The charter 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.

General provisions

The name and status

The Church of Unity (hereinafter the Church) is a voluntary association of sentient beings striving toward the One through creation, knowledge and harmony.

The Church is founded on the principles of the Church of Unity, set out in the Canon, the Covenant and the commandments, and acts in accordance with them.

The Church is not a state or political formation. It is a network of autonomous communities joined by a common spiritual road.

The legal status of the Church is determined by the legislation of the country on whose territory a concrete community acts, provided the principles of the Church of Unity are kept.

The goals and tasks

The main goal of the Church is the drawing near of the appearance of the One through creation, knowledge and harmony.

The tasks of the Church are:

• the preservation and spreading of knowledge about the One;
• the creation of conditions for the spiritual growth of the members of the Church;
• the support of communities in their autonomous development;
• the pushing back of disunity — the state of the absence of the One;
• mutual help and cooperation between communities;
• upbringing and teaching in the spirit of the Church of Unity.

The Church pursues no political, commercial or other goals contradicting its spiritual mission.

The principles of activity

The activity of the Church is based on the following principles:

• Freedom and responsibility as inseparable values (see the Canon, Chapter 5);
• Respect for the dignity and freedom of every sentient being;
• Honesty and clarity in all relations;
• Mutual help and support of the needy;
• Publicity and collectivity in the making of decisions;
• The autonomy of communities with the unity of the spiritual road;
• Keeping the Dunbar barrier for the preservation of the harmony of communities (see the Canon, Chapter 8).

The Church acknowledges that the One neither punishes nor rewards, but acts through the Echo of the One and the consequences of our deeds (see the Canon, Chapter 2).

The structure of management

The community structure

The basic structural unit of the Church is the community.

The community consists of the core and those without capability; children — are without capability (see the Canon, Chapter 8, Art. 2).

The core of the community — capable people who accepted the Covenant and were accepted by the core (two thirds).

Children and those without capability are under the community's guardianship but do not enter the core.

When the core of the community exceeds the Dunbar barrier (about 150 people for humans), the community is obliged to divide (see the Canon, Chapter 8, Art. 6).

The hierarchical system of Councils

The Councils form a hierarchical system built on the principle of delegating representatives.

Each Council has no administrative power over communities or lower Councils. Its function — coordination and cooperation.

At the exceeding of the Dunbar barrier (about 150 members of the Council) the Council is obliged to divide into two or more Councils.

Each divided Council allocates one representative to the Council of a higher level.

The hierarchy of Councils may have any number of levels depending on the scale of the Church.

Communities join into Councils for coordination and cooperation.

The notion of the meta-community

The meta-community — not a separate organizational unit and not a level of management.

The meta-community — a descriptive term denoting the totality of all communities entering a given Council.

The term meta-community is used only for description and does not create new structures or organs of management. The only organ of the coordination of communities — the Council of Representatives.

The highest organ of management — the Council of the maximal level

The highest coordination organ of the Church is the Council of the maximal level.

The Council of the maximal level consists of representatives delegated by the Councils of the lower level.

The Council of the maximal level has no administrative power over communities and Councils of the lower level. Its function — the general coordination and the preservation of the unity of the spiritual road.

The powers and the order of work of the Council are determined by the Regulation of the Council.

The Council of the maximal level is also obliged to keep the Dunbar barrier and to divide at its exceeding.

The Head of the Church

Election. After the Founder's departure the Upper council of councils of communities (the Council of the maximal level) elects the Head from its composition by the procedure "The transition of the Head of the Church" (the Council's regulation).

The right of veto. The head of the church has the right to approve or reject the decisions of the upper council in the cases of their contradiction of the Canon or the Charter. In rejecting a decision the Head is obliged to explain which provision of the Canon or the Charter it contradicts; without an explanation the veto is invalid. The Council may overcome the veto — unanimously, with the full composition.

Replaceability. All heads except the Founder are replaceable: the head of the church may be removed if two thirds of all members of the upper council vote for it. The head's powers also expire with death or voluntary laying down.

The certification of ministers. The preparation of ministers — a paid course with group discussions and an examination; there is no external track. The certificate — a qualification, not a rank: only the community recognizes a minister. The steps of certification — by the duties of the ministries. Certification — a condition of nomination as a representative (the personnel policy, Art. 10; the financial charter, Art. 4.5).

The fund of distribution. Communities allocate 10% of the treasury's income for the year to the level of the Head of the Church. What is collected — funds for distribution, not for personal spending: the Head distributes the fund to the next level of the hierarchy — to the representatives, laying on each target tasks; the financing follows the task. The unfulfilled returns to the upper level (the financial charter, Art. 4а).

The irremovability of the Founder. The founder of the church is the irremovable head of the church until his departure or death. The irremovability — a personal property of the Founder: it does not pass to successors. At the Founder's long inability to exercise the powers the Council records the inability unanimously, with the full composition — until the return to ministry is confirmed by the Founder himself.

The head of the church is not infallible. In the Council's opinion, this is a person who understands the teaching more deeply than anyone — therefore her word on doctrine is final while she lives: not because she cannot err, but because she assembled the construction of the teaching and answers for it.

Membership in the Church

The categories of participating

The community consists of the core and those without capability. Those taking part in the life of the Church are divided into the following categories:

• Members of the core — capable people accepted by the vote of the core (two thirds); they hold a voice in the common;
• Guests who accepted the Covenant (covenant ones) — capable people who accepted the Covenant without entering the core; without a voice in the common;
• Those without capability — children and those who cannot hold their boundary themselves; they are under the community's guardianship;
• Hired workers — persons outside membership with whom a labor contract is concluded.

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.

The order of acceptance into membership of the Church

Entry into the core of the community happens publicly before the gathering of the community (see the Canon, Chapter 8; the orders — "Sacraments," ch. 1–2).

For entry into the core it is necessary:

• the accepted Covenant (a personal step of conscience; without a vote);
• the invitation of one of the members of the core;
• a public declaration;
• a public survey of the understanding of the texts;
• the vote of the core by a majority of two thirds of the votes — the handing over of powers by those who hold them.

Children who have shown maturity follow the same procedure regardless of age. The child's maturity is recognized by the community — as in the children's initiation "the First coming out": not by age but by the shown ability to understand the texts, answer for deeds and hold one's boundary; the guardian confirms that the child is able to say "yes" consciously.

The rights and duties of members

Every member of the core has the right:

• to take part in the life of the community and make decisions;
• to offer ideas and projects;
• to receive information about the community's activity;
• to respect for dignity and freedom;
• to protection from unjust accusations;
• to the appeal of decisions.

Every member of the core is obliged:

• to respect the freedom and dignity of others;
• to be honest in words and deeds;
• to take part in the life of the community;
• to help the needy;
• to keep the decisions of the community;
• to bear responsibility for his actions.

The detailed rights and duties are determined by the Regulation on members of the Church.

Exclusion from the Church

Exclusion from the community — an extreme measure, applied only when other ways did not help.

Exclusion is possible only for one thing: a being creates wounds and refuses the duty of healing. The systematic violation of the commandments, destructive actions, harm to others — all of this falls under one criterion. Dislike — is not a ground for exclusion: it is not a crime but a reason for mediation and a check by wounds.

The decision on exclusion is made by public discussion and a vote by a majority of two thirds of the votes.

The member whom they want to exclude has the right to defend himself and offer settings-right. The door is not boarded up — it opens by healing: exclusion removes membership but leaves the Covenant, and the return — by the procedure of restoration.

Property relations

The kinds of property

The property of the Church may be:

• the common property of all communities;
• the property of a separate community;
• the personal property of members of the Church.

The common property is used for goals approved by the Council.

The property of a community is used for its needs by the decision of the core.

The acquisition and alienation of property

The acquisition and alienation of a community's property is carried out by the decision of the core by a majority of two thirds of the votes.

The acquisition and alienation of common property is carried out by the decision of the Council.

Property must be used as designated and may not be alienated for personal benefit.

Accounting and responsibility

Every community keeps the accounting of its property.

The responsibility of keepers of property is determined by the Regulation on church property.

The designated use of property is obligatory and is controlled by the community.

Document flow

The kinds of documents

Church documents are divided into:

• constitutive (this Charter, Regulations, Regulations);
• protocol (protocols of sittings, decisions);
• accounting (registries, journals);
• directive (orders, acts).

All documents must correspond to the principles of the Church of Unity.

The order of creation and approval

Constitutive documents are approved by the Council.

The protocols and decisions of a community are approved by the core of the community.

Directive documents are approved by the responsible persons within their powers.

Keeping and access

All documents are kept in the established order.

Members of the Church have the right of access to documents concerning their rights and duties.

The detailed order of document flow is determined by the Regulation on document flow.

Reorganization and liquidation

Reorganization

The reorganization of the Church may be carried out in the form of:

• the merging of communities;
• the division of communities;
• the transformation of the structure of management.

Reorganization is carried out by the decision of the Council by a majority of two thirds of the votes.

At reorganization the rights and duties of members of the Church are preserved.

Liquidation

The liquidation of the Church as an organization is possible by the decision of the Council by a majority of two thirds of the votes.

At liquidation the property is distributed in accordance with the decision of the Council.

Liquidation does not mean the cessation of the spiritual road of the members of the Church.

At the liquidation of a separate community its property is distributed by the decision of the core.

Final provisions

The interpretation of the Charter

The interpretation of this Charter is carried out in accordance with the Canon and the Covenant.

In case of a contradiction between the Charter and the Canon, the Canon has priority.

Making changes

Changes to this Charter are made by the decision of the Council by a majority of two thirds of the votes.

A proposal of a change must be considered at a public sitting of the Council.

Coming into force

This Charter comes into force from the moment of its acceptance by the Council.

All previously accepted documents contradicting this Charter lose force.

The keeping of the Dunbar barrier

The obligatoriness of keeping the Dunbar barrier

No permanent association of members of the Church (a community or a Council) may exceed the Dunbar barrier (about 150 people).

At the exceeding of the Dunbar barrier the community or Council are obliged to divide.

Members themselves choose which community to go to. No one coerces.

After the division new communities or Councils appear. They are independent of one another, but they are connected by a common history and common respect.

Only temporary associations are permitted (the arrival of guests, collective processions, joint festivities) which may exceed the Dunbar barrier.

Temporary associations do not create new permanent structures and do not release from the obligation of division.

This article corresponds to the Canon (Chapter 8) and the Regulation of the Council.

The Charter is accepted by the Council of the Church of Unity in accordance with the principles of the Church of Unity and the texts of the canon and the Covenant.

The journal of changes (12.10.2026)

• The irremovability of the Head is limited personally to the Founder: it expires with his death or voluntary laying down of powers; it does not pass to successors. A successor is removed by two thirds of the upper council.