What are these bylaws? Why are they necessary?

The Artos Vendor Guild operates differently than a standard commercial platform. We are a private religious association dedicated to fostering the Eastern Orthodox Christian economy. We utilize this Guild structure to legally protect our community's "Safe Harbor" mission, ensuring that all sellers share our faith and values. These Bylaws serve as the governing contract between you (the Member) and the Association, establishing our religious standards, membership requirements, and internal dispute resolution processes.

Bylaws of the Artos Vendor Guild

Adopted: December 15, 2025

Last Updated: March 13, 2026

Table of Contents

  1. Preamble
  2. Article I: Name and Affiliation
  3. Article II: Religious Purpose
  4. Article III: Membership
  5. Article IV: Termination of Membership
  6. Article V: Governance
  7. Article VI: Dispute Resolution
  8. Article VII: Amendments

PREAMBLE

We, the members of the Artos Vendor Guild, associate ourselves together not merely for commercial gain, but to foster a dedicated economy for the Eastern Orthodox Christian community. We establish these Bylaws to govern our association, preserve our spiritual identity, and protect our right to freely associate based on our shared faith.

ARTICLE I: NAME AND AFFILIATION

Section 1. Name

The name of this private unincorporated religious association shall be the Artos Vendor Guild (hereinafter the "Guild").

Section 2. Organization

The Guild is organized and operated under the auspices of Lampstand Digital LLC, a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company doing business as Artos (the "Sponsor"). The Sponsor provides the digital infrastructure, administrative support, and financial processing for the Guild.

ARTICLE II: RELIGIOUS PURPOSE

Section 1. Mission

The primary purpose of the Guild is religious and community-oriented:

  • To support the financial stability of Orthodox Christian families, artisans, and monasteries.
  • To provide a "Safe Harbor" marketplace free from content that mocks, degrades, or contradicts the teachings of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
  • To practice mutual aid and commerce within the "household of faith".

Section 2. Private Nature

The Guild is a private member association. While the goods produced by members may be sold to the general public, membership in the Guild itself is a private privilege, not a public right. Admission is discretionary and strictly limited to those who share our sacramental commitments.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility

Membership is open exclusively to:

  • Natural persons who are baptized or chrismated members in good standing of the Eastern Orthodox Church (canonical jurisdictions), are at least 18 years of age, and have not been excommunicated or placed under penance that restricts their participation in the life of the Church.
  • Entities (including businesses, monasteries, and other organizations) acting through a named representative (the "Representative") who is authorized to bind the entity and who personally satisfies all of the religious and age requirements applicable to natural-person Members.

Section 2. Admission

To become a Member, an applicant must:

  • Submit a Membership Application via the Artos platform.
  • If a natural person, attest to their Orthodox faith; if an entity, designate its Representative and attest to the Representative's Orthodox faith, in each case providing the name of the relevant Parish and Priest for verification.
  • Affirm their agreement to these Bylaws, the Artos Terms of Service, and the Privacy Policy.
  • Be approved by the Stewards (defined in Article V).

Section 3. Rights of Members

Members in good standing have the right to:

  • List and sell products on the Artos marketplace.
  • Display the "Artos Verified" badge on their shop profile.
  • Participate in Guild forums and community discussions.

Section 4. Duties of Members

Members agree to:

  • Conduct their business with honesty and integrity, reflecting the values of the Gospel.
  • Promptly fulfill orders and treat customers (both Orthodox and non-Orthodox) with charity.
  • Maintain their standing in the Orthodox Church.
  • Notify the Stewards immediately if they leave the Church or transfer canonical jurisdictions.
  • If the Member is an entity, ensure its Representative remains authorized and in good standing, and notify the Stewards immediately if the entity changes Representatives.

ARTICLE IV: TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Grounds for Termination

Membership may be terminated by the Stewards for:

  • Loss of Good Standing: Ceasing to be a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church or falling into schism/heresy.
  • Misrepresentation: Lying about one’s faith or parish affiliation on the application.
  • Representative Failure: If an entity Member no longer has a qualified Representative or misrepresents the Representative's authority or religious standing.
  • Mission or Integrity Misconduct: Serious or repeated conduct that undermines the Guild's Orthodox "Safe Harbor" mission or marketplace integrity, including selling prohibited religious, occult, blasphemous, sacrilegious, or schismatic items, or engaging in fraudulent or intentionally unethical business practices.

Section 2. Procedure

Ordinary violations of the Terms of Service may be addressed through listing removal, shop suspension, account restrictions, or other platform enforcement under the Terms of Service without affecting Guild membership.

If the Stewards determine that a Member's conduct presents a mission-related or integrity-related concern under Section 1, they may suspend Guild privileges while reviewing the matter and may terminate membership immediately upon confirming the violation. While we strive to act with grace, there is no automatic right to appeal. Reinstatement is at the sole discretion of the Stewards.

ARTICLE V: GOVERNANCE

Section 1. The Stewards

The Guild shall be governed by a body known as the Stewards. The Stewards are the appointed officers/managers of Lampstand Digital LLC.

Section 2. Authority

The Stewards have the final authority to:

  • Approve or deny membership applications.
  • Audit the religious standing of any member.
  • Set fees for platform use (Platform Fees) to cover the costs of operating the Guild’s digital infrastructure.
  • Interpret these Bylaws and settle disputes regarding membership status.

ARTICLE VI: DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Section 1. Scope - Internal Guild Matters Only

This Article applies exclusively to disputes concerning:

  • Membership eligibility (whether an applicant or member meets the religious criteria in Article III)
  • Orthodox verification challenges (disputes over the accuracy of parish/priest attestation)
  • Religious standing audits (whether a member has ceased to be Orthodox, entered schism, or fallen under penance)
  • Guild membership consequences (whether mission-related or integrity-related conduct supports suspension or termination of Guild membership under Article IV)

This Article does NOT apply to:

  • Platform fees, commissions, or payment processing disputes
  • Refunds, returns, or transaction-related claims
  • Routine shop suspensions, listing removals, payout restrictions, or other account enforcement for violations of the Terms of Service
  • Intellectual property disputes
  • Any matter involving non-members or commercial transactions

Examples of Internal Guild Matters (Article VI applies):

  • Whether an applicant is actually Orthodox (parish verification challenge)
  • Whether a seller has left the Church (religious standing audit)
  • Challenge to Stewards' decision to terminate membership for heresy/schism
  • Whether a mission-related or integrity-related Terms violation also warrants Guild membership termination
  • Dispute over interpretation of religious criteria in Article III

Examples of Commercial Matters (Terms of Service applies):

  • Platform fees, commission rates, or payment processing disputes
  • Refund requests, return policies, chargebacks
  • Listing removal or shop suspension for selling prohibited items under the Terms of Service
  • Dispute with buyer over order fulfillment
  • Intellectual property claims
  • Data privacy requests
  • Any dispute involving a non-member (buyer, affiliate, curator)

Section 2. Resolution of Internal Matters

Disputes within the scope of Section 1 shall be resolved at the sole discretion of the Stewards. The Stewards may, at their option:

  • Conduct mediation between the parties
  • Request written statements or evidence
  • Consult with Orthodox clergy or canon lawyers
  • Issue a binding determination

There is no internal appeal from the Stewards' decision regarding membership status. The Stewards' authority is final for matters within the scope of this Article, subject only to any non-waivable rights available under applicable law.

Section 3. Commercial Disputes - Referral to Terms of Service

All disputes not covered by Section 1 - including but not limited to fees, payments, refunds, marketplace transactions, shop suspensions for policy violations, and disputes with non-members - shall be governed exclusively by Section 10 (Dispute Resolution) of the Artos Terms of Service, which provides for binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

Section 4. Limited Court Access for Commercial Matters

Members do not waive their right to bring eligible commercial disputes in small claims court or to seek judicial review only where applicable law independently permits or requires a court proceeding. Otherwise, commercial disputes shall proceed as provided in the Terms of Service.

Section 5. Precedence

These Bylaws control internal Guild membership matters described in Section 1. The Terms of Service control commercial matters, account enforcement under the Terms of Service, and the arbitration procedures applicable to such matters.

Section 6. Determination of Applicable Forum

If either party asserts that a dispute is covered by this Article, the Stewards shall make a preliminary administrative determination within ten (10) business days.

  • If the Stewards determine the dispute is internal, the parties shall proceed under Article VI unless and until a neutral decision-maker with authority under applicable law determines otherwise.
  • If the Stewards determine the dispute is commercial, the parties shall proceed under Section 10 of the Terms of Service.

Any challenge to whether a commercial dispute falls within the scope or applicability of the arbitration agreement in the Terms of Service, including a challenge to the Stewards' preliminary classification, shall be decided by the arbitrator under Section 10 of the Terms of Service, except to the extent applicable law requires a court to decide the issue or the matter may proceed in small claims court.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendment Process

These Bylaws may be amended at any time by the Stewards.

Section 2. Notice

Members will be notified of material changes to the Bylaws via email or a prominent notice on the Artos dashboard. Continued participation in the Guild constitutes acceptance of the amended Bylaws.

By checking "I have read and agree to the Bylaws of the Artos Vendor Guild" during the application process, you digitally sign and bind yourself to this agreement.