CHRISTIAN COUNCIL FOR MONETARY JUSTICE
President Rt Rev. Peter Selby
Vice presidents Rt Rev John Flack,Rt Rev Mano Rumulshah, Austin Mitchell MP, Lord Sudeley
Chairman Rev Canon Peter Challen
36 Whitfield Close
Bognor Regis
West Sussex
PO22 8DY
14 January 2006

Dear member

MINUTES ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING October 2005

On behalf of the chairman Peter Challen, may I wish all members and supporters of the Christian Council for Monetary Justice a happy and enjoyable new year.

However I regret to advise of the death on 6 December 2005 of a former president of CCMJ, the Rev Walter Searl, who had been unwell for some time, but his family looked upon his passing as a happy release from his health problems. Those who knew him are grateful for the service Walter gave to CCMJ and for his inspiration and leadership in the cause of monetary justice for all.

Since our annual meeting, Rodney Shakespeare has attended two important conferences in Jakarta and Dacca. While unofficial progress was made in Jakarta , considerable progress was made in Dacca and we hope to report on this later.

Enclosed for your information are a copy of the minutes of the annual meeting held on 29 October 2005 and a copy of the new constitution then agreed.

The minutes will be amended and/or confirmed at our next annual meeting which has been booked for Saturday 21 October 2006 at a venue in London, hopefully the same place as for the last three years.
You will note from a reading of the minutes that the finances of the network are in a poor state and not sufficient to undertake all the work in mind. While members at the annual meeting appreciated that our membership was not renowned for its possession of much personal financial wealth, it suggested that all should be made aware of the network's scarcity of funds and that all be asked to see whether or not, according to their means, they may be able to make a donation additional to that which they may have already made to aid CCMJ in its work.

One way to assist for the few not already having renewed their membership is by completing the enclosed appropriate form and returning it to me with whatever subscription amount they are able to give, and something extra if possible. To those who do not find a form enclosed, thank you for your current membership and support and if you could consider a little extra to tide CCMJ over that would be very much appreciated.
Yours sincerely

Colin J Whitmill

Secretary

CHRISTIAN COUNCIL FOR MONETARY JUSTICE
Minutes of the annual general meeting of the Christian Council for Monetary Justice held at Christ Church, the John Marshal Hall, Blackfriars Road, London on Saturday 29 October 2005 at 2-30 pm.

PRESENT
Canon Peter Challen (Chairman), Janos Abel, Gian Andreone, Desmond Cumberland, Andrew Dickie, Martyn Grubb, Janet Kustner, Michelle Mapp, Donald Martin, Sister Dorothy Peart, George Short, George Steven and Colin J Whitmill.

APOLOGIES
were received and accepted from twenty one people .

MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 30 October 2004, having been circulated, were taken as read and received. Subject to minor typographical and grammatical amendments, the minutes were agreed as correct.

MATTERS ARISING
Peter Challen advised that the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust continued its work and had presented two powerful memoranda to the Government.

REPORTS

CHAIRMAN.
Prior to the official start to the meeting, chairman Peter Challen had presented an extensive list of activities and visits overseas. Donald Martin congratulated the chairman for the papers fully covering his work forwarded with the agenda for the meeting . They had been very valuable and useful updates.

TREASURER
Desmond Cumberland presented an audited report for the year ended 31 October 2004 which had been submitted, but without audit signature, the previous year. He also submitted an interim unaudited financial report for the year from 1 November 2004 until the meeting date. Dr Cumberland said that the Council had opened the current year with £546-98, but, with grants and expenses for necessary work and CCMJ representation, there was £505-30 excess expenditure incurred. If it had not been for membership renewals for 2006 being received, the Council would have been in debt. Its accounts showed £41-68 in credit.
After discussion, it was moved by Colin J Whitmill, seconded Andrew Dickie, and AGREED that the treasurer's report be accepted.
Colin J Whitmill moved, Andrew Dickie seconded, and it was AGREED that Donald A Marrtin be appointed auditor to audit the accounts for the forthcoming year.

CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE REPORT
The Constitution Committee reported on its work and advised that the constitution then applying had been complied with in regards to constitutional changes being submitted in time. The Secretary then outlined changes which members had sought and discussion took place on each section at a time. Additional changes were sought by the meeting
At the end of the discussion, Colin J Whitmill moved, Gian Andreone seconded and it was AGREED that the constitutional changes be adopted.

NOTICES OF MOTION
Donald A Martin moved, Colin J Whitmill seconded and, after discussion, it was AGREED that the subscription for life members be £500 with immediate effect.
Colin J Whitmill moved, Dr Desmond Cumberland seconded and it was AGREED that the annual subscription for membership be £10 a year or whatever sum a person could afford.
A second notice of motion from the Secretary was withdrawn with permission of the meeting.

ELECTIONS
The chairman vacated the chair and it was taken by the Secretary.
Chairman Donald Martin nominated , George Steven seconded, Peter Challen for the position. There being no other nominations, the Secretary declared Peter Challen elected whereupon he resumed the chair.
Vice chairman The Secretary advised that he had received two nominations for the position prior to the commencement of the meeting. Frank McManus had nominated Ken Palmerton and Gian Andreone had nominated Janos Abel.
Following the usual necessary election procedures, the chairman announced that Janos Abel had been elected vice chairman.
Treasurer Colin J Whitmill nominated, Sister Dorothy Peart seconded, Dr Desmond Cumberland for the position. There being no other nominations, Desmond Cumberland was declared elected.
Secretary Peter Challen nominated, Sister Dorothy Peart seconded, Colin J Whitmill for the position. There being no other nominations, Colin J Whitmill was declared elected.
Co-opted members of the Executive The chairman advised that he thought Elizabeth Kucinich would be a helpful member on the Executive and explained her background. Sister Dorothy Peart moved, and Colin J Whitmill seconded, that the cooption of Elizabeth Kucinich to the Executive be endorsed.

GENERAL BUSINESS
The Secretary sought and approval was given for him to cull unnecessary old correspondence and papers from his collection of Council records
DATE OF NEXT ANNUAL MEETING
It was agreed that the next meeting tale place on Saturday 21 October 2005.
The meeting was declared closed at 3-30 p.m.CHRISTIAN COUNCIL FOR MONETARY JUSTICE

CONSTITUTION
1. Purpose
To bring together, in association, all who seek, as part of their faith, a more just financial system other than that currently in use.

2. Name
The association shall be called the Christian Council for Monetary Justice [ CCMJ ]
3. Aims
a.
To present a Christian Witness as to the true function of a monetary system in society
b To examine the working of existing laws and international arrangements which relate to financial institutions especially in regard to their wider economic, social and moral implications
c To press for monetary measures that will contribute to economic and social justice throughout the world.
d To develop and promote an economic reading of the Bible and a biblical reading of the economy
e To resource the work of economic literacy and popular education around domestic and global issues of economic justice in the faith communities
f
To seek to enable people far and wide to stimulate a more general awareness of the pertinence of faith to the economic order; and in particular to the urgent need to generate monetary reform.

4 Membership
a.
Membership shall be open to persons of the Christian faith who are interested in active furtherance of the aims of the Council and to those of other faiths sympathetic to exploration of monetary justice.
b Applications for membership shall be deemed to be provisional until accepted by the Executive. Should the Executive decline to accept a membership application, or a renewal of membership, it shall advise in writing the applicant, who shall have the right to appeal the decision to the annual general meeting for final adjudication.
c. Members, paying such financial subscriptions as contributions to the work of the Council as are determined by an annual general meeting, shall be deemed to be full members.
d. The membership of a full member will be deemed to have lapsed twelve months after the date when any financial renewal was due and for the following twelve months it will be deemed to be that of an associate member.
e Applications for non financial associate membership shall be considered on the same basis as outlined in rule 4b.

5. Annual General Meeting
Notice of the annual general meeting shall be given by the Executive to all members at their last known address no later than 14 days prior to the proposed gathering, which shall be held, apart from exceptional circumstances, between the months of September to November. The purpose of the meeting shall be to elect officers for the coming year, receive reports from retiring officers, and attend to any matters brought to the meeting for consideration. Financial accounts for the previous year shall be presented to the meeting , but shall be audited before being approved by the Council.
The annual meeting shall appoint an auditor or auditors to audit the accounts for the following year.
The financial year of the Council shall end on 30 June of each year.

6. Officers
Officers of the Council, to be elected at the annual general meeting, shall comprise a chairman, a vice chairman, a secretary and a treasurer.
The officers will form the Executive of the Council and shall have the right to co-opt such persons as they deem necessary for the fulfilment of its work. Those co-opted shall not have a vote on any matter requiring a ballot to reach a decision. Any vacancy in elected positions may be filled by the Executive on a temporary basis if necessary until the next annual general meeting.

7. President and vice presidents.
Appointments to the positions of president and vice presidents may be made by the Executive, but shall require to be confirmed at the annual general meeting

8. Meetings of the Council
a.
The Executive may call, or approve of the calling of, any meeting of the membership at any time between annual general meetings in furtherance of the aims of the Council.
b All meetings shall be held at commonly accepted sociable hours and at venues in the United Kingdom accessible by public transport and in accordance with disability legislation as subsisting.
c Only full members will be eligible to vote on matters for which a vote has been sought.
d A quorum for any meeting requiring a vote to resolve or determine matters or elect officers shall be 20% of the total full membership at the time of the meeting.
e A change to the constitution shall require the approval of 75% of those full members attending unless the Council resolves by majority vote that the matter should be determined by a postal ballot of all full members. In such circumstances a change to the constitution shall require the approval of 75% of those full members voting.

This constitution was adopted on 29 October 2005