Welcome to the Church of Seven Planes

Our Bishops Program

NOTICE:

You must be an ordained minister in good standing with the Church of Seven Planes for a period of at least one year before you are eligible to be a bishop.

New Bishops shall be subject to both a probationary period and a mentoring program as defined by The Church Of Seven Planes.

The current Bishop's Program has evolved from the requests and comments of our members.

A Bishop is not a legal advisor, nor will they offer tax information except as a private citizen. The Bishop is one who can guide CSP members to sources of desired and/or needed information, and offer suggestions or actual assistance in helping members to develop their own Ministry. As an associate of the CSP, Bishops are not required to provide any service beyond advising fellow CSP ministers.

In some cases, Bishops may act as an advisor for an entire country based on population, and number of members of the CSP within a given country.

Bishops of the CSP, unlike other religious organizations, do not hold any greater authority than any of our individual ministers. The office of Bishop holds an advisory roll instead of a multi-level hierarchy management position. The Bishops act as an advisory panel to the Home Church and the Archbishop on a volunteer basis. As new programs are recommended to the Church, the Bishops will have the ability to make suggestions, comments, and ideas to aid in establishing such programs prior to making them publicly available. It should be understood that appointment as Bishop, as with any higher office, carries with it various costs in time, knowledge, and limited expense.

Under the Church of Seven Planes Articles of Association the appointment of a Bishop to office is controlled under the office of Ordinations. The Archbishop may appoint Bishops from the membership at large as desired to promote the Ministries' duties throughout the world.

The Archbishop, with advice from the Bishops, shall determine the Duties, Restrictions, Privileges, and Authority of the Bishops within the guidelines of the Articles of Association. Appointment to the Status of Bishop shall fall under the exclusive authority of the Archbishop of the CSP.

All candidates for Bishop are voted upon by the entire college of Bishops and the Archbishop will take their vote into consideration before the appointment is made or denied.

Duties of the Bishops:

To aid CSP members in finding local statutes or ordinances concerning religious practices.
To suggest ways to create and promote a minister's independent Ministry as an advisor.
To sit on the Home Church's Bishop Advisory Committee for the betterment of the Church at large.
To suggest ways to promote and better the Church of Seven Planes.
To promote the rights and freedoms of religious beliefs within the law.

Privilege and Authority of the Bishops:

Rightful use of the title of Bishop when being addressed or when addressing others.
Right to be listed on the Official Home Church site (http://www.sevenplanes.org/bishops.html) as Bishop of the area appointed.
Bishops have the Authority to ordain new Ministers, but must inform the Archbishop by providing the new Ministers information and date of said ordination.
Bishops may issue Letters of Good Standing for members in their area with the authority of the Church.
Bishops may use the Official Logos of the CSP on Official correspondence provided on the Church's behalf.
Bishops may attend official and private functions in the capacity of their office.

Restrictions of the Bishops:

Bishops are advisory appointments only.
No Bishop has the authority to remove, excommunicate, deny, or otherwise control another member's rights of beliefs.
No Bishop may deny, remove, or set aside any members ordained status within the Church.
No Bishop may involve the Church at large or the Home Church in any criminal or civil action, or in any way cause harm to the Church or its ministers.
No Bishop may cause the Church to be liable for indebtedness, levy, or lien from any party.
No Bishops are allowed to contract on behalf of or for the Church in any form of business or monetary ventures.
The Archbishop has full authority to remove from office any Bishop due to infraction of the Church's Doctrine, willful neglect of duties, or violation of legal criminal codes.

Candidates for Bishop who receive appointment will be reviewed on an annual basis if your performance is found lacking the Archbishop at his discretion remove you from office or tell you where you are lacking and give you a time limit to repair the problem

To seek appointment as Bishop:

Every candidate must personally request appointment as Bishop of his or her area.

Every candidate must provide a statement of no more than 200 words and answer four questions (see questions at end of this page) on their ability to provide advisory services for their local area and their reasons for the appointment.

This statement will be emailed to admin[@]sevenplanes.org or mailed to the CSP at: remove the brackets to email.

PO Box 294
Cooper, Texas, USA 75432

If you mail your statement, please type and use double space lines and format properly (i.e., paragraphs, proper capitalization and punctuation) and an easy to read font. Plain white standard letter-size paper (i.e., 8-1/2 x 11) is preferred, though applications from abroad are excused from this requirement.

If you email your statement, please use double spaced lines and format properly (i.e., paragraphs, proper capitalization and punctuation).

Every candidate should provide a phone number and address for the Archbishop's private registry only. This number will not be made public or given out. Candidates whose applications lack this information might be denied appointment. Please include your name, if we do not have your name we cannot put your application up for voting.

Every candidate should also provide an email address for members to contact him or her. This e-mail address will be placed on the www.sevenplanes.org/Bishops.html of the CSP site unless otherwise requested.

Every candidate will make a donation of no less than $75.00 to the Bishop's Fund prior to final appointment please wait until requested for money and submit payment via PayPal.,
Upon appointment each Bishop will receive:

A certificate of Entitlement acknowledging appointment and giving permission for usage of the title, a lapel pin signifying the person as a bishop and a bishops clergy badge.

The Archbishop may contact each Bishop with additional benefits as provided by the CSP at that time.

The Archbishop at this time also holds the distinction of being one of the founding members of the CSP, and as such will diligently seek to appoint members of the highest standard of knowledge and faith to these office of Bishop.

All appointments will be based on ability and for no other reason. If you have read and understood all of the above, and you are interested in becoming a Bishop for your area, please do not hesitate to contact us as there are always positions available for those wishing to assist further the endeavors and ministry of the CSP.

please answer the following questions and send the answers in an email to admin[@]sevenplanes.org (remove brackets before using the email ]or snail mail to PO Box 294 Cooper, Texas 75432-0294 USA Please keep in mind the Church of Seven Planes is a multi-interfaith church and ordains all religions.

1.What is your purpose in seeking to be a Bishop?

2. How will you handle persons of different faiths and beliefs when they
seek advice from you?

3. If you are a Christian and they are Pagan How will you handle their belief? If you are a Pagan how will you handle a Christian coming to you for advice?

4. What is your background, (tell us about yourself)

5. Tell us why you would make a good bishop.

CSP's Privacy Statement can be viewed here