LEADER ORIENTATION PACKET

Thank you so much for taking the time to review the Local Service Projects Leader Orientation Packet. Our intention is for you to better understand why and how we do Local Service Projects at River Valley Church. It all begins with our church’s mission statement, which is to lead people to an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. Our desire is to see everyone at River Valley Church serving the poor, the forgotten and the community. Being involved in Local Service Projects is a huge part of getting connected, serving alongside other people, growing spiritually and being obedient to the Word of God. Becoming a leader is one of the best and most practical ways of participating in the vision. As River Valley Church continues to grow, it is important that more and more people take on the responsibility and privilege of Local Service Project leadership. This packet will present the vision, the purpose and some of the basic details necessary for leading a Local Service Project at River Valley Church.

Justin Mack Global Projects// Adult Ministries Pastor Heather Longawa Local Service Projects Coordinator

This diagram displays what we call the core “DNA of River Valley Church”. We are blessed to have a visionary leader that desires to see each of us have an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ, which is the foundational mission of the church. We believe that a follower of Christ should be involved in:





Creative Worship: Experiencing Jesus Christ through worship and larger group gatherings. Lifegroups: Living Jesus Christ through simply choosing to live life with one another through connecting, growing and serving together. Global Project: Serving Christ through local &/or global opportunities outside the church. SOAP: Devotion to Jesus Christ through personal devotion and Bible study. (SOAP is a very simple, yet powerful Bible study method that we highly recommend. S=Scripture, O=Observation, A=Application, P=Prayer. More information is available on the church website.)

What is the VISION for Local Service Projects at River Valley Church? We want to help lead people into an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ and we believe this happens by connecting, growing and serving together. In addition to serving in the church, we also want to make a difference in our community. Our vision for Local Service Projects is to see everyone doing their part to serve the poor, the forgotten and those in the community.
Our goal and hope is to see every attendee serve 2 hours twice a year. If we met this goal, it would total 20,000 hours served in a year.
Our dream is to see every attendee serve 2 hours a month. If our dream became a reality, it would amount to 120,000 hours served in a year. What an incredible impact we could make for Christ! Don’t let what you CAN’T do keep you from what you CAN do.

What is our DEFINITION of a Local Service Project? A Local Service Project can be defined as an approved volunteer leader, partnering with an approved local organization, leading a volunteer team to serve the poor, the forgotten and those in the community.

WHY do we have Local Service Projects? It is the primary model of caring for one another.




First command to love one another. John 13:34 Jesus washes disciples’ feet. John 13:1-20 Carry burdens of others. Galatians 6:2

To glorify the Lord, making Him look good, through our service.
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people. Ephesians 6:7
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 To utilize the gifts God has given you. No small act of kindness goes unseen by God.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

WHAT do Local Service Projects look like? More than anything, it is our desire and prayer that our Local Service Projects are identified by the following core values:







Relentlessly Christ-centered – all about Christ, not just a fun, social club Selflessly sacrificial – we want to follow Jesus’ example by sacrificially serving one another Intentionally life-giving – supportive, encouraging, optimistic, positive environment Courageously authentic – despite our flaws and failures we are going to allow God’s grace to be displayed through us Extravagantly hospitable – showing people that they are always welcome Strategically inclusive – not exclusive or a select group but open to anyone and everyone

They can be categorized in three areas: 1. Serving the Poor-homeless shelters, feeding programs 2. Serving the Forgotten-elderly, orphans, prison 3. Serving the Community-construction, after school programs, special needs, parks/highways Local Service Projects are organized ways we can show God’s love through simple service. To love him means to serve him and a simple act of service can tear down barriers and open hearts. Local Service Projects are not meant to be something you check off your list; a means to an individual gain or self-gratification.


Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:16

Ask yourself; is it an obligation or a pleasure? It’s not about you or your agenda; it is about God and his mission.

ORGANIZATION APPROVAL Process Several areas of the organization will be reviewed (how well they use volunteers, how a they use their resources, financial health, what they support, etc.). This process will help us choose organizations that share the vision of Local Service Projects and River Valley Church.

Organizations are approved in two ways: 1. Pre-approved list 2. Leader recommended organization-If you have an organization for a Local Service Project we’d love to hear about it! Steps to submitting your idea:
It should fit into one of the three categories; serving the poor, the forgotten or the community.
Submit your organization with a brief description to [email protected]
We will contact you, the recommending leader, regarding the organization’s approval status. We may ask for your help during this process depending on your current relationship with the organization.

Leader RESPONSIBILITIES One of the most important qualities of a Local Service Projects leader is servant leadership which means using your gifts and passion to ignite others to use theirs. We want you to infuse the culture of serving into the hearts of your team because each of us plays a part and each part is valuable.


For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Romans 12:4-5

Three main responsibilities of a leader are: 1. Group


Communication- your team should be informed about project details such as






updates/changes, goals of the project, what to wear, time, what to anticipate when they arrive, and address safety concerns, etc. Establish guidelines for your team/provide necessary project training Be an example- welcoming and enthusiastic Continually casting vision Source of encouragement Manage group details on the website

2. Organization



Communication- to maintain a relationship with the organization’s volunteer coordinator or contact person. It is the responsibility of the leader to notify the organization of schedule changes and any necessary information they may need ahead of time.

3. Raise up leaders




Identify leaders for multiplication-our expectation is that we will begin to see volunteer servants emerge from your team to lead groups of their own. Source of encouragement and support Co-leader for group-highly recommended. In your absence and for the purpose of having more than one group serving the same organization.

LEADER APPROVAL Process The approval for a Local Service Project leader is a three step process: 1. Attend the Local Service Projects Leader Orientation AND complete the Orientation Review. 2. Fill out the Leader Application/Agreement Located on www.rivervalleychurch.org >Ministries tab>Global Project 3. Pastoral Character Approval Once an applicant has completed the Local Service Projects Leader Application/Agreement, we ask the Pastoral Staff to review the entire list of Local Service Project Leader Applicants.
The pastors are asked one question, “Based on character alone, do you have any concerns with the individual leading a Local Service Project at River Valley Church?
If none of the pastors are able to confirm one’s character, we simply ask that the applicant serve in other ways and connect with one of the pastors and reapply at a later time. If you are currently an approved Lifegroup Leader, you will automatically be approved to be a Local Service Projects Leader.

What TYPE of Local Service Project are you passionate about? There are three types of groups: SOLID group- Same leader, same organization/need, same volunteer team A team of volunteers who serve/meet together on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc.) for the same organization. These groups often consist of the same people but should remain “open” to new volunteers joining. This group allows for the ease of building relationships and consistency. A solid group is ideal.






Elderly Mom’s group serving at the same shelter 1x/month Kids n’ Kinship-same group/ individuals serving the same kids

FLEX group- Same leader, same organization/need, different volunteer team A team of volunteers who serve together one time for a particular organization.
Feed My Starving Children
Young Adults Lifegroup serve at FMSC
Ronald McDonald House

SPECIAL EVENT group- different leader, different volunteer team





Jubilee Life Center holiday outreach Operation Christmas Child Back-to-School drives

People lead best when they are passionate about the project or organization and we believe people enjoy being a part of a group whose leader is passionate and interested in what is being done. QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF about the type of group you are going to lead: 1. What is your passion? 2. What is your focus? Poor, forgotten, community 3. What type of group? Solid group, Flex group, or a Special Event 4. How involved do you want to be and how many hours can you commit to as a leader? You can expect to spend 3-5 hours/month managing your team. This includes email updates to your team and the organization as well as any preparation for the project 5. Who is your Local Service Project designed for? -GO Kids (elem) -ONE Students (jr/sr high -Young Adults (20s/30s) -Adults -Men -Women -Family It is our desire to include all ages and life-stages. Most Local Service Projects have a primary “target” and some are open to more than one target group, but for administrative purposes, it’s most helpful to primarily focus on one target age group or life-stage. Organizations may have age restrictions depending on the nature of the project.

Once your approved, NOW WHAT? Managing your Local Service Project online As an approved leader, you will be given a log-in password for access to our Lifegroups leader management system. Once you have been given the password, simply go our church website www.rivervalleychurch.org > Ministries tab> Lifegroups. Click on “Lifegroup Leadership Login”. The system should be very intuitive for you to navigate and use. You will receive a simple one page “Reference Guide” that gives you step-by-step instructions on how to create your group profile and manage your Local Service Project. A profile contains all the information about your Local Service Project such as date, time, project description, group leader, etc. Local Service Projects are considered “serving” lifegroups and will appear on the Lifegroups page of the website and can also be accessed on the Global Project webpage. Please note that all Local Service Projects need to be created and/or recreated 2-4 weeks prior to the start of each new semester. An email reminder will be sent out to all approved leaders reminding you it is time to create your group profile. If you are repeating the same group, we ask that you review your profile, which ensures that all the details have been looked at and are current for a new semester.

PROMOTING a Local Service Project There are simple ways to promote your Local Service Project:


Personal Invitation - The single most effective way to promote a Local Service Project is through personal invitations. Please don’t underestimate the importance of this responsibility. A personal invitation is more important than anything.




Local Service Projects Page- directing people to your group profile through the Local Service Projects page.




Customizable Invitation Cards - We have created customizable invitation cards for you to pass out to anyone that you think would be interested in being a part of your Local Service Project. They are the size of a business card and available to pick up at the welcome center or church office.

Local Service Project SIGNUP Volunteers should sign up for Local Service Projects by going to: www.rivervalleychurch.org >Ministries tab> Global Project> Local Service Projects. For those that do not have internet access, they can call the church office.
We’d love to start tracking our volunteer/service hours as a church so when we hit our dream of 120,000 hours served in the year we can celebrate that huge win for the kingdom!
It also provides a current count of volunteers for the leader to pass along to the organization. It’s important for you, as a leader, to know who’s committed to your group. The Lifegroups page will have group profiles for all current groups. An individual will have the option to join your group right away or contact the leader for more information. As the leader, you will receive an automated email notifying you that someone has joined your group. The individual that signs up for your group will also receive an automated email giving them the basic details of the group and a note that they can expect to hear back from the group leader within 24-48 hours. Please do your best to kindly welcome them to your group within 24-48 hours and give them any other important information or updates they would need.

Leader TRAINING/SUPPORT Typically, two times a year we will have Lifegroups Night trainings that are designed for all Lifegroup leaders including Local Service Projects leaders. During this time you will have the opportunity to receive training and support in your current leader role. In addition, orientation for Lifegroup mentoring and new Lifegroup leaders will be offered. We understand that there are extenuating circumstances and conflicts with family and work obligations, so these trainings are not a requirement but they should be a high priority. Commitment to the continued vision, to one another and to grow as an individual and leader are all part of the honor and privilege of being a leader at River Valley Church.

QUESTIONS/CONCERNS There can be countless questions or concerns throughout the year, so please know that we are always available to help out in any way possible. For the timeliest responses please consider the following:

For general questions regarding details and administration, please email [email protected]. For specific questions regarding pastoral concerns or theological issues, please email [email protected].

The REVIEW Thanks again for taking the time to read through the details of this Local Service Project Leader Orientation Packet and for considering stepping up to help lead people into an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. Based on the information in the Local Service Projects Leader Orientation Packet, please take a couple more minutes to complete the Local Service Projects Leader Orientation Review listed below. After you have completed the review please turn it in or email it to [email protected]. Please note that we do NOT consider it cheating to look back at the Leader Orientation Packet for the correct answers. We just want to make sure that you know the information necessary to successfully lead a Local Service Project here at River Valley Church. Thanks again for taking the time to review this information on becoming a Local Service Project Leader.

Your Name and Date:

Local Service Project Leader Orientation Packet REVIEW Based on the information provided in the Leader Orientation Packet, please take a couple minutes to complete this review. Don’t hesitate to look back at the Orientation Packet to help you answer each of the questions correctly. 1. Please write the River Valley Church mission statement: 2. Circle the four primary parts of the DNA of River Valley Church: a) b) c) d) e) f) g)

Creative Worship Lifegroups SOAP Global Project Discover Cool Shirts All the above

3. True or False The vision of Local Service Projects is to see everyone doing their part to serve the poor, the forgotten, and the community. 4. What is the definition of a Local Service Project?

5. List two reasons why we have Local Service Projects at River Valley Church: 1. 2. 6. What are the three categories of Local Service Projects? 1. 2. 3. 7. Circle the type of Lifegroup that Local Service Projects are. a) Fun groups b) Growth groups c) Bible study groups d) Connect groups e) Serve groups

8. True or False Organizations are approved solely by the recommendation of River Valley Church. 9. List the three main responsibilities of a leader and briefly explain each:

10. How many steps are there in the Local Service Projects Leader Approval process? 11. Match the type of Local Service Project to the description a.) SOLID Same leader, same organization, different volunteer team b.) FLEX Different leader, different volunteer team c.) SPECIAL EVENT Same leader, same organization, same volunteer team 12. True or False It’s not necessary for an individual to sign-up for your Local Service Project. 13. What is the most effective way to promote a Local Service Project?

14. How quickly should a leader respond with a welcome email when someone signs up for a group? 15. Who is responsible for communicating project updates/changes to the organization?

Please copy and paste your completed REVIEW to [email protected] or turn it in during orientation