The oldest Macedonian community organisation in the Australian state of New South Wales. Formerly known as Macedonian Orthodox Community of Sydney Аrea and Macedonian Orthodox Community of Sydney.
The Macedonian Orthodox Community of Australia Ltd (MOCA) is the oldest Macedonian community organization in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was founded in 1969 and incorporated in 1971 as a not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee ( http://www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/Registering+not-for-profit+or+charitable+organisations ). Its original name was Macedonian Orthodox Community of Sydney Area. This was changed to Macedonian Orthodox Community of Sydney in 2004, and then to Macedonian Orthodox Community of Australia in 2011.
In 1969, MOCA established the first ever Macedonian Orthodox church in New South Wales, the Cathedral of Saints Kiril & Metodi, using the building of the old Anglican parish of St. Andrew, at 18A Dalmeny Avenue Rosebery NSW. The newly constructed church was officially opened on 16 October 1977, by the then Premier of NSW, the Hon N.K. Wran.
In 1985, MOCA established its second church, St. Nikola, with an adjoining Community Hall (now named Basil II), at 79 Cabramatta Rd, Cabramatta NSW.
Subsidiaries of MOCA include the Macedonian folk dancing associations “Makedonka” of Cabramatta and “Dame Gruev” of Arncliffe, and the Macedonian Pensioners Association “Metodija Andonov Chento.”
MOCA is a founding member of the Association of Macedonian Communities in Australia Inc.
THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES ARE DEFINED IN MOCA'S CONSTITUTION
1. Purpose of MOCA
1.1 Purposes of establishment of MOCA
The purposes for which MOCA is established are to:
a) Organise ecclesiastical, social and other activities for Macedonian Australians of the Orthodox Christian faith, for the observance and promotion of their religious tenets, teachings, rites and ceremonies, in the Macedonian and English language, and for this purpose to establish and govern and/or facilitate and encourage the establishment and government of churches and other facilities for worship, religious instruction and education, and to select and employ priests and other religious workers for its churches.
b) Provide care and assistance to persons who are disadvantaged, incapacitated or otherwise in need of benevolent support. This shall include but is not limited to:
(i) establishing and facilitating educational, cultural, artistic and social institutions, programs and facilities; and
(ii) developing, maintaining and operating a range of personal and community care services to alleviate the distress and suffering of those disadvantaged as a consequence of age, social, physical, intellectual or financial circumstances or any other condition or circumstance that places an individual in a position of distress, disadvantage or potential of distress and disadvantage.
c) Preserve, develop and promote the Macedonian language, identity, culture and historical heritage for the benefit of persons of indigenous Macedonian ancestry who would not otherwise be able to have fair and reasonable access to such opportunity, support, training and development.
d) Raise funds for the Macedonian Orthodox Community of Australia (MOCA).
e) Assist the understanding of the Christian faith in the Australian community by way of providing training, education and development to persons who would not necessarily have fair and reasonable access such training, education and development.
f) Co-operate with, make gifts to or contributions (of money or any form of property or service) to, distribute, grant or lend money to and facilitate the work of or assist in any way organisations that have substantially similar objects to those of MOCA and do not allow the distribution of their income and property among their Members.
g) Purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire and hold any lands, buildings, easement or property, real and personal, mortgage, encumber, create a lean over any real property or other asset of MOCA, and any rights and privileges so as to allow MOCA to pursue its purposes.
h) Make application to State and Federal bodies and to other appropriate bodies for funding and/or grants and administer and apply such funds in accordance with guidelines set forth by any funding body for the purposes herein.
i) Upon winding up or dissolution of MOCA, to transfer any remaining funds and assets to one or more other organisations that have similar objects and do not allow the distribution of their income and property among their Members.
j) Do such other things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of these purposes, and
k) Do all or any of the things authorised by the Corporations Act.
1.2 Application of income for purpose only
The profits (if any) or other income and the property of MOCA, however derived, must be applied solely towards the promotion of the purposes of MOCA as set out in article 1.1. No part of those profits or that income or property may be paid or transferred to the Members (as Members), either directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise.
1.3 Payment in good faith
Subject to article 6.3, article 1.2 does not prevent payment in good faith to a Member, or to a firm of which a Member is a partner, employee or contractor, or to a corporation of which a Member is a member, shareholder, director, employee or contractor:
a) of remuneration for services to MOCA; or
b) for goods supplied in the ordinary course of business; or
c) of interest on money borrowed at a rate not exceeding the rate fixed for the purposes of this article 1.3 by MOCA on money borrowed; or
d) of reasonable rent for premises; or
e) by way of reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of MOCA;
f) in accordance with article 1.1.
- Tags:
- NGO, Nonprofit, Organization
- Category:
- Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)