Dear Association Family:

After praying about two specific situations, the Executive Committee is putting forth, for your review and approval, two new bylaws. As Mrs. Eddy said of the bylaws she wrote in our Church Manual, “They sprang from necessity, the logic of events, – from the immediate demand for them as a help that must be supplied to maintain the dignity and defense of our Cause” Mis 148:14-17 (to ;). It may be helpful to know that these bylaws have been reviewed and revised by a highly qualified attorney who is also a member of our Association.

The first bylaw regards providing for the return of Association materials to the Association following the passing on of a member. It reads as follows:

Article II

Section 3. To the best of their ability, members shall take steps to provide that, upon their passing, all Association Materials shall be returned to the Association or destroyed. Upon request, the Association will provide, to a person designated by the member, prepaid mailing options for the purpose of returning Association Materials to the Association. Alternatively, a person designated by the member shall destroy all Association Materials and communicate to the Association that they have been destroyed. As used herein, Association Materials shall mean:

(a) any materials previously published by The Christian Science Publishing Society that have been reproduced and distributed to members by the Association with permission of The Christian Science Publishing Society and The Christian Science Board of Directors solely for the members’ personal use and study, including but not limited to Volumes I, II, III, and IV of Articles and Editorials by Allison W. Phinney, C.S.B.; and “To bear testimony to Truth…”, A collection of accounts of healing from the Christian Science periodicals;

(b) any notes taken during Primary Class instruction or Association addresses;

(c) any Association Digests;

(d) testimonies and other remarks shared by and for members as Association Fruitage;

(e) letters on Association letterhead;

(f) correspondence between the member and A. W. Phinney, Jr., CSB, whether on paper or via email; and

(g) any other communications between the Association and the member.

The purpose of this by-law is to protect the copyright of The Christian Science Publishing Society and The Christian Science Board of Directors and the confidentiality of communications between the Association and its members.

The second bylaw regards the reading of Association Addresses. It reads as follows:

In accordance with the decision of the teacher, Allison W. Phinney, Jr., C.S.B., and Article V, Section 2, of these bylaws, only members of this Association may read his Association Addresses, and they shall not be circulated to or otherwise shared, in whole or in part, with anyone who is not a member of the Association. As this rule was established by the teacher with regard to his Association Addresses, it shall not be amended in any way.

To cast your ballot, please click here. Please complete by or before April 1, 2023.