The Reformed Catholic Church International 

A spiritual community  as Christ meant one to be!

  *A Non-profit Corporation in the State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations.       

ONE GOD - Many Names / ONE SON - Many Paths / ONE TRUTH - Many Faiths

 John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

PREAMBLE:

WHEREAS, it is a recognized fact that the existence and need for diverse expressions of faith and spirituality among the human race is greatly needed, be it

RESOLVED: That we recognize ourselves as a body of practitioners of Interfaith Christians, and that under the religious rights and freedoms granted by the Constitution of the United States of America, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” we exercise all the rights and privileges, duties and responsibilities granted to and expected by religious bodies.

MISSION STATEMENT:

Our mission is to follow the

teachings of Jesus Christ through the ancient church He founded. Guided through prayer and by the Holy Spirit we use our time, talents and resources to minister with love, forgiveness and acceptance to the needs of all His people without prejudice.

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I

 NAME

The name of this denomination shall be, The Reformed catholic Church International Inc, hereinafter referred to as “the Church.” 

ARTICLE II

PURPOSES

The Denomination shall have the following purposes:

1. To establish and oversee a place where Interfaith Christians can worship together.
2. To exercise and enjoy all the rights, benefits, authority and privileges granted and allowed to all churches and religious institutions.
3. To teach, preach, publish and promote our religious beliefs and practices by any and all means made available to us.
4. To practice and perform the religious rites, ceremonies and rituals granted to all ecclesiastical bodies; which shall include, but not be limited to, the following: Holy Matrimony, baptism, confirmation, burying the dead, dedications and blessings, exorcisms and deliverances, ordination, and the practice of laying on of hands for the healing of the sick.
5. To conduct and oversee charitable community activities for those in need.
6. To operate a jail/prison ministry for the incarcerated.
7. To promote our religious teachings through correspondence courses, and to issue appropriate certificates and degrees upon their successful completion.

ARTICLE III

PRINCIPLE OFFICE

The principle office for the transaction of the business of the Church is fixed and located at 392 West Wrentham Rd., Cumberland, Rhode Island with pastoral charges located in the states of Arkansas, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont, Florida,  New York, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, and Nova Scotia

1. The Church’s Board of Directors may vote to change the location of the principle office. The principle office must always remain within the United States of America and or its territories.
2. The worship and religious meetings, services, practices, ceremonies and rituals of the Church may be held any where in the universe of the Godhead.

ARTICLE IV

MEMBERSHIP

The Church shall consist of two classes of membership:

1. The first class of members shall be known as Voting Members and shall only consist of members who are on the Board of Directors.
2. The second class of members shall be known as Associate Members and shall have no voting rights or church authority. Associate membership is open to any person of good character that believes in Jesus Christ and the principles of spiritual unity.

ARTICLE V

GOVERNMENT

1.      A Board of Directors known as the Church Synod shall, in accordance with the Church’s Constitution and Bylaws, govern the church. 

2.      All affiliates of  The Reformed catholic Church International Inc. shall be  independent, self-governing churches and or ministries that is answerable only to its own Board of Directors [Church Synod]; however, we shall work in cooperation with The Church of Interfaith Christians, whose International Headquarters is located at 712 First Avenue South, Douglas, Georgia.

ARTICLE VI

SYNOD MEMBERS

1.      The Church Synod [Board of Directors] shall consist of no less than three (3) members, which shall include the following Officers: Presiding Bishop, (President) Vicar General, (Vice President)  Secretary and Treasurer, Archivist. The Church Synod may have as many non-officer members as it deems necessary.

2. Every official department head of the Church shall serve on the Church Synod.
3. The Church Synod shall conduct, manage and control the affairs and business of the Church.
4. The Church Synod shall have the power to make rules and regulations, as needed, not inconsistent with the law, or the Constitution and Bylaws of the Church.
5. The Church Synod shall have the power to borrow money and incur indebtedness for the purpose of the Church, and for that purpose to cause to be executed and delivered, in the Church’s name, promissory notes, bonds, debentures, deeds of trust, mortgages, pledges, hypothecations, or other evidence of debt and securities.
6. The Church Synod shall meet quarterly at such a place and time to be designated by the Presiding Bishop.

ARTICLE VII

STATEMENT OF BELIEFS

 The Reformed catholic Church International Inc. an Interfaith Christian Church recognizes the existence and need for diverse expressions of faith and spirituality among the human race and believes that no church or ecclesiastical body has the authority or power to dictate a set of religious beliefs or precepts. However, The Reformed catholic Church International Inc. recognizes basic Articles of Faith we believe will always fall under the phrase “Interfaith Christian.”  Members of The Reformed catholic Church International are expected to accept the following Articles of Faith:

1.      THE BIBLE

We believe the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God, but is not exclusive of all knowledge of our Savior nor is it entirely accurate in it's present state of interpretation. Whenever error or conflict arises between Scriptures, we seek the "original tongue" of the conflicting works to determine their true meanings. If this fails, it is not the fault of the Scriptures, but our own inability to understand what is presented because of our own desire to reach a manmade conclusion not based in Scripture. We reject the idea that the Holy Bible is complete, as it is common knowledge the Lost Books of the Bible were rejected by the early Catholic Church for inclusion in the Holy Bible, yet they came from the same period of time and are still relied upon as sound Scripture for reference purposes.

2. THE NATURE OF GOD

We believe in the majesty and greatness of God, a God who dwells throughout the Universe and is in all things. He is the force of life itself. By any name a man calls out to the Heavens for intervention in time of need, he has called upon the One, True God. Many names, many paths, but only one God. At this moment in time, He is the same God that breathed the first breath of life throughout the Universe, and will be the same tomorrow.

We believe there is but ONE GOD and ONE SON and ONE HOLY SPIRIT. Combined, they set mankind free into God's will for their lives. We worship the Father in all things, fellowship with Him at all times, and do so through the teachings of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit connects us to the Father twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and allows God to know of our needs before we realize what they are. Our ability to heed It's still, small voice in our lives wholly determines if we are acceptable human beings before the throne of God.

3. JESUS CHRIST

We believe Jesus Christ truly was the Son of God. This is not only proclaimed in the Holy Bible, not only by the authority of our faith, but by the shear weight and vastness of His displayed intellect, in both His teachings and His knowledge of all things hidden from mankind until recent modern times.

1. We believe that He was crucified and while He laid in the grave for three days and nights, He preached the way to salvation to all those souls who had gone on before in the Spirit Prison.
2. We believe Jesus Christ came into this world to bring the message of salvation to all of mankind.
3. We believe He arose from the dead and began a Ministry that reached into every hollow and mountaintop on every continent of this world.
4. We believe that by His words, He proved He was Master of Astrology, Medicine, Physiology, Psychology and all the Earth Sciences. And, by faith we believe He sits at the right hand of God, the Father, the Creator of all.

4. THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit dwells in every child born of man, and allows us to be in constant communion with the Father, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Holy Spirit allows the Father to know of our wants and needs before we become aware of them ourselves. It allows us to worship the Father in the Spirit, for He is of the Spirit and desires us to worship Him as such.

5. THE NATURE OF GOOD AND EVIL

We believe that in the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth. Our understanding of Genesis determines our ability to identify the root cause and truth of the nature of good and evil in the world. We further believe that whether Satan is still in the employ of God (as in the story of Job) or not, truly mankind is the pinnacle of evil without the stirrings and acceptance of the Holy Spirit in one's life.

6. SALVATION

We believe that God proved He is the God of all creation and that His Son, Jesus Christ, is the Savior of all creation. For we worship the Father through the Son and heed God's call through the Holy Spirit in all that we undertake in life.

1. We believe that to believe on Christ, to follow Him, to take up His cross means more to us than to merely call ourselves Christians. For it is to physically hear, understand and act upon the urgings of the Holy Spirit in our lives that determines our salvation, and nothing else; not our faith, nor our declarations, nor our lack of faith, nor to what name we call upon the Father in, but by our actions and our works.
2. We believe that water is the true symbol of purification; therefore, we believe that baptism in some form is an essential part of salvation.
3. We believe the book of Revelation holds the key to understanding; for at the time of the Final Judgment, Jesus Christ will stand at the right hand of God, and judge everyone out of His Lamb's Book of Life, "...according to their works." Those who fulfill those wishes of the Father will be found acceptable before the Throne of God as human beings originally intended by the Creator. Those who have not followed the Holy Spirit in their lives, relying solely upon their own corrupt doctrine and dogma will be unworthy of God's mercy.

7.  THE TRUE CHURCH

We believe through knowledge of the original tongues, that the term Church does not refer to any group or any house of worship, as this term does not appear in the Holy Scriptures.

1. The term, as used by Paul, was ECCLESIA, which means the whole people of God who follow the Christ, with Christ at it's head. It was used again and again by him to remind the City/State congregations their fruits and gifts belonged to a greater body, the Body of Christ.
2. We believe that in this light, we call ourselves a Church insofar as we desire to declare to the world that we wish to return to that Body of Christ which existed during our Master's ministry and directly after, before mankind convoluted it's meaning and made it into something else.

8. OTHER RELIGIONS

The Interfaith Christian embraces all positive spiritual paths including Shamanism and earth-based traditions, often being called upon to heal gaps between the many disparate religious faiths using the original teachings of Jesus Christ, minus convoluted manmade doctrine

1. We believe and know that our Savior, Jesus Christ, said all good things come from the Father. In this light, we belittle no other religion that follows a positive spiritual path to the Creator. We also respect Shamanism and all earth-based traditions, for as those who revere and honor even the simplest and smallest of God's creations will in no less wise be rewarded by the Father in Heaven for their good works. We will not judge, for to do so, our Savior says we will be judged by the same measure.
2. We believe that in the final measure, Jesus embraced all who follow Him through the Holy Spirit and their actions, regardless of their faith, or lack of it. For He knew of their deeds before they knew of Him. Thus, we welcome all who will bear the label of Interfaith Christian, which boldly proclaims the validity of labels such as Christian/Wicca, Christian/Pagan, Christian/Hindu, Christian/Muslim, Christian/Humanist, etc.

9. DIVINE HEALING

We believe in the practice and use of alternative healing, which includes, but is not limited to, the Biblical practice of laying on of hands.

10. THE PURPOSE OF LIFE

We believe that the purpose of life is to follow the will of the Holy Spirit, and thereby, the will of the Father in all things; the end result being the uplifting of the people of God and a returning to the God seed given in the beginning of creation.

11. CIVIL AUTHORITIES

We believe that although many hold that governments must be by the wish of the people, we may declare to you that all governments, free or dictatorship, exist at the will of the Father. You are commanded by the Son and by all the Scriptures to honor and follow that government. But, you are also commanded to guard your heart lest you become less than you were in following your government. Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's." The man who reluctantly swings the axe at the will of his government is not the same as the man who swings the axe at the will of his government and for his own enjoyment.

ARTICLE VIII

FINANCES

1.      The Church shall be financed by:

A.    The freewill tithes and offerings of members and friends of the Church.

B.     Fund-raisers that are approved by the Church Synod.

C.    Other legal means that are approved by the Church Synod.

2. Bank Accounts
1. The Church shall have the right to maintain a checking and/or savings account in its name.
2. All Church bank accounts will require the signatures of the Minister, or  treasurer.
3. The Treasurer will deposit all moneys coming into the Church into the proper bank account of the Church. In the event that the Treasurer is unable for a period of time to make deposits, he/she may [in written form] authorize the Secretary to make deposits.
4. All checks being paid out of the Church’s funds shall require the signatures of  the Minister or the Treasurer.

ARTICLE IX

PROPERTY RIGHTS

1. The Church shall posses the right to own land, buildings, automobiles, and other properties in its name that are needed.
2. No real or chattel property of the Church shall be sold, leased, mortgaged, or otherwise alienated without authorization of the Church Synod.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Constitution and/or Bylaws of the Church may be proposed and passed under the following requirements:

1. A special Church Synod meeting is called for the expressed purpose of Amending the Constitution and/or Bylaws. Amendments to the Constitution and/or Bylaws cannot be proposed during a regular business meeting of the Church.
2. A special meeting for the Amendment of the Constitution and/or Bylaws requires a quorum of three official Church Synod Members [including the Presiding Bishop].
3. The Secretary must mail a written copy of the proposed Amendment(s) to all Board Members no less than 30 days before the set date of the special meeting.
4. Any Amendment to the Constitution and/or Bylaws requires a 75% favorable vote.
5. No Amendment to the Constitution and/or Bylaws can be made without the approval of the Presiding Bishop.