Volunteers
- (Adopted by Session as a Working Document April 5, 2005)
Rationale
The story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem is considered to be a model for the church. The broken walls symbolize weak spots in the defenses of a congregation. Before the walls were repaired, there was a period of fasting and prayer which should typify the preparation and state of mind for each endeavor that we undertake here at St. Andrew's. Nehemiah's sacrifice of a prominent position in his community for the good of the cause is an example of the sacrificial service that goes into worthwhile projects. The rebuilding of the walls is a delightful and heartwarming account of how people from all walks of life cooperated, and with God's guidance and help, achieved great things that most people thought were beyond accomplishing.
When each person did his/her part, the whole family of God moved forward. Here at St. Andrew's, there are many individuals who give sacrificially of their time, talents and resources to do the work of the church and it would be impossible to highlight them all; nevertheless, God will reward them for their faithfulness, and we ought to continue as a congregation to thank God for raising up fellow workers to carry out the tasks within our church. As faithful individual members and adherents continue to actively seek opportunities to volunteer, St. Andrew's will continue to stand as a beacon for the community of Parry Sound and regions beyond.
In the New Testament, we learn that spiritual gifts are like the parts of the human body. There is a unity in Christ and all parts of the body are given to us for specific reasons. We need every part of the body to perform its role in order for the body to be completely healthy. Every person within St. Andrew's brings special God-given talents that are necessary to a fully functioning church. God expects this congregation to encourage all members and adherents to recognize their unique talents and skills and to encourage individuals to use them within His church. Each volunteer brings valuable insight, energy and enthusiasm to activities within the church. Each volunteer also benefits from the spirituality, skills, knowledge and creativity of fellow Christians.
St. Andrew's recognizes the importance of recruitment, training, deployment and supervision of its volunteers. The purposes of this guideline are to encourage every person to volunteer at St. Andrew's as the Lord leads, to outline some parameters for effective coordination of volunteers, and to provide pertinent information on the supervision of volunteers.
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Identifying Needs for Volunteer Assistance
Many people are already volunteering at St. Andrew's. Some have been quietly going about their areas of ministry for many, many years. Still, there is always a need for more volunteers, or for finding even more effective avenues of ministry which utilize the God-given talents of people. Identifying areas where volunteers are needed is an ongoing task that requires the participation of every member/adherent in the congregation. Many good suggestions for needs that should be addressed arise from elders' discussions with congregants in their districts. The minister, all committee chairs and group leaders obviously have valuable vantage points from which to identify personnel needs. The chairs and most leaders are volunteers themselves and thus are appreciative of others who participate and contribute to programs and activities. St. Andrew's ministry has also benefited from individuals who see a church need and propose a program or an activity on which they are willing to work. These initiatives have in the past addressed a variety of short-term ministry needs, long-term needs, and/or other special needs.
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Encouraging Every Person to Volunteer
The Session and church staff members can certainly contribute to a successful volunteer program. Elders should encourage individuals in their districts to find the area of service that is comfortable for them and that presents opportunities for them to put their talents to work in God's service. The elders can contribute to positive environments for volunteers through clear policies and procedures which provide the structure for activities and through ongoing encouragement for individual volunteers. Elders can also enhance the volunteer's understanding of the church's history, the goals of its activities and the standards of behavior for all concerned. The minister and the staff can often assist volunteers with details that make their work easier and with further encouragement that recognizes their contributions. Some very effective volunteers are those who, although they may be housebound, contribute their prayer, wisdom, financial and resource support to the building of our church's ministries. If every single person committed to at least one volunteer activity at St. Andrew's, the church would be able to expand its ministries for the glory of almighty God.
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Recruitment of Volunteers
Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). "And James, the brother of Jesus said, 'I will show you my faith by my works'" (James 2:18). Every person should have the opportunity to volunteer.
Recruitment activities should look to every group within the church - from the youngest to the oldest. Every person within the St. Andrew's congregation is a potential volunteer. Our seniors have a wealth of life experiences that others can tap into, and some of our seniors are strong prayer warriors. We have many relatively young retirees who combine accumulated wisdom, good ideas and considerable energy. We have middle-aged men and women who can still find an hour here and there from their busy schedules. We have young families who could volunteer for activities perhaps with their children who are actively involved in groups. We have talented teens who can participate, and have participated, in everything from missionary trips with 'The Messenger' to reading Scripture on Sundays and assisting with younger children. Even the youngest can learn to help others at home and at church.
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General methods of recruiting include personal, indirect, and organizational.
- Personal recruitment is very effective. Friends and acquaintances who observe special talents or skills in others can encourage those people to be active in ministry. "Bringing a buddy or friend" to a church activity can increase comfort levels about participating.
- Indirect recruitment may involve a form letter, posters in strategic places in the church, web site ads, church bulletin notices or public notices at Sunday services. Presentations to church groups about our various ministries can also highlight the need for helpers.
- Organizational recruitment involves approaches to organizations that provide service to the community. Utilizing such people and programs can be an asset to the church ministries. These groups can include the police, fire fighters, health units and others. For example, the police may offer security advice, the fire fighters may offer building inspections, and the health unit may offer a variety of workshops, lectures or counseling.
Those who respond to recruitment efforts will appreciate knowing that the church's needs and the time options for involvement by volunteers are varied. Volunteers also need to know that every effort will be made to match the skills of the volunteer to the specific ministry needs. The more specific the descriptors of needs, the higher will be the comfort levels of potential volunteers and the greater the chances of them making a lasting commitment to the ministry. Placement decisions should also consider the personal compatibility of the volunteer and those with whom the volunteer will be working.
Any member or adherent who is looking for an area of service within St. Andrew's should contact any elder or the minister. Those people will note the volunteer's area(s) of interest and forward the information to the meeting of Committee Chairs which takes place on the last Friday of each month. The Chairs will receive the name and will consider that person as a potential member for one of the six main church committees, for one of the subcommittees, or for projects/tasks that fall within the responsibilities of a particular committee. It would be helpful if the volunteer could complete a brief survey outlining her/his area(s) of interest and God-given skills/talents. Survey forms are available from the church office.
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Reference Checks
St. Andrew's exists within a community that does not necessarily endorse the same standards and beliefs as the church. Individuals who come to St. Andrew's may come from a wide variety of backgrounds. For the safety and security of all individuals, a range of reference checks is available to the church in regards to volunteers. The Session reserves the right of final determination on the level of required reference checks for any individual volunteer.
Personal reference checks are the least intrusive and can be considered on two levels. First, many who volunteer at the church will be well-known to the congregation and will not require formal documentation. Second, some volunteers may be less well-known and could be asked to provide the names of at least two people who will provide personal references. These references will be checked before the volunteer assumes any duties at the church.
Criminal Reference Checks may be considered when personal reference checks raise any concerns about an individual. The Minister or Clerk will ask the volunteer to provide a criminal reference check prior to working as a volunteer. This practice is common in the school system. The church may wish to cover the cost of the criminal reference check in such cases. Criminal reference check forms may be obtained from the provincial police. The criminal reference check will provide some assurance to parents, church staff and the Session that our volunteers are worthy of the trust placed in them during the time they work in the church.
In rare cases where the potential volunteer has a criminal record, the Minister in consultation with the Clerk will determine whether a positive finding of a criminal record disqualifies the individual from being a volunteer. The Minister and Clerk will consider factors like the nature of the offense, the time elapsed since the conviction, rehabilitation efforts and behavior since the offense was committed. (These are the same factors used by the Ontario College of Teachers for applicants to the teaching profession.) In some cases the Minister and the Clerk may wish to seek the advice of the Session on these issues.
Security and confidentiality shall be strictly applied to any criminal reference check information. Once verified, the hard copy of a criminal reference check will be returned to the individual so the church does not get into storage and security issues around such documents.
Specific exemptions from reference checks apply to members of St. Andrew's, to adherents who have been a part of church life for two or more years, and to youth who have grown up in the church.
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Orientation for Volunteers
Orientation procedures for new volunteers need not be extensive but shall include the following components:
- Safety factors will be discussed with the volunteer by the individual leader of an activity or by the church leader who has done the recruiting. Volunteers need to receive orientation on safety factors and expectations within the church, particularly if the volunteer is to be assisting in the gymnasium or the kitchen or if, in the example of ushers, they need to know the rules for behavior in the balcony. Sources of first aid in the church should be made known and the volunteer should be made aware of the person to whom he/she is responsible. Depending on the role to be assumed by the volunteer, there may be other safety factors within the premises that should be part of the volunteer's orientation, and these will be addressed by the person to whom the volunteer is responsible.
- Clarity of program expectations and/or the specifics of the volunteer's assignment is the responsibility of the activity leader. Activity leaders should also fully utilize the volunteers while they are available to honor their commitment to the church.
- Confidentiality is expected on the part of volunteers in regard to personal information they may glean about people with whom they are working at the church.
- Reliability is expected of volunteers in adhering to commitments of time unless there are extenuating circumstances; and
- Lines of communication must be made clear to volunteers so they know to whom they communicate directly and so they are aware of the church's standards of behavior and protocols. Volunteers should be made aware specifically of the Presbyterian Church's Sexual Harassment and/or Abuse Policy which can be accessed at: http://www.presbycan.ca/documents/sah/sahpolicy.pdf "It is the policy of The Presbyterian Church in Canada that sexual abuse or harassment of any kind by church leaders, staff or volunteers will not be tolerated. All allegations will be taken seriously, and handled according to the terms of this policy. "Our commitment is to model the example of Christ and to be rooted in the love of Christ in all our relationships."
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Recognition of Volunteers
The church may consider various means of recognizing volunteers for their support of the ministry. Such recognition might be for specific achievements or might take the form of an annual appreciation event.
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Confidentiality Form for Volunteers - Optional
In the course of your activities at St. Andrew's, you may learn personal facts about other individuals, their families, staff members or others. Because the privacy of participants, their families and staff members must be respected, confidentiality is of prime importance.
Protection of Confidential Information
I, ____________________________, have been made aware of the confidential nature of information when working with people in the ongoing ministries at St. Andrew's. Whether or not such confidential information may be available to me in the normal performance of my activities, occasionally or inadvertently, the confidentiality will be respected.
I understand that confidential information which shall be disclosed to me, or which may come to my knowledge, may not be divulged within or outside the church unless authorized in writing by the Minister or the Clerk, the specific staff member about whom the information pertains, the parent/guardian of a child about whom the information pertains or the adult about whom the information pertains.
In the event that confidentiality is breached, I may be required by the Minister or Clerk to relinquish my volunteer duties.
| ___________________________ |
_________________________ |
| Date |
Signature |
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Survey Information from Potential Volunteers
St. Andrew's thrives because of the time and talent given freely by responsible and generous members of our congregation. This profile allows you to designate how you would like to share your time and talent and allows us to know you better in making St. Andrew's a vibrant community of believers.
Please print your information on this form and drop it off, mail or fax it to Karin in the church office.
| Name: |
Today's Date: |
| Address: |
| Home Phone: |
Work Phone: |
| Email Address: |
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| Occupation: |
Skills I would like to share (e.g. event planner, musician, office skills, carpentry, painting, visiting shut-in's, transportation, etc.):
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Please be specific.
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I am now volunteering, or have previously volunteered with:
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St. Andrew's has many ministries and opportunities for involvement. If you do not see something that interests you, please let us know what would interest you. To get involved more quickly, read the bulletin to learn about congregational activities and volunteer to become involved.
If you have questions, suggestions or comments, please write a note to or email the Coordinating Elder, Don Cowan, at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or call him at 746-2837.
Please complete the next two pages:
Please indicate areas of interest where you would like to use (or are now using) your gifts.
- ____ Weekly Worship
- ____ Prayer Group
- ____ Music ? ¬ choir
- ____ Music - praise group
- ____ Music - special music
- ____ Scripture reader
- ____ Greeter/Usher
- ____ Children's storyteller
- ____ Children's Religious Education Program Assistant
- ____ Visit the sick and elderly
- ____ Work with preschool children
- ____ Work with grade-school children
- ____ Work with teens
- ____ Work with adults
- ____ Join the used clothing team
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- ____ Assist with or contribute to the Friendship Suppers
- ____ Assist in the church office
- ____ Assist the Church Decorating Team
- ____ Assist the editor of "The Soundings"
- ____ Become one of the Messengers (church missions' team)
- ____ Assist with school breakfast program once per month
- ____ Assist in the Library
- ____ Assist in the Nursery
- ____ Assist with monthly teas
- ____ Lead/oversee a project
- ____ Hospitality/welcoming
- ____ Input for our website
- ____ Fund raising
- ____ Child care
- ____ Care-giver relief
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In this next area, please indicate if you would like to Join a Church Group:
- ____ Small Group Bible Study
- ____ Teen Fellowship
- ____ Ladies' Fellowship
- ____ Men's Fellowship
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- ____ Prayer Chain
- ____ Church committee work
- ____ Other
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In this next area, please indicate the Time You Have Available:
- ____ 1 to 2 hours per week
- ____ 3 to 4 hours per week
- ____ 1 to 2 hours per month
- ____ 3 to 4 hours per month
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What new ministries do you feel St. Andrew's should embrace?
Are there any ministries that you feel St. Andrew's should cease?
Other Comments or Suggestions:
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St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Parry Sound, Ontario
Copyright ?© 2006 St. Andrew's Electronic Ministries.
All rights reserved. Revised: Revised July 14, 2006.