting on the applying member. A simple majority vote in favor is needed to accept the applying member. 4. Upon acceptance, the board will set the amount of time the member must serve in non-voting status. This must be no less than three (3) months and no more than six (6) months. During this non-voting period, they will familiarize themselves with the operations and procedures of the SSS Order.

Approval of New Members and Progression Prospective new members must have secured a sponsor (an FPM) before approaching the voting membership for acceptance into the SSS. The Sponsor presents the prospective new member to the voting membership at a regularly scheduled meeting. The candidate may be questioned by all voting members present regarding any aspect of the SSS. Progression requires a simple majority vote. If the vote is positive, the candidate will immediately be granted all rights and privileges appropriate to the new level. All non-voting members will be asked to leave the room while the voting members discuss the candidate. Any and all reasons or concerns about the candidate must be discussed fully so that, if the vote is negative, the Mistress of Novices can explain those reasons to the individual. A vote is taken and the non-voting members are invited back into the room and informed of the result.

Voting Rights All FPMs are considered voting members for the rest of their lives except in the following cases: voting rights have been temporarily suspended by the voting membership; they have retired, been excommunicated or have resigned; they are on Sabbatical; missed two (2) consecutive GM meetings. If a member has missed two (2) consecutive GM meetings, voting rights are automatically restored after attending one regularly scheduled GM meeting.

Active Status FPMs are expected to attend a minimum of three (3) GM meetings and two (2) official SSS events during a twelve (12) month period. Members who cannot or do not wish to participate to this extent shall be considered Inactive as designated in Bylaws. All Aspirants, Postulants, Novices and Sentrys are expected to attend all GM meetings and SSS events unless the GM or Novice Mistress has granted them dispensation.

Suspension The SSS voting membership, by simple majority, may temporarily suspend any members rights or privileges as set forth in this manual or the Bylaws for behavior that is deemed inappropriate. This includes, but is not limited to the following: voting privileges, appearance in habit, public representation of the Order. Once suspended, a simple majority vote is required to reinstate any rights or privileges.

Excommunication Two thirds of the voting membership present at a regularly scheduled meeting must approve the expulsion of another voting or non-voting member. This instrument is used as the absolute last resort after all other efforts over an extended period of time have been exhausted. A Board Member and an Officer (who are not one and the same) must be informed of any motion to remove any Member and the reasons for such motion at least seven (7) days in advance of the GM meeting at which the motion will be presented. At the time of said notification, the Secretary shall make all reasonable efforts to contact the Member to whom it pertains and advise them of all relevant details pertaining to the motion, including when it will be presented. An Excommunicated member has the right to file a grievance to contest or appeal removal as outlined in the Bylaws. *

Sabbatical Any FPM may request a Sabbatical from all duties, activities and participation with this Order by delivering a written notice to the Abbess and to the Mistress of Novices stating this desire and including a projected time frame for that Sabbatical. Any Sabbatical lasting more than one year will require approval of the GM. During Sabbatical, a member may attend meetings and functions as they desire but cannot face or speak for the Order unless given special dispensation. They also lose their voting rights and the right to chair a committee but are still listed as active members and are still expected to follow our standard rules of conduct. Violations of this section of our Policies and Procedures will be acted upon by the Executive Board who will discern severity of violation and appropriate action to be taken whether it be legal, verbal communication / redress or otherwise. At such time as Member desires to end their Sabbatical period, notice of same must be communicated in writing to the appropriate Officer(s) of the Order and voted on at the next scheduled meeting of the GM.*Adopted Sep 18, 2007

Sponsorship Any FPM in good standing with the Order may sponsor a new member (Aspirant). Designated as the new members Big Sister, sponsors review the performance and behavior of the Aspirant, report that activity to the GM at regularly scheduled meetings, answer any questions the Aspirant may have, stay in close contact with the Aspirant and offer advice. Big Sisters also encourage Aspirants to discover a name that is reflective of themselves and their role in the Order. During the process of Aspirant to Postulant to Novice, the candidate will select a Mother with the approval of the Mistress of Novices. Mothers will have the task of guiding their Daughters into their new profession. The Mother must work with the Novice Mistress to ensure that the Daughter is fitting in with the established membership and is appropriately completing all facets of their novitiate requirements. Being a Mother is a privilege, not a right. The Novice Mistress reserves the right to alter the Mother/Daughter relationship if that relationship is not beneficial to the candidate, Mother and/or the Order.

Membership Closure Voting members may vote by a simple majority to close the Order to new members for any specified period of time.

Quorum An SSS meeting may make official decisions if that meeting is attended by two thirds of the voting membership. Any GM meeting convened with less than a simple majority of the voting membership may discuss issues but not make any binding decisions. Questions as to the presence of a quorum at the time of voting must be raised at the time the vote is taken and cannot be raised later. Unless the minutes show that a quorum was not present at the time of voting on a motion, the presumption is that a quorum was present when the meeting began and continued to be present until recess or adjournment.

Rule Changes Two thirds of the SSS voting membership must approve changes to this document at a regularly scheduled SSS meeting. Proposed changes to Bylaws or Policies and Procedures must be reviewed in advance by the Bylaws Committee. If any conflict arises regarding this document and the SSS bylaws, the bylaws supersede this manual. Amended August 1, 2006, April 17, 2007, September 18, 2007