The regulation of gatherings

1. The purpose

The regulation sets the managerial frame of the community's gatherings: the schedule, the roles, the responsibility, the accounting. The liturgical content of the forms — in "The liturgical charter," "The gatherings of the community" and "The order of the sacraments."

2. The obligatory forms and the schedule

The minimal rhythm of the community:

| Form | Periodicity | Participants | Responsible | |---|---|---|---| | The Quiet Evening | weekly | open to all | the leader (a minister) | | The Evening of Unity | monthly | members of the core and covenant guests | the leader (a minister) | | The small Sunday Table | weekly | members and close ones | the master of the table (in turn) | | The big Sunday Table | monthly | open to all | the master of the table + two cooks | | The annual report | once a year | the whole community | the Scribe prepares; the core approves; it is published openly | | The Day of memory of the departed | once a year | the whole community | the leader (a minister) |

The date of the Day of memory of the departed is fixed by the community once and kept in the community's registry (see the Festive calendar).

A community of three people keeps the same forms. The scale is different — the form is one.

3. The roles

The leader (a minister). Holds the frame of the form: the time, the order, the silence. Does not preach. Is approved by the rules of the liturgical charter.

The master of the table. Reads the opening formula, holds the question of the week, closes the table. In big communities — in turn from among the members; the turn — part of the ministry, not an honor.

The cooks. Prepare the food for the table. If in the community there are those who can and want to cook — their cooking is a ministry by strength, without payment. If there are no cooks, the community's ministry — to hire and pay a cook from the treasury: the food must not depend on chance. The products in all cases — from the community treasury.

The Speaker. Send-offs and anniversaries — "The order of the sacraments," ch. 6.

4. The place of the gathering

The permanent place (a house, a room, a hall) the community keeps. The requirements: silence is possible, everyone sees everyone, cleanliness after the gathering. The sign (a circle with a dot) — by the community's wish; idolatry — not to turn the sign into an object of worship.

5. The accounting

The registry of the word. Public promises given at the gatherings are entered into the registry of the word (a management document): who, what, by what term. The registry is public for the community.

The protocol of decisions. The decisions made at the gathering (money, a deed, events) are recorded by the leader: the date, the essence, the responsible one. What is personal, said in the circle, never enters the protocol.

The annual report. Once a year the community gathers: the deeds, the healed wounds, the money, the registry of the word, the plan. The document is public.

6. Openness and boundaries

The Quiet Evening and the big table are open to all guests without prior agreement. The Evening of Unity — members of the core and covenant guests: the covenant one in the common part on equal footing, the circle of comings-out is watched from the side (see "The gatherings of the community," ch. 2). The small table — members of the core, covenant guests and those close to the Covenant by the master's invitation. The guest is present and keeps silent until he is asked.

7. Safety

Food: the cooks answer for its fitness; allergies — ask in advance. Children: at the Quiet Evening and at the table they are present with their parents; the Evening of Unity — a gathering of the capable (members of the core and the covenant ones), children do not take part in it. A conflict at a gathering is not solved at the gathering: the sides go to reconciliation ("The order of the sacraments," ch. 7) on another day.

8. The change of the regulation

The changes are made by the defined order of changing organizational-legal documents (the Regulation on reporting and records, art. 3.3: the core of the community — for the documents of the community, the Council — for the documents of the levels above the community). The changes may not contradict the liturgical charter and the order of the forms: the order of the forms is bearing.

The matter is not in the regulations — in the right steps.