The personnel policy of the Church of Unity

Working translation. Synchronized with the Russian corpus as of 2026-10-25. Canonical formulas are binding only in the Russian original; publication — after human review.

Chapter I. General provisions

Article 1. The goals and tasks

1.1. This Policy defines the principles and the order of managing personnel in the Church of Unity.

1.2. The personnel policy is built on the principles:

• of respect for the dignity of every sentient being;
• of honesty and transparency in all relations;
• of freedom and responsibility as inseparable values;
• of keeping the canonical norms and ethical standards;
• of continuous development and learning;
• of keeping the Dunbar barrier (about 150 people) for effective management.

1.3. This Policy is based on the Canon (Chapter 8. On Society) and the Covenant (Chapter 4. On labor and creation).

Chapter II. The categories of members and ministers

Article 2. The categories of persons in the Church

2.1. The community consists of the core and those without capability. In the Church of Unity the following categories of persons are distinguished:

• Members of the core — capable people accepted by the vote of the core (two thirds); they hold a voice in the common;
• Covenant guests — capable people who accepted the Covenant without entering the core; without a voice in the common;
• Those without capability — children, the elderly, the disabled and persons temporarily deprived of capability, under the community's guardianship;
• Hired workers — persons who have concluded a labor contract with the Church for performing concrete tasks (outside membership).

2.2. The ministries (the Speaker, the Leader, the Master of the table, the Missionary, the Mentor, the Scribe, the Gatherer of gifts, the Chronicler) — not a category of membership but voluntary functions of a member of the core agreed with the community; a ministry is not a position.

2.3. Each category has its own rights and duties, defined by this Policy.

Article 3. Members of the core

3.1. A member of the core — a capable person accepted by the procedure of the Canon (chapter 8): the Covenant, the invitation of a member of the core, a public declaration, a survey of the understanding of the texts, the vote of the core (two thirds).

3.2. The rights of a member of the core:

• to take part in the making of decisions by the core of the community;
• to elect and be elected to a ministry;
• to receive access to the texts of the canon and the Covenant and the teachings;
• to take part in the rites and gatherings;
• to receive support from the community in need.

3.3. The duties of a member of the core:

• to follow the principles and commandments of the Church;
• to take part in the life of the community;
• to make one's contribution to the common cause;
• to support other members of the community;
• to keep the disciplinary norms.

Article 4. Ministers

4.1. Ministers — members of the community performing definite functions agreed with the community.

4.2. The kinds of ministries:

• spiritual (holding rites, teaching, spiritual mentoring);
• administrative (managing the community, accounting, reporting);
• organizational (preparing gatherings, events);
• social (helping the needy, supporting the community);
• missionary (spreading the teaching, inviting new members);
• other kinds of ministries approved by the core of the community.

4.3. Ministers work on a voluntary basis; a ministry does not turn into a paid position. One-time paid works (the preparing of the table when there are no cooks, the hiring of a specialist) — by the community's decision from the treasury; this is the work of the common cause, not a rank (see the Regulation of gatherings, the Financial charter).

4.4. Ministers are dedicated by the order of ministry (see "The order of the sacraments," ch. 3) — after nomination, practice under supervision and the vote of the core by a majority of two thirds of the votes. A ministry — is not a position: one is not appointed to it, one steps into it.

Article 5. Hired workers

5.1. Hired workers — persons who have concluded a labor contract with the Church for performing concrete tasks.

5.2. Hired workers may be engaged for:

• performing technical functions (cleaning, guarding, repair);
• specialized work (accounting, legal services);
• professional activity (publishing, design, programming);
• other tasks requiring professional skills.

5.3. Labor relations with hired workers are governed by the legislation of the country on whose territory the community acts.

5.4. Hired workers are not obliged to accept the Covenant but must respect the principles of the Church.

Chapter III. The order of dedication and recall of ministers

Article 6. The nomination of candidates

6.1. Candidacies for a ministry may be nominated by:

• the members of the community themselves (self-nomination);
• other members of the community;
• the core of the community.

6.2. A candidate for a ministry must:

• be a member of the core of the community;
• show the corresponding qualities and skills;
• have the desire to serve;
• enjoy the community's trust.

6.3. The candidacy is discussed at the gathering of the community.

Article 7. The order of dedication

7.1. Dedication to a ministry is performed by the order of ministry ("The order of the sacraments," ch. 3): the nomination of the candidate, practice under supervision, the vote of the core by a majority of two thirds of the votes, the order of dedication.

7.2. Before dedication the candidate must:

• present himself and his motives;
• answer the questions of the members of the community;
• pass a period of practice under supervision (if decided by the community).

7.3. The term of the ministry is determined by the core of the community.

7.4. The dedication is recorded in the registry of ministers.

Article 8. The rights and duties of ministers

8.1. The rights of a minister:

• to perform his functions with the respect and support of the community;
• to receive the resources necessary for the ministry;
• to take part in the making of decisions concerning his ministry;
• to receive teaching and development;
• to be recalled from the ministry with respect.

8.2. The duties of a minister:

• to perform his functions conscientiously and responsibly;
• to report to the community about his activity;
• to keep the disciplinary norms;
• to develop and raise his skills;
• to pass experience to other members of the community.

Article 9. The procedure of recall

9.1. A minister may be recalled:

• by his own wish;
• by the decision of the core of the community;
• in case of violation of the disciplinary norms;
• in case of the loss of the community's trust.

9.2. Recall by the decision of the core of the community requires a majority of two thirds of the votes.

9.3. At the recall there must be:

• the reasons of the recall named;
• the possibility given to the minister to explain himself;
• a decision made with regard to the community's opinion.

9.4. The recall is recorded in the registry of ministers.

9.5. The revision of the decisions of a serving minister — by Article 9а: certification with public setting-right or replacement at the community's request.

Chapter IV. Teaching and development

Article 9а. The revision of a minister's decisions

9а.1. The actions and decisions of a minister are subject to revision at the level of his community. An unqualified but ordained minister — a profanation undermining trust in all ministers: at the contact of communities the difference is visible at the first address of a member to another minister.

9а.2. The roads of revision:

• the minister passes certification — the examination corrects both his knowledge and his decisions (publicly: "What is set right is no longer a wound");
• the community asks the Head of the Church (through a representative) to send a qualified replacement.

9а.3. Revision — is not punishment and not disgrace: not ready — return the ministry, become a member, come to learn. The door of return is open.

Article 10. The preparation and certification of ministers

10.1. The preparation of ministers is conducted in two parts:

• common for all ministries: the canon, the construction of what remains, the ethics of influence ("The Physician's Hand"), the boundaries of power (commandment 9);
• specialization by ministry: a step of qualification by the duties (the Speaker — the word at send-offs; the Leader — the leading of gatherings; the Treasurer — the Church's finances; the Manager — where management violates the religious requirements; the rest — by their ministries).

10.2. The form of preparation is obligatory: a course with group discussions + an examination (certification). The group form is inseparable from the content: without discussions in the circle a minister does not understand the teaching as a whole — there is no external track. The steps of certification go by the duties of service, not by status: there are no steps "of a higher level" for money.

10.3. The certificate — a confirmation of qualification, not a rank: only the community recognizes a minister (dedication, two thirds). The certificate opens the right to be nominated — the community calls. The sale of status ("pay — become a minister") is impossible: the course pays for the teaching, not for a rank.

10.4. The price of the course — honest and named: the cost and the labor of the leaders; retaking — at cost; shortage and timers are forbidden. A candidate put forward by the community for whom the course is beyond strength studies at the expense of the fund of distribution (the financial charter, Art. 4а).

10.5. The transitional period: until the course's personnel appear, the community dedicates by the existing procedure; the minister commits to pass certification at the first possibility (a year from the course's appearing for his ministry).

Article 11. Continuous learning

11.1. All members of the community are obliged to develop and learn continuously.

11.2. The forms of learning:

• regular gatherings and discussions;
• the reading and study of the texts of the canon and the Covenant;
• taking part in courses and seminars;
• mentoring;
• the practical application of knowledge.

11.3. The core of the community ensures access to educational resources.

Article 12. The development of hired workers

12.1. Hired workers have the right to professional development.

12.2. The Church may:

• pay for courses and teaching;
• provide the possibility of internships;
• support taking part in conferences and seminars.

12.3. The development of hired workers must correspond to their duties.

Chapter V. Accounting and documentation

Article 13. The registry of members of the community

13.1. Every community keeps a registry of its members, which includes:

• personal data (surname, name, patronymic, date of birth);
• the category of membership;
• the date of entering the community;
• the date of accepting the Covenant (for members of the core and covenant guests);
• the functions performed (for ministers);
• the status of capability.

13.2. The registry is kept by the Scribe and stored in a safe place.

13.3. All members of the core of the community have access to the registry. The information is provided on request.

13.4. The registry is renewed regularly at any changes in the community's composition.

Article 14. The registry of ministers

14.1. The registry of ministers includes:

• personal data;
• the kind of ministry;
• the date of dedication;
• certification (the kind of specialization, the date of the examination);
• the term of powers;
• the history of recalls and dedications.

14.2. The registry is kept by the Scribe.

14.3. The registry is renewed at any changes in the composition of the ministers.

Article 15. Labor contracts

15.1. Labor contracts with hired workers are concluded in written form.

15.2. The labor contract must include:

• the description of the duties;
• the size of the reward;
• the conditions of work;
• the term of the contract;
• the rights and duties of the sides;
• the conditions of dissolving the contract.

15.3. The labor contracts are kept in the personnel record-keeping.

Chapter VI. Conflicts and discipline

Article 16. The resolution of conflicts

16.1. Conflicts between members of the community are resolved according to the procedure described in the Covenant (Chapter 8. On justice and the resolution of disputes).

16.2. Conflicts between ministers and the community are considered by the core of the community.

16.3. Conflicts with hired workers are governed by labor legislation.

Article 17. Disciplinary measures

17.1. Disciplinary measures are applied for the violation of:

• canonical norms;
• the disciplinary code;
• official duties;
• the principles of the Church.

17.2. The kinds of disciplinary measures:

• a warning;
• temporary suspension from the ministry;
• recall from the ministry;
• exclusion from the community (for members of the core).

17.3. Disciplinary measures are applied by the core of the community by a majority of two thirds of the votes.

Chapter VII. Final provisions

Article 18. The order of changing the Policy

18.1. Changes to this Policy are made by the core of the community by a majority of two thirds of the votes.

18.2. Proposals of changes may be made by any members of the core of the community.

18.3. The changes must not contradict the Canon and the Covenant.

Article 19. Coming into force

19.1. This Policy comes into force from the moment of its approval by the core of the community.

19.2. All previous documents regulating personnel relations in the Church lose force.

Conclusion

This personnel policy of the Church of Unity is based on the principles of respect, honesty and responsibility. It ensures the effective management of personnel and helps the carrying out of the Church's mission — the road to the One through creation and ministry.