Article I:

Section 1: The name of the corporation is Rays of Hope Ministries.

Section 2: The location of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Missouri shall be in the county of Adair, and the registered agent therein shall be the Executive Director.

Section 3: The Corporation may, in addition to said registered office in the state of Missouri, establish and maintain an office or offices at such other places as the Board of Directors may from time to time find necessary or desirable.

Article II:

STATEMENT OF FAITH

Section 1: We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible authoritative word of God.

Section 2: We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Section 3: We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

Section 4: We believe that for the salvation of the lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential, and that this salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and not as a result of good works.

Section 5: We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life and to perform good works.

Section 6: We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

Section 7: We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Article III

PURPOSE

Section 1: The goal for Rays of Hope Ministries is to provide a Christ centered teaching to those who are lost, who need help in understanding the Scriptures. 

   To present the gospel in a simple and easy to understand way. 

Article IV

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE

Section 1: Rays of Hope is an outreach ministry of Jesus Christ through His church.  Therefore Rays of Hope, embodied in its volunteers, is committed to presenting the glory of our Lord to all those who we feel would benefit from it – both in word and deed.  Commensurate with this purpose, those who labor as board members, directors, and officers are expected to know Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Section 2: Rays of Hope is committed to integrity in dealing with people earning their trust and providing promised information and services.  Rays of Hope denounces any form of deception in its corporate advertising or individual conversations with its clients.

Section 3: Rays of Hope is committed to make available Bible Lessons and literature that is scripturally sound.

Section 4: Rays of Hope does not discriminate in providing services because of race, creed, religious affiliation, color or national origin of its clients.

Section 5: Rays of Hope does not proselyte or use any type of pressure to convince anyone. 

Section 6: Rays of Hope offers assistance free of charge at all times except as shall be determined by the board concerning certain materials.

Article V

DIRECTORS

Section 1: The property and business of the Corporation shall be managed and controlled by a Board of three to five directors and said directors shall be the sole governing body of Rays of Hope.  The Directors shall be the only members of the Corporation and must agree to the Statement of Faith and Principle as stated in this document.

The Directors shall hold office for terms of one year and may serve six consecutive one-year terms, eligible for re-election after one year off the Board.  If a Director is unable to complete his/her term of office, a successor may be chosen by a majority vote of the directors remaining in office.  The Directors shall be the members for the purpose of electing their successors and filling vacancies on the board.

Section 2: The Board of Directors shall have the management of the business of the Corporation, and in addition to the powers and authorities by these bylaws expressly conferred upon them, may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, but subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the statute, of the charter and of these bylaws.

Section 3: The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, shall be held in May at the office of the Corporation in the County of Adair, State of Missouri, or elsewhere if a majority of directors are present at such meeting.  At the Annual Meeting the Board of Directors shall act as members of the Corporation for the purpose of electing a board of directors for the ensuing year and to fill vacancies as they may occur.  Notice of the Annual Meeting shall be given to all directors in writing at least (10) days prior to the annual meeting date in May.

At the annual Meeting, the directors shall elect from among their own number, a president and one or more vice-presidents, and shall also elect a secretary and treasurer to hold office for one year and until others are elected and qualified.  Newly elected officers will take office no later than thirty (30) days following their election.

Section 4: Regular meetings of the Directors shall be held from time to time at the call of the President, and the Board shall generally meet on a quarterly basis.  Regular meetings shall take place at a designated date and time, or by order of the Directors on a day and at an hour to be fixed by the board or as may be designated in the notice for the meeting.

A majority of the whole Board of Directors shall be necessary to all meeting to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Special meetings of the board may be called by the President with three (3) days’ notice to each Director, either personally, or by email.  Special meetings may be called in like manner on the request in writing by two Directors.

Any action required to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation or of any Board Committee may be taken without a meeting, if prior to such action a written consent is signed by all members of the Board of Directors or of such committee as the case may be, and such written consent shall be filed with the minutes of the Board of Directors or Committee.

Section 5: The Board of Directors may, by resolution or resolutions passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate an Executive Committee to consist of two or more of the Directors of the Corporation.

The Executive Committee shall not have authority to make, alter or amend the bylaws, but shall exercise all other powers of the Board of Directors between the meetings of said Board, except the power to fill vacancies in their own membership, which vacancies shall be filled by the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors may, by resolution or resolutions passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, other that the Executive committee, each to be chaired by a Director of the Corporation; non-board members may serve as members of these committees.  A non-board member may chair a committee with unanimous approval of board.

The Executive Committee and such other committees shall meet at stated times or on notice to all by any of their own number.  They shall fix their own rules of procedure.  A majority shall constitute a quorum, but the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole Committee shall be necessary in every case.

The Executive Committee and such other committees shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors to the extent provided in such resolution or resolutions.

Article VI:

OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION

Section 1: The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a president; one or more vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer and such other officers as may from time to time be elected or appointed by the Board of Directors.  The same person may hold no more than two offices.

The Officers of the Corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified in their stead.  The President shall hold office for not more than two terms consecutively.  Any officer chosen or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed with cause at any time by the affirmative vote of the majority of the whole Board of Directors.  If the office of any Officers becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole Board of Directors.

Section 2: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Directors and the Executive Committee, he/she shall have general supervising and direction of all other officers of the Corporation and shall see that their duties are properly performed.  He/she shall be ex-officio a member of all standing committees.

He/she, or the delegate, shall have general management of all business of the Corporation; he/she shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect.  

Section 3: The Vice-President or Vice Presidents, in the order and title designated by the Board of Directors, shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

Section 4: The Secretary shall see that proper notice is given of all meetings of the corporation and of the Board of Directors; shall attend all sessions of the Board, and act as clerk thereof; and record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose; and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors or the President.

Section 5: The Treasurer, or through his/her designee, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation, and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors.

He/she shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and Directors as the regular meetings of the Board, or wherever they may require it, an account of all his/her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.   

If required by the Board of Directors, he/she shall give the corporation a bond in form and in sum with security satisfactory of the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of his/her office, and the restoration to the Corporation in case of his/her death, resignation or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his/her possession belonging to the Corporation.  He/she shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe or require.

Section 6: In case of the absence of any Officer of the Corporation, the Board of Directors may delegate the powers or duties of such office to any other officer or to any Director for the time being.

Article VII

FISCAL YEAR

Section 1: The Fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the calendar year.

Section 2: All checks, drafts or orders for the payment of money shall be signed by the Executive Director up to the amount of $1,600, or one other officer up to and including $1,600.  In excess of $1,600 must have two (2) signatures from those designated as authorized signers.

Section 3: The books, accounts and records of the Corporation shall be open to inspection by any member of the Board of Directors at such time as the Board of Directors designate.

Article VIII:

Any present or former Director or Officer of the Corporation or other such persons so designated in the discretion of the Board of Directors, or the legal representative of such person, shall be indemnified by the corporation against all reasonable costs, expenses, and counsel fees paid or incurred in connection with an action, suit, or proceeding to which any such person or his legal representative may be made a party by reason of his being or having been such a Director or Officer, or serving or having served the Corporation, except in relation to matters as to which he shall be found guilty of negligence or misconduct in respect of the matters in which indemnity is sought and in relation to matters settled or otherwise terminated without a final determination on the merits where such settlement or termination is predicated on the existence of such negligence or misconduct.

Article IX

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Section 1: These bylaws may be amended, altered, repealed or added to after such proposed changes have been presented at any two consecutive regular and/or special meetings of the Board of Directors.  Said changes require an affirmative vote of an 80% majority of the whole authorized number of voting Directors.