METRO Church Application Form

    METRO TRAINEE’S HOME CHURCH RESPONSE FORM

    To be completed by Senior Pastor or Session Clerk

    Trainee Applicant's Name

    Trainee is a Communicant Member of this congregation?

    YesNo

    Trainer Applicant's Name

    Trainer is a Communicant Member of this congregation?

    YesNo

    Your Church

    Name of Church

    Name of Minister

    Minister's Phone Number

    Minister's Email Address

    Name of Session Clerk (required)

    Session Clerk's Phone Number

    Session Clerk's Email Address

    Name of Treasurer (required)

    Treasurer's Phone Number

    Treasurer's Email Address

    About Metro Funding

    While we recognise that a METRO trainee will be involved in Gospel work, the emphasis on his/her involvement in METRO is training. As such, payments given to METRO trainees for their living is seen as a training grant rather than a wage for working.

    Training people for Gospel ministry is a worthwhile commitment that will require generous financial sacrifice (2 Cor 8:13-16) from local churches for the sake of God’s kingdom. Many churches elect to pay the whole cost of the METRO traineeship, whilst other churches can only afford the trainee with assistance from the METRO Committee. The cost for a METRO trainee is ~$43,000. This includes their income, superannuation and Workcover.

    If financial assistance from the METRO committee is required, the committee will determine the level of funding based in part on the church’s willingness and ability to contribute financially to the traineeship and the trainees ability to fundraise. The inclusion of an up-to-date ACR with this application is essential. At the most, METRO will match up to $1 for every $1 raised by a combination of the church and the trainee.

    It is important to realise METRO grants are limited and we try to apply these where the needs are greatest. There is no guarantee of any particular level of funding for your church. To aid your church’s financial planning, as much as possible, we will attempt to make the grant offered for the first year consistent with the grant offered in the second year. METRO will also require financial information with trainee and trainer applications to aid us in our decision-making.

    For trainees who are married and have children, additional funding may be available. METRO, on behalf of your church, will negotiate with the relevant bodies for this funding to be made available, but cannot guarantee that it will be.

    The METRO Committee may also withdraw funding at any time if the trainee fails to meet the requirements of METRO (e.g. failing to report regularly, should a trainee leave the church, should a trainer leave the church and a suitable replacement trainer not be found).

    Do you understand and agree with the above?
    YesNo

    What level of funding per year is the Church willing to commit to your trainee?

    What level of fundraising per year is the trainee confident they can achieve?

    If financial assistance from the METRO committee is not granted, would you still be interested in being part of the METRO program?
    YesNo

    SESSION SUPPORT

    The METRO committee requires an extract minute from the Session stating:

    • The Session’s approval of the proposed METRO trainee

    • The Session’s appointment of the METRO trainer

    • The Session’s decision regarding the amount of financial support the church is willing to make.

    Please attach this extract to this application.
    (Example motions by Session can be found in the ‘Training Churches’ section of the METRO website metro.pcv.org.au) by following the link to the METRO Application Timeline and Checklist.)

    CHURCH'S STATEMENT

    The information contained in this application is correct to the best of my knowledge.

    I also agree to have completed the following with the submission of this application:

    • I have attached an extract minute from either a Session or Congregational Meeting approving the funding and employment of a proposed METRO trainee.

    • I have attached an updated APR and a church budget which includes the first year of the proposed METRO trainee.

    • I am aware of and the church will comply with the superannuation requirements for a METRO trainee.

    • I am aware of and will ensure that our church complies with the PCV’s “Safe Church” policy and “Working with Children Check” requirements should the METRO trainee work with children and/or minors.

    • I am aware of and the church will comply with any tax, WorkCover and other statutory requirements that arise from having a METRO trainee.

    • am aware of and the church will comply with a contract for the duration of the METRO traineeship which includes leave entitlements (a proforma contract will be sent to you if your application is successful).

    Today's Date:

    Name of Signatory

    Role in Church

    By checking this box I agree to the Applicant's Statement