Community of Faith : Tool kit for Preparation and Completion of the Self-Assessment Checklist -

Name of Community of Faith

Date

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Contact Person

Contact Person First Name Contact Person Last Name

Community of Faith Profile (ChurchHub)-(Required)

Financial viability, demographic, manse, and real property profiles updated

Living Faith Story reviewed and amended to reflect any changes in your ministry or visioncond Choice

A copy of your annual report uploaded

Please check as applicable.

Annual Regional Information Form(Required)

Completion of Annual Pastoral Charge Information Form online or in written form(mailed)

Please check as applicable

Section A: Policies Required by Law

Privacy and Personal Information (united-church.ca); and Privacy Issues: Recordkeeping and Archives (united-church.ca)

(Please enter the date the privacy policy was reviewed or approved)(Required)

Name of Local Privacy Officer(Required)

The Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy: Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy and Procedures (Oct 2023) (united-church.ca)(Required)

Date Approved/Reviewed

(Webinar)

Please enter the date the webinar was approved or reviewed(Required)

Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Violence Response Policy : Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Violence Response Policy 2022 (united-church.ca)(Required)

Date Approved/Reviewed

(Webinar)

Please enter the date the webinar was approved/reviewed

Date Approved/Reviewed

Please enter the date the webinar was approved/reviewed and the copyright license numbers.

Additional Checkpoints (for Governance, Treasurers)(Required)

Employment and contractor status is properly differentiated and administered according to Revenue Canada guidelines

T4’s and T4A’s are issued as per Revenue Canada guidelines

Charitable Status Returns are filed annually

Wedding records are complete

Rental Policy: All fees (weddings, funerals, rentals, other services) are the same amount for members and non-members as per Canada Revenue Agency rules.

Section B

United Church of Canada Polity(Required)

The Community of Faith meets at least annually

The Annual Report is published each year and uploaded to ChurchHub

The Governing Body for the Community of Faith meets at least quarterly

If the Governing Body is different than the models described in the Manual 2019, it has been reviewed and approved by the Region

Mission and Ministry of the Community of Faith

The Community of Faith profile and mission goals are reviewed annually with particular attention to the goals set as part of the plan, including pastoral care

Participates in the life and work of Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional Council and the wider developing partnerships with other organizations or faith groups

Creates, reviews, and updates policies regarding requests for weddings, funerals, baptisms, and membership in keeping with the Manual.

Considered forming a cluster with neighbouring United Church communities of faith

Considered becoming an Affirming congregation

Considered developing partnerships with other organizations or faith groups.

Review ways to increase the scope of the Ministry/Mission of the Community of Faith, e.g., online presence, etc.

Trustees: Congregational Board of Trustees Handbook (united-church.ca)

There are at least 3 active trustees for each community of faith in the pastoral charge, and their appointment is confirmed at the annual meeting - required

Land Title has been reviewed and is up to date

Church Deed is kept in a secure place, known to the trustees and governing body

The Governing Body has established an investment policy that guides the Board of Trustees in investing

All investment information is kept is a safe location, known to the trustees and treasurer

Liability/property insurance is in place -required (Pages 18-20)

If the congregation has a cemetery:

There are one or more Cemetery Boards -required

Perpetual Care Funds are administered by the Cemetery Board

Liability insurance is in place. -required

If the congregation has a manse:

Liability/property insurance is in place -required

What are the plans for the future of the manse over the next three to five years

Finances(Required)

Yearly budget is approved at the annual meeting

Annual financial statement is approved

Receipts are issued following Revenue Canada Agency guidelines

Restrictions on bequests are recorded and monitored

Restrictions on funds are recorded and monitored

The treasurer has a copy of the most recent UCC Financial Handbook for Congregations Financial Handbook for Congregations 2017 (united-church.ca) https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/financial-resources-handbook-abbreviated-edition-2019.pdf and is encouraged to attend webinars and workshops related to their position.

At least 2 unrelated people count and deposit the weekly offering

Signing authorities are reviewed and updated

Ministry and Personnel Committee(Required)

Fulfills the requirements set out in the UCC Manual

Has a confidentiality agreement (see M & P Handbook)

Meets with staff for annual reviews

Maintains and reviews annually the position descriptions for each employee

Proper contracts exist for each lay employee

Copies of the most recent UCC handbooks for M and P Committees at https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/resources-for-mandp-committees.pdf are available and members are encouraged to attend workshops related to their position

Police Record checks https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/police-records-checks.pdf and screening procedures are followed for staff members

A copy of the Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Violence Prevention and Response Policy Handbook https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2020-10/harassment-policy-2020.pdf is available to all staff

Familiar with the Ethical Standards for Ministry Personnel https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/ethical-standards-practice-ministry-personnel.pdf) and (guiding) Standards of Practice for Ministry Personnel

Stewardship

The community of faith sets a goal for Mission and Service donations each year

Contributions to Mission and Service are forwarded to the General Council Office monthly

The Stewardship Committee receives information and resources provided by the United Church of Canada

Stewardship is promoted as part of faithful participation in the ministry of the community of faith

Record Keeping

The membership roll is regularly reviewed and updated by the governing body

The governing body has set the criteria for the membership list review

The Governing Body has defined what it means to be an adherent and maintains a record of adherents

Minutes of meetings are kept and available to the community of faith

Registers (Baptism, Burial, Wedding, Historic Roll) are kept up to date and in a fire and burglary secure location

Old Records should be forwarded to Regional Archives when full or stating a new record book.

All people with access to personal information are aware of the Personal Information Policy: Privacy and Personal Information (united-church.ca) Privacy Issues: Recordkeeping and Archives (united-church.ca)

Justice, Right Relations, Inter-culturalism, and Mission:

The traditional Indigenous territory that the ministry sits on is researched and acknowledged

Familiar with The United Church of Canada 1986 Apology to First Nations Peoples and the 1998 Apology to Former Students of United Church Indian Residential Schools, and to their Families and Communities, and aware that the United Church ran Indian Residential Schools

Engage in decolonized learning of how to be in good relations with Indigenous peoples https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/undrip-workshop.pdf

Study and respond to injustices and inequities beyond the community of faith membership

Work at intentionally welcoming, accepting, and learning from all peoples and cultures with a goal of creating safe and faithful community without judgment of differences of any kind

Completion

Chair of the Governing Body

Secretary of the Governing Body

Date of Completion

Untitled

For use of the Pastoral Relations Committee, Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters

Community of Faith : Tool kit for Preparation and Completion of the Self-Assessment Checklist

Section A: Policies Required by Law

Section B

Completion

Share this:

United Church of Canada News