Application for Mentoring Young Adults Please fill out all questions completely. Incomplete applications will not be considered PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY Vision: To connect spiritually mature mentors one-on-one to emerging young adult leaders in order to be a source of support, a listening ear, and a prayer resource for young adults as they navigate the working world, make decisions about jobs and relationships, learn how to serve in the local church, and grow in faith. Date: PERSONAL University Presbyterian Church does not discriminate in any aspects of the volunteer relationship with regard to personal characteristics protected by state and federal law. Name: (Last) (First) (Middle) Address: (Number & Street) (City) (State) (Zip) Telephone: (Home) (Business) (E-mail) Church Affiliation: Contact Person & Phone # Dates of Availability: Birth Date: Have you ever applied for employment or volunteer work with us? Yes No If YES, please list dates you were served: From: To: EDUCATION AND TRAINING Please list your education and professional experience: Please list skills, interests, and hobbies: Cross-Cultural Experience: Student in Different Culture? (Y/N) What Country? Worker in Different Culture? (Y/N) What Country? Other: SPIRITUAL JOURNEY Tell us about your faith journey (use additional pages if necessary) Revised 09/2015-1-
How do you believe God has equipped you for this ministry? Describe briefly why you are interested in mentoring young adults. From whom did you hear about our program? Have you read and do you affirm the Statement of Faith and the Conduct Expectations? (Y/N) Do you have any reservations regarding these statements? (Y/N) (If Y, please indicate below, or on a separate sheet) REFERENCES List three, including one pastoral reference. Please include phone # and email if known 1. 2. 3. Have you been convicted of a crime in the past ten years, excluding misdemeanors and summary offenses, which have not been annulled, expunged or sealed by a court? Yes No If Yes describe in full. Use additional sheets if necessary. As a condition of volunteering, I give permission to UPC leadership to conduct a background check on me, if they deem it necessary. This check may include a review of sex offender registries, child abuse and criminal history records. I understand that, if appointed, my position is conditional upon UPC receiving no inappropriate information regarding my background. The decision as to what is inappropriate for volunteer work in the ministry is entirely in the discretion of the staff leaders. I hereby agree to release and hold harmless UPC and/or any agency or person from whom this information is obtained. If appointed, I understand that I serve at the pleasure of the UPC leaders and/or the supervisory personnel placed in charge of the ministry in which I serve. At their discretion they may release me from my volunteer position for reasons deemed in the best interest of the ministry. Applicant Signature Date Do Not Write Below This Line Application Received By Interview Conducted By Decision: Place in service (3 months Observation) Decline Placement at this Time Supervisor: - 2 -
UPC Statement of Faith FIRST, WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST. We are followers of Christ and we have many beliefs in common with other Christian denominations and churches: God is creator of the universe: He "created the heavens and the earth and made human beings in God's image, charging them to care for all that lives." Christ is the incarnation of God on earth fully human and fully God. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in the world and in the believer. The Trinity is God as three persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Church is a universal company of Christ's followers. The forgiveness of sin is made possible by the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Life everlasting and the resurrection of the body is ours because Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. The Bible is the inspired word of God. Second, we are Protestants. We share beliefs in common with other denominations that split from the Roman Catholic Church in the sixteenth century as well as those that were founded later: Protestants believe in justification by faith. We are justified, or brought into a right relationship with God through grace. This does not happen by our own effort, but by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Because of God's love for us, Jesus Christ took sin upon himself and became the full and final sacrifice for the sins of the world. Protestants also believe in the authority of scripture. Scripture is the written revelation of God and always points through the Holy Spirit, to the living revelation of God in Christ. The purpose of scripture is to bring persons to salvation and guide them in living a life of faith. Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. Third, our Presbyterian creeds and confessions emphasize: The Sovereignty of God: We know the actions of God are intentional and directed toward the accomplishment of his purposes in his creation. God also uses human means in history to accomplish his purposes, yet such means do not involve coercion. We are still responsible for our decisions and actions. Scripture calls us to both concepts. Election: Before we ever said yes to God, God said yes to us. The central point is that the initiative belongs to God, and we respond to Him. We cannot boast in the fact that we say yes to his salvation. Election is the Reformed way of saying "grace alone." - 3 -
Covenant: God has made a covenant, or promise, with his people. This has always been a covenant of grace. God's promise is that he will be our God, and we will be his people if we believe and have faith. Stewardship: Stewardship is an attitude toward all of creation. We are creatures given the responsibility as stewards, or servants, to care for all God has created. Grace motivates us to live in gratitude. Redemption calls us to respond in thankfulness by caring for all that God has given us. As we recognize that all life, faith, love, and every other gift comes from God, so we recognize our responsibility to render back a portion of what has been given us in these areas. This "rendering back" might include time, talent, and treasures. Stewardship is a spiritual matter, not a synonym for raising money. Sin of Idolatry: "The Problem" according to Reformed theology, is not atheism, it's idolatry. Calvin argued that knowledge of God is implanted in every human heart, but is suppressed by human sin. People actively choose not to acknowledge God as their creator and instead create idols defined as anything we create that we give our ultimate allegiance to. Obedience: We are to be obedient to the Word of God, which directs us to work for justice in the transformation of society. All our life is a response to all that God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has done and is doing. QUESTIONS FOR PRESBYTERIANS The Trinity: We believe God exists in the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christ: Christ is the Son of God, the Revealer of God, and the Savior of humanity. Heaven: The souls of the faithful are reunited with God in a warm and loving relationship for eternity. Hell: Hell is separation from God and may exist now as well as in the hereafter. The Virgin Birth: Presbyterians believe that Jesus' birth was miraculous. Mary: Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus, the special person chosen to bear the Son of God. Resurrection: The resurrection of the body refers to the reuniting of the spiritual body and physical body. Confession: This is voluntary and made directly to God, although it may be made in the presence of another believer. Salvation: God grants the gift of grace (unmerited favor), which enables us to gain the faith necessary for salvation. We are saved by grace rather than by good deeds, correct beliefs, or human ceremonies. It is not possible to earn salvation it can only be accepted with thanksgiving and joy. The Cross: The empty cross symbolizes the risen Christ who opened the kingdom of heaven. The Sacredness of Marriage: Marriage is a covenant through which a man and a woman are called to live out lives of discipleship together before God. Change: Presbyterians admit different understandings of the Confession of Faith. This is because they believe the church should be open to the reform of its standards of doctrine. Parenthood: Parenthood is a gift, but there is nothing in the church s teaching that discourages intelligent, unselfish family planning. Education: Presbyterians place a great deal of stress on education, both for the ministry and for the laity. The "Only" Church: No Christian church has exclusive possession of the church government authorized by Christ. The Sacraments: Presbyterians recognize two sacraments as described in the Bible: baptism and communion. - 4 -
Qualifications and Conduct Expectations As an outreach to young adults, designed to befriend, provide service, develop relationships and follow Jesus Christ, it is important for us all to understand and have certain expectations for how the mentors will be involved with the young adults. MENTOR QUALIFICATIONS o An active and growing faith in Jesus Christ o Membership or regular attendance at UPC o Commitment to pray regularly for your mentee o Filling out an application form and meeting with a UPC Young Adults staff person or elder o Attending a mentor training o A schedule that allows for enough time to meet with your mentee at least once a month APPROPRIATE CONDUCT The ministry is primarily for the young adults. Be careful not to dominate discussions and to listen actively. Practice discernment in the discussion of controversial and/or pollical issues. Try to avoid such issues, if possible. IF not, express your brief, sincere opinion with respect. Be sensitive and respectful of other religions, cultures, and genders. UPC s young adult community is culturally diverse and many young adults in our community come from other countries. Interact appropriately with all other participants. No offensive touching, words, or flirting observe appropriate physical boundaries. It is a policy of UPC that no volunteer or staff member should be alone with a young adult of the opposite gender during the program. Any cross-gender one-on-one meetings should be done in a public place. Exceptions should only occur in the event of a demonstrated emergency. o A mentor who habitually violates this policy, in the opinion of the leadership, will be dismissed from the program. o A mentor who participates in a romantic relationship with a young adult must immediately step down from their involvement in this program. As part of UPC s confessional stance, we reserve the right to refuse to enlist volunteers into the program who do not align with our faith, fail to adhere to the direction of the leadership, or who exhibit a lifestyle inconsistent with Christian values (see Galatians 5). The UPC staff reserve the right to request that a mentor step down from service when the person is determined not to meet the needs or attitudes required for the program. Response: I understand the above Conduct Expectations, and my signature below indicates my agreement to abide by them during my involvement with UPC Young Adults. Signature Date Please Print Your Name - 5 -