PROCEDURES

I. Operation Guidelines

A. When a member of one of the Consortium churches feels called by God to pursue full-time cross-cultural service/ministry they can apply to become a member of the Consortium. If accepted, the member’s home church will assume 30% of the needed support. Each of the other Consortium churches will be asked to assume 10% of the “needed” support. “Needed” support is total need less support already committed from other sources (e.g. another church outside Consortium). To be eligible for this agreement, candidates must be members of their participating church for three years. The minimum length of commitment for cross-cultural service covered by this agreement is three years.

B. Although it is assumed, in most circumstances, each church will accept it’s agreed upon share, this process is not automatic. Each church will have the right to decline supporting any person on the basis of its global strategy and screening policy. A candidate must receive commitments of financial support, monthly and/or outgoing gift, from at least 50% of the Consortium churches to be accepted as a Consortium member.

C. Each Consortium church will consider this partnership when setting its annual mission budget. In the event funds are not available, any church may refrain from the support of a particular Consortium member.

D. This agreement does not apply to any of our members who are already serving cross-culturally.

E. The candidate for support must be accepted by a recognized mission organization that is party of the Evangelical Foreign Missions Association (EFMA) or the International Foreign Mission Association (IFMA). We also prefer the sending organization to be part of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

F. All candidates accepted under this agreement will refrain from actively soliciting individual support from attendees/members of Consortium churches.

G. It is expected the Consortium member will, if possible, spend furlough time in Connecticut among Consortium churches proportionate to the financial support they receive from Consortium churches. (i.e. If they receive 75% of their total support from the Consortium they will spend 75% of their furlough time in CT).

II. Procedure for Consortium Candidates

A. The Consortium candidate will be interviewed and approved by his/her home church.

· A candidate must anticipate serving in a foreign cross-cultural context.
· A candidate must be a member of a Consortium church for at least three years.
· A candidate must commit to at least three years of cross-cultural service.
· The candidate’s home church will endeavor to provide 30% of the candidate’s financial support.

B. The Consortium candidate will complete the Application for Consortium Support.

C. The Application for Consortium Support will be submitted to the Consortium Administrator together with the recommendation of the home church by October 1. The application will be accompanied with two letters:

1. The Senior Pastor/Mission Pastor letter will address the following

· Spiritual maturity of the candidate
· Character of the Candidate
· Areas of ministry and involvement in home church, specifically during last three years
· Family life
· Ability of the candidate’s personal, experiences, especially those related to the anticipated focus of ministry.
· Level and quality of interpersonal skills
· Overall assessment of candidate’s personal and spiritual qualifications for service in a foreign country.

2. The letter from the chairman of the missions committee will address:

· Candidates personal, experiential and educational preparation for cross cultural service
· Description of candidate’s previous cross-cultural ministry experiences, especially those related to the anticipated focus of ministry
· An explanation of how the candidate’s anticipated ministry meets the priority requirements of the Consortium.

D. The Executive Council will meet prior to the November meeting to interview the Consortium candidate(s).

1. If more than one candidate is being presented by the Consortium churches the Executive Council will interview all candidates and determine which candidate to recommend to the Consortium Council.

2. The Consortium Administrator will send to each church a copy of the application(s) and letters of reference in anticipation of the annual November meeting.

E. The Consortium Council will interview the Consortium candidate by November 15.

F. The approved candidate will be interviewed by the mission board of each Consortium church.

1. Each church will invite the candidate to meet with their mission board as soon as is possible following the November meeting.

2. Outgoing expenses need to be considered along with regular support requirements.

3. Churches should provide some financial support even if the 10% standard is not possible (e.g., one time gift toward out going expenses).

4. Churches should anticipate new consortium candidates by establishing a $4,000 annual budget line item.

5. Consortium members should be prioritized just behind church member missionaries in contingency plans.

6. Member churches should refer new member churches for consideration until we have the current limit of ten members.

G. The agreement (or non-agreement), amount of support, and when the support will begin will be communicated via writing (email is ok) to the candidate, home church and Consortium Administrator.

H. Each Consortium church will monitor the financial needs of its members annually and increase support as necessary.

III. Priority for Selecting Consortium Candidate

A. A maximum of one candidate will be approved for membership in the Consortium each year.

B. A first priority will be given to the candidate applying from the church with the fewest number of active Consortium members.

If more than one candidate meets criteria B, then they will be further evaluated using the following criteria:

C. Candidates committed to ministry in the “10/40” window.”

D. Candidates who are committed to ministry in an area where other consortium missionaries are not already serving.

E. Candidates who are committed to a ministry focus of the church planting.

F. Candidates who would focus on developing national ministry leadership.

IV. Consortium Council

A. The Consortium Council will be composed of at least one member from each of the churches participating in the Connecticut Mission Consortium.

B. Each church may elect to send more than one person to the Consortium Council meetings.

C. Each church will be eligible for one vote at the Consortium Council meetings.

D. The Consortium Council will meet at least once each year on or before November 15.

E. The Consortium Council will be responsible for:

· Interviewing candidates
· Voting on the candidate to support for the coming year
· Reviewing ministry and funding reports from active Consortium members as presented by the Executive Council.

F. The Consortium will elect the Consortium Administrator if necessary at the annual meeting in November.

V. Executive Council

A. The Consortium Executive Council will be composed of four members, each of whom represents a different Consortium church.

B. Members of the Executive Council will serve for two-year terms, with two members rotating off each year.

C. Members of the Executive Council will not be eligible to succeed themselves. However, the representative churches may succeed themselves if necessary to maintain four churches on the Council.

D. The Executive Council will be charged with the following responsibilities:

1. To meet at least one time each year during the month of October in order to:

· Review the applications for the Consortium candidates
· Schedule interviews between the candidates and the full Consortium Council
· Establish the agenda for the Consortium Council meeting
· Review ministry and funding reports from active Consortium members and recommend adjustments to support level for the next year

2. To meet at other times during the year as requested by the Consortium Administrator.

VI. Consortium Administrator

A. The Consortium Administrator will function as the administrative coordinator on behalf of the Consortium.

B. The Consortium Administrator will serve for a three-year term and is eligible to succeed himself/herself.

C. The Consortium Administrator will collect the applications for sponsorship from Consortium churches by October 1 of each year.

D. The Consortium Administrator will schedule a meeting of the Consortium Executive council during the month of October of each year.

E. The Administrator my call special meetings of the Consortium Council.

VII. Responsibilities of the Home Church

A. Keep in close contact with the Consortium member.

B. Submit a written ministry evaluation and support level report to Consortium Administrator by September 30 of each year.

C. Notify the Consortium Administrator of any change in ministry assignment or country location of Consortium member while overseas.

D. Notify the Consortium Administrator of upcoming furlough or home assignment.

E. Provide the Consortium Administrator a current copy of their church’s Statement of Faith.

VIII. Removal as Consortium member

A. A Consortium church must advise the Consortium Administrator if they are planning to remove a Consortium Member from financial support.

B. A Consortium member can be removed from membership if the number of supporting churches falls below 50% of Consortium churches (currently 10 churches).

C. The Consortium will not make a unilateral decision to remove a Consortium Member from membership; it will simply recognize the cumulative effect of decisions made by the individual churches.

D. The process of removing a Member from membership will be initiated by the Consortium Administrator when support from Consortium churches falls below 50%. The Administrator will notify all churches and the Consortium Member of the status change. Churches that were supporting the former Member are still free to continue their financial support if desired.

IX. Procedure for Non-Consortium Missionaries

Communication by missionaries who are raising support from Consortium churches but are not Consortium members will be permitted. However, the cover letter and communication to Consortium churches must clearly state that these missionaries do not have the approval of the Consortium.