Application for Children's Ministry

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¨ Minor (not yet 18 yrs. of age) Application Office use only Background Check, Date ___________________________ Interview, Date ___________________________ Briefed on Child Safety Procedures & Given a Child Safety & Security Guide, Date ___________________________



Application for Children’s Ministry Junior Assistant and Helper Community Fellowship This application is to be completed by anyone interested in serving with children at Community Fellowship. It is our intention to gain more information about individuals who are entrusted with the care and supervision of children and to treat this information with the utmost confidentiality and respect. Junior Assistants and Helpers should complete this application with their Parent.

Please check the ministry for which you are applying: ¨ Community Kids ¨ Awana ¨ MOMS Connect

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PERSONAL INFORMATION Full Name __________________________________________________________________ Date _____________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________ Birthdate _______________________________ City/Zip _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Email___________________________________________________________________ Home Phone _________________________________________ Mobile Phone _______________________________________________ CHILDREN’S MINISTRY INFORMATION (please check all that apply) 1. What area of children’s ministries do you prefer? Community Kids: ¨ Nursery (0-2yrs) ¨ Preschool Awana: ¨ Listener ¨ Helper Special Family Events: ¨ Family VBS ¨ Special Events/Parties Moms Connect: ¨ Child Care Women’s Min/Alpha/Other Ministry: ¨ Child Care 2. Where would you feel comfortable serving? (Check all that apply.) ¨ Classroom Aid ¨Small Group Shepherd ¨ Crafts/Activity Helper o A/V Tech Support o Set Up/Tear Down ¨ Worship Assistant, Drama & Music ¨ Child Care for Bible Studies and Special Events MINISTRY EXPERIENCE 1. Have you ever served in CF Children’s Ministries? ________ Please list and describe your experience _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



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PERSONAL REFERENCES Please list at least two (2) adult references. You may use a parent and your JAM 56 or Oasis / InsideOut Leader who may have direct knowledge of your character and ability to work with children and families. References will be contacted. Name ______________________________________________________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________________________________________ Relationship: __________________________________________________________________________ Name ______________________________________________________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________________________________________ Relationship: __________________________________________________________________________ List any active Volunteers you may be acquainted with in CF Children’s Ministry____________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SPIRITUAL JOURNEY & BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1. How long have you been attending Community Fellowship? ________________________________________________ 2. Do you consider yourself to be a committed believer in Jesus Christ? __________ If yes, explain briefly when and how you became a Christian. ________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. If a friend asked you, "How does someone become a Christian?" how would you answer? _______________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



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PERSONAL DISCLOSURE & LIFESTYLE INFORMATION In order to assure the health, safety, and security of our children and families, we screen all our volunteers. These questions are not designed to offend or to pass judgment, rather to create an environment where a person’s past will not hinder the ministry in carrying out its mission in a safe, fun and productive way. If you must answer “Yes” to any of the Personal Disclosure questions, we will discuss how this may impact your serving in Children’s Ministry at Community Fellowship during the personal interview. 1. Are you currently or have you ever used illegal drugs or alcohol? ¨ Yes ¨ No 2. Have you ever been arrested and / or convicted of a crime?

¨ Yes ¨ No

If yes, please describe: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Are you pursuing purity in all your relationships so that they are honoring to God?

¨ Yes ¨ No

4. Do you currently maintain a personal website, blog and/or social media sites?

¨ Yes ¨ No



If yes, please provide url’s: Facebook/___________________________________________________________________________ Twitter/_____________________________________________________________________________ Instagram/__________________________________________________________________________ Other: _______________________________________________________________________________

CF | CHILDREN’S MINISTRY LEADERSHIP ANNUAL COVENANT Please initial each covenant statement after praying and discussing with Community Kids Staff, friends and family about the commitment involved with volunteering in Children’s Ministry. _____ I acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ in my life, and I have a personal relationship with God through faith in Christ. _____ I am committed to Serve. If I serve on Sundays, I will serve an hour and attend an hour (CF Worship, JAM, Oasis, InsideOut, etc.) consistently each week. _____ I am committed to a lifestyle that is both Godly, blameless and above reproach in making wise choices. I realize that my lifestyle and behavior is an example for children and families. _____ I am committed to attend all mandatory volunteer/leader meetings throughout the year. _____ I understand the mission and purpose of this Children’s Ministry, Helping Kids and Families to Know and Grow in God's Story, and commit to shepherding the children that God brings to me.

_____ I am committed to arrive prepared and ready to minister to children and families no later than 15-20 minutes before ministry start time. I am also committed to communicate with Community Kids Staff, if I will be late or absent. _____ I am committed to observe and abide by all the church policies regarding working with children and families. _____ I am committed to observe the “Two-Adult Rule” at all times! _____ I am committed to promptly report to the church any observance, awareness, or suspicion of abusive or inappropriate behavior as defined in your training. _____ I will not post anything on my personal blog, website, or social media page that would be damaging to the reputation of Community Fellowship or without permission from Community Kids Staff. I have read this covenant and I agree to observe and abide by the statements set forth above.

Please Initial ______ www.commfell.org/Kids

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SAFETY AND SEXUAL ABUSE POLICY (to be reviewed and explained by Parent) Community Fellowship (CF) is committed to carrying out its mission while safeguarding children and students against emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. This commitment is evidenced by the following safety and sexual abuse policy. CF does not permit or allow sexual abuse or molestation to occur in the workplace or at any activity sponsored by or related to it. In order to make this “zero-tolerance” policy clear to all staff members and volunteers, we have adopted mandatory procedures that employers, volunteers, family members, individuals and victims must follow when they learn of or witness sexual abuse or molestation. Sexual abuse takes the form of inappropriate sexual contact or interaction for the gratification of the person who is functioning as a caregiver, leader or mentor and is responsible for the student’s or child’s care. Sexual abuse includes sexual assault, exploitation, molestation or injury. It does not include sexual harassment, which is another form of behavior which is prohibited by CF. Reporting Procedure All staff members who learn of sexual abuse being committed or who have suspicions of sexual abuse being committed must immediately: 1. Report it to the staff leader responsible for the ministry area or department in which the incident took place. 2. The staff leader will then report the incident to the following staff members: a. Department supervisor and/or lead team representative b. Joel Sisson, Children’s Ministry Pastor c. Gordon Spahr, Executive Pastor 3. As a mandatory reporter, a report will be filed with the Department of Child and Family Services of Illinois by calling the Child Abuse Hotline (800) 25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873). Appropriate family members of the victim must be notified immediately of suspected child abuse. Local child protective service agencies must be notified as required by law. Investigation and Follow Up We take allegations of sexual abuse seriously. Once the allegation is reported promptly, we will thoroughly and impartially initiate an investigation to determine whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that sexual abuse has been committed. We will cooperate fully with any investigation conducted by law enforcement or regulatory agencies. We reserve the right to place the subject of the investigation on an involuntary leave of absence of their responsibilities. To the fullest extent possible, but consistent with our legal obligation to report suspected abuse to appropriate authorities, we will endeavor to keep the identities of the alleged victims and investigation subject confidential. If the investigation substantiates the allegation, our policy provides for disciplinary penalties, including but not limited to termination of their relationship with our organization. Retaliation Prohibited We prohibit any retaliation against anyone, including an employee, volunteer, student or individual, who in good faith reports sexual abuse, alleges that it is being committed or participates in the investigation. Intentionally false or malicious accusations of sexual abuse are prohibited. Anyone who improperly retaliates against someone who has made a good faith allegation of sexual abuse, or intentionally provides false information to the effect, will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination. Please Initial ______

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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VOLUNTEER - STATEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS Community Fellowship seeks to provide a safe and secure environment for the people who participate in our services and activities, particularly those in Children’s Ministry. The purpose of this Statement of Expectations is to communicate the overall expectations of this volunteer role as clearly as possible. We cannot predict every situation that may occur, Children’s Ministry volunteers are expected to make decisions that protect their personal integrity and safety, and to assume full responsibility for those decisions. At no time does Community Fellowship expect volunteers to risk their personal integrity or safety to be heroic; as volunteers, there is a responsibility to come beside children and students to offer support without being responsible for their needs. While we are grateful for the willingness to help others, this is a volunteer role to be thoughtfully considered and entered into intentionally. Volunteers in Children’s Ministry understand the expectations for Appropriate Physical Contact • Under no circumstances will spanking, neck or choke holds, ear or hair pulling or any other corporal punishment be used. • Any touch should be age-level appropriate and for the purpose of encouragement and affirmation. • Volunteers should not encourage physical contact for their own needs. For example, statements of “Where is my hug?”, “Come sit on my lap”, etc. are inappropriate. Volunteers in Children’s Ministry understand the expectations for Appropriate Supervision • Two-Person Rule: no child is to ever be alone with a single volunteer or staff person. • This will require an intentional focus for married couples or family members to hold one another accountable to the highest standards for integrity and trust. Even when you volunteer with someone you trust [spouse, parent, sibling, etc.], the two-person rule is non-negotiable. • Never go behind closed doors or into a restroom with a child without another adult present. One adult can stand in the doorway creating a balance for integrity and being respectful to the child. • Teen volunteers can serve with kids in the presence of a screened adult. Volunteers in Children’s Ministry understand the expectations for Abuse Reporting • Volunteers should always report anything that looks like child abuse, seems suspicious, or makes them feel uncomfortable. • It is not a volunteer’s responsibility to prove or investigate; it is a volunteer’s responsibility to “Recognize and Report” what he/she has witnessed to a ministry leader. Volunteers in Children’s Ministry understand the expectations for Relational Contact Outside of the Ministry • Contact with a child outside of the context of a sponsored/endorsed event is not a requirement of volunteers. • If volunteers attend events with children outside of sponsored/endorsed events, they must obtain permission from the parents and notify ministry leadership; “one-on-one” time should be in a public setting [restaurant, playground, etc.]. By signing this document, I state that I have read the Safety and Sexual Abuse Policy (reverse side of this document), and this Statement of Expectations about my volunteer role in Children’s Ministry at Community Fellowship with my Parent. Applicant’s Name Printed ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Applicant’s Signature ____________________________________________________________ Date _____________________________ Parent Name Printed ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Parent Signature _________________________________________________________________ Date _____________________________ www.commfell.org/Kids M:\Community Kids\Volunteers-Teachers\Application Process\Application for Children’s Min Jr. Helper- paper v8-2014.docx

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