Intergrism
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The hierarchy and structure

1. The nature of the church structure

The Church of Unity is a network of autonomous communities that work together toward the One. This is not a hierarchy of power but a network of coordination and cooperation. Communities are not subordinated to one another, but help one another, because all walk one road.

Every community — part of a single whole. Like cells in a body or stars in a galaxy, communities exist separately, but together they form a society. Society does not exist without communities, and communities do not exist without society.

A single center of power is absent. There is no person or organ that commands all communities. There is a network where every node is important and where all decisions are made collectively.

2. The structure of the community

The core of the community

The core of the community — capable people who accepted the Covenant and were accepted by the core (two thirds). The core — the heart of the community, where ideas are born, decisions are made, deeds are done.

A member of the core has the right of vote. He may take part in discussions, offer decisions, vote. He bears responsibility for the community, as the community bears responsibility for him.

The capable in a community — of two statuses: members of the core and covenant guests (they accepted the Covenant — the vertical of the road, but did not take the keys of the common: without a voice in the common). Those without capability are under the community's guardianship. There are no other categories; the road into the core — is not automatic: the reading and acceptance of the texts, the invitation of a member of the core, a public declaration, a survey of understanding, the vote of the core (two thirds).

The core — a family, but not by blood, by spirit. Members of the core know one another, support one another, help one another. They do not always agree, but they always respect one another.

Children and those without capability

Children — those who have not yet shown maturity. They are under the community's guardianship, which cares for them, teaches them, prepares them for entry into the core.

Those without capability — those who because of health, age or development cannot bear responsibility for their decisions and actions. Here belong the elderly, the disabled and those who temporarily or permanently lost capability. They are under the community's guardianship.

Children and those without capability are part of the community, but they do not enter the core. The core — capable people who accepted the Covenant and were accepted by the core (two thirds).

3. Representatives and Councils

The representatives of communities

Communities do not live in isolation. They interact, they cooperate, they solve common questions. For this every community allocates a representative.

The representative speaks on behalf of the community. He transmits its will, its opinion, its decisions. He does not make decisions independently, except in emergency situations when there is no time to consult with the community.

Representatives have no spiritual or administrative power over their communities. They only transmit the will. If the community does not agree with the actions of the representative, it may replace him.

The Councils of Representatives

The representatives of communities gather together by a territorial sign and form Councils of Representatives. A Council — not a power over communities but a place for coordination and cooperation.

The Council decides the questions that concern all the communities of a given territory: how to interact, how to help one another, how to answer common challenges.

The Council works the same way as an ordinary community. Public discussion, a vote by a majority of two thirds, respect for the will of each community. No one has the right to command others.

If a Council exceeds the Dunbar barrier of about one hundred fifty people for humans, it also divides. Then the representatives of the second level gather into the Council of the next level. This process may continue further, creating a network of coordination at different levels.

4. The roles and powers

A member of the core of the community

Rights:

Duties:

The representative of the community

Powers:

Restrictions:

The checkers

The checkers — not a staff role: the community appoints them at a gathering when the gathering of information is needed (the check of a complaint through the Scribe, the check of the return of an excluded one). The powers — for the time of a concrete check; after its completion they end.

The powers for the time of the check:

Restrictions:

The supporting members

Powers:

Restrictions:

5. The Dunbar barrier and the division of the community

A community cannot be endless. When the core exceeds the Dunbar barrier of about one hundred fifty people for humans, the community must divide.

The Dunbar barrier — the limit of how many people can know one another personally and keep deep bonds. Beyond this limit the community stops being a community and becomes a crowd. The bonds weaken, trust falls, harmony is broken.

The duty to divide stands in the structure: it comes into force with the exceeding of the barrier and needs no vote. The core decides how exactly to divide: variants are discussed and offered, the way is voted on; the division that happens is the one two thirds voted for.

Members themselves choose which community to go to. No one coerces. Families may stay together, friends may choose one community, but everyone is free to decide himself. This is a free choice, and the community respects it.

After the division two new communities appear. They are independent of one another, but they are connected by a common history and common respect. They may cooperate, help one another, but they are not subordinated to one another.

The division — not a conflict but growth. It is like a tree that gives new branches. Each branch lives its own life, but all of them are parts of one tree. So are the communities: they are separate, but together they form a society.

6. Entry into the core of the community

Entry into the core of the community — a free choice. No one may be coerced into entry, no one may be accepted without his consent.

The community consists of the core and those without capability. To the capable two statuses are open: the covenant guest (he accepted the Covenant, without a voice in the common — a pure position, not a "shortfall") and a member of the core. The road into the core — is not automatic.

For entry into the core three conditions are needed:

The first condition: the reading and acceptance of the texts of the canon and the Covenant. The candidate must understand the teaching and accept it as his own — the premises are accepted by faith, the consequences are checked.

The second condition: the invitation of one of the members of the core. This means that in the community there is a person who is ready to vouch for the candidate, who is ready to help him integrate, who is ready to become his guide. The invitation is obligatory for all, for adults and for children.

The third condition: a public declaration before the gathering of the community. The candidate must openly state his wish to enter, his acceptance of the texts of the canon and the Covenant, his readiness to live by the commandments.

After the declaration follows the public survey of the understanding of the texts. Members of the core ask the candidate questions to check his understanding of the texts of the canon and the Covenant. This is a separate stage preceding the vote. The survey must be honest and respectful.

After the survey the vote happens. If two thirds vote for, the candidate becomes a member of the core.

Children who have shown maturity follow the same road: the reading and acceptance of the texts of the canon and the Covenant, the invitation of one of the members of the core, a public declaration, the public survey of the understanding of the texts, the vote of the core (two thirds). After this they become members of the core, regardless of age.

Entry into the core — not only a right but also a responsibility. The new member receives the right of vote and takes on the community's debts: to respect others, to bear responsibility for his decisions, to work for the good of the community.

The community does not refuse entry without a reason. The reasons for refusal may be: the non-understanding of the texts of the canon and the Covenant, the unwillingness to follow the commandments, anti-mind actions in the past. The refusal does not mean hostility — it means the time has not yet come.

7. The making of decisions

Decisions in the community are made publicly and collectively. No one has the right to make decisions for all without discussion. This is the foundation of freedom and responsibility in the community.

The process of making decisions begins with public discussion. A member of the core offers an idea or a decision, discusses it, answers questions, listens to the opinions of others. The discussion must be honest and respectful. Lies, insults, bad-faith influence are inadmissible.

After the discussion the vote happens. Every member of the core has one vote. A decision is considered made if no fewer than two thirds of the members of the core voted for it. This is a qualified majority that ensures decisions are supported by the majority but do not ignore the minority.

The vote must be honest. No one may coerce into voting, no one may buy votes, no one may falsify the results. The violation of the honesty of voting — a serious violation of the commandments.

The decisions of the community are obligatory for all members. If someone does not agree with a decision, he may discuss it, may offer to change the decision, but while the decision is in force he must keep it. This is the foundation of communal life.

If a decision turns out to be mistaken, the community may revise it. For this a public discussion and a new vote are needed. Mistakes — part of the road, and they can be set right.

8. Exclusion from the community

Exclusion from the community — an extreme measure, taken only when other ways did not help. Exclusion does not mean the person is bad — it means he cannot be part of the community.

Exclusion is possible only for one thing: a being creates wounds and refuses the duty of healing.

The ground is one — the creating of wounds and the refusal of the duty of healing; below — two of its manifestations.

The first manifestation: the systematic violation of the commandments without setting right. If a member of the core violates the commandments, does not set himself right after warnings, continues to destroy the harmony — and refuses the duty of healing what he created, the community may exclude him. The systematic violation of the commandments, destructive actions, harm to others — all of this falls under one criterion.

The second manifestation: anti-mind actions creating wounds. If a member of the core acts destructively, harms others, hinders the development of the community — and refuses the duty of healing what he created, the community may exclude him. The anti-mind is everything that counteracts mind; the community cannot allow it to grow.

Dislike — is not a ground for exclusion: it is not a crime and is not punished. Dislike — a signal, a reason for mediation and a check by wounds. The community finds out whether there are real violations that ground the dislike. If there are violations, they are considered a violation of the commandments, and the guilty one answers. If there are no violations, mediation is conducted: the beings are given the possibility to talk, understand one another, remove the tension. The community abandons neither the one who feels dislike nor the one at whom it is directed.

The decision on exclusion is made by public discussion and a subsequent vote by a majority of two thirds. This is a serious decision, and it requires careful discussion. The member whom they want to exclude has the right to defend himself, explain his actions, offer settings-right.

Exclusion does not mean the person stops being a sentient being. It means he cannot be part of this community. He may look for another community, he may set himself right and return, he may live outside communities. But he no longer has the right of vote in this community.

The community does not exclude for disagreements. Different opinions — part of the life of a community. Exclusion — only for actions that destroy harmony and violate the commandments.

Such is the hierarchy and structure of the Church of Unity. Communities are autonomous but work together. The core — the heart of the community: the capable accepted by voting; covenant guests — beside, without a voice in the common. Those without capability are under guardianship. Children prepare for entry. Representatives coordinate but do not command. Entry into the core — a free choice. Decisions are made honestly and collectively. Exclusion — an extreme measure, for one thing: wounds and the refusal of the duty of healing.