Revised Constitution approved 20^th June 2005 and revised August 2008

1. The organisation known as Baptismal Integrity (BI) exists to promote the Christian religion as set out in the doctrines and liturgy of the Church of England by fostering a better understanding and practice of the administration of the sacrament of baptism in that Church; and in furtherance of that aim but not otherwise:

* to bring to an end the indiscriminate administration of infant baptism.

* to demonstrate that baptism is the sacrament instituted by Christ for those becoming members of the visible Church.

* in a spirit of loyalty to the traditions of the Church of England, to seek to clarify the provisions relating to the administration of baptism in the canon law of the Church of England in the light of a true theological understanding of the responsibilities thereby undertaken.

* to promote within the Church of England legitimate debate and review of the biblical, theological, pastoral and evangelistic aspects of Christian initiation.

2. BI affirms the propriety of baptizing the infants of practising Christian believers and also of deferring baptism until later years. BI affirms the relevance and value of the Service of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child

3. BI, its executive, committees, local groups and membership (as constituted below) shall exist to promote knowledge of, commitment to and achievement of these aims in the Church of England.

4. BI shall exist as a non-profit making organisation, raising funds only to finance its ongoing activities. 
 

Organisational structure: officers, committees, elections and appointments.

5. Every five years the full membership shall elect by ballot and by single transferable vote a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, and a Secretary.

6. These elected Officers shall constitute the Executive Committee together with a President (if one be in office according to clause 9) and other appointed Officers and Representatives (appointed or elected) whom it shall have power to co-opt as it considers necessary.

7. The National Committee shall exercise general oversight of the organisation, make statements on its behalf when appropriate, organise national events and initiatives, and engage in necessary planning. The national Committee may co-opt additional Committee Members with full voting rights to serve until the next elections of the Executive Committee.

8. The National Committee shall appoint a Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Newsletter Editor. It may also, when thought appropriate, appoint a suitable President for a renewable period of five years considered to be agreeable to the whole membership.

9. The National Committee shall meet at intervals decided by the Chairman  Its business shall be chaired by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, or in their absence a member elected by the meeting. The Secretary shall arrange for discussions to be minuted and circulated to the Members of the Committee. Agreement on matters discussed shall be reached by common consent or, where necessary, by vote, the chairman of that meeting having an additional casting vote. 

10. The committee may also define rules by which decisions and be made by exchange of emails.  Voting by this method shall be in response to specific motions approved by the Chairman, sent to all committee members with closing date, shall be by two-thirds majority, with non voting assumed to be supportive.

11. The Executive shall meet as and when it considers fit and shall act on behalf of the National Committee and the Organisation as and when necessary. It shall at all times act, and be seen to act, in accordance with the Organisation's aims.

12. Any paid-up full member of BI shall be eligible for nomination for election or appointment to the stated Officer and Representative posts.

13. Nominations for election shall be proposed and seconded by paid-up full members.

14. A committee Member may appoint another member to attend meetings in his place, with full voting rights.

15. All Officers, Representatives, Committees and Groups shall act and speak with due regard to the stated objects as in clause 1.
 

Council of Reference

16. The national committee may appoint to a Council of Reference, persons who support the objectives of the organisation who are willing to offer advice guidance and support to the Committee.  Such Council members are eligible to attend committee meetings, but not to vote thereat.

Membership.

17.  Membership shall be available in three forms.

(a) Full personal membership shall be open to all communicant members of the Church of England, and Churches in communion with the Church of England, who are in sympathy with the Organisation's aims, and to communicant members of other Christian denominations who regularly attend a Church of England church and who are in sympathy with the Movement's aims.

(b) Associate personal membership shall be open to members of other Christian denominations who are in sympathy with the Organisation's aims.

(c) Church membership shall be open to all parishes of the Church of England which are in sympathy with the Organisation's aims: such sympathy being normally signified by the agreement of the parochial Church Council.

18. The national Committee may decline an application for membership with good reason and in the interests of the Organisation.

19. All forms of membership shall be effective by the payment of an annual subscription, the level of which shall be set by the national Committee from time to time.

20. Membership shall lapse by reason of non-payment of a subscription.

21. Members shall receive a Newsletter regularly.
 

Amendments to this constitution.

22. Amendments may be proposed by the National Committee. Such amendments may be carried only by a two-thirds majority of the full paid-up membership, voting in a postal ballot.

(a) No amendments may be made to clauses 1, 23, 24 or this clause without the prior agreement in writing of the Charity Commission; and

(b) no amendments shall be made which would cause the charity to cease to be a charity in law.

23. If and when the aims of the Organisation are considered to have been achieved the Organisation shall dissolve. This decision must be reached by a two-thirds majority in a ballot of paid-up full members.

24. Any decision to dissolve the Organisation, for whatever reason, is to be reached by a two-thirds majority in a postal ballot of paid-up full members actually returning votes within one month of notice being given. In the event of such dissolution any funds remaining will be given to such charitable organisations as shall be decided at the discretion of the National Committee existing at that time, and agreed with the Charity Commission.