Metropolitan District Conference 2010
October 18th – 20th
The Grand Hotel of Cape May, NJ
The time has arrived to make plans to attend this Fall’s Metropolitan District Prayer Conference. Our theme this year is “Go and bear fruit- fruit that will last” based on John 15:16. Each portion of Conference has been prepared with special focus.
As licensed workers, you are required to attend conference. If you are newly licensed within the last two years and have not yet attended our New Official Worker (NOW) Forum, please consider attending. This is a requirement for ALL new official workers.
To register online: Metro District Online Registration
To download the registration packet: Entire Conference Packet
To download NOW Forum Registration form only: NOW registration form
The Alliance Responds to Haitian Disaster
Compassion and Mercy Associates (CAMA), the Alliance relief and development arm, is gearing up to assist survivors of the 7.0 earthquake that destroyed Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, on January 12. According to a CNN report, the death toll may top 100,000. The hospitals are gone, and medical supplies are desperately needed. About 3 million people—one-third of Haiti’s population —were impacted by the quake.
In partnership with parachurch organizations already on the ground, CAMA will provide immediate assistance—including clean water, emergency shelter, medical aid, and other necessities—as well as long-term help in rebuilding efforts, integrating Jesus’ message of redemption with practical acts of compassion.
“A compassionate response during a disaster tangibly expresses Christ’s love and opens doors for other ministries,” says Phil Skellie, CAMA’s president.
To donate to the Haitian Earthquake Relief Fund, please go to this link, scroll down, and click on the red “Give Now” box—
http://www.cmalliance.org/give/relief/
Metropolitan District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance
Safe Sanctuaries Policy
Safe Sanctuaries Policy: Reducing the Risk of Abuse in Ministry with Children, Youth or Vulnerable Adults
The following policies shall apply to all programs dealing with children, youth (under 18), and vulnerable adults:
1. Personnel policies for all programs, both church and non-church
A. Shall require:
i. The recommended volunteer application form, available from the District Office, shall be used for screening all workers, regular and occasional.
ii. A background check is required for all regular workers, lay and clergy involved with work with minors.
B. May use the on-line service for background checks, www.protectmyministry.com, with whom the C&MA has arranged for discounted rates for its churches and districts.
C. It is recommended that the district complete a background check for all newly licensed official workers, including newly approved workers as well as transfers from other districts or countries.
D. The cost of all background checks is to be paid by the church, board or agency requesting them.
2. Screening forms and background checks:
A. Shall be reviewed by the either the Church Board or the Senior Pastor, or the supervisor of the prospective employee(s) or volunteer(s) and the pastor.
B. Screening forms and background checks shall be maintained in the confidential personnel files of the church after the termination of any employee.
C. These screening and background checks shall be required of all persons unless a more stringent check is required to satisfy the standards of a licensing agency.
3. All such programs shall be clearly differentiated between those which are church operated, and those which are non-church operated.
Basic Standards Assumed: The following are basic assumptions made as they relate to local church programs for children, youth and vulnerable adults.
1. All buildings in which such programs are housed shall have any necessary “certificates of occupancy.”
2. All groups conducting such programs shall have the necessary certificates of insurance for both liability and workers compensation. They shall be displayed as required by law.
3. All such programs shall conform to Federal and State wage and tax laws for employees.
The Metropolitan District of the C&MA shall resource local churches with materials, persons, training opportunities, and guidelines for establishing effective measures that will reduced the risk of emotional, physical or sexual abuse of children and youth in the local church; and
The District Executive Committee shall designate a person or committee who will develop and implement measures that will reduce the risk of child /youth abuses in the local church; and
The resource Safe Sanctuaries by Joy T. Melton and/or Reducing the Risk of Child Sexual Abuse in Your Church by Richard R. Hammar, et al. shall be the model by which churches shall develop their policy and that each policy while unique to each local church setting, shall contain at least the following six measures:
- Screening, selection, and annual training of all paid and volunteer workers with children, youth and vulnerable adults
- Supervision and procedures
- Reporting to Allegations of abuse
- Responding to abuse
- Education of the entire congregation about the policy
- Annual review of the policy by a designated group within the local church
To implement a full policy, here are some other resource ideas:
1. The C&MA promotes Creating a Safe Ministry www.safeplaceresources.com $25 It is a book.
2. Reducing the Risk www.reducingtherisk.com on sale for $99.95 It has a leaders guide, training dvd, 10 work books, etc. This is put out by Christianity Today, who is also publishing Church Law and Tax Report.
3. Another one on the Christianity Today site is www.churchsafety.com. It has 10 training dvds, leaders guide and workbooks. Richard Hammer who wrote Church Law and Tax Report (I use CLTR lots) is a resource in this material and covers everything from financial security to food safety. It costs $99.95.
Definition of Terms:
VULNERABLE ADULTS: Those adults with diminished physical, mental, or emotional capacities.
CHURCH PROGRAMS/NON-CHURCH PROGRAMS AS RELATED TO INSURANCE: Programs relating to children, youth and vulnerable adults are covered under the conference-wide Property and Casualty Insurance Program so long as they are church operated. That is, the church must have control over starting and stopping the operation, hiring or firing the employees, and the management of the day-to-day operations. The decision to operate a program, as described above, should be a matter of record in the meeting minutes of the Administrative Board or Board of Trustees of the local church. This will lay to rest the question of whether it is a church operated or a non-church program that is using the church premises. The non-church program is not covered by the conference insurance and the church should be sure that these non-church programs carry a minimum of $1,000,000 General Liability Insurance and are covered by Workers? Compensation insurance. Certificates of these insurance coverages should be requested and received by the church annually. The Annual Conference and the local church should be named as additional insureds on these policies. The employees of the church-operated childcare centers are covered under the Workers’ Compensation Program and as such should be reported on the annual Workers’ Compensation salary audit of the local church.
SCREENING FORMS: Screening forms for use with volunteers are designed to assist the local church in gaining information on persons who are applicants for working in church programs with children, youth and vulnerable adults. Their use is designed to enhance the protection of those who participate in the programs. The use of the screening process should be required in both “church” and “non-church” programs.
BACKGROUND CHECKS: As with the screening forms, background checks are designed to protect those individuals involved in the programs offered by the church to children, youth and vulnerable adults.
NOTE: Please contact Yeathus Johnson yjohnson@metrocma.org or 973-412-7025 x203 if you have any questions regarding the implementation of this policy.
Volunteer Application – http://metrocma.org/content/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Volunteer-Application.pdf
