The SIAFU Guidebook

90 The SIAFU Network Guidebook

Before we discuss the various roles of leaders of a SIAFU Chapter, we need to underscore a few general principles concerning their function:

• Individuals join SIAFU Chapters by affirming their personal faith in Jesus Christ, their commitment to SIAFU’s mission and vision and its rules, policies, and Statement of Faith, and agree to submit to the Chapter’s Leadership Council. • Candidate members should be publicly affirmed in a charge given to them by the President during a Chapter meeting, where they become official members of the Chapter (see Appendix for SIAFU Member Charge ). • All officers and leaders serve under the blessing and endorsement of the church pastor or ministry director. • Officers and leaders are elected for one-year terms, by simple majority vote of the Chapter members. • All activities, projects, and programs of any SIAFU Chapter must be subject to the approval of the pastor/ministry director of the sponsoring church or ministry. Again, members of a SIAFU Chapter must be professing Christians, and Officers and Support Role leaders are to be selected annually by majority vote of the members present, with the pastor’s or spiritual authority’s blessing and imprimatur (endorsement). President The Chapter President serves at the behest of, as liaison of, and under the authority of the pastor/leader of the church and/or ministry. Essentially, the pastor/ministry leader should be regarded as an ex officio member of all SIAFU meetings, i.e., they can attend all meetings, whether planning or sponsored, of the SIAFU Chapter or its Leadership Council. The President will call and chair the SIAFU Chapter Leadership Council and provide general communication to the pastor and the members of the Chapter about its ongoing business and operations.

The President is required to communicate with the pastor/ministry director regarding proposed projects of the Chapter, securing the pastor’s