Evoke operates as a Private Membership Association — a lawfully established private organization whose members have voluntarily entered a private contractual and associational relationship with one another and with the association. This page is a reference document for members. It describes the legal structure, the constitutional basis for it, and what it means in practice for your participation.
A body of individuals who have voluntarily joined together under a private agreement, exercising their constitutionally protected right to freely associate. A PMA is not a public-facing business, a nonprofit, or a government-regulated commercial entity. It is a private organization whose internal affairs are governed by its own charter and covenant, not by public commercial regulation.
The legal space occupied by private associations operating under voluntary membership agreements. Distinct from the public domain, which is subject to state and federal regulatory authority. Courts have consistently held that government authority does not extend automatically into the internal affairs of a lawfully established private association when membership is voluntary, the purpose is lawful, and a genuine associational interest exists.
An association formed by the free choice of its members. No person is compelled to join. The voluntary character of membership is central to the constitutional protection the association enjoys — the right of association is the right to choose with whom one associates and on what terms.
Three constitutional provisions form the foundation of the PMA framework.
The First Amendment protects the right of individuals to associate privately for any lawful purpose. The Supreme Court has recognized both expressive and intimate association as constitutionally protected. Private associations may conduct their internal affairs without government interference when members have voluntarily joined under a private agreement.
Applies First Amendment protections to state governments. No state may abridge the rights of association or due process without satisfying the applicable constitutional standard. Private associations are protected from state interference on the same basis as federal interference.
The private membership agreement is a lawful contract between consenting adults. Courts generally enforce private contractual arrangements between competent parties who have entered them voluntarily and with informed consent, subject to public policy limitations.
The distinction between the public and private domain is the operative legal concept underlying the PMA structure. Understanding it clarifies what the framework does and does not protect.
Evoke's activities — sacrament distribution, community participation, coaching, content access — occur within a private membership framework under a voluntary covenant. Members are not customers in a public commercial transaction. They are participants in a private faith community who have entered a consensual agreement that governs the relationship. The legal character of that relationship is determined by the private agreement, not by public commercial law.
This does not mean Evoke operates outside the law. It means the applicable law is the law governing private associations and religious organizations — not the law governing public commercial businesses.
The Membership Covenant is the governing document of your relationship with Evoke. The following summarizes its key operative terms. The full covenant is available in your member account. In the event of any discrepancy, the full covenant controls.
Voluntary participation in a private faith community. Not a commercial customer relationship. Governed by the covenant, not by consumer protection statutes applicable to public commercial transactions.
Membership is selective. Evoke reserves the right to decline or terminate membership. Admission requires voluntary agreement to the covenant and demonstrated alignment with the community's principles.
Member identities, records, participation, and communications are held in confidence within the PMA framework. Member information is not disclosed to external parties without member consent except as required by a valid legal process directed to the association.
Disputes between members or between a member and the association are resolved through private mediation, not public courts. Members waive the right to litigate covered disputes in public court proceedings and agree to binding private mediation under the terms of the covenant.
Either party may terminate membership at any time with appropriate notice. Termination does not affect confidentiality obligations, which survive the end of membership. The association may terminate membership for violation of the covenant without obligation to provide cause.
The covenant is governed by the principles of natural law and private contract, interpreted in accordance with federal constitutional protections for private association and religious liberty. No state law that abridges those protections applies within the private domain of the association.
Members retain full sovereignty over their own bodies, minds, and spiritual practice. Evoke does not direct member conduct outside the context of the association's activities. Participation is self-directed within the framework the covenant establishes.
As a member of Evoke's Private Membership Association, the following apply to your participation. These are statements of the legal framework — not legal advice.
Your relationship with Evoke is a private contractual and associational relationship, not a commercial one. The rights and obligations of both parties are defined by the covenant, not by public consumer protection or commercial law.
Your membership records, participation history, and communications are held within the private domain of the association and are not subject to the disclosure requirements that apply to public businesses or 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
Sacraments received through the Apothecary are contributions within a private religious association, not retail purchases. The legal character of the exchange is governed by the covenant and the ministry framework, not by public commercial law.
External regulatory authority over Evoke's internal affairs is limited by the constitutional protections applicable to private associations and religious organizations. Government agencies do not have automatic jurisdiction over the association's internal operations.
The PMA structure protects activity within the association's private framework. It does not extend to conduct outside that framework — including sharing sacraments with non-members, representing Evoke to third parties without authorization, or conduct that violates the covenant.
This page summarizes the Private Membership Association framework within which Evoke operates. It is provided for member reference and understanding. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you have specific questions about your individual legal situation, consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.
