Membership in the Alliance
MEMBERSHIP
SPA membership means monthly meetings with peers, annual review of your practices by other member churches, a shared code of ethics, and a complaint process your congregants can use.
What Membership Is
A confidential forum for collaboration and mutual support among sacramental communities.
A commitment to self-regulation, peer review, and continual improvement.
A shared code of conduct that prohibits ethical, sexual, physical, and emotional misconduct, abuses of power, and discrimination.
An accountability system your congregants can contact directly.
What Membership Is Not
It is not legal status. Membership does not create, confer, or imply an exemption, a licence, or protection from prosecution.
It is not a certification you can advertise as government recognition.
It is not a starting point. Membership assumes an established community with experienced leadership already in place.
It is not a substitute for your own counsel.
Established communities with experienced leadership
WHO IS IT FOR
Membership is assessed against five areas of criteria: disciplined practice and sincere belief, health and safety protocols, ethics and accountability, diversion control, and a commitment to self-regulation and peer review.
Full members
Corporate member status with voting rights
Founding members, or Initiate Members with at least one year of membership, following review and approval.
Established sacramental community with extensively experienced leaders.
Articulated and demonstrated sincerity of religious beliefs.
Financial accountability, stability, and transparency.
Commitment to SPA's ethical guidelines.
Initiate members
Corporate member status with voting rights
Approximately four or more years of organized community with well-developed procedures.
Religious leader with extensive experience, at least seven years leading ceremony or in apprenticeship.
Articulated and demonstrated sincerity of religious beliefs.
Financial accountability, stability, and transparency.
May become Full Members after one year of membership.
The obligations come first.
WHAT MEMBERS DO
Members risk losing membership if the ethics and accountability standards are violated.
Member Activities:
Attend monthly member meetings and serve on committees such as Membership, Ethics, Health and Safety, and Community Outreach and Reciprocity.
Complete annual peer check-ins with other Full and Initiate Members.
Complete the annual ethics training programme.
Operate the Ethical Accountability System with their own congregations.
Bring concerns, challenges, and working procedures to the association so the whole membership improves.
Peer support,
and a voice.
WHAT MEMBERS RECEIVE
Corporate voting rights, including votes for the Board of Directors and changes to the Bylaws.
Eligibility to serve on the Board as a member representative, Full Members only.
An invitation to attend all SPA Board meetings.
Private member communication channels.
Educational content shared at meetings and between them.
Access to shared forms, procedures, and protocols for collaborative improvement.