Who We Are - PCUSA

I learned about this document today in a class about valuing and supporting volunteers and found it positively inspirational. It seemed to be describing so many of you!

LIFE TOGETHER IN THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH:
STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR
EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.)

As an employee or volunteer in an entity, governing body, or congregation associated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), I commit myself to the following standards of ethical conduct.

I will conduct my life in a manner that will support the ministry of my workplace. Therefore I will:
1. Be honest and truthful in my relationships with others;
2. Treat all persons with equal respect and concern;
3. Maintain a healthy balance among the responsibilities of my position, my commitments to family and other primary relationships, and my need for spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual renewal;
4. Refrain from abusive, addictive, or exploitative behavior and seek help to overcome such behavior if it occurs; and
5. Refrain from gossip and abusive speech.


I will conduct myself at my workplace in a manner that will support its ministry. Therefore I will:
1. Honor relationships within the workplace and observe appropriate boundaries;
2. Be judicious in the exercise of the power and privileges of my position;
3. Avoid conflicts of interest that might compromise the effectiveness of my work;
4. Refrain from exploiting relationships within the workplace for personal gain or gratification, including sexual harassment and misconduct as defined by Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) policy;
5. Respect the privacy of individuals and not divulge information obtained in confidence without express permission unless an individual is a danger to self or others;
6. Recognize the limits of my own gifts and training, and refer persons and tasks to others as appropriate;
7. Claim only those qualifications actually attained, give appropriate credit for all sources used in papers, music, and presentations, and observe copyrights;
8. Observe limits set by the appropriate governing body for honoraria;
9. Deal honorably with the record of my predecessor and, upon leaving a position, speak and act in ways that support the work of my successor;
10. Be a faithful steward of and fully account for funds and property entrusted to me;
11. Accept the appropriate guidance of those to whom I am accountable;
12. Participate in continuing education and seek the counsel of mentors and professional advisors;
13. Show respect and provide encouragement for colleagues; and
14. Cooperate with persons of other faith traditions.

FPCB website has some cool stuff that you can use!

Did you know that the church is becoming MUCH more proactive in making the tasks of volunteers easier? It's simple, really - we realize more and more the invaluable contribution of volunteers in making the church the place where people can truly experience the love of God in their own lives.

Here is a link to information you might like to know about volunteer resources at FPCB. And thank you!

http://www.fpcbellevue.org/About/churchleadership/vol_leader_faq.ashx?p=1878

GREAT INPUT FROM BOB WILSON RE: CHRISTMAS TASKS

Bob sent me a great info sheet with ideas and comments from last season. Here are a few pertinent ones - if you have any other ideas or comments, please let us know so that when I meet with the captains we take all that input and make this the easiest and best Christmas eve ever!

Christmas Eve Ushering Suggestions
by Bob Wilson
Ushers needed per service
Captain 1
Sanctuary 6
Balcony 3
Narthex 4
Community Center 2
total per service 16

More difficult positions like #3 and #5 could be filled by regulars – was very helpful last year.

Making sure we all know when to arrive, distribution of the candles, overflow standing room, how the offering will be picked up, candle lighting, where will the count sheets be located, where are worshipers to wait that arrive early for the next service, where is the medical team located… is important.

So - do you have other ideas for the ushers? I have a list of to-dos, which i didn't list here, but if you have one for me, email me - otherwise, you can list helpful hints for each other in the comments section below this post! :-) Karen

CHRISTMAS?!?!? AUGHGHGHGHH!

Yep, we're already looking ahead to the Christmas season.

SCARY!!!

In the usher's closet on the first floor of the sanctuary, there is a sign up sheet for those of you brave enough to volunteer to usher a Christmas eve service.

I am moving early on this for three reasons:

1. Like pulling off a bandaid, it's good to get tough stuff done as quickly as possible.

2. This gives us plenty of time to get the team captains' heads together to determine how many ushers we need at each service and communicate the detailed tasks in advance.

3. We can carefully look at what the tasks are for each service, outline how we should train the "one-night-volunteers" we get from sign ups in the narthex, and make sure that everyone knows when & where to check in, and what they are to do once they get there.

So check out the sign-up sheet and think about when you might be able to serve.

And - shoot me a note on how we can make this season even easier than any other we've done before! Comments and suggestions are MOST welcome!!

Next Up - Training!

If you are interested in getting training on emergency procedures in the church, as well as CPR training, please shoot me an email at knelson@fpcbellevue.org so I can do a head count and get a class scheduled.

Thanks!

Dangerous Ushers at the BBQ

This is what happens when you give an usher a hamburger and a squirt gun. Or when you serve them tea. No alcohol, just tea. Or basically, just get them together for an afternoon of fun and hot dogs. You better run for cover.

Drinks?????

Hi all – I received a call saying that someone said that there was a sign in the sanctuary saying that it was now permissible to have drinks in the sanctuary.

Actually, there IS indeed a slide running in the sanctuary and narthex up to ten minutes before worship letting people know that there is an 11:00 modern service and that in THAT modern service in the community center it is permissible to bring drinks. They are still NOT permitted in the sanctuary.

I can see how it could be misconstrued that drinks are now ok in the sanctuary since the slide is running there and someone may glance up and misinterpret it – I will ask communications if there is some way to clarify this slide, or to remove it so that congregants don’t get a mixed message, nor the ushers the idea that we are now asking them to clean up! We don’t want to put you in a position of conflict.

Just as an FYI, the drinks are ok in the community center because the floor is modular carpet and easily cleaned – the sanctuary carpet is another matter altogether.

So – for the record – NO, we are NOT changing policy, and there are NO drinks or food in the sanctuary. Thank you all for being sensitive and kind as you remind folks to please leave there cups outside.

Thanks to all of you for your vigilance and care!