Invitation Letter to Leadership Dinner (7/2002)

July 10, 2002

Dear Church Leader:

In the fall of 2000 the elders formally adopted the Purpose Driven Philosophy of Ministry here at Grace Church. In fact, many of the components of the Purpose Driven Philosophy (e.g. Grace 101, Grace 201, Grace 301, etc.) were started in the late 1990s under Pastor David Nelms. As the Pastoral Search Team conducted their search for a senior pastor, this was one of the qualities they looked for in potential candidates. I can remember discussing with both the Search Team and the Elders my view on the Purpose Driven philosophy and how I would lead this church in continuing the implementation process.

In May of this year, I attended my first conference for Purpose Driven Churches at Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, California. God used this conference to confirm in my own heart that this is indeed where He is leading Grace Church. In June our church staff met for two days to chart out our course and lay the foundation for a long-range plan of action. I can confidently report to you the staff is committed to see this become a reality at Grace Church.

This fall we will begin sharing with the church family what it means to live a purpose driven life! Starting in October we will lead our church through 40 Days of Purpose, a church-wide spiritual growth campaign that I am convinced will impact each one of us.  During the 40 Days of Purpose, I will preach seven messages that will drive home what God’s mission is for each one of His children. As we begin to live purpose driven lives, we will become the church that will impact our community through our own ministry opportunities.

In order for the 40 Days of Purpose to be successful, however, we as the leadership of the church must begin on the same page. That is why we are hosting two dinners—the first on July 23 and the second on August 6—to share the nuts and bolts of this campaign. The first dinner on July 23 at 6 p.m. is for our core leadership: our elders, deacons, staff, and key influencers. We would like you to bring your spouse to this dinner. The second dinner is for our ABF teachers, AWANA Leaders, Student Ministry Leaders, Praise & Worship Ministry Leaders, etc. If you are receiving this letter, consider yourself invited to the July 23 dinner.

I know that with vacations and summer schedules, it may be tough to make it to these dinners, but please make every effort to attend. I really believe the future effectiveness of our church is at stake. It is important that you RSVP (yes or no) to Kathy Jatho by July 18 so we have an accurate count for the kitchen staff. You can call Kathy at 265-0199 or e-mail her at [email protected].

Finally, please put this spiritual growth campaign on your prayer lists. All great spiritual endeavors must begin with a firm foundation of prayer, and we need the prayer warriors of Grace to lead the church family as we begin this journey.

In His Service,

Phil Winfield
Senior Pastor

Letter - Matthew Sunday

May 1, 2002

Dear Family of Friends,

A certain despised tax collector named Levi sat at his table by the city gate collecting the poll taxes for a foreign government. He was ruthless, compassionless, and crooked. He collected not only the tax for the empire but he collected a surtax for himself.

One day he met Jesus. Jesus made him see his own evil heart. He couldn't hide from the searchlight of Jesus' powerful presence and he repented giving up his devilish practices. With the same dedication that he used to have for his tax collecting he now wanted to follow Christ. He was so changed that his name had to be changed as well because he just wasn't the same man. He would be called Matthew from then on.

One of the first things he did was to call together a meeting of tax collectors and other friends at his own house to have dinner. His main goal was simple: to introduce them to Jesus (Luke 5:27-29).

We, too, have been forgiven and changed by the power of Jesus. (Praise the Lord!) We, too, have much to be thankful for. We, too, should follow Christ with all of our heart and soul. We, too, can do something as simple as hosting a dinner with a friend who needs to know Jesus. This is what Matthew Sunday is all about.

On Sunday, May 19, we will have Evangelist Ken Rudolph with us for all services (8:30 & 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.) Ken is an anointed man of God who presents the gospel in clear, simple terms. Let me encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and become a Matthew to your circle of influence. Here’s how: 

• Identify today the people the Lord would have you invite.
• Begin praying–by name–for each person. Lift their name before the Lord and ask Him to use you to reach these people with the simple truth of the gospel.
• Send us an e-mail ([email protected]) or call the church 265-0199 and tell us who you are inviting so we can be in prayer at the same time.
• Invite them to church with you on May 19 to hear Ken Rudolph, and at the same time, invite them out to eat following the service.
• During your mealtime, share with them your own personal testimony of how Jesus has changed your life and what He means to you.
• Ask them if they have any questions about the church service.

For some, I know this will be difficult, but let me give you a word of encouragement: greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! I will be praying for you that the Holy Spirit will empower you and work through you as you minister to your circle of influence. Our Lord has promised us that He will be with us always, even to the ends of the earth, and you can count on His powerful presence in you as you seek to win the lost for His glory!

Sincerely,

Phil Winfield
Senior Pastor

Employee Policy Manual (2002)

WELCOME!

Welcome to Grace Church! We consider you to be a gift from God and look forward to working with you as a member of our ministry team. We appreciate you and the gifts and talents you bring to this ministry and are committed to helping you achieve your highest level of service for the Lord in this ministry.

As an employee of the church, you represent this ministry in both your work life and private life. Your work for the church is more than just a job, it is a ministry. As a result, you are expected to always be sensitive to how others may see you biblically, spiritually, and ethically. It is an honor and privilege to serve. We encourage you to strive toward living a life that is an example to others of your relationship with God and your belief in the church's Mission Statement and Statement of Faith.

Your involvement in church should be above and beyond your paid duties. You are expected to regularly attend all services and fully support Grace through your tithes and offerings.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

“Grace Church exists to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe we can best do so by growing in grace and becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ. Our desire is to equip each one to reach and then to teach others how to grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.”  (2 Peter 3:18, Ephesians 4:11-13; Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 1:9-10)

STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe:

A.        the Bible as the inspired, infallible Word of God, and the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

B.        the Genesis account of creation. (Genesis 1:1)

C.        one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

D.        Jesus Christ, His deity, virgin birth, sinless life, vicarious death, burial and bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal future return in power and glory. (John 1:1;  Matthew 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 1:9,11)

E.         the sinfulness of man and salvation by grace through faith in Christ who shed His blood. (Romans 3:23-25)

F.         the Holy Spirit that indwells and enables the Christian to live a godly life. (John 14:26)

G.        salvation is eternally secure in Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:38-39)

H.        the resurrection of the dead; the believer to life everlasting and the unbeliever to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)

I.          the church as the body of Christ, which is composed of all believers who have accepted Christ as Savior. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

SECTION I: Benefits

VACATION

Full-time pastoral staff employees will earn vacation at the start of a new calendar year, based on their length of continuous service with the church, as follows:

                                    Length of Continuous Service                                            Vacation

                                    0 to 4 years                                                                             12 days

                                    (no more than 2 Sundays & 2 Wednesdays)

                                    5 to 9 years                                                                             18 days

                                    (no more than 2 Sundays & 3 Wednesdays)

                                    10 to 14 years                                                                         24 days

                                    (no more than 3 Sundays & 4 Wednesdays)

                                    15 years and beyond                                                               30 days

                                    (no more than 4 Sundays & 5 Wednesdays)

Full-time support staff employees will earn vacation at the start of a new calendar year, based on their length of continuous service with the church, as follows:

                                    Length of Continuous Service                                            Vacation

                                    0 to 4 years                                                                             10 days

                                    5 to 9 years                                                                             15 days

                                    10 to 14 years                                                                         20 days

                                    Fifteen years and beyond                                                       20 days + 1 day for every year beyond 14 years, up to a maximum of 28 days.

Part-time employees will earn one week of vacation equal to the average number of hours worked each week at the start of a new calendar year.

An employee's anniversary date corresponds to the month and day the employee was hired. The employee’s length of continuous service is subject to adjustment for the portion of any leave of absence that exceeds 30 days.

Vacation requests will be approved by the Business Manager on a first come, first served basis, and only if the time off will not interfere with the normal business operations of the church.

Employees are encouraged to use all vacation during the 12 month period after it has been earned. A maximum of 5 days of vacation may be carried over into a new calendar year. Any unused vacation days in excess of 5 days for a given calendar year cannot be carried over to a subsequent calendar year and will be lost.

Full-time employees will be paid for any unused vacation days remaining for the calendar year upon termination.

HOLIDAY PAY

All full-time employees will be allowed the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• The Monday following Easter
• Memorial Day
• July 4th
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day and the day after

If an employee is required to work on a holiday, an alternate day will be allowed.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE

The church makes leaves of absence available to employees as follows:

Personal Leave–a leave of absence for a compelling personal reason that is not medically related.

Employees who have completed at least five years of continuous service may submit a written request to the Business Manager for a personal leave of absence, without pay, for any length of time up to a maximum of six months. Written requests must state the reason for the leave, as well as the beginning and ending dates.

Requests for personal leaves will be granted at the sole discretion of the Business Manager, based on the facts and circumstances surrounding each individual request.

Employees who return to work at the end of a personal leave will normally be returned to their former job classification if an opening exists or, if there is no such opening, they will be considered for a comparable position if one is available.

Pregnancy Leave–a leave of absence for a disability related to an employee's pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition.

Employees may submit a written request to the Business Manager for a pregnancy leave of absence, without pay, for the length of any pregnancy related disability, up to a maximum of 8 weeks or the length of time the doctor says the employee is disabled, whichever is less.

Requests for pregnancy leaves will be granted to employees who present a physician's written statement that certifies the need for the leave and estimates the length of time the employee will be unable to work due to the disability.

Although the church is not able to guarantee reinstatement in all cases, employees on pregnancy leave who return to work immediately following the end of an approved leave with a physician's written release verifying that they are able to safely perform their duties will normally be returned to the same job they held immediately prior to their leave or, if that position is unavailable, a comparable position if one is available.

Medical Leave–a leave of absence for an employee's non-occupational illness or disability, other than pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition.

Employees who have completed at least one year of continuous service may submit a written request to the Business Manager for a medical leave of absence, without pay, for the length of any disability up to a maximum of six months.

Requests for medical leaves will normally be granted to eligible employees who present a physician's written statement that certifies the need for the leave and estimates the length of time the employee will be unable to work due to the disability. At any time during a medical leave of absence, an employee may be asked to provide medical evidence of disability.

Although the church is not able to guarantee reinstatement in all cases, employees on medical leave who return to work immediately following the end of an approved leave with a physician's written release verifying that they are able to safely perform their duties will normally be returned to their former job classification if an opening exists or, if there is no such opening, they will be considered for a comparable position if one is available.

Family Leave–a leave of absence for the birth or adoption of an employee's child, or the care of an employee's seriously ill child, parent, or spouse.

Employees who have completed at least one year of continuous service may submit a written request to the Business Manager for a family leave of absence, without pay, for any length of time up to a maximum of four months in any 24 month period. However, family leaves taken in conjunction with an approved pregnancy leave of absence will be limited to a maximum of four months in any 24 month period which includes the period of time approved for a pregnancy-related disability described on page 5.

Requests for family leaves will normally be granted by the church, based on the facts and circumstances surrounding each individual request. Requests for family leaves to care for a seriously ill child, parent, or spouse must be accompanied by a physician's written statement that certifies the need for the employee's care and estimates the length of time the employee will be unable to work due to the disability of the child, parent, or spouse.

Although the church is not able to guarantee reinstatement in all cases, employees on family leave who return to work immediately following the end of an approved leave with a physician's written release verifying that they are able to safely perform their duties will normally be returned to the same job they held immediately prior to their leave or, if that position is unavailable, a comparable position if one is available.

Jury Duty–a leave of absence to serve on jury duty.

Employees will be granted a leave of absence, without pay, to serve on jury duty, as required by law.

Upon completion of jury duty, a Verification of Attendance Form must be presented to the church. Employees who are excused from jury duty for the day, or are excused early, should report to work when it is practical to do so.

If an employee is called to serve on jury duty at a time that would unreasonably interfere with normal business operations, the church may request that the required service be rescheduled for a later date that would be more convenient for the church.

Study Leave–a leave of absence for personal growth and professional advancement. Written request for study leave must be submitted to the Elders who, at their sole discretion, will determine whether to approve or disapprove such requests..

Military Leave–a leave of absence for required military service.

The church complies with applicable state and federal law concerning leaves for military service.

The following general provisions apply to all leaves of absence:

1.   A request for an extension of a leave of absence must be made in writing to the Business Manager prior to the expiration date of the original leave, and when appropriate, must be accompanied by a physician's written statement that certifies the need for the extension.

2.   Failure to return to work on the first work day following the expiration of an approved leave of absence will be considered a voluntary termination of employment with the church.

3.   Coverage under the church's group health insurance plans described on page 8 will be continued on the following basis: 

• for the first six months of an approved leave of absence, the church will continue to contribute to premiums as if the employee were actively at work;
• employees will be required to pay the entire premium for continued coverage during the portion of an approved leave of absence in excess of six months.

Employees must make arrangements with the church to pre-pay their share of group health insurance premiums before going on leave of absence.

4.   Employees will not accrue length of continuous service for the portion of a leave of absence that exceeds 30 days.

5.   Employees on leave of absence will be subject to reduction in staff procedures on the same basis as employees who are actively at work.

6.   Employees on leave of absence must communicate with the church on a regular basis, at least once each month, regarding their status and anticipated return to work date.

7.   Employees on leave of absence who seek or accept other employment without the church's prior written approval will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.

8.   Employees who falsify the reason for their leave of absence will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.

SICK PAY

All full-time employees will begin to accrue sick leave after they complete  one month of continuous service. Days of sick pay accrue at the rate of 1 day after each 5 weeks of continuous service during an employee's anniversary year up to a maximum of 10 days of sick pay during each anniversary year. A Maximum of 3 days of sick pay may be carried over to a new anniversary year. Any unused days of sick pay in excess of 3 days for a given anniversary year cannot be carried over to a subsequent anniversary year and will be lost. Sick pay benefits may only be used in the case of personal illness or injury that is not work-related.

An employee's anniversary date corresponds to the month and day the employee was hired. The length of the employee's continuous service is subject to adjustment for the portion of any leave of absence that exceeds of 30 days.

Unused sick pay benefits may not be used for personal time off or as additional vacation, and employees will not be paid for unused sick pay benefits upon termination of employment. In addition, sick pay will not be considered as hours worked for the calculation of overtime.

Employees who receive sick pay benefits may be asked to provide medical verification, and absences of more than 5 working days will be applied toward any accrued and unused days of sick pay and vacation days and once those days are exhausted, the absence will be subject to the church's leave of absence policy as described on page 6.

Employees who complete six months of continuous service without using sick leave will receive one day of personal vacation to be used at the employee’s discretion. Employees may accumulate a maximum of two such personal days per year. Personal days must be used within 6 months of the time they are earned.

BEREAVEMENT PAY

All full-time employees who have completed at least one month of continuous service will be eligible for up to seven days away from work, with pay, to arrange and/or attend the funeral of an immediate family member. An immediate family member is defined as a husband, wife, son, daughter, mother, father, brother or sister.

Employees who require more than seven days away from work may request earned vacation time, or a personal leave of absence, subject to the provisions of the church's leave of absence policy.

GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN

All full-time employees will become eligible for enrollment in the church's group health insurance plan on the first day of the calendar month following the first day of full-time employment.

The church contributes 100% of the premiums for the employee and dependent coverage.

Detailed information about the plans will be made available at the time you become eligible for enrollment.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE

All employees are automatically covered by Workers' Compensation Insurance at the time they are hired. The church pays 100% of the premiums for this important coverage. The following benefits are provided to employees who sustain a work-related injury or illness:

• partial wage replacement for periods of disability;
• medical care, including medicine, hospital, doctor, X-rays, crutches, etc.;
• rehabilitation services, if necessary.

It is important that you report any work-related injury or illness to your supervisor, as soon as it happens, regardless of how minor it may be. It is also important to get proper first aid and/or medical attention immediately.

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

All full-time pastoral staff employees will receive a professional allowance as part of their annual compensation package.

For non-pastoral staff employees, when it is demonstrated that the church will benefit from an employee's participation in an educational program or professional organization, the related expenses may be paid by the church. Requests for payment of expenses related to educational programs and professional organizations must be approved in advance by the Business Manager and the Elders.

SECTION II: Personnel Status

EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATIONS

Grace Church classifies employees in a number of different ways, as follows:

Full Time Pastoral Staff Employee–you are considered to be a full time pastoral staff employee if your primary job duties include ministry-related, pastoral functions and your average hours of work each workweek are at least 40 and such additional hours per week as required by the Senior Pastor.

Full Time Support Staff Employee–you are considered to be a full time support staff employee if your primary job duties are non-ministry-related, support functions and your average hours of work each workweek are at least 36 or more.

Part Time Employee–you are considered to be a part time employee if your average hours of work each workweek are less than 35 hours .

Nonexempt Employee–nonexempt employees include full time Support Staff employees and part time employees and are eligible to receive overtime pay, if applicable, in accordance with the provisions of state and federal law.

Exempt Employee–exempt employees include full time Pastoral Staff Employees and are not covered by the overtime provisions of state and federal law and are therefore not eligible for overtime pay.

TARDINESS AND ABSENCE

It is important that employees work their assigned schedules as consistently as possible. However, the church understands that because of illness or emergency you may be unable to come to work.

If you are unable to report to work for any reason, you must contact the church office no later than 8:30 a.m. It is your responsibility to keep the church informed on a daily basis during a short-term absence and to provide medical verification when asked to do so.

Support staff employees are expected to be at their work station ready to begin work at the beginning of their scheduled shift, and at the end of their scheduled breaks and meal period. Except in an emergency, nonexempt employees must have their supervisor's permission to leave work before they are regularly scheduled to do so.

A tardy or absence is considered "excused" only when you call ahead of time and the tardy or absence is for a compelling reason. The church reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine what constitutes a compelling reason. A tardy or absence for a non-compelling reason, or failing to call in according to church policy, will be considered "unexcused."

The church considers "unexcused" tardiness and absence to be a serious problem. However, employees who are tardy or absent excessively or show a consistent pattern of absence, whether "excused" or "unexcused," will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.

If you do not call in or report to work for two consecutive workdays, you will be considered to have voluntarily terminated your employment with the church.

TERMINATION

Voluntary Termination–a voluntary termination is a termination that is initiated by the employee. We would like you to give at least two week’s written notice before you leave your job. Written notice should include your reason for leaving, as well as the name and address of your new employer, if applicable. If you do not call in or report to work for two consecutive workdays, you may be considered to have voluntarily quit.

Involuntary Termination–an involuntary termination is a termination that is initiated by the church for reasons other than changing business conditions.

Reduction in Staff–A reduction in staff will occur when the church through its Elders determines in their sole discretion that a job or jobs should be eliminated due to changing business conditions. In the event there are multiple candidates for the remaining positions following such a reduction in staff, the following factors will be among those considered in determining staff for the remaining positions:  versatility, qualifications, skill, ability, performance, efficiency, loyalty, attitude, and dependability.

BREAK AND MEAL PERIODS

Nonexempt employees who work at least 3 1/2 hours in a workday will receive a 10 minute paid break period for each four hours of work, or major fraction thereof. Break periods will be scheduled as close to the middle of each four hour work period as possible.

Nonexempt employees who work more than 5 hours in a workday will receive an unpaid meal period of at least 30 minutes. However, employees may voluntarily agree to waive their right to a meal period so long as it does not cause them to work more than 8 hours per day if they do so.

PERSONNEL RECORDS

It is important that the church always have current information about you. Please let us know immediately if you change your name, address, phone number, or marital status, etc. If for some reason you need to change your name and/or Social Security number, you will be asked to provide original documentation authorizing the change.

PROMOTION AND TRANSFER

It is the church's intent to give qualified employees preference over others when filling job openings within the church. However, because of the experience, skills, and educational requirements of many jobs, promotions from within the church are not always possible.

An employee's past performance, experience, attitude, qualifications, and potential are all important factors which will be considered in making promotion and transfer decisions.

SECTION III: Compensation

PAYDAY

A pay period is a seven day period of time that begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. Employees are generally paid on the Friday following the end of each pay period.

The church is not able to cash paychecks for employees.

PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS

You are probably familiar with the various payroll deductions that are required by law, such as federal income tax, state income tax, state disability insurance, Medicare taxes, and social security taxes. Any other deductions from your paycheck must be authorized by you, in writing.

Each one of your paycheck stubs will itemize amounts that have been withheld. It is important that you keep this information for tax purposes. If you have any questions about your deductions, please talk to your supervisor. The church complies with applicable state and federal laws regarding the garnishment and assignment of wages.

SECTION IV: General Information

WORK RULES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Employment is with the mutual consent of you and the church. Consequently, both you and the church have the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice.

It is not possible to provide a complete list of every work rule or performance standard. As a result, the following are presented only as examples. You are responsible for understanding and following these standards and work rules. Employees who do not comply may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.

Job Performance–employees may be disciplined, up to and including possible termination, for poor job performance, as determined by the church. Some examples of poor job performance are as follows:

• below average work quality or quantity;
• poor attitude, including rudeness, or lack of cooperation;
• excessive absenteeism, tardiness, or abuse of break and meal privileges;
• failure to follow instructions or church policies and procedures.

Misconduct–employees may also be disciplined, up to and including possible termination, for misconduct. Some examples of misconduct are as follows:

• insubordination;
• abuse, misuse, theft, or the unauthorized possession or removal of church property or the personal property of others;
• falsifying or making a material omission on church records, reports, or other documents, including payroll, personnel, and employment records;
• divulging confidential church information to unauthorized persons;
• disorderly conduct on church property, including fighting or attempted bodily injury, or the use of profane, abusive, or threatening language toward others, or possession of a weapon;
• violation of any law adversely affecting the church, or conviction in court of any crime which may cause the employee to be regarded as unsuitable for continued employment;
• violation of the church's alcohol, drugs, and controlled substances policy;
• marking or signing the time record of another employee or knowingly allowing another employee to mark or sign your time record.

HARASSMENT

The church is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, the church maintains a strict policy prohibiting unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment. It is important for you to understand that jokes, stories, cartoons, nicknames, and comments about appearance may be offensive to others.

Sexual harassment of employees by supervisors, co-workers, or vendors is prohibited. Unlawful sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

• submission to the conduct is made a condition of employment;
• submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for an employment decision affecting the harassed employee; or
• the harassment has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Examples of sexual harassment include unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; subtle pressure or requests for sexual activities; unnecessary touching of an individual; graphic comments about an individual's body; a display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; sexually explicit or offensive jokes; or physical assault.

If you believe that you are being, or have been, harassed in any way, please report the facts of the incident or incidents to your supervisor or the Elders immediately, without fear of reprisal. In determining whether the alleged conduct constitutes unlawful harassment, the totality of the circumstances, such as the nature of the conduct and the context in which the alleged incident occurred, will be investigated.

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.

ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

The use, sale, transfer, possession, or being “under the influence” of alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances when on duty, on church property, or in church vehicles is prohibited. In addition, off duty conduct which may adversely affect the reputation or interests of the church is prohibited. “Under the influence” for the purpose of this policy, is defined as being unable to perform work in a safe or productive manner, and/or being in a physical or mental condition which creates a risk to the safety and well being of the affected employee, co-workers, the public, or church property.

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.

OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES

All employees are prohibited from engaging in outside employment, private business, or other activity, which might have an adverse effect on, or create a conflict of interest with, the church.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

Your appearance reflects not only on you as an individual, but on the church as well. We expect you to take pride in your appearance and strive to achieve a positive business-like image when representing the church.

 

LOST AND FOUND

Employees should not bring large sums of money, jewelry, or other valuables to work. The church will not be responsible for personal property that is lost, damaged, stolen, or destroyed.

If you happen to find personal belongings that have been lost by another person, please turn them in to your supervisor.

ACCESS TO CHURCH PROPERTY

It is important that the church have access at all times to church property, as well as other records, documents, and files. As a result, the church reserves the right to access employee offices, work stations, filing cabinets, desks, and any other church property at its discretion, with or without advance notice or consent.

BUSINESS EXPENSE REPORTING

Employees will be reimbursed for all approved business-related expenses, upon submission of accurate and receipted expense reports to the church. Employees are requested to submit these reports in a timely manner to ensure proper accounting and prompt reimbursement.

USE OF CHURCH TELEPHONES

From time to time it may be necessary for employees to make and receive personal calls on church phones. However, these calls should be limited to no more than 5 minutes in length, and should be made, whenever possible, during scheduled break and meal periods. Employees are expected to use good judgment and common sense when it comes to personal phone calls.

Personal long distance calls should be avoided. Any charges for personal long distance calls must be reimbursed to the church.

Employees who violate this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination.

EMPLOYEE PARKING

Employees park at their own risk and the church will not be responsible for theft or damage to any vehicles parked on or near church property. Also, the church will not be responsible for personal property left in vehicles that is either lost, damaged, stolen, or destroyed.

Employee Statement of Acknowledgment

This is to acknowledge that I have received a copy of Grace Church's Employee Policy Manual. I understand that it is not intended to be a contract, but, rather provides guidelines and summary information about the church's personnel policies, procedures, benefits, and rules of conduct. I also understand that it is my responsibility to read, understand, become familiar with, and comply with the standards that have been established. I further understand that the church reserves the right to modify, supplement, rescind, or revise any provision, benefit, or policy from time to time, with or without notice, as it deems necessary or appropriate.

I also acknowledge that both the church and I have the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice, and that this employment at will relationship will remain in effect throughout my employment with the church unless it is specifically modified by an express written agreement signed by me and the Senior Pastor of the church.

I further acknowledge that this employment at will relationship may not be modified by any oral or implied agreement.

_________________________________________________

Employee's Name (Please Print)

_________________________________________________

Employee's Signature

____________________

Date

Children's Ministry Policy Manual

Children’s Ministry

Policy Manual

Grace Church

4200 E. 25^th Street w Des Moines, IA 50317 w (515) 265-0199

Grace Church

Children's Ministry

The Children’s Ministry of Grace Church, Kidstitute, is dedicated to supplementing the family in their attempt to lay a spiritual foundation that, in God’s timing, will lead a child into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Our Philosophy:

1.         Leaders within Kidstitute believe that entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ is a process-oriented experience, not an event.

Through Kidstitute, children are exposed to biblical principles and a foundation of understanding these principles is laid. This foundation is built upon gradually so that when the Holy Spirit begins to move within the heart of the child, the child is prepared and can make an informed decision about accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior.

2.         Kidstitute is a child-centered, not an adult-centered, ministry.

Adults working with children participating in Kidstitute need to gain the child’s perspective. They need to be aware of the world that children live in. This awareness needs to be age-specific. Whether adults are working with four year olds or fifth graders, they need to be able to relate to the environment of the children to whom they are ministering.

3.         Children are important, they matter to God.

Often adults lose sight of the fact that children are people too. Leaders within Kidstitute know that God loves each and every child and therefore, each child matters to them.

4.         Creativity is critical if children are going to be ministered to effectively.

There are many means available for attracting and holding the attention of a child. It is important to continually try new ways of expression in communicating the message that is being given. Using a creative means of expression not only helps to convey the message but also keeps the message alive in the child’s mind.

5.         It is imperative that adults recognize the need to make the message of Christianity relevant to the life of a child.

Oftentimes, children are taught Bible stories, yet they are given no understanding as to how they can relate to these stories. Kidstitute leaders are dedicated to showing children how the principles taught in the Bible can be applied to every day life. This allows children to discover how they can walk with God and make a difference now and not have to wait for some far-off day when they are grown up.

6.         It is important for leaders to be relational, not just informational.

While the leaders of Kidstitute strive to creatively disseminate information that is relevant to a child’s life, they also realize that building a relationship with a child may be the most effective tool. Long after the information is forgotten, children remember adults who were interested in their lives and who cared enough to build relationships with them.

7.         Children need to be accepted, not alienated for who they are.

The leaders in Kidstitute recognize that many children who attend are from non-Christian homes and don’t have any type of spiritual background. For this reason, the weekly lessons are designed to be independent of one another. Children are not expected to have any previous knowledge of the lesson prior to coming to class. This allows children who have not previously attended to feel more comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.

8.         Children are more responsive to creative, fun ideas than to the routine and boring.

Kidstitute is often a child’s first impression of God and the church. If the children perceive participation in Kidstitute is fun, they look forward to the times when Kidstitute meets and they are more receptive to the ideas that are being taught.

The above philosophy is implemented in several ways:

The programs within Kidstitute are broken down by age. Infants and toddlers are provided with a safe and loving environment where they are introduced to Jesus through finger plays, music, stories, and personal relationship with their teachers. Children who are four years old through fifth grade participate in a more structured program.

Grace Church

Nursery Ministry

Coordinator: 

Age: Birth–2 years

Welcome to the Nursery Ministry at Grace Church! What a lively, fun and exciting place to serve the Lord.

We believe the children of Grace Church are one of our greatest treasures!  They are a blessing from the Lord.

Therefore, we want to provide the very best we can for them. These next few pages contain vital information to help equip you to be a part of our Nursery team.

Our goals are very simple. We want to provide a safe and clean environment where the children are loved, nurtured, and where they have fun. When these things happen, then we are able to do the most important thing... teach them about Jesus Christ and share His love with them.

If we can accomplish this, we will have succeeded.

Thank you for being a part of making this happen! Read on!

We Need A Great Nursery Ministry

Almost no one noticed the babe in the Temple that day. There were prayers to pray, psalms to sing, sacrifices to offer. There were important questions to discuss and people to meet. there was money to change and profits to be made. Who had time for a mere infant?

Of all the events that occurred in the Temple that day, none was more important than two brief encounters with a baby. Yet the thousands of people who passed through the Temple gates paid little heed to aged Simeon holding that tiny bundle in his arms. Anna's excitement over a mere child went unnoticed by most of the worshippers. (See Luke 2:22–39 for the rest of the story!)

Today congregations are similarly unaware of the babies and toddlers within their gates. What a great need we have for men and women, like Simeon and Anna, with vision to see each child in their midst through the eyes of God!

As a congregation understands the importance of a child’s earliest years, as well as the potential for ministry to young families, then leaders will consider seriously the church’s program for children under two.

The first two years are among the most important in the total span of human life, for they powerfully influence all of the child’s subsequent development. The quality of a baby’s physical health and well being in the early months can affect his maturation and capabilities into adulthood. Similarly, attitudes toward self and others are formed very early and can only be changed later with great difficulty.

“But they’re just babies! What can they learn?”

Love and trust are learned in the very earliest encounters with parents and others. As the child experiences warm loving care, he is building foundations which will one day enable him to return that love. Long before the child learns to speak, he learns lessons of trust, affection and security which can influence his actions during his entire life.

The significance of a young child’s early experiences at church dare not be underestimated because:

1. First impressions are often lasting impressions. Each pleasant experience the child enjoys at church helps them build positive feelings about being there. Unhappy experiences, on the other hand, usually contribute to a child's fears about returning.
2. For many infants and toddlers, a church nursery is the first place they are cared for away from their own home. Consequently, the response to this new venture may influence the child's attitude toward people outside his family and situations beyond his home.
3. Church is often the first place a child is cared for in a group setting. Thus, feelings about the other children are strongly influenced by this initial encounter.
4. Early attitudes affect learning. The baby or toddler who enjoys church experiences is apt to be receptive to the instruction given there. The unhappy child may attach negative feelings to the things        teachers say and do.
5. Parents are deeply influenced by their child's reaction to being at church. The child who has unhappy experiences there can make parents reluctant to come again. Young parents who are not deeply committed to church attendance are often influenced to continued attendance by the caliber of care their baby receives and by their positive response.
6. Involvement of parents in the Nursery can color their attitude toward all areas of service in the church. Parents who assist occasionally and have a pleasant experience in a well ordered department are likely to respond positively when asked again to serve in some capacity.
7.  Jesus compared our attitude toward a child with our attitude toward Him: “Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me” (Matt. 18:5). The child who is brought to our Early Childhood Ministry should always be received “in Jesus' name”–as Jesus would if He were there. Can there be any greater motivation for providing a great Nursery Ministry in our church?                  

Nursery Policies

This note is just to remind you of a few policies we have for the nursery:

1. If you need to be gone on your scheduled Sunday or Wednesday, please notify the Nursery Coordinator in advance. If you want to trade with someone else this is fine. Please let the Nursery Coordinator know of the change. If you are sick or an emergency arises, please contact the Nursery Coordinator as soon as possible.
2. If you have any problems or concerns, you need to talk to the Nursery Coordinator. She is here to help.
3. Please come 15 minutes before the service begins. This is a must!
4. Please do not work if you have a sore throat or a cold. If you are sick or have been sick within the last 24 hours, please notify the Nursery Coordinator.
5. Only nursery staff attendants and workers and nursing mothers are permitted inside the Nursery (on the days you are to work only).
6. Do not allow a baby to be given to anyone else except to the parent. We must follow this rule! This is for everyone's safety!
7. Remember to smile! It's always nice to be greeted by a friendly face.

Remember also that this is a ministry not only to the lost but to the saved!

Healthy Kids are Happy Kids!

Germs spread very fast with children and specially with lots of children like we are blessed with at Grace Church. A few basic precautions will help us have a healthy nursery.

1.         First Aid Kit–located in Nursery under the counter.

2.         Staff and parents should notify Nursery Coordinator any time their child/a child has a contagious disease:

• Chicken Pox
• Strep Throat
• Lice
• 5ths Disease

We need to notify parents so they can watch their children for symptoms.

3.         We have a “Healthy Child” policy. Children will not be permitted to attend when they have or have had one of the following symptoms: 

• fever
• coughing
• sneezing
• frequent nose wiping
• intestinal flu
• diarrhea
• runny nose (cold related)
• thick congestive drainage
• rash

Staff should not accept children who may be sick.

All staff should wash their hands with soap and water:

• before and after working with children
• before preparing food/bottles
• after changing diapers
• before leaving rest room

5.         Protective gloves are available for use when changing diapers and treating any blood from a cut, scrape, etc. Gloves should be turned inside out and disposed of in a sealed bag if contaminated with any body fluids.

Grace Church

Toddler Ministry

Coordinators: 

Age: 2 & 3-year-olds

Welcome to the Toddler Ministry at Grace Church! What a lively, fun and exciting place to serve the Lord.

We believe the children of Grace Church are one of our greatest treasures. They are a blessing from the Lord.

Therefore, we want to provide the very best we can for them. These next few pages contain vital information to help equip you to be a part of our Toddler team.

Our goals are very simple: we want to provide a safe and clean environment where the children are loved, nurtured, and where they have fun. When these things happen, then we are able to do the most important thing...teach them about Jesus Christ and share His love with them.

If we can accomplish this, we will have succeeded.

Thank you for being a part of making this happen!

Health Guidelines

Germs spread very fast with children and especially with lots of children like we are blessed with at Grace Church. A few basic precautions will help us have healthy toddler classes:

1.         First Aid Kit--located in the Nursery under the counter.

2.         In case of emergency, a nurse is available in the nursery during all services.

3.         Staff and parents should notify Toddler Coordinators anytime their child/ a child has a contagious disease:

• Chicken Pox
• 5ths Disease
• Lice
• Strep Throat

We need to notify parents so they can watch their children for symptoms.

4.         We have a "Healthy Child" policy. Children will not be permitted to attend when they have or have recently had one of the following symptoms:

• coughing
• rash
• diarrhea
• runny nose (cold-related)
• fever
• frequent nose wiping
• intestinal flu
• thick congestive drainage
• sneezing

Staff should not accept children who may be sick.

5.         All staff should wash their hands with soap and water:

• before leaving the rest room
• before preparing food
• before and after working with children
• after changing diapers

6.         Protective gloves are available in the nursery for use when changing diapers (to be done in the nursery) and treating any blood from a cut, scrape, etc. Gloves should be turned inside out and disposed of in a sealed bag if contaminated with any body fluids.

Classroom Guidelines

1. If you need to be gone on your scheduled Sunday or Wednesday, please notify the Toddler Coordinators in advance. You must find an approved substitute to take your place (see your service time schedule) Please let the Toddler Coordinators know of the change. If you are sick or an emergency arises, please contact the coordinators as soon as possible.
2. Please come 15 minutes before the service begins. This is a must!
3. Please do not work if you have a sore throat or a cold. If you are sick or have been sick within the last 24 hours, please notify.
4. Only Toddler teachers and helpers are permitted inside the Toddler rooms (on the days you are to work).
5. Children's Worker Application Forms must be completed before serving in the Toddler Ministry.
6. Please keep attendance on appropriate service time sheets provided. It is our way of accurately monitoring the child's presence in class.
7. Special instruction forms are available in each classroom on the clipboard with the attendance sheets. These forms are used in the event that parents have special instructions on the child for the workers.
8. Keep classroom clean and in orderly fashion by the end of your class-time.
9. Children should eat on the tiled portion of the floor.
10. Supplies and snacks are in the cupboards which are marked. Feel free to use what is furnished.
11. Children are moved to the next level class on Promotion Sunday in early Summer.
12. Teachers--let us know in advance when you are getting low on curriculum so we can get it ordered for you.
13. Every child must be given a key chain tag when they enter the room. The front side will have their first name printed and the other side will have the parents' first and last names or whoever is responsible for them at church. Also, a permanent number used for the paging system will be assigned to them. The parents will be given the permanent number and will need to know that number to pick up the child. (We use numbers 40-99 for the permanent numbers.)
14. Sunday School workers wishing to know where the parents are during Sunday School, in case of emergency, may write the information down on the attendance sheet or special instructions form. Church service workers can just simply use the paging system.
15. Do not allow a child to be picked up by anyone except for the parents or those responsible for them at church. We must follow this rule! This is for everyone's safety!
16. If you have any problems or concerns, talk to . We are here to help.
17. Remember to smile. It's always nice to be greeted by a friendly face. Remember also that this is a ministry not only to the saved but to the lost!

Grace Church

Kidstitute

Coordinator: 

Age: 4 years through 5^th Grade

Sunday Morning Sunday School–Elementary Age:

Classes for these children are divided between four and five year olds, Kindergarten and First Grade; Second and Third Grade; and Fourth and Fifth Grade. Each class is taught by a competent, well-experienced teacher using the Gospel Light curriculum. This curriculum is valuable for its relevance, strong scriptural content and its ease of preparation. Each teacher seeks to develop within their class a love for the Word of God, a love for those in their class, and also a love for those in our community.

Children’s Choirs:

Children’s choirs meet on Sunday evening after opening exercises in the worship service. The children are dismissed to go to one of three choirs.

The Heaven’s Quarterpints Choir is for the four and five year olds in preschool. They are taught the elements of good singing and how to worship God with their voices.

The Heaven’s Halfpints Choir is for those in Kindergarten through Second Grade. They are taught a more structured program.

The Super Gang Choir meets weekly to work on performances for the church body.

Wednesday Night Awana Program:

Our Awana Program is one of the most aggressive in the area. It is our goal to teach the children not only the meat of the Word of God but also how to apply it in their lives. This program starts with the Cubbies (preschool); Sparks (Kindergarten through Second Grade); and the older ones meeting in the Chums, Pals, Guards and Pioneers.

During the Summer on Wednesday nights we have Kidskamp. This is an interactive time when we meet under the “big top” and study a major portion of God’s Word.

On Sunday morning during the Summer we have classes under our tent. We have a large group setting in order to reach the boys and girls in a more corporate way.

In all the Kidstitute programs creativity is a strong value. Every effort is made to communicate effectively at all times. There is a large group of people who see to the success of the Kidstitute Program. They contribute to this ministry through practical teaching, through dramas, puppets, room set-up and tear-down. All those involved are dedicated volunteers who have a passion to see children ministered to in a vibrant, relevant way.

Personnel:

There are over one hundred volunteers who are actively involved in Kidstitute. The descriptions of the positions that follow is a sample of the areas that are critical to the success of Kidstitute:

Infant Director:

The Infant Director is responsible for providing child care for those in the nursery. They recruit and communicate to other volunteers the time schedules and cultivate a spirit of team unity within the volunteers and with the children.

Early Childhood Director (2-3 year olds):

This Director is responsible for recruiting and securing volunteer leadership to teach our 2-3 years olds. They provide support for their classroom. They also maintain the inventory and cleanliness of the classroom supplies, handle the registration of the children and the distribution of all written communication. The individual teachers who volunteer in this class provide a loving environment for the children, thus enabling parents to attend the services. Christian love is modeled to the children and parents by those in this department.

Department Director (4 years old through 6th Grade):

The Department Director is responsible for the over all leadership of their classroom. They communicate any needs to the staff and cultivate a spirit of unity and love within their classroom. They are also responsible for creatively teaching the principles laid out before them through the curriculum.

New Leaders:

New leaders for various roles within Kidstitute can be identified by the current leaders within the ministry who recognize the leadership potential of someone who is already serving. Potential leaders may also be identified through other areas of ministry within the church.

It is our goal to regularly infuse Kidstitute with new leaders. This growing ministry is in constant need for volunteers. Those who have a passion for working with children are placed according to their gifts, their passion and abilities after filling out a detailed application. Members of the Kidstitute staff believe that if leaders do not have a passion for their area of responsibility, they will find it to be more stressful than joyful and will not lead effectively. It is better to have no one fill the position than to have someone who does not have a passion for what they do.

Policies:

1.         Children shall be treated with respect at all times.

Under no circumstances will a child be belittled by an adult. Yelling or making fun has no place in the Body of Christ. It is our goal to never have a teacher treat a student in such a way.

2.         No adult should be left alone with a child at any time.

It is our goal to always have at least two adult people with the children at all times, whether it is taking a bathroom break, or in the classroom.

3.         All workers shall be properly screened.

Every volunteer who works with our children will be required to fill out an application form before they are allowed to work within any given area with our children. This application must be approved by the Christian Education Pastor.

4.         All volunteers will teach the Bible in a relevant way.

Nothing does more harm to the cause of Christ than to teach irrelevant things from the Word of God. Teachers must work hard at being dynamic and relevant.