OUR PURPOSE

We understand the power of the gospel to be our only hope for renewal and the world’s only hope for change. By responding to God’s grace, we can reinvigorate our service to Christ and our commitment to the proclamation of His message.

Jesus Christ has commissioned us to make effective disciples in all nations by spreading His Good News to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21; Acts 1:8, 26:16-18).

KWM TEAM

The Knox World Mission (“KWM”) Team is composed of mission-minded individuals who are approved by the Session of Knox Church. There is no term of service. Members are free to resign at any time by advising other KWM Team members. KWM team members carry out the following programs and duties:

develop, manage and evaluate the KWM program by constantly seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

plan and organize an annual conference to inform the congregation of the current status of worldwide missions, to spark specific interest within the congregation in the respective ministries of KWM, and to encourage support for workers through prayer and the raising of financial resources toward the KWM Budget. [The KWM Budget will cover the cost of the conference.]

encourage interest in and support (including prayer) for worldwide ministries through the following activities and means of communication:

v publish a monthly prayer bulletin

v arrange periodic special meetings

v present minute-for-mission announcements and/or ‘live’ interviews with KWM workers during Sunday worship services

v prepare a bulletin board which is updated with current information concerning KWM workers

v maintain regular communication with supported workers

v support short-term mission trips

v make workers letters available for the congregation

v keep the congregation updated via email and web

prepare and administer the annual mission budget of Knox Church. Financial support will be assigned towards the following individuals and programs:

v national workers (those serving in Canada)

v international workers (those serving outside Canada)

v mission projects

v scholarship assistance

v Phase 2 support

report on mission activities and to present financial documents and minutes to the auditors for presentation at the Annual General Meeting of the congregation.

receive and evaluate applications submitted by candidates.

encourage mission education in Sunday School, small group Bible studies and various groups. Missionaries of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, are encouraged to present their work to the congregation.

appoint subcommittees to carry out other mission activities.
Team members receiving financial support from KWM can serve only as an ex-official member.

STRUCTURE OF KWM TEAM

The KWM Team consists of the following individuals:

v the Senior minister (ex-officio)

v 8 to 12 members of the congregation with an passion for missions, among whom will be at least one Session member and from whom the following officers will be chosen:

Ø a chairperson

Ø a secretary

Ø a treasurer

New members may be appointed by the KWM Team with the approval of Session. All KWM Team members must be members or active adherents of Knox Church.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Chairperson

v Organizes meetings and provides an agenda to all members before each meeting.

v Submits annual budget to session for approval

v Submits reports to the Annual General Meeting or at other times as Session requires.

v Normally presides over meetings of the KWM Team.

v Arranges for regular communication by letter/email with KWM workers.

Secretary

v Assists the Chairperson as required.

v Takes minutes at each meeting.

v Distributes copies of the minutes as soon as possible to all KWM Team members. [Minutes are approved at the next meeting.]

Treasurer

v Collaborates with the Chairperson in drawing up an annual budget prior to the beginning of the new fiscal year. This proposed budget will be finalized at a regular KWM Team meeting.

v Keeps accurate financial accounts, which will be audited yearly and presented at the Annual General Meeting for congregational approval.

v Researches and evaluates the best means of investing bequests and large donations made to the KWM Program and presents these findings to the KWM Team for its decision.

v The KWM fiscal year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Other (non-officer) KWM Team members will be assigned to prepare monthly prayer bulletins and to acknowledge memorial gifts.

MEETINGS OF KWM TEAM

The KWM Team will normally meet monthly for responding to workers’ requests, planning and consideration of other business.

LARGE ONE-TIME GIFTS OR BEQUESTS

All gifts made to KWM will be used only as directed by the donor and/or by his/her estate. Undesignated gifts/bequests will be directed to the project account (with all interest being included in the KWM annual budget).

APPLICANT

Interested persons may apply to become KWM workers [as supported or tentmakers] if they meet the following criteria:

v They feel called by God to serve in a mission outreach.

v They have been actively involved in the life and ministry of Knox Church for a period of at least two years.

v They have been accepted (or are in the process of being accepted) by a KWM-approved mission agency.

v They have been involved in actual evangelical outreach.

v They have submitted the KWM application form and agree to the KWM statement of faith

v They are committed to keeping the KWM Team informed of their activities on a quarterly basis.

v They agree to submit yearly ministry reports to KWM

PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF A WORKER

Examination of the application form provided at the end of this policy handbook, or at www.knoxworldmission.ca.

Facilitate an interview with the Senior Minister, the KWM Chairperson and one other member of KWM Team.

Arrange a meeting with the entire KWM Team.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF WORKERS

Must complete annual written review
To report to the KWM Team on their ministry’s progress and needs regularly through newsletters, email, etc.

To provide notice to the KWM Team Chairperson on any changes in their location, ministry or relationship with their primary mission agency.

To attend the KWM annual Conference whenever possible and to keep the KWM Team apprised of the time(s) of their home visits.

SUPPORT POLICY

1. In order to be considered for regular support under the KWM Budget, an individual must meet all of the following requirements:

v Complete the Application form

v sign and commit to the KWM Statement of Faith.

v believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour.

v be a member or active adherent of Knox Church for at least two years.

v display appropriate special gifts and a call to ministry.

v have been accepted (or are in the process) for service under a mission board whose purpose, doctrine, practice and methods are acceptable to Knox Session.

v commit to maintaining regular communication with KWM as mandated by the Team.

v agree to notify the KWM Team in advance of any change(s) in their appointment, status, ministry or state of financial need.

Workers who require further studies directly related to their work should apply to KWM for consideration of financial help. [Formerly the George Lowe Scholarship Fund]
The amount of KWM support will normally cover only a portion of the worker’s total required support. This amount will be decided after consulting with the mission agency as to the worker’s total needs and after considering the availability of funds within the KWM Budget.

Support normally begins the month that the worker begins his/her term of mission service. It will continue unchanged through regular furlough periods, provided that the furlough period does not exceed one year.

Workers cannot solicit funds for personal support from the congregation, groups or individuals within Knox Church, either directly or indirectly. Appropriate financial support from the church will be received through the KWM Budget.

SHORT-TERM MISSIONS SUPPORT

KWM is committed to the value of short-term workers

All applicants must complete the Application form
Individuals wanting to carry out a short-term mission must present their project need to the KWM Team at least three months in advance for its approval.
The KWM Team will evaluate the proposed plan to determine the effectiveness of the short-term ministry.
Generally, short-term missions should be self-funded. However, where there is a need, support will be considered if funds are available.
Short term workers agree to report to KWM on completion of their term of service.

YEARLY SUPPORT

Support will be reassessed on an annual basis and adjusted according to available funds.

Requests for additional support should be directed to the KWM Team prior to September 31. Each case will be considered individually and on its own merits, taking into account the overall support level reported by the appropriate mission agency.

Although KWM prepares its budget prayerfully and with sincere faith, in the event of a severe shortfall of funds, any committed support may require reduction.

PROJECT SUPPORT

All applications will require the filling in of the Short Term Project form.
Projects must promote an evangelical outreach. The proposal must outline how it reaches out with the gospel through the proposed activities.
KWM must approve and agree with the supervision and accountability structure.
The worker or his/her supervisor must keep full and accurate financial records for the project, which are sufficient for CRA auditing purposes.
Ideally, projects will be funded to completion.
Funding for the project does not form part of the worker’s support.
All funds donated for these particular projects shall be forwarded to the worker in accordance with CRA rules.
Such projects may include: PWS&D, projects of Knox workers, refugee support, disaster relief, Knox Dinner and Food Bank. Preference given to opportunities presented by KWM Workers.
All projects submitted for financial support must have full support of all members of KWM committee. Projects, once approved by the KWM Team, must be recorded in the minutes.
Projects proposed for consideration must have a period of 6 to 24 months.
Applications for project funding must have the following items: 1) a justification of the project, 2) overall goals and objectives of its phases; 3) a detailed budget of how funds will be spent; 4) a pre-defined period for its execution.
Quarterly financial and activities report are mandatory for continuation of funding. Expenditures must be in accordance with budget proposal.
A final project report is due at the end of the period of each approved project proposal. This report must state whether or not goals were reached and the reasons why they were not when that is the case.
Following completion of the term of support, in accordance with the proposal, renewal is subject to new application and approval by the KWM committee.

PHASE 2 SUPPORT

KWM Team may consider providing ongoing support to KWM workers who have served for more than 10 years, to allow them to continue ongoing ministry. The amount of the Phase 2 support will depend on funds available within the budget.

TERMINATION OF A WORKER’S SUPPORT

It may become necessary for Knox Church to sever its relationship with a worker for the following reasons:

The development of serious personal or moral problems in the life of the worker.

The use of support funds for a purpose other than as agreed to by the KWM Team.

A change in the worker’s status under the mission agency.

A worker’s inappropriate solicitation of support, including the following:

v the direction of funds secured from persons associated with Knox to personal accounts or directly to mission agencies, bypassing the channel of KWM.

v exerting undue pressure upon anyone within or outside of the congregation of Knox Church, or taking advantage of anyone who might not have the means, sophistication or capacity (mental or otherwise) to manage their financial affairs adequately.

If, for any reason, the mission agency decides to discontinue its association with the worker.

The failure of the worker to communicate with the KWM Team over a period extending beyond six months.
If the worker is no longer able to agree with every element of the statement of faith.

TERMINATION PROCEDURE

Initial communication to the worker of the issues regarding the termination of support will be through a designated member of the KWM Team, either in writing or in person. This initial communication shall be reported to the KWM Team.

If the initial action does not resolve the situation or if the offence is repeated or continued, the worker(s) shall meet with the entire KWM Team. The outcome of this KWM Team meeting shall be binding.

This meeting may include other members of Knox Church–lay or staff. The worker(s) may bring a non-family member to this meeting in order to facilitate understanding and/or to provide him/her with support.

Should the meeting result in the termination of support; the KWM Team will typically continue regular support payments for up to three months after termination.

Exceptions to this mission policy may be made but must be approved by the KWM Team and, when necessary, by the Session.

REVISION OF POLICY

This mission policy will be reviewed from time to time as necessary. All revisions to this mission policy must be approved by the KWM Team and Session prior to being instituted.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

I accept the central truths of Christianity, as revealed in Scripture, including:

· The unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Godhead.

· The sovereignty of God in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgment.

· The divine inspiration and entire trustworthiness of Holy Scripture, as originally given, and its supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

· The universal sinfulness and guilt of all humankind since the fall, rendering them subject to God's wrath and condemnation.

· Redemption from the guilt, penalty, dominion and pollution of sin, solely through the sacrificial death (as our representative and substitute) of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.

· The bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and his ascension to the right hand of God the Father.

· The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration.

· The justification of the sinner by the grace of God through faith alone.

· The indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit in the believer.

· The one holy universal Church which is the body of Christ and to which all true believers belong.

· The expectation of the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Date Signature

KWM committee as of May 2011: Jeff Bloom, Sherin Hanna, Carol Herd, Nancy Howard, Don Nicol, John Reaves, Don Shugart, Matt Thompson, Diana Wadsworth and Karen Williams...Don Pollock, ex-officio.

Knox Church

630 Spadina Avenue

Toronto, ON M5S 2H4

416-921-8993

Fax: 416-921-5918

knoxworldmission.ca