We want God’ to guide our Volunteer We proclaim J Service Handbook and practise j we belong to and are bette together. We our best and our first to G Become a volunteer at Riverview Church
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We lead people to Christ and build them into a worshipping community. Thank you so much for taking the time to consider joining our team of volunteers here at Riverview Church. Those who serve Riverview through volunteering are the heart and soul of our church and each person plays a vital role in helping us to fulfill our mission to lead people to Christ and build them into a worshipping community. We hope that your time as a volunteer at Riverview will be as rewarding and beneficial for you as it will be for those you serve. We look forward to working alongside you and seeing God achieve His vision for the world through us. Warmly Haydn Nelson Senior Minister
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Contents What We Believe
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What We Value 5 Our Environments 6 Volunteer Service 7 Volunteer Service Code of Conduct 8 Frequently Asked Questions 9 Volunteer Service Application Form 11 Declaration of Sexual Offenses Form 13
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What we believe We believe that the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God. In them we discover God’s plan for humanity, culminating in the wonders of the cross, resurrection and the birth of the Church. The Bible is the authority for Christian faith and lifestyle. We believe in one God, creator of all things, who is infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That Jesus Christ was true God and true man, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary and died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now at the right hand of the Father God as our High Priest and Advocate.
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We believe that all people were created in the image of God but fell into sin and are therefore far from God. It is only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit that salvation and spiritual life can be obtained. The shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provides the grounds for justification and salvation. We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ. During this age He indwells, guides, instructs and empowers those who believe in godly living, effective service and compelling witness to the truth of the Gospel. We believe that there is one true Church universal, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. That this body of believers gather themselves together for worship, prayer, teaching the Word of God, fellowship, service, and the observance of Water Baptism and Communion. The local church, under the watch and care of leaders, must work in love and unity to fulfill its mission and glorify Christ.
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What we value WHAT MATTERS MOST TO US
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WE WANT GOD’S WORD TO GUIDE OUR WAY. WE PROCLAIM JESUS AND PRACTISE JUSTICE. WE BELONG TOGETHER AND ARE BETTER TOGETHER.
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WE BRING OUR BEST AND GIVE OUR FIRST TO GOD. WE ALWAYS TAKE CARE AND STILL TAKE RISKS. WE’RE INTO PROGRESS MORE THAN PERFECTION.
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Our environments At Riverview we often speak about our desire and intention to create engaging and transforming environments where people can connect with God and others. We have used the metaphor of “home environments” to explain the nature and purpose of our church environments. The environments are: 1. The “Foyer” Primary Purpose: Encounter This environment includes all our weekend services and special events. Its primary purpose is to provide people with a shared experience marked by an encounter with God and His loving presence.
2. The “Lounge” Primary Purpose: Growth This environment includes our Foundations Program, Riverview Women, Interest Groups, Cultural Communities and every other context where the primary purpose is growing together around a shared or common interest. 3. The “Kitchen” Primary Purpose: Belonging This environment is made up of a wide variety of small groups that provide people with the opportunity to share life together at a deeper level. These groups meet regularly in homes, cafés and parks and encourage people to ‘know and be known’ by other people. The diagram highlights the interconnected nature of these environments as well as their primary purpose:
Eg: Services
Foyer
Purpose: Encounter
Shared Experiences
Eg: Small Groups Purpose: Belonging
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Kitchen
Lounge
Shared Lives
Shared Interests
Eg: Foundations Purpose: Growth
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Volunteer service The Value of Volunteer Service In addition to building the Church, advancing the spread of the good news about Jesus and helping others, Volunteer Service also benefits those who are doing the serving. Giving of one’s time, energy and talent is both rewarding and fulfilling and provides one with the opportunity to connect with other like-minded people. Volunteer Service is a great way to meet people, make friends and stay connected to church life. The Requirements for Volunteer Service Irrespective of the Ministry Area in which you serve, there are some basic prerequisites for serving at Riverview: Alignment with Riverview Church To serve at Riverview means to represent Riverview, its mission and its culture. Volunteers must therefore be committed followers of Jesus and support the Church’s core beliefs and values. Christian Lifestyle and Attitude A Riverview Volunteer commits to supporting the testimony of Christ and the Church in both word and deed and therefore agrees to abide by the Riverview Volunteer Code of Conduct (pg. 8). Volunteer Service is a way of living out our devotion and gratitude to God and the life that we live as Christians should be a testimony not only to those outside the Church but to others within the church family as well.
Riverview Safe Training Riverview Safe is an orientation course designed to introduce volunteers to the policies and procedures that have been put in place at Riverview to ensure safe programs, safe people and safe places. It is compulsory for all volunteers serving at Riverview to attend a Riverview Safe training course within 12 months of having begun to serve. Volunteers who fail or refuse to attend the training within this time period will be asked to step down from serving until they have attended and completed the course. Clearances and References All volunteers are required to complete a Declaration of Sexual Offenses Form (see pg. 10) prior to joining a volunteer team. Some Ministry Areas may have additional clearance requirements such as a Police Clearance or a Working With Children Check and some may require reference checks with previous churches or volunteer organisations. Qualifications, Training and Development Certain areas of service require specific skills and levels of competency. Appropriate assessments (eg: auditions for the band) are done to assess suitability and/or performance standards before people are placed into service. All volunteers are also expected to attend training sessions as requested by their team leader from time to time.
Church Attendance Volunteers should plan to attend at least one weekend service every weekend for spiritual and personal growth. We encourage volunteers to recognise that attending weekend services or mid week gatherings is about more than just ‘getting the job done’, it is about staying connected to community, staying focused on the mission and continuing to grow spiritually. VOLUNTEERING HANDBOOK 2016
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Volunteer code of conduct Riverview Church is committed to the call to faithfully represent Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. This carries an expectation that volunteers at all times uphold biblical standards in matters of ministry and personal affairs. The Church’s reputation, credibility and effectiveness can be put at serious risk when we (irrespective of motive) fail to conduct ourselves in an appropriate manner. This Code of Conduct (the “Code”) sets out the standards of behaviour and ethical conduct expected of volunteers as representatives of Christ and the Church.
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Resolving conflict in a biblical and appropriate way.
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Upholding confidential information and not disclosing to anyone (including spouse), any confidential information without the consent of the person providing the information. (There is an exception where there is a legal obligation or a duty of care issue.)
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Being a team player, cooperating with other ministry leaders, watching out for each other and protecting each other’s integrity.
General lifestyle expectations The following expectations are not an attempt to legislate holiness or be legalistic, but rather to reinforce the biblical responsibilities that accompany the privilege of Volunteer Service and Leadership. It is expected that Riverview Volunteers:
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Using words that build up and do not ridicule or embarrass people.
Set an example by: •
Obeying the law.
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Not taking property belonging to others, including intellectual property (copyright) and knowingly making false, misleading or deceptive statements.
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Not engaging in bullying, emotional abuse, harassment, physical abuse, sexual abuse or spiritual abuse of any person, including your family.
Serve out of a healthy relationship with God by: •
egularly attending weekend services R and joining in the life and ministry of the Church.
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tudying the Scriptures and praying S regularly.
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Not acting violently or intentionally provoking violence.
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iving time, energy and finances to the G work of the Church as devotion to God.
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Not using any prohibited substance and volunteering under the influence of alcohol.
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Express their sexuality in a healthy and God directed way in accordance with the Church’s teaching on sexuality.
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Not seeking personal advantage or financial gain from their position.
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Disclosing to the Church leadership if they are or have been or are being investigated for any criminal offences.
Serve out of healthy relationship with others by: •
Loving and caring for our families; paying attention to the effect of ministry on them.
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Treating others with respect and exercising authority with gentleness and grace.
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FAQs 1
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Do I have to have it all together to be a Volunteer? Not at all! We are all broken and fallen human beings in need of the ongoing grace and mercy of God. None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. Volunteers however are people committed to the process of discipleship and spiritual growth and as such are open to honest conversations about attitude, belief, behavior and lifestyle that may be in conflict with the revealed will and way of God in scripture. Do I have to be a Christian to be a Volunteer? Yes. In order fully to commit to Volunteer Service with Riverview Church you need to be a committed follower of Jesus and agree with our Beliefs and Core Values. What do I do if I find myself in conflict with another Riverview Volunteer or Attendee? We encourage all Volunteers to work through conflict resolution by using the principles taught in Matthew 18:15-17. What if I feel I need to step down as a Volunteer? If there comes a time when you feel the need to step down as a Volunteer with Riverview Church, we recommend that you talk to your team leader or the staff member who oversees your area of service. If after the meeting and resolving any issues, you believe stepping down to be an appropriate step in your journey, we will help you transition out of your role with our blessing. Can Volunteer Service be refused or suspended? Sometimes a Volunteer begins to live in a way that is both outside biblical directives and potentially harmful both to the local church and its testimony in the world. In such circumstances the leadership of the church, after proper communication undertaken in a spirit of reconciliation, reserves the right to refuse or end Volunteer Service and or exclude someone from church meetings or activities. What are the Privacy Policies of the Church regarding my personal information? Riverview Church Inc. complies with the National Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). The Church will collect general information about you, such as your name, address, and contact details so the Church can contact you. We will not use your personal information for any other purpose without first seeking your consent, unless authorised or required by law.
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Volunteer service application form Riverview Church values its volunteers! We could not do what we do without you. In order to help you find the most suitable role, please complete all parts of this form in as much detail as possible. Please Note: All volunteers are required to undergo a screening process which will include a sexual offences declaration and may also include a police check, or a working with children’s check. If you do not wish to undergo this process, do not complete this form as you will not be able to participate in volunteer service at Riverview Church. Contact the Volunteer Service Pastor should you wish to discuss this. NB This form is available and able to be completed online.
Surname:
Given name:
Address: Suburb: Post code: Telephone (Home): (Business): Mobile: Email: Date of birth:
*If Under 18 yrs of age: Parent/Guardian permission is required.
Please include me in church wide emails:
Yes
No
Tell us about you (if you are unsure which team you’d like to serve in, this information will help us find your best fit.) How long have you been a follower of Jesus? How long have you been attending Riverview Church? Educational background: Current occupation: Hobbies/interests: Experience (volunteer or paid capacity):
Which teams are you interested in joining? (Please look at the list of service opportunities on our web site) 1st choice: 2nd choice: 3rd choice:
Which weekend service would you prefer to serve at? (Most service opportunities are linked to our regular weekend services). Friday Riverview High
Saturday 5pm
Sunday 9am
Sunday 11am
Sunday 5pm
Next of kin or contact in an emergency: Name: Relationship: Emergency contact number: (home)
(mob):
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Application form cont. Health Information Do you have any medical conditions or physical limitations that we should be aware of which may limit your ability to perform certain activities? Yes
No
If yes please describe:
I am aware as a volunteer I will not receive a salary for my duties. I agree to notify Riverview Church of any change in my circumstances including criminal status. I have read and agree to abide by the Volunteer Code of Conduct. I am aware of the requirement to attend a Riverview Safe Training course within the first 12 months of serving at Riverview.
Confidentiality Agreement Please tick to indicate you agree. Except when expressly authorised by Riverview Church, I agree that I will not directly or indirectly reveal or cause to be revealed any confidential dealings, client information or affairs of Riverview Church which may come to my knowledge. I understand that I am not to disclose confidential information to any other employee or volunteer not authorised to receive such information and that this obligation continues after my role at Riverview Church finishes.
Please ensure that you have read the Volunteer Handbook – this information is critical to best understanding the vision, values and commitments of the Church. Please note that by Volunteering with Riverview Church you have given us permission to take and use photos of you for internal and external purposes. Applicant Signature: Date:
*If under 18 yrs of age: Parent/Guardian permission is required. I give permission for to volunteer with Riverview Church. Signature: Date:
Referees Please provide the names of at least two people who would be willing to provide a character reference on your behalf #1 Name: Relationship: Best contact no:
Riverview Attendee
Yes
No
Yes
No
#2 Name: Relationship: Best contact no:
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Riverview Attendee
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Private & Confidential Declaration of sexual offences Consistent with our responsibilities to ensure the safety and well being of those who attend Riverview and as a general requirement of our insurance provider, you will need to answer all the following questions. Please note: Your answers to the following may not necessarily prevent you from serving in a volunteer role at Riverview, but you will need to meet with the Volunteer Service Pastor or appropriate staff member. All information provided remains private and confidential. Have you ever been convicted of sexual abuse*?
Yes
No (please provide details):
Have you ever committed sexual abuse or a sexual offence of any kind?
Yes
No (please provide details):
Have you ever had a complaint raised against you for sexual abuse, whether investigated or not? Yes
No (please provide details):
* “Sexual Abuse� includes any assault or abuse of a sexual nature, any type of molestation, indecent exposure, sexual harassment or intimidation, whether such act is the subject of criminal investigation or not. Full Name: Signature: Date:
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Date of Birth:
We love our volunteers! T H A N K S S O M U C H F O R YO U R I N T E R E S T I N B E C O M I N G A VO L U N T E E R AT R I V E R V I E W C H U R C H !
ant God’s to guide our We proclaim s and practise ce.we belong ther and are er together. ring our best ive our first 1 Thorogood Street Burswood WA 6100
email@riverviewchurch.com
riverviewchurch.com
201508_RVM_DE
PO Box 524 Victoria Park WA 6979 +61 8 9416 0000