EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HANDBOOK

ECIM serves as a voice for Native Americans in the Episcopal Church, recommending policies and programs for the consideration of the Council and the Presiding Bishop.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL RESOLUTION (FEB, 2002)

Resolved, That the Executive Council reaffirms the Episcopal Council on Indigenous Ministries (ECIM) as a Committee of the Council and approves the attached amended bylaws of the ECIM.

Explanation>
Established by Executive Council in 1969, the National Committee on Indian Work and its successor body, ECIM, have served the Episcopal Church's ministry to, for and with the indigenous peoples of its dioceses for thirty-three years. The General Convention of 1997 designated the decade 1997-2007 as "The Decade of Remembrance, Recognition and Reconciliation for welcoming Native Peoples into congregational life and developing an outreach partnership among urban Native Peoples." At the midway point in the Decade of Remembrance and Recognition, 2002 is an appropriate year in which to reaffirm Executive Council's commitment to native ministries.

BY LAWS OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH’S COMMITTEE ON INDIGENOUS MINISTRIES (Amended December, 2001)
I. Membership
1. The ECIM shall be composed of thirteen members, a majority of whom shall be American Indian, Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian, committed to indigenous ministry. Members shall be appointed by the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies who shall endeavor to see that members represent Tribal diversity, age, gender and geographic balance. All members shall be communicants in good standing of the Episcopal Church. Four members shall be the Bishops of Alaska, Navajoland, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
2. With the exception of the Bishops of North Dakota, Alaska, Navajoland, and South Dakota, the terms of the members shall be six years, and they shall be staggered so that some will expire at the end of each triennium. ECIM members who have served more than two years of any term shall not be eligible for reappointment until after a three-year absence. ECIM members who have served two years or less of a term shall be eligible for appointment to another term. With the exception of the Bishops of the four listed Dioceses, any member who misses two consecutive meetings without cause may be removed by the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies.

VI. Understanding As To Allocation of Responsibilities
1. It shall be the responsibility of the ECIM to recommend policy; The Presiding Bishop and Executive Council shall establish policy; and the Presiding Bishop's Staff shall be responsible for executing policy.