Amended on April 14 and November 1st 2000
Artile 40: Commission of Religious Official Celebrations High religious celebrations of the Celestial Church Of Christ shall be: *the piligrim of December24 and 25 at Sèmè Plage *te celebration of the Church anniversary at Tchakou every second Sunday of May *commemorative ceremonies of the Death of the Prophet Pastor Samuel Biléou OSCHOFFA founder of the Celestial Church of Christ on September 10, and his burrial on October 19. *the thanksgiving service of September 14, anniversary date of the Synod that has appointed a Pastor to preside over the destinies of the Church after the Founder's death
*the organisation of Palms celebration
*th organisation of the funeral cermonies
of high Dignitaries of the Church For the success of the said celebrations
it shall work th commissions which cooperation is necessary and it shall
create appropriate committees that it finds useful
Article
41: Commission of International Relations
It shall assure the link between the world headquarter and all Dioceses,
International Organisations,
NGOs of International nature that can conserve the relationship with the
Celestial Church of Christ.
It shall prepare and organise missions of the world headquarte outside of
BENIN in liaison with commissions
in charge of the studies of such questions for which such missions shall
be envisaged. It shall create
among itself appropriate committees
Article
42: Commission of Health and Social Affairs
It shall look after the health of members at the occasion of piligrims of
great gatherings.
It shall progressively work for the creation of Health Centres and Social
Promotion Centres
It shall coordinate activities of NGOs dealing with Social deeds
It shall organise rescues in the event of catastrophes, any kind of unfortunate
events,assist people in difficulty
and make all the necessary efforts for the influence of the Church at social
level.
It shall create among itself ad hoc committees that could enable it to worthly
accomplish mission
which is entrusted to it.
Article
43: Commission of Discipline Justice and Disputes
It shall solve in the fear of God disputes which Diocese or regional committees
have not been able
to find out the best solutions for upon instructions of the permanent body
of the High committee vis à vis
which it shall be answerable.
It shall represent the Church before
juridictions and shall make th necessary arrangements in related
matters upon proxy of the President of the High Committee.
It shall use all legal means, indeed
the repression in view of inducing members and Dignitaries to have the fear
of God and to avoid .
desorder and lack of discipline. It shall design and submit in such respect
a scale of sentences to the approval of the Permanent
Body of the High Committee. It shall have instructions from such institution
and account for its activities.
It shall create ad hoc Committees that it shall judge necessary
Article
44: Commission of Press and Communication
The circulation of information is necessary in any community.
So the commission of Communication and Press shall be entitled to organise
itself for any members
to be informed wherever they are on the life of the Church
It shall create structures of distribution and dispatching of mail
It shall be in charge of regular publication and the leading of the gazette
Celestial Echo as well as
other official gazettes of the church
It
shall besides work for:
*the creation of private radio station and television stations for the church.
*the acquirement of time on radio and television station like other religions
*the media coverage of any official celebrations organise by the Church
It shall create ad hoc committees that it judges necessary and controls
Article
45:Commission of Relations with other Religions
The Celestial Church of Christ shall develop in an environment where exist
other religions
with which it is entitled to have relationships of good neighbouring. The
commission of relations with other Religions
shall work in a way of favouring the paceful coexistence with Religions
without violating the doctrine of the Celestial Church of Christ
It shall work for the attendance of our religion to the oeucumenical Council
of Churches. It shall
make the Church participe in activities conducted within other inter-religion
dialogue framework through Christian Associations
within which other religions work by acknowledging the Lord Jesus-Christ
as the unique Saviour
It is normal therefore to clearly specify that no celestial christian is
allowed to sully themselves
with idols and other fetish practice. It shall create ad hoc committees
capable of helping play well its role.
Article
46: Commission of Education, Elimination of illiteracy and
self employment training
Such commission has the mission to:
*create nusery and primary schools, general technical and vocational secondary
shools and advanced
education institutes
*create vocational training centrres which will enable graduates to be responsible
of themslves
after the completion of their training
*teach how to write and read to adults in national dialects in order to
enable them to well get involved
in socio economic development of their environment and have directly access
to holy Written
It shall create ad hoc committees capable of helping it well accomplish
its various missions and monitor their
activities
Article
47: Commission of cultural Activity
This commission is in charge of:
*organising our parish chorals
*training chorists
*coordinating theatre troups activities and youth associations
*coordinating with the help of the commission of nofficial religious
celebrations the Church great meetings
*designing up the tourist circuit of the church and managing it in view
of conserving the history of the
Celestial Church of Christ
*creating and monitoring ad hoc committees that seem necessary to it
Article
48: Commission in charge of Security of people and goods
It shall be in charge of ensuring:
*the security of people and goods during great gatherings
*the tied security of the President of the High Committee, first Leader
of the Celestial Church of Christ
Article
49: Apart from the commission of finance and inheritance
of the Celestial Church
of Christ the eleven remaining commissions shall be structured as follows:
* A President
*A Vice-President
*A Secretary
*A Deputy Secretary
*A Treasurer
*A Deputy Treasurer
*An Organiser
Regarding the commission of Finance and Inheritanc of the Celestial Church
of Christ it shall
be structured as follows:
*A president
*A Vice President
*A Secretary
*A De puty Secretary
*Three organizers
Article
50: Members of any commissions shall be appointed upon their
good standards of moral, their sense
of duty their self denial and their constant worry of working for the good
running of the <church
In case elders who shall stand for counte rexamples and take away
the memory to the celestial church of christ coould in any be considered
as such to work in.
Any person during the discharge of his duty
shows repeated weakness shall be sanctioned resigning by the authority
who has induced the said person
accumulations of responsibility shall be avoided for an effective action
Chapter
IV
National Steering Committees
article
51 : In accordance with the article 30 of the Articles of
Association,the Celestial C hurch of Christ
shall be administered at each country level by a National Steering Committee.
It is the high body of the Church at
each Diocese level.
Article
52: The National Steering Committee shall be under the direct
power of the High Committee of the Celestial Church of Christ.
It shall receive from it and implement decisions and instructions. No National
Steering Committee could pretend to be autonomous vis à vis the world
Headquarter The Church Unity in thought, the harmonization of services and
practices depend upon it.
Article
53: The National Steering Committee shall be generally capable
of undergoing and achieving in the limits forits duties/ roles, anything
that contribute to be the intrest for the Church at the level of the Diocese.
Article 54: The National Steering Committee shall be informed of problems that Parish or Regional Committees could not find out an adequate or final solution
Article
55: The National Steering Committee shall be composed of
members hereafter:
*a President (Head of Diocese)
*Two vice presidents
*a Secretary General
two deputy secretaries general
*a general treasurer(president of the commission of finance)
*two deputy general treasurers
*the presidents of the regional committees
*the presidents of permanent commissions:
1-Commission
relations with other dioceses and the world headquarter
2-Commission
of religious training and promotions
3-Commission
of Finance of inheritance
4-Commission
of Official Spiritual Celebrations
5-Commission
of Infrastructures and Land Affairs
6-Commission
of Discipline, Justice and Disputes
7-Commission
of Health and Social Affairs
8-Commission
of Education, illiteracy Elimination,and training to self employment
9-Commission
of Communication and Press
10-Commission
of relations with other Religions
11-Commission
of Cultural Activity
12-Commission
of Security
Member of right: any other person appointed by the president of the High
Committee for a specific mission
Article 56: It shall be created upon the authorization of the High Committee; any other commission which is necessary
Article
57: In event of position vacancy for the sake of death,
resignation,or suspension from the Church, the National Steering Committee
shall proceed to a replacement of the person upon
the authorization of the High Committee
The replacement of th President of the National Steering Committee who shall
be at some time the Head of Diocese, shall be subject to
an appointment of the President of the High Committee
Article
58: The National Steering Committee shall be met in ordinary
sesssion twice each year to examine any questions relating
to the life of the Church in the country. It could be met at any moment
in extraordinary session upon convening of its President
or upon the request of the majority of its members.
Article
60: The Steering Committee of the headquarter shall assist
the President of the High Committee while solving current problems
by playing the role of the body of counselling. It shall attend to any leading
bodies of the Church.
ChapterV
Roles / Duties of Members of the National Steering Committee
Article
61: The President :he shall be the Head of Dioc.He shall
be responsible of the good running of God deeds in the country. He shall
work in deep cooperation with other members of the National Steering Committee.
He shall convene meetings of the National Steering Committee
which shall in its turn meet in an ordinary session within the first fifteen
days of November to make a stock of the year
that is ending, plan the great tasks, vote the Diocese budget examine questions
related to the life of the Church and prepare the participation of Diocese
to Porto-Novo
Synod as well as the participation of member in the annual piligrim of Sèmè
Plage
He shall conduct debates in accordance with the Holy Writ countersign taken
in common
and make the Aticles of Association and the Internal Regulations of the
Church abide by.
In event of equal votes, the decision of the President shall be prominent
Committee
or his representative duly appointed shall have the right to make official
statements on behalf of the Church. He shall be the Official entitled to
order the budget at
the Diocese level
Article
62: Vice-Presidents They shall assist the President of the
National Steering Committee in the complexion of his mission. The Diocese
important missions
could be entrusted to them
Article
63: The Seretary General of the National Steering Committee
shall quote questions placed on the agenda, write meetings minutes which
he shall jointly
sign with the president prepare and send meeting notice upon the order of
the President
The Secretary General shall inform and communicate with its members about
decisions reached in common. He shall be assisted by two Deputy Secretaries
General
in the discharge of his duties.
Article 64: The Organizer President
of the Commission of Official Religious Celebrations, he shall be liable
of the material organisation of the meeting of the Permanent Bureau and
the National Steering Committee
Article
65: The general Treasurer: He shall be at the same time
the President of the Commission of Finance and Inheritance at the Diocee
level.
He shall be assisted by two Deputy general treasurers in the discharge of
his duties
Article
66: Auditors could be punctually appointed by the National
steering Committee . They shall be liable of auditing and controlling the
accounts of the Church at the Diocesse level.
They shall design a report of their remarks upon the laast financial year
and notify it to the National Steering Committee for approval. They could
verify every accounts, documents and accounting proves.
Theycould be ssent to mission of auditing at the level of the regional committees
of sub regional and Parish committees
Article 67:
The presidents of Commissions
They shall coordinate activities at their respective commissions
level which are the same as the High Committee both in view of roles and
composition
They shall be members of the National Steering Committee to which shall
provide information related to activities of their Commissions
Article
68: Presidents of Regional Committees
They shall provide the National Steering Committee specified and reliable
information about the running of Parishes of their regions
They shall work for the blossom future of the Church in the environment
Chapter VI
Permanent Bureau of the National Steering Committee
Article
69: The Permanent Bureau of the National Steering Committee
shall be composed of members hereafter:
* The President of the National Steering Committee
*The Two Vice Presidents
*The Secretary General
*The two Deputy Secretaries General
*the Organizer(President of the Commissions of Official Religious Celebrations)
*the General treasurer(President of the Commission of Finance)
*the two deputy General treasurers
*Members of law appointed by the President of the High Committee
*the Permanent bureau could call on any President of Commission or any person
whose presence shall
be necessary for the examination of a specific question
Article
70: The Permanent Bureau of the National Steering Committee
shall meet in ordinary session
once a month and in extraordinary session as much as it shall be necessary
Article
71: The Permanent Bureau shall deliberate behind closed
doors and take decisions with
the majority of members present. Decisions so taken shall commit any members
of the Permanent
Bureau and all the Diocese
Article
72: Members of the Permanent Bureau shall keep secret deliberations
and information from
the sessions of the said Bureau for fear of sentences
Chapter VII
The Regional Committee
Article
73: Regional Committees shall be created in each Diocese
for a better management of Parishes
the member of regional committees shall be in account for the density of
parishes and the division
into constituencies
Article
74: At the head of each regional committee shall be a president.
He shall be under the direct
authority of the head of Diocese. The President of the National Steering
Committee who can replace him
if his behaviour requires it.
Article
75: The Regional Committee shall control activities of sub
regions under it.
Members behaviour of such committee shall reveal respect.
Article
76: The regional committee shall as follows be structured:
*A President appointed by the President of the High Committee on proposal
of the President of the National Steering Committee
*Two Vice-Presidents
*A Secretary General
*Two Deputy Secretaries General
*A General Treasurer(President of the Commission of Finance)
*Two Deputy General Treasurers
*An Organizer(President of the Commission of Official Religious Celebrations)
*Two Deputy Organizers
Such dignitaries shall be members of the Permanent BUREAU of the regional
Committees
PREAMBLE
In any organised Society, it is necessary
to set up some regulations that shall govern various actions which
are supposed to be conducted. The internalregulations shall be in such respect
a legal basis that shall guarantee
Celestial Christians
a good Christian moral standards, a spiritual training, but more particularly,
tideness and discipline without which
nothing though could be achieved
TITLE
I
MEMBERSHIP AND RELIGIOUS TRAINING
Chapter I
Membership
Article
1: Shall be member of the Celetial
Church Of Christ, any person that could abide the following conditions:
*accept Jesus as a Saviour
*accept the Church restrictions
*abandon Satan and all his deeds
*know very well the Sunday's
prayers
*know the Creed
*get baptised immersion by an
authorised or a parish Evangelist Leader
Article
2: Young people baptism shall be first and foremost authorised
by the parents or any persons legally known as such
The latters shall be responsible before God of their religious education.
Article 3: Women baptism, shall only be acepted by the Church after the quick agreement of her husband
Article
4 : Christian book which has the following details, shall
be issued to any member:
*Date of each rite(baptism, unction
etc..)
*Name of the Celebrant
*the hosting Parish
*The whole with the Church Seal
ChapterII
Religious Training
Article 5: The world headquarters
has the right to work in view of the unformity of services and various practices
everywhere the Church
is and is becoming important. It shall, time from time train and recycle leaders
at various levels both at the spiritual and
administrative level.
Article
6: Each parish shall organise at its level the religious training
its members religious training in accordance with the Celestial
Church of Christ doctrine.
Article
7: The Celestial Christian, for his/ her religious training
shall be diligent or assiduous in the course of the Bible study
praying session, services; he/ she shall have a Bible and his/ her praying
gown
Article
8: Members religious training shall be conducted by the parish
leader or any other authorised persons by the latter.
Bible sessions shall not be a channel of disputes and challenges.
TITLE II
RITUALS AND RESTRICTIONS OF THE CHURCH
Chapter
I
Church Rituals
Article
9: Any celestial church shall
be aware of the church rituals. Parish leaders and officiants, in particular,
shall get used to
the said rituals which shall, as the same, be implemented in every parishes.
Article
10 : The Celestial Church of Christ
rituals shall be as follows:
*early praying session at 6
o'clock
*sunday service at 10
o'clock
*evening service: wednesday, friday and sunday at 19
o'clock
*wednesday early service at 9 o'clock
for those who are seeking the grace and the blessing of God
*friday service at 13 o'clock.
It shall take place in the praying garden for the sanctification of any members
before obtaining various spiritual talents.
*thursday praying session at 9 o'clock
for pregnant women.
*first thursday praying session at midnight
*members wedding service.
*september 14, thanksgiving service
synod anniversary, after having appointed a pastor to preside over.
the future of the Celestial Church
of Christ pursuant to the death of the Founder.
*new born presentation ceremonies, the eighth
day following the thanksgiving, the fortieth, the twenty first
day after******
*burrial ceremonies, funeral evenings, eighth, fortieth and twenty first services.
*first stone groundind ceremony
*a parish foudation ceremony
*end of year thanksgiving service
*ascension service
*pentecost service
*palms service
*temple inaugurating ceremony.
Article 11: Other commemorative rituals shall also be celebrated.
It shall namely be:
* commemorative service of dead
people
*commemorative services of the death and the burrial of the Prophet Pastor
Founder on september 10,
and october 19
*commemoration of Holly Mary apparition to the Prophet Pastor Founder on July
15,
1977 that shall take place
on friday july 1st
*Palm celebrations (fasting, feet washing and members communion) during the
evening of the holy thursday service
(services, holy friday at 10 o'clock,
at 16 o'clock in the praying
garden, service at the cemetry on saturday evening at midnight, easter thanksgiving
,the revival meeting to a determined place which stands for Gallilee and common
meal on easter monday)
*christmas celebrations(7evening prayers on the parishes,christmas srvice
followed by the Lord supper on December 24,
at midnigt
at Sèmè Plage,
department of OUEME, Republic
of BENIN, thanksgiving service
on December 25, at 10 o'clock
and members unction
*The Celestial Church of Christ creation anniversary on september 29 of each
year.
*the Tchakou first stone grounding celebration on sunday 2 of May.
Chapter II
The Church Restrictions
Article
12: Various restrictions of the Celestial Church of Christ
aim at guaranteing its members a perfect spiritual life and a
good physical health.
Article 13: the strict respect of the Celestial Church of Christ restictions shall be accepted by any member before being baptiseed.
Article
14: The restrictions include the following main points:
*consumption of alcolholed drinks whatever its alcolhol content
*the use of tobacco and drugs
*consultation of soothsayers, charlatants marabouts and wizards
*sacrifices to divinities
*wearing of amulets and charms
*use of magic in any of its aspects
*adultery's offence
Article
15: the sense of decency, decency, the safeguarding respect
and the dignity of our Church shall prevent any members of the Celestial Church
of
Christ from:
*taking his/ her bath at crossroads in the day and night time as well
*lighting up or throwing candles, canaries, palms, etc... on public roads
*using coloured candles,red, yellow, black etc...
*organising some fund raising in markets during harvest celebrations
*practising exorcism against the sudden death which shall conduct to repeated
prayers for the dead person
*using double edge knives called"Holy Michael
Knife"
*hanging at the entrance of rooms white wrapped knives
such practices resemble to the charlatanism and idolatry. They are absolutely
opposite to our principles and customs
Article 16: No one could commit adultory and remain in the Church
Article
17: The woman who abandons her husband after having been a
member of the Celestial Church of Christ could no longer get married again
while remaining a member
of the same church unless she had been repudiated by the husband
Article 18: Any member of the Celestial Church of Christ who commit an adultory offence shall be sacked with his/ her correspondent
Article
19: Any member who commits an adultory offence with a non
celestial christian or who refers himself to charms, drugs practices
any kind of sortilege shall systematically be sacked from the Church.
Article
20: A woman during her menstruation shall be prevented from
going to the temple and christian meeting places. She shall stay
(07) seven days in his own impunity.
She will then wash her belongings and her body with sanctified/ blessed water
and shall
be once again purified.
Artile
21 : Any woman who will still bleed many days after her regular
period shall be declared impure during her bleeding time when
she shall be purified of her bleeding she will count (02)
two days more before newly resuming her spiritual activities
Article
22: Man affected with gonorrhea or who got a sexual intercourse
with a woman during her menstruation shall also become insane and
shall go by purification regulations and be away from christian assembly during
all the time of his impurity.
Article
23: When a woman is pregnant and gives birth she shall be
known as insane for (40) forty
days. But on the eighth day
the new born, without the mother shall be brought to the Church, followed
by its neighbours for the new born presentation
ceremony in the course of which the latter shall be named.
Article
24: During such impurity while the mother shall not touch
any sacred thing; she shall neither go to the temple nor attend to
any ceremonies in the assembly meetings
TITLE II
SPIRITUAL TALENTS AND HIERARCHY IN THE CHURCH
Chapter I
Spiritual Talents
Article
26: The Celestial Church of Christ shall essentially be spiritual.
The manifestation of the Holy Spirit in it
shall grant each of its members particular spiritual talents.
Article
27:Spiritual talents of the Celestial Church of Christ shall
be the same as those cited by the Apostle Paul in Corinthian
Chapter 12
versus 4 to 11
versus 28 to
29 and Ephesian in its chapter
4 (versus 11 and
12)
Article
28: Generally to obtain and conserve various spiritual talents
it calls for the faithfulness of members
to the first thursday of the month. 13 o'clock friday services and precedent
praying easter session
Pentecost, christmas.
Chapter
II
Hierarchy in the Celestial church of Christ
Article
29: The spiritual evolution of members of the Celestial Church
of Christ shall be sanctioned by
an unction and a promotion in accordance of a periodicity determined in the
ritual book of the Church and enable the wearing of a special surplice and
a soutane in case of a likely modification or a praying gown(see the
brochure" Light on the Celestial Christianism" Chap 3 page 35 relating
to the hierarchy in the
the Celestial Church of Christ)
Article 30:
Hierarchy in the Celestial Church of Christ shall be as follows:
*Simple Member
*Dehotos(Members having received the first unction)
*the order of Mummies "Alagba"
*the order of"Leaders"
*the hierarchy of "visionaries"
*the order of Evangelists
TITLE IV
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION
Chapter
I
High Committee
Article
31: In accordance with the provisions of the article 9 of
the Articles of Association, the Highest leading
body of the Celestial Church of Christ is the High Committee.
Such body of a universal nature shall govern the life of the Church and take
any decision relating
to its organisation, development and its radiance in the world
The same article of the Articles of Association shall specify the composition.
Its members shall
be appointed by the President of the High Committee
Its President shall be elected
by a collegue of dignitaries composed as follows:
*Higher Senior Evangelists
*Members of the Steering Committee of the World Headquarter
Article
32: The President of the High Committee shall be the first
leader of the Celestial Church of Christ
He shall reside in Porto-Novo,
the World Headquarter of the Celestial Church Of Christ
Article 33: Articles 13,14, 15 and 16 of the Articles of Association shall specufy the duties of the High Committee
Article
34: The articles 17 to 25 of the Articles of Association shall
specify the duties of the members of the High
Committee
Chapter II
The Permanent Body of the High Committee
Article
35: A permanent body of the High Committee shall be set up
at the World Headquarter of the Celestial Church of Christ
at Porto-Novo
Article
36: The articles 26 to 30 of the Articles of Association shall
specify the composition and the operation modalities of the High Committee
Permanent body
Chapter III
Composition and Duties of Commissions
Article 37:Commission of religious training and promotions
Such Commission shall organise
itself in a way of training systematically leaders of the Celestial Church
of Christ
at every levels as well as the Bible session at parish level
It shall design each year a training plan that it shall implement
It shall organise the monitoring of teachings and examine the proposals of
promotion from the diocese so that deserving christian shall be promoted and
those who failed
dismissed, if need be, from their positions
It shall examine the promotions with unctions that shall be submitted to it
by the National Steering Committtees of Benin
It shall propose the High Committee Dignitaries or Elders of good moral standars
, spiritually administratively ready to discharge
various duties in the hierarchy ofthe Celestial Church of Christ.
To that end, it shall set up and update each year an ability list. For the
effectiveness in action, it can create a number of appropriate committees
that
shall operate under its supervision.
Article 38: Commission of finance and inheritance of the Celestial Church of Christ
It shall design and implement
the budget of the High Committee and of the Permanent Commissions in liaision
with the latters
It shall adopt the balance of the past year and vote the new year one during
the december annual synod
It shall design a model of budget that it shall make available for different
bodies. The synod can appoint auditors to control the management
of the commission of finance and inheritance of the Celestial Church of Christ
if the presented assessment is unsatisfactory
The Commission of finance and inheritance of the Celestial Church of Christ
shall be in charge of examining the budgets of the minor structures whose
financial, material and accounting management. It shall
account for its activities each month to the Permanent body of the High Committee.
Any members of such commission must be informed and trained to know and implement
new regulations of financial materials and accounting management
It shall manage with the widest transparency
It shall create among itself appropriate committees that finds necesary for
an efficient effective operation
Members of that commission shall show a great moral standards and permanent
concern of the good management of resources and the inheritance of the Church
Article
39: Commission of infrastructures and land affairs
Such commission shall specially be in charge of determining and implementing
the Church land policy. Within that frame, it shall solve any questions relating
to the purchase of lands for Parishes, sub regional committees regional committee
diocese and the world headquarter
On the basis of the Church assets it shall design a parish model plan subsidiary
with infrastructures dimensions can vary in accordance with the number of
members and the location where the church shall be built.
It shall see to the construction of
infrastructures projected by the world headquarter
Any creation or the closing down of a parish shall be subject to its motivated
view sent to the Permanet body of the High Committee.
It shall work within such framework
with the commissioning of Parishes which shall be done in accordance with
specified criteria that it shall define and make public through authorised
ways.
It shall work for parishes closing down that seem to be private proprties
of some people and are constructed in their own private residences
It shall create a file to centralize any sale contracts or any notarial deed
of lands donation on which buildings are to be built for the the Celestial
Church of Christ
It shall create among itself appropriate committees that it finds necessary
for its good operation